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bad buyer
Louis Feldman, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 2:03 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> I had a add for a d-1x for 2350.00 I got acall from a relay operater and the customer wants to pay me 6600.00 cashiers check he said he will send in a freight forwarder and pay him the difference.I am very skeptical at this point . Has anybody experienced this as well. |
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Anthony Phelps, Photographer
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Wellington | Wellington | New Zealand | Posted: 2:11 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> This sounds like a variation on a credit card scam.......the cashiers cheque may have been bought with a stolen card and then you are cashing a cheque ( and supplying goods) which will be cancelled by the issuer. Could be genuine of course. |
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Jay Abend, Photographer
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Framingham | MA | USA | Posted: 2:12 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> A well known scam- tell him you'll cash the cashiers check and ship the camera and extra cash after 90 days. |
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Steve Densmore, Photographer
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Grandville | MI | USA | Posted: 2:13 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> What's this guys name? I have had the same odd responses about some gear I am trying to sell in the classifieds. It seems he has now changed his name on me, to make me not think that he is the same person responding about the ad. Does he sound something like this in his emails?
Here’s what I got the first time around…
Hello Friends,
I'm Mark Moller,Nice going through various sites and find your Mint Condition, Nikon Equipment on advert which am reallu intrested in buiyng it as well.
I will like to here something from you the price of it and all neccesary information. and i will like to isssue you a well certisfied cashier check via client in the united state. I will like to make it urgent,because i really want to have it, i will like you to give me all the neccessary details and present conditions.
let me know were payment will be sent to and add, and all neccesary thing,
Will look forward to readfrom you ASAP today
Best Regards
Mark ,M
This message came to me yesterday…
i am interested in buying that your Mint Condition, Nikon Equipment.please,i will like to know if you are going to accept a cashier's check as a mean of payment.if yes,i will want you to give me the name and the address where the check will be sent to.i want to know its condition and also if it is still available.i will be looking forward to your reply ASAP
regards... |
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Matthew Knight, Photographer
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Cedar Falls | IA | usa | Posted: 2:14 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Stay Away! |
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Steve Densmore, Photographer
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Grandville | MI | USA | Posted: 2:14 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Oh yeah, the second email, the guy says his name is Stephen, and even has an email address making it look like that's his name. |
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Michael Clark, Photographer
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Santa Fe | NM | USA | Posted: 2:16 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> Dear Louis,
Hello. Yes, I just had three of these offers this week. I think this is a money laundering scheme. I was just signing on to post something about this when I saw your post.
Some months ago I had my F3 up for sale and was contacted by a Russian photographer who wanted to buy the camera and he sounded very legitimate. I started to realize things were a little strange when he wanted to send me a cashiers check for $6600 and have me Western Union him the difference. In the end he didn't end up buying the camera and it was a huge hassle.
I don't know what these guys are doing but I would have to guess they are trying to Launder money for some illegal purposes. I just sent an email back to a prospective buyer telling him I would not sell my gear to him. He wanted to have his client send me a $4000 cashiers check and I would have to western union him the difference. It seems they create fake email names that sound American and try to get unsuspecting people to help them get this money out of the country. I would bet in the end that they make up some excuse to not buy the camera after you have Western Union'd the difference.
Hence, Sportsshooters beware, there are some scary buyers lurking in the classified ads. I am now asking for an address from any prospective buyer and if they will not give me their address I will not sell the camera to them. At this point, I am not willing to sell any of my gear to buyers outside of the US. |
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Michael Clark, Photographer
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Santa Fe | NM | USA | Posted: 2:18 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Yeah, my buyer said his name was Stephen as well. |
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Michael Clark, Photographer
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Santa Fe | NM | USA | Posted: 2:21 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Mark Moller, now he has changed his name to Stephen Morgan. That is the same set of emails I got. |
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Louis Feldman, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 2:23 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> hi steve this is the same did you talk to him is he deaf I never talked to him his name was in fact mark muller I will
grab the cashier check and turn it over to the police thanks alot louis.There is also another guy that wants to pay with a cashiers check. Also there is no such thing as a certified cashiers check. |
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Tommy Metthe, Photographer
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Abilene | TX | | Posted: 2:32 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> I read about this same thing on Galbraith's board a while back. They send you the check and either it's a fake (conterfeit check) or it gets cancelled before the funds are transferred. Western Union, however, has no cancellation process, once the money is wired out, you can't get it back, you lose your gear and the "difference" you sent them. These guys almost always work out of some Eastern European countries or Russia, where it is hard if not impossible to track them down. |
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Penn Camera, Photographer
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Beltsville | MD | USA | Posted: 2:49 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> Louis-
Two words---------STAY AWAY |
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Sam Morris, Photographer
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Henderson (Las Vegas) | NV | USA | Posted: 2:55 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> You mean a message like this?
