Deal locally with folks that you can meet in person - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on Postpicker.
Never wire funds via Western Union or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
Fake cashier's checks and money orders are common. Banks will cash them and hold YOU responsible when the fake is discovered weeks later.
Postpicker is not involved in any transaction and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer 'buyer protection' or 'seller certification'.
Never give out financial information (bank account number, PAN number, eBay or PayPal info, etc.)
Avoid deals involving shipping or escrow services.
Only a scammer will guarantee your transaction.
Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts?
If you suspect that an item posted for sale on Postpicker may be part of a scam, please email the details to info@postpicker.com. Be sure to include Ad ID# 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, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a 'guarantee'.
Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before transaction.
Examples of Scams
1. IF Someone claims that Postpicker will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that Postpicker will handle or provide protection for a payment These claims are fraudulent, as Postpicker does not have any role in any transaction. The scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from Postpicker, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services -- all such emails are fakes!
2. A 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. A cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value. The 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 will hold you responsible when the check fails to clear. The scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc).
3. Someone requests a wire service payment via Western Union: Often claim that a confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is false, once you've wired money, it is gone. Scam 'bait' items include laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets - but could be almost anything. Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, Ukraine, Spain, UK, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere. The deal often seems too good to be true.
4. A 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. The scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check. The deal often sounds too good to be true.
5. A 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. A distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods. They say that they trust you with the partial payment. They may say that they have already shipped the goods. The deal often sounds too good to be true.
7. A foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds A 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.
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