Ohio residents charged with Craiglist scam involving Playstations and cellphones

COLUMBUS - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine Friday announced lawsuits against Nicholas Lamb and Robert White, Ohio residents accused of running a Craigslist scam offering to sell video game systems, video games, phones and phone cards.

"These individuals took advantage of unsuspecting consumers," Attorney General DeWine said. "They posted hundreds of items for sale on Craigslist and accepted payment from dozens of consumers but never delivered the products. Simply put, they committed a scam."

According to the Attorney General's lawsuits, Lamb and White offered PlayStation 3 systems, PS3 games and Boost Mobile phones and phone cards via Craigslist posts that primarily targeted out-of-state consumers. Their posts indicated that they were Ohio residents, but they told potential buyers that they previously lived in the buyers' states to gain the buyers' trust.

Lamb and White usually requested that payment be made through a wire transfer service, such as Western Union or MoneyGram, the AG's office said. Once the buyers completed the payment, the men did not deliver the products and did not provide refunds.

The Ohio Attorney General's Office currently has 29 consumer complaints against Lamb and 27 against White. The office said it believes there may be more victims because both men made hundreds of posts on Craigslist. Craigslist currently provides a direct link on its website to the Ohio Attorney General's Office for consumers to report would-be scammers, www.craigslist.org/about/scams . The Ohio Attorney General's Office said it has worked and will continue to work closely with Craiglist to monitor and prohibit these types of scams.

The AG's lawsuits charge Lamb and White with multiple violations of Ohio's Consumer Sales Practices Act, including failure to deliver and advertising products without having possession of the products. In the lawsuits, the attorney general seeks permanent injunctive relief, civil penalties and full restitution for consumers.

The Internet Crime Complaint Center has reported that online fraud costs consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. To protect themselves, consumers should follow these guidelines:

* Check a seller's reputation. Check feedback ratings and reports from the attorney general's office and the Better Business Bureau. Never give out personal or financial information unless you know the seller is legitimate.

* Contact the seller in person. Verify the seller's physical location and phone number. Deal locally with sellers you can meet in person. Always meet in a public place and bring someone with you for safety. Limit the amount of personal information you give to a seller. Only reveal what is absolutely necessary.

* Be wary of requests for wire transfers. Requests for wire transfers often signal fraud. Instead of wiring money, pay with a credit card, if possible. When you pay by credit card, your transaction is protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act — a federal law that gives you the right to dispute unauthorized charges.

* Keep printed records. Print purchase confirmations and all other documents related to your transaction.

* Trust your instincts. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you suspect fraud, report it to the Ohio Attorney General's Office. You can do that by calling 800.282.0515 or logging on the Ohio Attorney General's complaint form www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/consumercomplaint