"Message from: stephen
stephen's email address: stepehnmorgan@myway.com
Message from stephen:
i am interested in buying that ur Canon FD.i want to know the last asking price and its condition.please i will also like to know if a cashier's check is accepted as a mean of payment.please get back to me asap.
regards...
-------------------------------------------------------
Sent from IP Address: 192.116.119.174
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-" |
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Marc F. Henning, Photographer
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Bentonville | AR | USA | Posted: 2:58 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> also a good tip. stay away from people who can't even construct a freakin' sentence in English. you'd think if someone was going to try a scam they would AT LEAST try to appear as inconspicuous as possible.
"I'm Mark Moller,Nice going through various sites and find your Mint Condition, Nikon Equipment on advert which am reallu intrested in buiyng it as well."
DUH!!!
marc |
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Chris Doane, Photographer
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Saginaw | MI | USA | Posted: 3:01 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Yea I just got a similar email from "Stephen" According to the IP, he's in Nigeria. |
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Don Wright, Photographer
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Baltimore | Md | USA | Posted: 3:09 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> hmmmmmm.....sounds familiar!!! "Stephen" The guy just offered me $10,000 for my 500 f4. I was to cash the check and then western union him the remainder of the money. Red flags went up. |
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Bruce Twitchell, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Lewiston | ID | USA | Posted: 3:41 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> I had the exact same thing happen today. Sent a few emails back and forth and when he was talking about his "american client" that he is buying for and he was going to send a few thousand extra I knew something smelled bad. Wrote back and told him, "NO NO NO." haven't heard back from him. Are we supposed to report this to the powers that be or just write it off as a bad experience?
bruce |
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Don Wright, Photographer
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Baltimore | Md | USA | Posted: 3:48 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> I already did...forwarded a few of the emails and the link to the message board, to my buddy at homeland security...who is going to forward it onto the right people. |
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Jim Owens, Photographer
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Cincinnati | OH | usa | Posted: 4:56 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> Heard enough, Louis ?
Turn this over to the proper authorities. I have received similar e mails for my Canon gear a while back. |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 5:06 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Yea know Pablo and who ever this Stephen or Mark or whoever is probably are wondering how their scams keep getting headed off before they make any money. Think we should tell them about SS or keep quiet? ;) |
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Jon Helgason, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Tucson | AZ | US | Posted: 6:22 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> I have gotten both of these as well. It seems the scammers are trolling the SS classifieds.
I have also had someone trying to buy my lens, who pressures me to ship it overnight, but never actually buys it off my Ebay auction. And then doesn?t return phone calls or email. Sellers beware.
Message from: mark moller
mark moller's email address: markmoller@outgun.com
Message from mark moller:
Hello Friends,
I'm Mark Moller,Nice going through various sites and find your Nikon 80-200 f2.8D ED Autofocus on advert which am reallu intrested in buiyng it as well.
I will like to here something from you the price of it and all neccesary information. and i will like to isssue you a well certisfied cashier check via client in the united state. I will like to make it urgent,because i really want to have it, i will like you to give me all the neccessary details and present conditions.
let me know were payment will be sent to and add, and all neccesary thing,
Will look forward to readfrom you ASAP today
Best Regards
Mark ,M
Sent from IP Address: 193.220.26.20
Message from: stephen
stephen's email address: stepehnmorgan@myway.com
Message from stephen:
i am interested in buying that ur Nikon 80-200 f2.8D ED Autofocus Lens.i want to know the last asking price and its condition.please i will also like to know if a cashier's check is accepted as a mean of payment.please get back to me asap.
regards...
