Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with fraud

Please help me not be an idiot

colt45 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:37:54 -0800

I have made several purchases from a small on-line company. They have always shipped the order out correctly and on time. I just received and email from them stating that they had a problem with my payment. If they genuinely had a problem, I want to help them fix it. If this is a scam, I don't want to be an idiot. I'm confused by them telling me not to reply to the email, but to send a new one. I would appreciate any help or advice that anyone could give me. This is the email that I received:

colt45,
I shipped the order you placed on xxxxxx but your payment contained a general error and therefore will not settle. I am enclosing a copy of the error (note the transaction status) so please do not respond to this e-mail - please create a new e-mail in response as I would not want to compromise your credit card number. In order for me to settle this transaction I would need the first 12 digits of your credit card along with the expiration date. You can provide me with this information either by e-mail or telephone - our number here is xxxxxxx. Thanks!
Transaction Detail
Help
Transaction ID: xxxxxxxx
Transaction Status: General Error (Unable to Send Notification)
Settlement Information
Settlement Amount: Correct Amount
Settlement Date and Time: Correct Date
Business Day: Correct Date
Batch ID: XXXXXX
Authorization Information
Authorization Amount: My Amount
Submit Date /Time: Correct Date
Authorization Code: XXXXX
Reference Transaction ID: Not Applicable
Transaction Type: Authorization w/ Auto Capture
Address Verification Status: Street Address: Match Zip: Matched first 5 digits (Y)
Card Code Status: Not Applicable
CAVV Result Code: Not Applicable
Fraud Score Applied: Not Applicable
Recurring Billing Transaction: N
Dynamic Currency Conversion: Not Applicable
Partial Capture Status: Not Applicable
Customer IP: xxxxxxxx
Payment Information
Card Type: My Card
Card Number:XXXXX My last four digits
Expiration Date: XXXX
Total Amount: My Amount
Order Information
Invoice #:
Description:
Customer Billing Information
Name: colt45
Company:
Address: My Address
City: My City
State/Province: My State
Zip Code: My Zip
Country: United States
Phone: My Phone
Fax:
Email: My Email
Customer ID: My ID
Customer Type:
Customer TaxID/SSN:
DL Number:
DL State:
DL DOB:
Shipping Information
Name: colt45
Company:
Address: My Address
City: My City
State/Province: My State
Zip Code: My Zip
Country: United States
Additional Details - Level 2 Data
Tax: 0.00
Freight: 0.00
Duty: 0.00
Tax Exempt: N
PO Number:
Linda

Books and information about pathological liars / con-artists?

SmileyChewtrain — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:50:29 -0800

I'm looking for books, articles, movies or documentaries about con-artists / pathological liars. I'm doing research for a project on pathological liars / con artists like the young woman "Hope" who is profiled in the Deception episode of Radiolab, or the woman discussed in this thread.

I am looking for profiles or articles on con-artists (and the psychology thereof) who are more of a pathological liar type than professional short term scammer (card tricks, though I think that there is some overlap). These are the types of folks who tend to live their lives from false identity to false identity. It seems that they are in a different league than the "short con" folks, but I don't know if they are typically called something different.

I am looking for anything on the subject, either fiction or non-fiction.

As I type this, I'm noticing some new headlines on the "Rockefeller" kidnap case which seems to indicate he's one of these con-artist impostors as well.

Fraudulent Telemarketers on my Cell Phone!

fogster — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:05:01 -0800

Telemarketers calling my cell phone. With spoofed Caller ID. For fraud. How do I send them to PMITA prison? I'm one of those people that's very guarded about my phone number. Maybe 20 people on the planet have my home number, and about 5 people have my cell number. So when I got a call Monday night from (717) 432-5696, I was instantly suspicious. I didn't pick up, and they didn't leave a message. I Googled the number, intending to just let Google tell me whose number it was (a random couple in PA), but I noticed this page, indicating that hundreds of people left complaints about being called by this number and trying a callback, to find the number out of service. Those who did pick up said it was a robodialer (illegal!) calling their cell phone (illegal!) to sell them "extended warranties" for cars they didn't own (fraud!), and that the caller wouldn't tell them who they were (illegal!) and/or started swearing at them when they asked.

