Mr Ding Lin Scam

[mylife.part2]

Be sure to have a look at: http://antifraudintl.org/showthread.php?t=40912

can i post the full header here for help ?

I have tried to post and i get an error about too many pictures ?

[ParrisHouse1818]

Our office has also received an offer from this person using exactly the same verbiage as you have received. Our property is in the $700K range. We have been trying to establish whether or not he is a scammer as well, and our thought process has been the same as yours: If he shows us the money with a wire transfer, maybe he's for real. We thought it was possible because our dollar is weak in the world, making our real estate look like a bargain, and the Chinese are experiencing inflation with their currency, so investing overseas for them may look like a solid bet. Also, just because he's offered on more than one property doesn't mean he's a scammer - it may just mean he's got a ton of money to invest, BUT...we also find this scenario highly suspect and are trying to sort it out.

We have given this person the name of an attorney in our area with whom to work, and to our knowledge that attorney has not yet been contacted by him. I will watch this thread carefully to see what your experience is, and I'll let you know what ours is.

What's baffling to me is how this could work if it's a scam. In our part of the U.S. very few offices - attorney's or real estate - keep that kind of money in their trust accounts, plus who in his or her right mind would let a reimbursement go out against a check that was not verified to have cleared? It seems like such a long shot for the scammer, but I suppose if he scores once it's all been worth it.

[Miyuki]

See the sticky at the top of this forum.

Also, this may be a new variation on a real estate fake check scam. The scam has worked as indicated in the sticky. The variation is now that the scammers may be targeting individual sellers as well. In short, everyone is their Potential victim.

[mylife.part2]

Our office has also received an offer from this person using exactly the same verbiage as you have received. Our property is in the $700K range. We have been trying to establish whether or not he is a scammer as well, and our thought process has been the same as yours: If he shows us the money with a wire transfer, maybe he's for real. We thought it was possible because our dollar is weak in the world, making our real estate look like a bargain, and the Chinese are experiencing inflation with their currency, so investing overseas for them may look like a solid bet. Also, just because he's offered on more than one property doesn't mean he's a scammer - it may just mean he's got a ton of money to invest, BUT...we also find this scenario highly suspect and are trying to sort it out.

We have given this person the name of an attorney in our area with whom to work, and to our knowledge that attorney has not yet been contacted by him. I will watch this thread carefully to see what your experience is, and I'll let you know what ours is.

What's baffling to me is how this could work if it's a scam. In our part of the U.S. very few offices - attorney's or real estate - keep that kind of money in their trust accounts, plus who in his or her right mind would let a reimbursement go out against a check that was not verified to have cleared? It seems like such a long shot for the scammer, but I suppose if he scores once it's all been worth it.

I think its a matter of them getting lucky, they probably send out 100's of emails, it only takes one desperate seller to take the bait and they have made their money.....I just hope by posting this information that it will help avoid them being taken . We too have sent back attorney info and wire info. so i dont expect to hear back after that will keep you posted as we were hopeful also

[mylife.part2]

I think its a matter of them getting lucky, they probably send out 100's of emails, it only takes one desperate seller to take the bait and they have made their money.....I just hope by posting this information that it will help avoid them being taken . We too have sent back attorney info and wire info. so i dont expect to hear back after that will keep you posted as we were hopeful also

well not 5 minutes ago i got a call from the realtor, he sent a CHECK FOR 350,000 to the attorney, they have verified the check with the bank, so these checks must look very realistic. He has also requested an inspection. how bold are they to send such a large check, wow, i am just blown away by this. so the check is in escrow........

[mylife.part2]

Our office has also received an offer from this person using exactly the same verbiage as you have received. Our property is in the $700K range. We have been trying to establish whether or not he is a scammer as well, and our thought process has been the same as yours: If he shows us the money with a wire transfer, maybe he's for real. We thought it was possible because our dollar is weak in the world, making our real estate look like a bargain, and the Chinese are experiencing inflation with their currency, so investing overseas for them may look like a solid bet. Also, just because he's offered on more than one property doesn't mean he's a scammer - it may just mean he's got a ton of money to invest, BUT...we also find this scenario highly suspect and are trying to sort it out.

We have given this person the name of an attorney in our area with whom to work, and to our knowledge that attorney has not yet been contacted by him. I will watch this thread carefully to see what your experience is, and I'll let you know what ours is.

What's baffling to me is how this could work if it's a scam. In our part of the U.S. very few offices - attorney's or real estate - keep that kind of money in their trust accounts, plus who in his or her right mind would let a reimbursement go out against a check that was not verified to have cleared? It seems like such a long shot for the scammer, but I suppose if he scores once it's all been worth it.

can i ask if you are with a realtor or selling fsbo?

[Gentle Giant]

well not 5 minutes ago i got a call from the realtor, he sent a CHECK FOR 350,000 to the attorney, they have verified the check with the bank, so these checks must look very realistic. He has also requested an inspection. how bold are they to send such a large check, wow, i am just blown away by this. so the check is in escrow........

They are so bold you might not believe it.

How did they verify the check? Are they going to hold it?

[De Master Yoda]

If the check was stolen or forged by a good forger, then at first glance the bank may not spot it as a bad one. Some of the scammers are very good forgers.

The problem can arise when they have paid out on it and then some time later find out it is a dud.

As they can then claim that they paid it out by honouring something YOU took to them they will demand re-payment.

Of course by that time you have sent some of it to the scammer via various means.

So not only are you out of pocket, you may then get a visit from the police asking why you are in POSSESSION of a forged instrument and committing fraud by attempting to cash it.

Overall not a good situation to be in.

[ParrisHouse1818]

@MyLife.Part2 I am a Realtor. "Ding Lin" emailed our office with a near full price offer on a high end property. So far, the attorneys we have consulted believe it's a scam and won't have anything to do with the situation. Interestingly, Ding Lin DID call one of the attorneys and leave a voice mail message. He did have a Chinese accent - real or otherwise. He has also sent us an alleged copy of his passport when we told him that no local attorney would work with him because his name was associated with a scam. I think he has only 2 options to prove himself "legit." One would be to WIRE the money to us and have it verified as cleared, and the other would be to simply show up, as he says he will in the initial offer email, so that we can see a real person and send him to have a face to face with one of our real estate attorneys.

[mylife.part2]

@MyLife.Part2 I am a Realtor. "Ding Lin" emailed our office with a near full price offer on a high end property. So far, the attorneys we have consulted believe it's a scam and won't have anything to do with the situation. Interestingly, Ding Lin DID call one of the attorneys and leave a voice mail message. He did have a Chinese accent - real or otherwise. He has also sent us an alleged copy of his passport when we told him that no local attorney would work with him because his name was associated with a scam. I think he has only 2 options to prove himself "legit." One would be to WIRE the money to us and have it verified as cleared, and the other would be to simply show up, as he says he will in the initial offer email, so that we can see a real person and send him to have a face to face with one of our real estate attorneys.

we turned the check over to the FBI for them to investigate......i agree, if he was legite he would have wired the money and not sent a check as we had requested, so luck for us that we did not get scamed hopefully others will google and find this info and not get taken either