Sent from IP Address: 192.116.119.174 |
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Steve Densmore, Photographer
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Grandville | MI | USA | Posted: 7:11 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> Looks like this fool is busted. Here is his latest message. He is going by the name of Mark again...
Hello my client is not in michuigan but he is in england but i wont mind if you could send the contact details ASAP ,A client would issue you the payment of $8,500 and so likewise you have know that the remaining funds will be sent to my shipper for pickup.So get to me back ASAP....Thanks.. |
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Steve Boyle, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 7:34 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> count me in, i got an email from him for some RAM that im selling. |
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Erik Hedin, Photographer
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Paia | HI | USA | Posted: 8:01 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> Same thing for my 600mm,
Message from: stephen
stephen's email address: stepehnmorgan@myway.com
Message from stephen:
i am interested in buying that ur Canon 600mm non.i want to know the last asking price and its condition.please i will also like to know if a cashier's check is accepted as a mean of payment.please get back to me asap.
regards... |
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Rob Bonow, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Glencoe | IL | USA | Posted: 8:12 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> Just for kicks, I'll post a message he sent me. Same exact thing.
Message from: stephen
stephen's email address: stepehnmorgan@myway.com
Message from stephen:
i am interested in buying that ur Nikon D1 Classic.i want to know the last asking
price and its condition.please i will also like to know if a cashier's check is
accepted as a mean of payment.please get back to me asap.
regards...
-------------------------------------------------------
Sent from IP Address: 192.116.119.174
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- |
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David Adams, Photographer
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Fayetteville | NC | US | Posted: 8:17 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Add me to the list of mails received from "Stephen".. Did anyone notice he didn't spell his name correctly in his account name with myway.com? :) Mail came from "stepehnmorgan@myway.com" The sad part is that people fall for this every day. There was a spot on the local news where a guy lost his Jeep and $4500 in one of these scams.... amazing! |
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Ian L. Sitren, Photographer
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Santa Ana | CA | USA | Posted: 10:23 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> What you get is a fake cashiers check. Old scam. |
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Pablo Galvez, Photographer
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Calgary | AB | CANADA | Posted: 10:36 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> "Yea know Pablo and who ever this Stephen or Mark or whoever is probably are wondering how their scams keep getting headed off before they make any money. Think we should tell them about SS or keep quiet? ;)"
Kirk,
What the???? Where did you come up with Pablo???
"Hello Friends,
I'm Pablo Galvez,Nice going through various sites and find your ENTER YOUR EQUIPMENT HERE on advert which am reallu intrested in buiyng it as well.
I will like to here something from you the price of it and all neccesary information. and i will like to isssue you a well certisfied cashier check via client in the united state. I will like to make it urgent,because i really want to have it, i will like you to give me all the neccessary details and present conditions.
let me know were payment will be sent to and add, and all neccesary thing,
Will look forward to readfrom you ASAP today
Best Regards
Pablo"
That's right, folks, it's me! I'm behind the whole thing. And by the way, yes I do live in Africa. |
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Chris Jennings, Photographer
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Sherman | TX | USA | Posted: 10:47 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> I'm Chris Jennings, Nice going through various sites and find your gullibabaility am really interested in screwing you as well.
I will like to here something from you the opinion of it and all neccesary information. and i will like to accept you a deal via client in the great land of Oklahoma.
I will like to make it urgent,because i tired and ready to go home, i will like you to give me all your money so I can buy women and much drink.
payment need be sent to me ASAP it is a neccesary thing,
Will look forward to readfrom you ASAP today
Best Regards
Chris J |
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Chris Jennings, Photographer
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Sherman | TX | USA | Posted: 10:49 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Darn, Pablo beat me to the smart ass reply! |
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Spencer Hahn, Photographer, Student/Intern
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West Lafayette | IN | USA | Posted: 10:58 PM on 02.26.04 |
| ->> Kinda OT, but Louis: Please use punctuation! I don't know you, although apparently you're a legit guy working at Samy's, but please USE PUNCTUATION!!! You kinda sound like a fake to me, too, if it weren't for the Samy's affiliation. Capitalization wouldn't hurt, either! Sorry if this comes off kinda harsh. -Spencer |
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Ron Scheffler, Photographer
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Michael Strong, Photographer
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Lubbock | TX | USA | Posted: 11:38 PM on 02.26.04 |
->> I received this one when I listed my Canon 300 F4.