This morning my cell phone started ringing with a call from (323) 581-3046. I quickly Googled the number, but didn't get to pick up before I had an answer. But same deal: lots of complaints (starting today) of phishing-sounding requests for auto warranties.

I understand that it's easy to spoof Caller ID with a digital line / VoIP, which is what I suspect is going on. I also understand that, since I haven't picked up, I don't exactly have a strong case against these guys.

However, I refuse to sit back and let them keep at this. Next time they call, what can I do? (I've read of a *57 "Call Trace," but I don't know how it works, and I've read things suggesting that it's not all it's cracked up to be. More information on this welcome.)

I'm hearing rumors, BTW, of cell companies "releasing" the lists of their cell numbers. I suspect this is a chain-letter hoax, but can anyone point to something definitively debunking (or confirming...) it?

My cell number is not explicitly on the Do Not Call Registry, but my understanding is that, as a cell number, it's effectively there "by default."

I'm an unemployed recent-college-grad, so I don't really have the means to bring a lawsuit, but I do have a lot of disposable time. If it matters, I live in New Hampshire, and my cell phone is from Verizon Wireless.

Am I protecting or just fooling myself here

still_wears_a_hat — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:39:30 -0800

Am I giving myself any protection against ATM hacking by not having an ATM card for some specific account, or is the account in the network whether or I have a card?

P.S. I'll find my phone. Who took my phone.

Drexen — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:44:32 -0800

UK phone fraud: Someone stole my phone and rang up £3000 of calls to Nigeria. The phone company says it's my fault for not keeping tabs on the phone and I have to pay it. Is there anything I can do? I'm with O2. I got the phone with my 12-month contract but hadn't been using it, because I preferred the usability of my old Pay-As-You-Go Nokia... so when the new phone went missing on 18th May I didn't notice. I made a call on 18th (Sunday) and then the thief started making calls on 19th, continuing until 23rd May. In that time they made 60 hours of calls, some to Nigerian numbers, some to UK mobiles and landlines.

I discovered what had happened last night when I got a notice that O2 had tried to take £3,042.86 out of my account (it bounced, because I don't have the money). I called them up for advice and they told me I was liable for the whole amount as "we expect customers to contact us as soon as they realise their phone has been stolen," and that I'd have to pay it back within 6 months. The best they could do was refer me to a debt collection agency who would offer longer payback terms with less to pay per month. I told them I'd have to talk to the police before I committed to anything like that.

I phoned the police, who took the details and said they'd pass them on to the phone investigation team. However, the operator seemed pretty ambivalent about whether they'd give me a crime reference number as "the question is, why didn't you notice the phone was missing?" At this point I thought the phone must have been taken around the start of June and told her as such. Now they're supposed to get back to me in the next 72 hours.

After that I phoned O2 again to ask them to send me a list of calls, and to check whether they'd barred the phone, which they had. I checked my statement online and saw the details about the calls that I listed above.

So: Is there anything I can do about this? Am I really liable for this fraud? Surely it wouldn't be the case if this was a credit card. Is there some regulating body I can complain to? Should I talk to a lawyer? Just refuse to pay up? Or am I screwed? I can barely afford this, and that's assuming they give me a long payment term without much extra interest to pay.

Why did M Lamar Keene really come clean?

Lentrohamsanin — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:02:20 -0800

I just finished The Psychic Mafia by M Lamar Keene. Though poorly written, it has some great material on the tricks employed by mediums and some enjoyable lurid anecdotes. However, I was really annoyed by the last two chapters where Keene gives his supposed reasons for coming clean. They're incredibly self-serving and read like the script for a fifth rate B movie about a huckster who finds redemption. Does anybody know if the real story of why he fessed up has ever been told?

Someone stole the payroll stubbs! What do we do?

idledebonair — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:43:03 -0800

Someone stole the ADP envelopes from my work by somehow calling ADP and asking to change the address. Apparently all the perpetrator needed was the name and address of our company. What do we do now? 1) What do I personally do, as an employee, do to protect myself?

2) What should my boss do to protect us and the business?

It's not me

mrleec — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:31:54 -0800

There is someone with or using my name at one of the Yahoo services to access Asian porn sites. There is someone with or using my name at one of the Yahoo services to access Asian porn sites. This is about to cost me my marriage. How can I prove to my wife that it is not me? Write me username at gmail for more info if you can help.

