Scam Alert Warning! ! !

For buyers, potential warning signs can be when a seller:

•asks you to pay through non-traceable avenues, such as Western Union or MoneyGram, or a third party, or via an overseas address. You should ask yourself—and the seller—why he or she won’t accept payment options that are traceable and convenient for you.

•sells a typically expensive item at cut-rate prices. "Too good to be TRUE!"

If you’re a seller, you ought to be wary of signs of a suspicious buyer, such as when a buyer:

•asks to pay only some of the fee, offering to the pay the rest sometime in the future.

•sends you a cashier’s check for more money than the agreed price “by mistake.” In this scam, the buyer then asks you to repay him the difference by personal check, wire transfer, or money order—before you find out that the cashier’s check didn’t clear. Believe it or not, this scheme works because cashier’s checks can be cashed before they bounce.

•sends you a cashier’s check for the correct amount of money but then demands a refund, requesting that you repay with your own money. In this scam, the buyer then asks you to repay him by personal check, wire transfer, or money order—before you find out that the cashier’s check didn’t clear. Believe it or not, this scheme works because cashier’s checks can be cashed before they bounce.

Sellers and buyers be ware, this is a LOCAL community website. If you are contacted by a "distant" buyer / seller that should be your first clue that this could be a scam. If you suspect a scam is occuring on www.ConnectingEastTexas.com, please Email Us immediately.

If you fall victim to fraud contact local police immediately. For governmental assistance, you can contact the Internet Fraud Complaint Center,call the Federal Trade Commission toll-free at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov