Where has all the good gone??

Sarah here...
This entry is mostly for the sake of those who use Facebook, and especially those who use Marketplace on Facebook. For those who don't know what Marketplace is, its like Craigslist. Its a place on the internet where you can buy and sell things.

If you have anything electronic for sale on Marketplace, especially a computer, or know anyone who does, PLEASE read this and pass it along!!!

I want to make you aware of people who are trying to scam individuals selling computers, or possibly other electronics, on Marketplace. My husband had his laptop for sale on Marketplace and was contacted by an individual by the name of Johnson Luke who was interested in buying it. He said it was going to be a congratulatory gift for his friend's child who is studying in Africa and wanted to send us a payment through PayPal. We received an e-mail that appeared to be from PayPal saying that he had sent the payment and as soon as we send the tracking number the payment will be sent straight to our bank account. Everything seemed fine until we mailed the laptop, sent the tracking number, and received no payment. My husband contacted PayPal after a couple days to inquire about the money. They said no payment was ever received and the e-mail that was sent to us was a fraud. I wanted to make you aware of this because we spent $75 to mail a laptop that was worth about $400 to Africa, and now someone is going to receive a laptop they never paid for and we are out almost $500. I don't want this to happen to anyone else. I know that there are others like him trying to scam people on Marketplace because we received another message from someone wanting to buy the laptop (it hasn't been taken off of Marketplace yet) who claims they want it as a gift for someone in Africa. The recent person inquiring was a female by the name of Roselyn Lukas. Johnson Luke and Roselyn Lukas sent the EXACT, WORD FOR WORD message inquiring about the laptop. Funny how their last names are so similar... Unless this "Johnson" guy is a complete idiot, I don't believe he would change his name and send the same message to us twice about the laptop that he's already stolen. This makes me believe that there are more con-artists trying to scam people on Marketplace. So, if someone sends a message to you wanting to buy something you have for sale on Marketplace, and their name is Johnson Luke, Roseyln Lukas, or has some form of "Luke" in their last name, and they want you to send your item to Africa, DO NOT DO IT! Report it immediately!!! Also, check and see how many friends the individual has...chances are they have less than 10 and their friends have foreign names. My husband and I have contacted Facebook about this issue and hope that they will make everyone aware. In case they don't, though, I wanted to write this note and make everyone aware that I can. I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't pass along this information.

Unfortunately, it may be too late for us...we currently have the U.S. Postal Inspectors investigating this case, but because the laptop has already left the country, they may not be able to help us.

The day we found out we had been scammed, I cried most of the day. Not because we lost a large sum of money that we really needed, but because it made me realize how evil people are. This situation has caused me to lose so much faith in humanity, and now all I can see is how terrible people are... for example, I can't tell you how many times I have been watching t.v. and I hear a story about someone being beaten, or someone dying in the middle of a public place, and people just walk on by. Does no one have morals???? Does no one have a conscience??? I don't understand. How about the father-in-law of the U.S. Olympic indoor volleyball coach being murdered for no apparent reason? Why would you just pick a stranger out of a crowd and kill him? Again, does no one have morals??

I hesitated to write this post because Derek and I both feel stupid and embarrassed that we were fooled so badly. In hindsight, we see that there were so many red flags that should have kept us from putting that laptop in the mail. There is nothing we can do now but wait and hope we can get it back, and warn others. I hope that through my story I can keep at least one person from making the same mistake we did.

In the end, God is good.

UPDATE: As I continue to research this, I will be adding more names of individuals trying to scam people. Here are two others I have found:

-Grew Hooks (claims he's from Canada)
-Owen Keyona (also claims to want to send gifts to Africa)

Money

Sarah here...

Money sucks. I hate the fact that we need it to live. I hate that there are always more hands reaching toward you to take your money than actual money in your own hands. I've been dealing with a lot of frustration the past several days because our funds are low and it causes me a lot of stress. Some days I walk around the apartment looking for something I can sell or return to Wal-Mart just to give us some extra money. We're not anywhere close to living on the street, but when I look at the bank account and see that we're not doing so hot, I go into survivor mode or something. Derek and I had what my parents would call a "discussion" the other night and have come to the conclusion that I need to get a part-time job if we're going to save money to move in December. With the way our "moving fund" looks right now, we can't even afford a moving truck...pretty sad. Although I was really hoping to not work this semester, as it is my last semester and I really want to concentrate on school only, I have come to the conclusion that its something that has to be done. I'm willing to work, I was just hoping I wouldn't have to. Sometimes I find myself looking toward the ceiling (since its way too hot to go outside and look toward the sky) and asking God to just plop a big sum of money in our laps...and then this saying comes into my head: God helps those who help themselves. Not sure if that's in the Bible, but its pretty good advice I'd say. As great as it would be, I don't think God is just going to let us sit on our butts and send us money through the mail... if we're going to get to Ohio, I need to do my part to get us there!

I still hate money, though.

Speaking of money, I got this bit of political information in an email today and found it very interesting and thought I should share it:

A president's pension currently is $191,300 per year,
until he is 80 years old.

Assuming the next president lives to age 80,
Sen. McCain would receive ZERO pension as he would reach 80
at the end of two terms as president. Sen. Obama would be
retired for 26 years after two terms and would receive
$4,973,800 in pension.

Therefore it would certainly make economic sense
to elect McCain in November.

Agreed, for that reason and many more!