[Elecraft] OT: How to *NOT* get scammed.....emails offering to sell Elecraft equipment?

[Jerry Flanders]

To be clear concerning the QRZ address check::

QRZ.com can give the official FCC contact postal address. This can 
also be had on the FCC website. I recommend comparing that postal 
address to the postal address he gives for sending the USPS money 
order. I would NOT like a po box nr for this, and no address changes, either.

And using USPS Money orders gives a sort of fraud protection for both 
the buyer and seller. Read USPS website. Looks like you can even 
check the validity of the MO there.

Jerry W4UK

At 11:37 AM 10/3/2013, Mark Stennett wrote:
>Be careful trusting what you see on QRZ. There is a recent trend 
>where an unsuspecting victim clicks on a link to view whatever a 
>scammer is offering via email. That link leads to a QRZ.COM fake web 
>page where the victim is asked to log in. After providing name and 
>password, the victim is then directed to the real QRZ.COM.
>
>The scammer now has the login information he needs to get on QRZ and 
>change the email address to something he controls. You would also 
>not be surprised how many hams use the same password on multiple 
>sites. They change other accounts as well and then scam ads are 
>posted under legitimate user accounts. A lot of us site managers 
>have gotten together and share information so  these scammers are 
>shut down fast but they still sneak through.
>
>
>73 de na6m
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jerry Flanders <jeflanders at comcast.net>
>To: dw <bw_dw at fastmail.fm>
>Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:38:18 -0400
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: How to *NOT* get scammed.....emails 
>offering to sell Elecraft equipment?
>
>1) See if QRZ address matches the address he gives
>
>2) Google search him to see if anyone complained on a list or
>elsewhere. Also see if he ever posts to ham reflectors and what that
>history is.
>
>3) Does he have a land-line phone nr that can be verified against his
>address on the internet phone book?
>
>4) Use USPS money order for payment. Supposed to give protection
>against fraud (possibly get the federal postal inspectors on your
>side) . This helps both sides, actually.
>
>If at least 3 of the above are OK, he probably is also.
>
>Jerry W4UK
>
>At 10:22 AM 10/3/2013, you wrote:
> >I hope its ok for me to post an OFF-TOPIC query.
> >Here is my question:
> >Recently I was forwarded an email.....a ham offering to sell a slightly
> >used KX3.
> >
> >I had a bad experience this summer with someone who I believe was posing
> >as a ham offering to sell something via email.
> >It was in response to a "want-add" I had posted on Eham-swap looking for
> >parts.
> >
> >I received an email a supposed ham wanted to sell me an item he claimed
> >was almost brand new.
> >I said thank you anyway....I'm specifically looking for parts.
> >He emailed me 2 more times trying to get me to buy.
> >I thanked him and repeated, I was only looking for parts.
> >He then emailed me saying he had another unit he would sell as parts.
> >I asked him for pictures.
> >I never heard from him again.
> >He was using a legitimate ham call-sign.
> >
> >I believe if someone on this list were selling a used KX3, it would be
> >legit.
> >But other forums I suspect are subject to scammers.
> >Is there any way one can inspect an item at delivery before providing
> >payment?
> >C.O.D is kind of like that, but not quite.
> >
> >** please no flammers **
> >Thanks :-]
> >Duane - N1BBR
>
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