Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts?

FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)

FTC online complaint form (http://www.ftc.gov)

Canadian PhoneBusters hotline: 888-495-8501

Internet Fraud Complaint Center (http://www.ic3.gov)

Non-emergency number for your local police department.



If you suspect that an item posted for sale on VarietyAds.com may be part of a scam, please email the details to abuse@VarietyAds.com. Be sure to include the URL (or eight-digit post ID number) in your message.

Recognizing scams

Most scams involve one or more of the following:

inquiry from someone far away, often in another country

Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee"

inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consumating transaction

Examples of Scams

1. Someone claims that VarietyAds.com will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that VarietyAds.com will handle or provide protection for a payment.

These claims are fraudulent, as VarietyAds.com does not have any role in any transaction.

Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from VarietyAds.com, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services -- all such emails are fakes!



2. Distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check

you receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen.

cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value.

value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service

banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!

scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)



3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:

Scam "bait" items include apartments, laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets - but could be almost anything

Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE.

Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere

Apartment listing may be local, but landlord/owner is "travelling" or "relocating" and needs you to wire money to them abroad

Deal often seems too good to be true, price is too low, rent is below market, etc



4. Distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money:

this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's check is FAKE

sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not

scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check

deal often seems too good to be true



5. Distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service.

most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers

for more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud"



6. Distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods

he says he trusts you with the partial payment

he may say he has already shipped the goods

deal often sounds too good to be true



7. Foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds

foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly

you are typically offered a percentage of payments received

this kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email.