Last week, BBB was made aware of an on-going scam regarding the bogus sale of items on Craigslist manipulating the official template and correspondence of a legitimate Canadian-based online payment processing system: www.alertpay.com , and requiring buyers to utilize a fake shipping/escrow web site: www.globetransports.zzl.org
A couple from Alberta, Canada, contacted the BBB to file a complaint for unfulfilled delivery of a tractor against AlertPay.com, (a BBB accredited business based in Quebec, Canada similar to PayPal services) and a shipping/escrow service, Globetransport, using the address: 1166 14th Street W., Billings, MT, 59102. They had purchased a tractor online for over $5,000, making an upfront down payment of $2,900, the rest due upon receipt of the tractor.
As BBB reviewed the details of the transaction, it saw many red flags and uncovered a scam misusing the legitimate transaction and email templates of AlertPay.com (including its BBBOnline Trust seal) and requiring people to use what it came to find is a fake shipping site set up using an unknown Billings, MT address.
BBB was able to confirm with the Quebec Registrar and Quebec BBB that AlertPay.com was, indeed, a legitimate online payment processing company, and that there are scams misusing AlertPay’s profile, logos, etc. in a template that contains bogus contact info, in particular, fake emails and phone numbers that connect you to scammers only and not the official company. (No wonder when the customers called AlertPay.com using the info the scammers gave, nobody ever returned their call!)
BBB then confirmed with the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Department that the address and web site being utilized for shipping and escrow services was, indeed, bogus.
Unfortunately, anyone caught up in this scam will not be able to get their money back, and need to chalk it up to lesson learned.
BBB ADVICE
Confusion abounds online about the legitimate AlertPay.com and the bogus templates and information scammers are utilizing to fake people out that they are using a real service. Because of the high rate of scam activity this service sadly catches, it is, in and of itself, a victim of these types of scams, as it shed them in a bad light. Many people feel that AlertPay.com is not a real company, when it is.
The fake out is tricky and sly, requiring one to be hyper-vigilant about making certain he or she is dealing with REAL entities, and not fakes. Sometimes this fake out can be as simple as responding to a fake email address instead of a real one.
ALERTPAY.COM has tips and warnings posted to its Security Center about such activities. Here is what they have to say about Craigslist Scams misusing their name: https://www.alertpay.com/info/SecurityCenter.aspx It asks that people be pro-active and report abuse (much like PayPal does).
TIPS re: Craigslist Scams Misusing AlertPay.com
AlertPay is a third-party payment processor that facilitates online payments, some of which are initiated by Craigslist users. However, fraudsters also use Craigslist. Here are a few tips on avoiding fraud through Craigslist:
*You need to create an AlertPay account to get paid through our service.
*Nobody can open an AlertPay account for you.
*The buyer only needs your email address. Nothing more.
*If you are wondering whether the buyer actually uses AlertPay, please contact us.
*AlertPay is NOT an escrow service. We do not hold the money for you while you ship the product.
*If the money is not in your AlertPay account, you did not receive any payments.
*AlertPay does not withdraw your money and send it to you. You must log into your AlertPay account and create the withdrawal transaction yourself.
*When in doubt, contact AlertPay's Customer Support (only its official #).
*Also review Craigslist’s Security Center here.
BBB suggests that if you are a victim of such a scam that you report it to the FBI’s IC3 Unit at: www.ic3.gov as well as Phonebusters at: (888) 495-8501 or email them at info@phonebusters.com