Fraud Help

jpcody — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:57:23 -0800

How the heck can I get money back after I was an idiot and a victim of fraud? I know there's been some posts along these lines before. Up for discussion is not my own stupidity. I'm less stupid than this simplified version of the story makes me seem, but I'm slightly more stupid than someone who would not have done this. I'm completely aware that I should not have done this, but here goes.

I paid for something on Craigslist with a money order.
The person never showed.
(I swear, they were good. I deal with people like this for a living.)

Now, here's what I have.

A phone number we have been corresponding with.
A name that they used to retrieve the money order, so they had to show an ID to retrieve it (although it could have been a fake).
Two email addresses (aol.com and live.com) we have been corresponding with.
A hunch that they are actually fairly local with their knowledge of the area.

I'm really looking for something in the vein of this guy who just hunted the folks down himself. I'm not going to hurt anyone, I just think I can be a bit quicker than any law enforcement help. I have fairly little trust in the law and their speed.

Any advice on where to go from here?

I have a reverse phone number lookup in the works, as we've been communicating on a landline. But what else can I do?

What does being a fraud prevention specialist actually entail?

Myles — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:25:18 -0800

Anyone here ever been a Fraud Prevention Specialist? What's the job actually like? I was doing some job searching and saw a posting for one, though it seems it's more geared towards online fraud and stuff. First here are the requirements:

Strong computer literacy and knowledge of computer software (MS Office).

Analytical abilities are required to perform investigations.

Ability to work independently and without direction, to take initiative, and to make decisions.

Must be able to prioritize and meet deadlines.

Fraud or investigations experience in a call center or fraud operations environment preferred.

Candidate must have an excellent understanding of Internet browsing, and experience shopping on the Internet.

Professional demeanor in dealing with internal and external customers via phone and email is essential.

Two year degree preferred or prior experience in law enforcement and/or investigations.

And then the formal job description:

The Ideal candidate would review reports for potentially fraudulent transactions and manage calls on fraud issues from operational departments, investigating leads from internal and external sources with proper follow-up and documentation.

You would complete information requests and fraud tasks for assigned cases and provide superior customer service to internal and external customers.

You would also be responsible for making recommendations on how processes can be improved and policies modified. Answer policy questions and act as a help resource for the other fraud analysts.

I know it says it all there, but I'd like to get some input on those who were actually one. It doesn't sound too much that they're asking for, as far as basic requirements. It sounds interesting, and I'd probably apply, but I'd like some feedback first. Thanks.

Applying for a new job. Previous employer arrested for fraud. What to do?

Anonymous — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:33:16 -0800

Applying for a new job. Previous employer arrested for fraud. What to do? My first real employer turned out to be a total scam-artist. After a while, I realized that what he was doing was totally unethical and looked for another job. I was there for about 10 months before I found a new one.

A few months ago, this employer was arrested for fraud. I have not been contacted by the authorities or any of the local media, who have covered the story extensively.

I knew things were shady, but I thought I was keeping my own nose clean by trying to be very careful while performing the tasks assigned to me. Upon reading the story of the arrest, I have realized that I may have unknowingly assisted this guy in committing fraud.

I've been at new job for about 2 years and have excelled there. I know I would have positive references from them.

I am not really on a job hunt right now, but recently came across a dream job and decided to apply for it. How should I handle this situation?

Anyone living in my city has likely heard of this company's fraud record, and if not, a simple google of the company name would definitely clue them in.

I thought about leaving it off, but then what if they ask about the 10 month gap?

Yeah, I know, YANML or whatever...

miss lynnster — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:49:40 -0800

Hypotheticalcriminalfilter: if someone was allegedly caught committing fraud against another person (specifics to follow) what would the exact legal charges be (felony fraud/misdemeanor fraud, etc.) and what would the likely sentence be if that person had charges filed against them and was found or pled guilty? I'm looking for what the answer would be if this person was caught and the crimes were committed in the state of California.

Case #1: Let's say person A allegedly stole person B's brand new debit card, authorized it and took approximately $200 out of the account without knowledge of person B.

Case #2: Let's say person A allegedly took a blank check of person B's (again without their knowledge) and cashed it for approximately $8000.00, most likely forging a signature.

Bonus Questions:

A. Is there any way that person A could've allegedly taken money out of person b's equity accounts without their knowledge? How would that be possible? If it is true, how could it be proven?

