can someone Fraud through western union???

[La]

So i am thinking about buying a laptop off someone from facebook market place and i was just wondering if its fraud, they want me to send money through western union give them the confirmation number and then they say they ship it, so i was just wondering if i send the money and i dont receive the product i can held someone accountable right?? once i send the money i will know who the money went out for right? please reply as soon as you can so i can go ahead and get it.

[THE ANSWERER]

It's used for fraud quite commonly.

[cyanne2ak]

Nope - bad idea. Fraud is easily committed in this situation.

[oracle2world]

Western Union is the tool of choice for fraud. Thieves love it.

Once Western Union dispenses the cash, that is it, they cannot trace who received it. Foreign countries, false ID's, local officials who could care less or are in on it, etc.

A favorite fraud is listing an item for sale, the buyers say they are willing to pay MORE more than asking, requesting the difference be wired via Western Union to them in cash.

You receive their check, wire the excess money, the check bounces, and you are out the money.

They can send a fake cashier's check, the bank can make the funds available to you, then in two weeks the check bounces, and the bank comes looking to you for the money.

So no Western Union unless you are okay to lose money once in a while on transactions.

Send them a check. Once it clears they send the computer. If they renege on the deal, there is a trace of whose account the check was deposited into.

You still are out the money, but at least you know for sure who screwed you and can trash them on the internet.

[Angel_Blue]

Don't do it. Western Union is like sending cash you will never see again. Chances are that you will never receive the laptop either. Just because you saw it at facebook means nothing: fraud is everywhere online, and ANYONE can be at facebook. Try craigslist.com, then find your local area. That will be a lot safer, but still make sure you have a safe sell. No shipping, etc. Just stay away from the Western Union thing. That is how a lot of crooks launder dirty money.

[Bapubabu]

Western Union Money Transfer is a private business entity, engaged in the business, for facilitating you, to transfer your money, to your order / notified person, in any corner of the Globe. It only delivers your money at the doorstep of your notified person, only after satisfying itself, about the proper identity of the ordered person. It's job is over, once the money is handedover to your notified person. Simply a postman's / courier man's responsibility against some nominal charges, for their service, offered to you. Nothing more responsibility. Hence you decide.

[jocular2005]

Protect Yourself from Fraud
If you need to send money to someone you don’t know well, you may be putting yourself at risk for fraud.

Because we care about consumers, Western Union urges you to protect yourself from fraud by considering the following:
Never send money to a stranger using a money transfer service.
Beware of deals or opportunities that seem too good to be true.
Don’t use money transfer services to pay for things like online auction purchases.
Never send money to pay for taxes or fees on foreign lottery winnings.