PORT ANGELES — It sounded too good to be true.
After posting a classified ad to sell a car on Craigslist, Stan and Celeste Grall received an e-mail last month from an interested buyer who was willing to purchase the car sight unseen and even give them an extra $100.
His only request was that they wire $4,700 for shipping.
And to show he could be trusted, the supposed buyer, by the name of Tommy Brown, even mailed a check for $12,800 that would cover the cost of the vehicle and shipping.
The problem: The check was a fraud; someone was trying to scam the Gralls.
“As soon as he asked us to wire the money, I knew it was a scam,” Celeste said.
The Gralls, both 51 of Port Angeles, responded that they weren’t interested, but the scammer sent the check anyway.
It arrived Wednesday and was followed by a second check for the same amount Friday.
“I can’t believe it,” Stan said. “It’s kind of irritating.”
The Gralls said they promptly reported the scam to the Port Angeles police after showing the first check to their bank.
“Every time they send a check, I’ll just take it [to the police] and let them deal with it,” Stan added.
Port Angeles Police Officer Duane Benedict said they did the right thing by contacting the authorities. He urges others who suspect they are being taken for a ride to do the same.
The elderly are common targets, Benedict said, and they need to be vigilant.
“If it’s too good, it’s probably a scam or a fraud,” he said.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