B. What about if person A allegedly borrowed a large sum of money from person B... what would happen if person A had the paperwork destroyed and denied the loan ever happened and it was a gift? Has this money just vanished never to be seen again? Is there anything that can be done on person B's behalf without their involvement? Assume person B is too incapacitated to handle this themselves.

Note: I'm neither person A or person B. I'm just law abiding person C, who really wants to trust people but also believes in justice and in not being stupid.

Ripped off by contractor, how to find him?

katestap — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:08:39 -0800

Last year we wrote a check to a contractor for half the amount of a job (he'd done work for us before). He altered the check to make it out to himself personally instead of his business, got cash from the bank and disappeared. We have the cancelled check with his driver's license number on the back. Can we trace him with that (without hiring a P.I)? We live in New York State.

How can I protect myself in international business deals?

lukeklein — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:16:05 -0800

Will the Korean doctor rob me blind?? Here's the long and short of it... my father is the doctor that pioneered tumescent liposuction. he teaches his techniques to other doctors on a regular basis and manufactures the tools and equipment involved with the procedure. Recently, a doctor from Korea, I'll call him Dr. Lee, took my father's course and liked it so much that he expressed an interest in teaching the course in Korea and to sell my fathers products in his courses. My father is very interested, but feels concerned that he must submit all of his technical files to Dr. Lee so that he can submit them in an application to the Korean FDA for approval. He will be distributing them through his company.

What should I/my father do? What risks can I avoid and what haven't I thought of? What recourse would I have if we were double-crossed?

If anyone can think of a solution and/or talk me down from committing a heinous mistake, I would be eternally grateful.

Thanks a million,

--Luke

Past examples of altering images in media

CitrusFreak12 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:37:28 -0800

I'm looking for examples of incidents where photographers/newspapers/photojournalists altered photos (e.g., the Reuters Smoke incident of '06). Help? I need to write a paper for a class. I'd like it to be on photoshop in the media, namely any controversy over the use thereof, but I'm unsure of whether or not there are enough examples for me to use. I have LexisNexis at my disposal, but the search results (usually hovering at about 1000) are overwhelming.

Any prior incidents that you could enlighten me about would be wonderful.

How do I stop a fraudulent mail redirection from the U.S. to the UK?

satellitebadger — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:12:29 -0800

How do I stop a fraudulent mail redirection from the U.S. to the UK? Someone I do not know has redirected their mail (debt collection letters) from their address in the U.S. to my address in the UK, without my permission.

Can it be stopped, and who do I tell?

How to form an alliance with the IRS?

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:37:00 -0800

How do I bust my employer for TAX FRAUD? Yes, my employer is TOTALLY defrauding the government. He runs a retail business (about $15M Gross/year) in California. I have ALL sorts of documentation about not reporting large sums of cash (3-4M during christmas season), all sorts of documentation about where that money is physically kept, and a written discussion about how they get around good accounting.

Yeah, I couldn't believe it either about how open they were about all fraudulent activity. The employers also are HORRIBLE to all the employees...they scare them into subservience. So i want to bust them!

How do I do this? If you're going to refer me to this, yeah, I've been there and done that. I filled out the form, included ALL sorts of relevant info (tax forms, contradicting bank statements, emails, etc, etc.). I did that over a YEAR ago, and still haven't heard back. I also decided to do it with my real name/address/contact info. It wasn't even anonymous, because I knew how ludicrous it would sound to have ALL this concrete info about HUGE fraud. It really is crazy.

I understand that the IRS doesn't really have the time or manpower to investigate "my neighbor claims to use gel ink pens for work. But I see him using it for personal tasks". But this is HUGE. They have been defrauding the IRS for AT LEAST $1M EVERY year for 5+ years.

Anybody have any real advice. If you would prefer not to post on here, please feel free to message me.

Stay awesome, MeFites.

Protecting from Internet scams.

uaudio — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:19:09 -0800

At what point is a PayPal transaction considered "cleared?" In other words, when can I stop worrying about fraud. And what other protections can I take to protect myself? I am selling an item (guitar) of significant cost in a private transaction. I've never met the person, and the transaction is taking place entirely over email and UPS.

