BayAreaKiteboarding.com

So, I was posting my Boxer II for sale for $420 on ikitesurf. Someone from Victoria, Canada said that he'll have his associate sends me US funds. A month later, he sent me a check for $3,700.00 from Sterley Bank, Houston TX. Of course, I am not cashing this check, and he did not even put any return address. Check is payable to me. Has anyone experienced this type of weird fraud activities on ikitesurf? His name is..
guess what. "Tony Blair"....

Any advice appreciated.

Very common.. The check is bad to begin with but if the bank was to cash it they the people from Victoria would want you to send them 3,280.00 out of your account. It might take 4 days for the bad check to bounce and you'd be out of 3280 and the kite.. They do this a lot on CraigsList all the time..

Here are some links to threads on Kiteforum talking about this.

http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2312823
http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2317243&highlight=fraud

I'm sure there are a million more.

Same thing happened to my buddy who was selling his road bikes on craigslist. I think the bank ended up raising the red flag. I don't remember if he lost any money as a result, but definately don't respond to any adds remotely similar to this.
-bric

Has anyone heard of problems with buying stuff through Ikite and not getting your merchandise?

I haven't had problems yet, but it always makes me nervous. I try to ask questions that only a kiter would ask, like "what board do you ride with this kite".

Another thing to watch for is language like this "I am the king of Nigeria, and I have only real large bill in bank. I love boarding on the kite, and really want to ride on NashBox II. I will you send $4000; please send to me the kite and $3600 in little bills, pleaz."

I don't understand why they didn't give you a return address. How were you supposed to send them their "change"?

Thanks, everyone.
I guess I just don't understand why I even bothered to respond this guy, the first place. My fault. I guess I had nothing to lose but my time. But why anyone would just waste their time emailing people and send a fake check for nothing??? I guess I learned a lesson. I've never really sold over ikitesurf before, as I always prefer to sell it to an actual person.
Luckily I have this original sender's address even if it's fake, so I'm going to just send back the check via fedex after making a copy.

Hana wrote:But why anyone would just waste their time emailing people and send a fake check for nothing???

Because if one guy in 40 falls for it, it's still pretty lucrative on these a$$hole's part.

I wouldn't send the check back, necessarily. In fact, google around, there may be an easy way to report this. I'm sure there's a division of the FBI or some other security org. that loves to keep track of these guys.

I would like to state in the public forum that i have no relation to or call myself "Tony Blair". I am just Blair. I thank you for your time.

Blair

That sounds so classic that there is no question, fraud it is. Don't cash the check because it can get YOU into trouble.