SCAMMED on Craigslist

Just when I thought things were looking up, My life throws me a curve ball.

Finally I can add SCAMMED to my life's lessons.

I tried to get rid of a few things for my move into my new place, since most of it wouldn't fit anyway and I really didn't want to take all my "old baggage" with me. I posted my bedroom set on craigslist.com, after 4 days of posting; I received an email from a guy out of state that was interested in buying.

We exchanged emails a couple times, about payment and pickup, he said that was fine he was going to send payment and arrange for someone to pickup the furniture. A week later, I received a UPS envelope with a check for $3000. I started wondering why he would send me a check for so much, anyway before I touched it, I emailed him to find out the reason for the over-payment, he said the bank cut the check and did it wrong, so all I had to do was: deposit or cash the check and when it clears to send the excess portion ($2000) to the shipper who is in cape coral, fl. in order for them to pick it up.

I deposited the check; it took the bank 10 days to clear it. After the funds were available, I notified the buyer so he can get the info to his shipper. He asked me to send it by money gram to Kevin in Cape Coral, FL. I did that and sent him the reference info so he can get with his shipper.

2 days later he (buyer) sent me an email asking me if I can send him the money back because, the person he was purchasing the furniture for got in a terrible car accident and he would need the money to help pay for the hospital bill and that he contacted the shipper to stop the pickup and return the money to him.. at this point I started feeling weird (like this WAS a scam) so I started collecting email correspondence that was exchanged between us, I copied the money gram receipt and I had already kept a copy of the check. JUST IN CASE.

I spoke to a couple people about my gut feeling and they all shared my though about the whole thing being a scam, but there was not much I could have done then, because I had already sent off the excess money to the shipper.

Got paid yesterday, called the bank because I tried to get gas this morning and couldn't, so now I'm worried abit because I got paid last night by direct deposit, and haven't really spent anything. Got to work called the bank they said I have a zero balance, and that the check for the $3000 was returned unpaid, so now they took my money that I just worked my ass all week for and I still owe them ($2,114) basically the money that I sent by money gram to this asshole, I have to replace.

So not only will none of my bills be paid, I have no money until I get paid in the next two weeks plus I still have to repay the bank, because they said there is really nothing they can do because the check was in my name, I was the one who deposited it and not someone else and that I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

Like Hell I am, they cleared the check so on my part, I'm thinking ---- the bank cleared the check so why should I be held responsible.

I stopped my direct deposit for the next pay period so I can at least be able to pay some of my bills at the beginning of next month. I keep telling myself I am not going to cry, just have to stop being so trusting in people, BUT AGAIN THIS TOO SHALL PASS JUST LIKE EVERY OUNCE OF DARKNESS THAT HAS SHADOWED MY LIFE THIS YEAR.


Now I have to go fight with the fraud department on my lunch break