I advertised my guitar for sale on a forum dedicated to a specific manufacturer. I am a semi-frequent poster the forum and the buyer is too. He's been around for about a year on the forum, but I've never met him. We agreed on a price. He offered to PayPal me half the cost as a good faith payment so I don't sell to someone else, and the other half in a few days when he gets paid. I don't really have any bad vibe or other reason not to trust this guy, but I told him I wouldn't send the guitar until the whole amount was safely transferred and 'cleared' in my bank account. Seems like a fair thing to ask.

After this, I read some horror stories about people that have done this: that the money isn't really 'cleared' until days or even weeks later and that people have been defrauded by thinking that they were paid, but then Paypal debits the bank account because the buyer [lied, and] claimed the transaction was invalid, fraud, etc.

How long before I don't have to worry about this? Is using PayPal a dumb idea? Are there any other issues I should be concerned about when doing this?

eBay user selling plagiarised articles

tomorama — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:13:14 -0800

Someone is selling my articles on eBay. I operate a web site, writing and publishing original how-to articles. An eBay buyer has alerted me to a seller who sold him one of my articles, which solves a pretty popular problem. I am planning to report the current auctions to VeRO.

That said, I am not satisfied with shutting own individual auctions. By looking through the seller's auction history, it is obvious he created the account for the sole purchase of selling plagiarized articles. He also has other similar auctions that are not on topics I have written, so I am sure he is plagiarizing others as well. His account should be closed. Also, I think everyone who has done business with this seller should open a dispute and ask for a refund. Should I contact all of the people that have been taken advantage of? What else can I do?

It has also occurred to me that since these articles are part of my livelihood, this seller has interfered with my ability to do business. I'm not sure what to do about that right now though, since at that point I am probably stepping into lawyer land.

Washington Mutual - credit card fraud from within?

skwm — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:38:49 -0800

Debit card fraud: despite being told several times by Washington Mutual that they've canceled a debit card that has been compromised, the card is still being used by someone in Florida. What to do? A few months ago, my wife left her debit card in the machine at the local WaMu. She called the next day, after she realized the card was missing, and asked about the card. They said they were holding it for her, and she said she would be down in two days to pick it up. They said they would continue to hold it.

Two days later, she goes to the WaMu to pick up her card. They didn’t have it – they said that according to their log, it had been destroyed. While she was there, they went through the process of replacing the card for her and told her that her old card would be canceled. The new card arrived a few days later, and everything seemed fine.

Until last week. She got a call from WaMu telling her that there were some suspicious charges placed on her card in Florida – we live in NY, and did not make the charges in question. The WaMu person who called said that they would cancel the charges and cancel the card. They didn’t have any explanation why it hadn’t been canceled already, when the local branch personnel had said it was. So, we assumed that all was well, and that the card would be canceled.

Today, we arrived home from a weeklong trip to Boston and started to go through our mail and found a notification from WaMu. Not only did they not cancel the card like they said they would, but enough charges had gone through that her account now had a negative balance. Over $1000 in charges at various car parts dealers and Wal Marts, again in Florida.

Tomorrow, we’re going to call and get this all sorted out, hopefully. What recourse do we have against WaMu? What's the best way to get this sorted out? How can we effectively complain to them, and get the most "compensation"?

Even my problems are bigger in Texas

kscottz — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:03:19 -0800

I bought an out of state lemon - is it worth my time to pursue the matter in court? Do I have a moral obligation to go after a scammer that could potentially hurt someone? A little over three months ago I bought a vehicle on eBay from a dealership in Texas (I live in Michigan). At that time the dealer had excellent feedback and my car ran great when I first got it. After about three months, and less than 4000 miles, my car started having some break problems. I took the car in to a reputable mechanic and here is the list of problems (so far):

New break caliber shoes and pads ~ $900 - Seller claimed breaks were at least 50%
Faulty Motor Mount - One bolt sheared off and the other improperly seated. This is almost certainly not my fault and will cost close to $1000. This is a huge safety concern.
Bad belly pan - held on with zip ties - about $300 to replace.
Faulty CV joints - another $700.

