Trading Post Scam Alert

For 20 years, our Trading Post as been a safe place for pen lovers to buy, sell and trade pens.

Unfortunately, we just got news from one of our friends advertising on the Trading Post that a scammer tried to steal both a pen and money.

The scam isn’t a new one to the world of scamming. Nevertheless, I wanted to tell our Trading Post customers about it. Hopefully, the following helps them avoid being ripped off.

In this scenario, a scammer reaches out to buy one of your pens. You agree to a deal, and the scammer sends you what looks like a certified cashier’s check. It will likely be a very convincing looking check. HOWEVER, the scammer will pay too much, claim it is a mistake and ask that you still deposit the check. Then they will ask you to mail or wire them back the difference when you send them the pen. The scammer then hopes that you will have sent them the balance and pen before the bank informs you the check was a fake. By the time you realize what has happened, the scammer’s name will have turned out to have been fake–their e-mail and mailing address likely abandoned. You probably will face fines/fees from your bank, too. Worst of all, you won’t get your money or pen back.

Luckily, our friend knew about this scam and was able to confirm the check was a fake. No money or pen was lost. Still, we wanted to warn everyone who might not be aware of this scam.

So, just to reiterate and protect yourself, never accept checks for anything other than the exact amount. If you think a check is fraudulent, research the bank online and call it based on the number given on the website and not on the check. The bank will tell you immediately if the check is fraudulent.  Even for a sale where you are pretty sure the check is legitimate, make sure your bank has cleared your deposited check before sending a pen to a buyer.