HELLO,
Top of the day and thanks for the mail. and inrespect of payment. I have a business partner who is oweing me $4,000 all i will do is to instruct him to issue you a cashiers cheque on my behalf and when you have gotten the cheque you will deduct your said amount and wire the remaining balance via western union money transfer to my international shipper's,So that they will come
for the pick up at your location as soon as payment is received by them.My shipper's who i have talked things over with about the pick up says they will want you to make thing's snappy and to make sure that you make the all
important papers are in place to avoid shipping delay.My shipper's will email you as soon as you recieve the payment so that they can give you their contact address where you will be wiring my remaining balance to,So that
they can come for the pick up at your location as soon possible.I will like to know if i can trust you to send my ba lance. Am doing this to make the payment easier and faster. Furnish me with your full contact that are below,
FULL NAME.................(that the cheque should be issued to) FULL CONTACT ADDRESS......... STATE............... COUNTRY............ ZIP CODE......................... PHONE NUMBER...................
So get back to me with the information so that payment can be made which should get to you soon Thanks.
Regards
SEAN PAUL................ |
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randy kramer, Photographer
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ventura | ca | usa | Posted: 12:16 AM on 02.27.04 |
| ->> These types of things are sooo frustrating. Every, and I mean every item I have bid on from cameras and lenses to monitors and computers, has resulted in some sort of scam. Almost every one is from overseas and in broken English. The authorities will do NOTHING!!... When was the last time one of these jerks was caunght and prosecuted??? I would really like to see an article. The scammers in the states are quite smart and elaborate, and the ones overseas are too much trouble for the authorities to be bothered. I had an experience with a 200 1.8 that I paid 2500.00 for and never received. I filed online with the FBI internet fraud(no reply ever), I called the police in England(they got upset and told me they wouldn't deal with me directly, "file a police report locally and we will deal with them". My local police took the report and when I started inquiring about what was going on, the detective said "Well, it isn't like we are going to fly to England now, are we?". My local FBI office said "there is nothing we can do". His bank AND my bank treated ME like a crook when I started trying to get my money back. I have received official looking e-mails from "e-bay", trying to get my ID and password and more recently, one from "UPS" regarding another 200 that someone was trying to "sell" me. From MY experience, the "authorities" have better things to do than help out people like me with "small" two and three thousand dollar problems. I would be interested in whether or not some of the victims of 1DS' or plasma TV's were successful in getting their crooks brought to justice. I would guess, however, that they were not. |
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Joseph Rogate, Photographer
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Seaford | NY | USA | Posted: 7:19 AM on 02.27.04 |
| ->> I actually got the same email for the $20.00 lap top security cable I have listed but I blew it off thinking it was one of you guys playing around. |
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David Stoner, Photographer
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Atlanta | GA | USA | Posted: 11:00 AM on 02.27.04 |
| ->> I say let's get him back!! For every email he sends someone, let's get him to send out payment, but never fulfill our end of the bargain! At this rate, he'll go broke just with the postage!! How awesome would that be?!? |
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Carleton Q. Hall, Photographer
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David Stout, Photographer
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Jonesboro | AR | USA | Posted: 9:59 PM on 02.27.04 |
->> The cleaning lady at the paper I work for fell for this and ended up spending a few nights in jail. Two detectives showed up on her door step asking about a $10,000 check she deposited in her bank account. She had gotten the check from a guy in England who was attempting to buy her Chevy Blazer.
Turns out the check was stolen and now she is swamped in legal bills. Not to mention that they are trying to impound her Blazer as evidence. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 12:17 AM on 02.28.04 |
->> I've had the letters, the TDD operator calling for a deaf person who wanted Home Theater system ( I kid you not).
Call the Secret Service. They've been handling this stuff in Iowa. Use of credit cards or Cashiers Checks fall under their jurisdiction.
I told the Sprint operator it was a scam. It's the same old story - anything that sounds too good to be true...is. |
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