I feel that these problems are not representative of a vehicle that was supposed to be in "excellent" mechanical condition. Because of the belly pan and the motor mount bolts my mechanic claims that either the seller did not properly inspect the car as claimed, or the listing stated fraudulent information. I talked to the dealer about the problems and why I felt he was entitled to pay for them. The dealer's response was to, "Grow up and get lost. We ain't paying you squat! Remember AS-IS WHERE-IS" Angered, I reviewed the seller's history and found that a significant portion of their auctions over the past three months have ended in negative feedback. I contacted half a dozen of the most recent buyers and found that they all had stories similar to mine. One guy had his timing belt fail while driving his car back to Ohio resulting in $3000 in damage.

I have already done the quick and easy things: contacted eBay, contacted the BBB, and contacted the Attorney General. Is it worth my time, money, and aggravation to pursue this guy legally (either under lemon laws or outright fraud)? Other sellers have had no success with third party mediators. Am I just out of luck because I bought the vehicle "As Is" and I have exceeded eBay's 60 day period to report claims? Should I go after this guy just to stop him from scamming other people, and potentially injuring someone in the near future? Is there something about Texas laws that make the state a safe haven for this activity? Do you know a reputable lawyer in the Dallas area?

I can provide more information as necessary.

I know you are not a lawyer, or cannot give legal advice without seeing the case specifics.

Is someone using my e-mail address or is it just a mistake?

nekton — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:01:42 -0800

I received a registration e-mail for online credit card services that I did not submit. The links in the e-mail are authentic (i.e. they are from the actual credit card company's domain and all the headers are authentic too), but when I called the company they said that my e-mail address wasn't in their files. The contents of the e-mail are essentially:

"We've started your online registration. Your user ID is your credit card number ending in #### and your temporary password is *****."

Iwould assume it was someone mistakenly entering my e-mail address while registering their card, except for the fact that the company doesn't have my e-mail address on file. I've already changed my password, in the event someone else is purposefully using my e-mail address.

What's going on? Is there anything I should do?

Unauthorized Speedpay withdrawals

louche mustachio — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:34:01 -0800

My boyfriend just discovered several hundred dollars has been withdrawn from his bank account without his authorization. My boyfriend is a frugal person, and keeps a very close eye on his finances. Last night he told me he was alarmed to find that he had a lot less money in the bank than he thought he did.
Today, he checked his bank statement and discovered two unauthorized withdrawals, one for $200, one for $400. Both were labeled "Speedpay" - which I believe is a transfer service offered Western Union. He called the 800 number for his bank (TCF) but they were not terribly helpful.

What steps can he take immediately to protect his account, since someone clearly has his information and is taking his money? What can he do to recover the money that has already been taken?

How do they get away with that?

nomisxid — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:56:19 -0800

Why don't people who try to scam BestBuy out of a PS3 by saying they got an empty box get arrested? From my observation of my own PS3, Xbox360, and Wii boxes, I notice that all three have cut-out windows that allow the salesperson to scan the serial number off the actual device inside the box, no doubt part of inventory control procedures to prevent these kinds of claims. So how come these people aren't getting arrested for attempted fraud? At best buy, it appears there's no way to ring up the purchase of one of the consoles without that Serial Number, so it would seem like de facto proof that they are trying a scam.
How do these people end up on TV, instead of in jail?

Can I trust PayPal's seller protection? If not, what can go wrong?

procrastination — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 10:53:07 -0800

Can I trust PayPal's seller protection? If not, what can go wrong? I placed a nice piece of electronic cell phone gadgetry up for sale on eBay. It sold for a bit over $500. The person who bought it has a relatively new account (Jun of 2007), with no prior feedback. They already paid via PayPal, and I initiated transferring the money out of the separate bank account I keep for PayPal stuff.

I am, of course, concerned that this person might be a scammer, so I did a little google stalking to find out about them. My results were mixed: they have been at the address listed for at least two years, but an old friendster profile has lots of comments congratulating them on being a computer hacker. So I don't know if they are trustworthy. My concern, looking around at horror stories, is that a chargeback will occur after I ship the device, either at they buyer's request, or because the buyer might have used a stolen credit card.

The good news is that I am eligible for PayPal's Seller protection policy, as long as I ship with a tracking number and a signature requirement, which I will do. This should protect me against chargebacks. But I don't know what can go wrong with this. Reading around, it looks like some scammers might be able to reverse charges much later, after the online tracking and signature information have expired.

Does anyone have any experience with this? What can go wrong? Other than reimbursing the buyer and relisting the item, what can I do to protect myself?