This section covers common internet scams, for scams involving horses see Buying or Selling a Horse or Pony

This is a world wide problem for all Internet and traditional printed classifieds. Check any other website with ads, if they haven't got a warning, they should have!

Don't be put off, the NFED is no worse hit than any other popular website, but we are determined to fight back making it harder for the fraudster by keeping our users fully informed; "forewarned is forearmed".

Pasting/Drag & Drop has been disabled on the classifieds reply form. Although not infallible, this has greatly reduced the number of scam Emails received by our advertisers.

All reported scammers are listed below & notified by Email. We detest scammers & will do everything in our power to make their life difficult if they try to abuse this site.

We also have the advantage of being a "local" site. You can advertise to the world through the NFED, but the nature of the subject means that the chances are that both buyer and seller will be from the same area, with the transaction carried out face to face.

Just remember the following, use common sense and enjoy using the NFED classifieds:

• NEVER under any circumstances send them any money or accept a cheque for over the asking price. They are not interested in your horse, saddle or whatever you are selling, they only want your money & will give hundreds of reasons for you to send it to them.
  
• For your protection, your Email address is hidden on the NFED Classifieds, unless posted in the body of your advert. To discourage scammers and multiple replies, pasting has been disabled on the advert reply page, meaning every reply has to be typed in.
  
• If you do receive a suspicious reply, please don't bother to reply which will reveal your Email address. If you have already replied, just ignore any further Emails from them.
  
• If suspicious, check the senders Email address against the offenders list below.
  
• If the senders name is not on the list, please forward the entire Email to: editor@nfed.co.uk
  NOTE: We do not publish addresses if the full classifieds reply is not included.
  
• If we consider that the reply is genuine, we will tell you, if it is a scam, we will add them to the list & let them know that they have been reported. (Sorry, we do not always have time to acknowledge your Emails)
  
• If there is any doubt, we are happy to contact the Email sender on your behalf for further information.
  
• You know your subject and the questions that should be asked, they do not and are easily fooled.
  
• Their aim is to give you forged cheque for over the asking price & con you into sending the difference, which you will lose. Tell them that you do not have a bank account & will only accept cash on collection.
  
• Your bank will initially accept the cheque. Although it will probably clear and allow you to draw money against it, it will eventually bounce leaving you out of pocket.
  
• See below for example scam Emails or page 2 for explanations of how the scam works.
  
• Your friendly editor has recently enjoyed leading on a scammer & now has a cheque for £4500. Unfortunately it is a forgery, but then again the saddle didn't exist either! See the whole conversation on page 3
  
• Wanted ads are also targeted. They normally send a short reply & when asked for more information send a copy of a real advert. If you carry out a Google search for a few lines from the advert, it often brings up the original. Never buy unseen or send money to anyone, if there is any doubt, walk away.
  

Fighting Internet Fraud

Apart from keeping everyone aware of the latest scams & offenders, there isn't a lot that can be done about the scammer's, but we do our best to make things very difficult for them. Posting their Email address on here, makes it available through Google & other search engines, we also report every offender to the Email hosting company to get the account stopped. There is nothing to stop them getting a new account & starting again, but hopefully they will realise that the NFED causes them more trouble than its worth.

If you have time, you can add their email address to various website mailing lists, I'm sure that they would love to receive lots of news from around the world on all sorts of subject! See www.419eater.com for more entertaining ways to waste the scammers time.

For further Information on Classified Scam and other Internet Fraud, Please See PAGE 2 >>>

Sample Scam Emails

For an ongoing scam staring your friendly editor & a fraudster know as Kelly, Please Click Here

The following are just a few actual scam Emails received by our advertisers. They are quite easy to spot, but may improve over time.

Hello i am interested to purchase the 17" synthetic saddle. Please tell me the present condition your last offer for the 17" synthetic saddle and your phone number. expecting your urgent response. thanks

Hello,
I am intrested in purchasing your (Lovely pony ) which price is £550 and don't worry about the shipment i have a shipping agent that will certer for the shippment but i want you to no that am going to send £3000 certisfied cashier check down to you and I want you to Have it in mind that the remaining balance of the excess fund will be send to my shipping agent that is coming for the picked up in your place. if this mode of payment is accepted by you i will like you to send your Full name and address including your phone number in which you will receive a certified check drawn.

Waiting For Your Quick Respoced A.S.A.P.
Regard,

Hello,
I'm Mark from Netherlands, irrespect of you advert placed on the web for "Older Rice Horse Trailer" which is for sale I here b want to kno if the condition is still okay and also the last price you're offering it for.

I look forward to your reply ASAP.

Regards
Mark.

N-B: Please include recent pictures.