Monday, August 17, 2009

Scams you via Moneygram

If you search for a used class B motorhome you are sure to come across the name Verne Kos for example http://rvhunter,com/browse-684-0.html You will see the first 3 are in his showroom spread out across the United States. These people never give you a telephone number or a physical address as they do not want to be located. Once you show them interest in one of the units it is all done via email (not a valid account) Then he starts with a story that he is a doctor in the military and very busy, that he has a hard time to get away. Adds more to the story continue how for the last guy that was going to buy it, how Verne got his time off and purchased an airline ticket then the purchaser never showed up or even called him, that when Verne called him all he said was the bank would not give him the loan. So Verne made the airplane ride to Cluiter, IA for nothing and how he does not want to do that again. Now he has you kind of feeling sorry for him and so what they do next is talk you in to getting a Moneygram purchased in your name (mine was 3 grand) and give all the details on the Moneygram so he can verify that the cash is indeed there, the balance can be a check. He also he will pay the Moneygram fee and he will deduct it from the purchase price. (Little did I know he can not verify that the cash is there as I have never dealt with Moneygrams before) sounded safe enough as it is in your name, (He makes this stand out in his emails "In Your Name) and then you fly somewhere and they say they will meet you with the motorhome, all manuals, paperwork, etc.. He also states that he will pay for your trip if the motorhome is not as he described it and I did not want it for some reason, (now doesn't that sound good) He has other plans. Guess what they never show up so you have to catch an unplanned flight back again. In the meantime they are off to the Moneygram and forge your name and take your cash. And you have no way track them down. I don't think they even have one motorhome, just a picture and a description. I flew into Des Moines IA and the cash was picked up in Kissimme, FL. My travel cost me at least another $1500.00 but the scammers do not care about you or the time they steal from you. What do you do with a guy like this? How many times have they pulled this off? How many other people are going to be future victims of theirs? He also has hurt other honest privately owned sellers. You can also Google the name Verne Kos and on the list will be a motorhome for sale. Claims it was his fathers and that he had passed away and with Verne's Doctor job he has no time to use it and needs to pay bills. Before I left I had emailed the law the law in Des Moines, IA asking if Verne Kos had a police record, but of course never heard back from them. I did get a response from one of them after I was already back home to stay away from Moneygram persons. Hind sight is 20-20 . I wonder what his real name is?