Question about Bidpay.com

**brainsmile** · 12-03-2005, 03:00 PM

I got an offer for an item I posted on craigslist and the buyer wants to pay by bidpay.com. I got an email from them saying that the payment was approved. Here's what I got:

Dear Brainsmile (you stud),
<ok so I fudged this part>

Bidpay® hereby congratulate you and at the same time informing you that the Western Union-BidPay® Money Order® sent to you from Mr potential buyer, has been Verified and now Approved.Â® Money Order :- $200.00.

Information as forwarded to us by the buyer:-
ItemValue Description: Cell phone.
Seller Email: [email protected].
Confirm Email: [email protected].

Please verify that the following address (as entered by the buyer) is correct once again.
Seller's Information:-

<Deleted>
United state

This order has been approved, we will send the above address payment in 3-5 business days after tracking number has been recieved.You CAN NOW send the item(s) to the buyer now. This is the sample of the money order that will be delivered to your address after we have received the shipment tracking number(s) from you.

NB

ue to the fact that most sellers don't send out item despite the fact that buyers have made payment for the item(s),we have made a policy that sellers must ship item(s) within 48 hours of payment approval and send the tracking number to US,for us verify package in transit and send the payment to the seller immediately.Your payment is safe with us,we will deliver the payment immediately to your stated address. If we do not hear from you as soon as expectecd, the payment will be returned to the buyer. We will be waiting for you to make contact with the buyer regarding the shipping of the item as soon as possible. **************************************************************************************************** *
FOR REPLY AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT-
([email protected])

Thank you for using Western Union Auction PaymentSM . We look forward serving your Online Money Order needs in the future.
Sincerely,
Management,
Bidpay .

This item came from the following email address...

"Bidpay Online" <[email protected]>

so is this legit?

**ArkiStan** · 12-03-2005, 03:17 PM

Sooooo....."bidpay.act.com@consultant.com"?? hmmm..... I don't know.

A couple lines up the e-mail address is misspelled.
FOR REPLY AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT-
(bidpay.act.com@consulatnt.com)

And the grammar is a bit fishy at places, too:
1. "We look forward serving your Online Money Order needs..."
2. "If we do not hear from you as soon as expectecd..."
3. "send the tracking number to US,for us verify package in transit..."
4. "You CAN NOW send the item(s) to the buyer now"
5. "This is the sample of the money order that will be delivered..."

Sounds more like an e-mail from the Far-Eastern Union to me.....

**brainsmile** · 12-03-2005, 04:18 PM

consulatant.com I believe is one of the free names you can choose at mail.com

**Daedalus** · 12-03-2005, 04:35 PM

It's screaming scam. You got a mailing address from them? City? Residential/PO Box?

**brainsmile** · 12-03-2005, 04:38 PM

not yet and I'm not sending anything untill I get paid

**Daedalus** · 12-03-2005, 04:46 PM

Yeah, it's silly to suggest otherwise. "Send us a tracking number, and THEN we'll send you a check". Even cashier's checks aren't safe. I've read about forged checks having watermarks.
Maybe you can send them a sample tracking number since they were gracious enough to provide a sample of the money order.