[meteorite-list] SCAMS from Morocco

From: Mike Farmer <farmerm_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:41:12 2004
Message-ID: <3A9C2A38.5C596C4B_at_concentric.net>

I just want to warn people NOT to rent a car in Morocco! I rented from Budget,
an American company, they ripped me off for several thousand dollars, I had to
cancel all of my credit cards to stop the charges from coming in. They said we
totally destroyed the truck, although I have the receipt showing turned in with
full tank of gas and all was well. This was in Marrakech. Budget here told me
that that is a franchise in Africa and there was nothing they could do. So much
for bothering to rent from an international company.
I tell anyone wanting to go to Morocco that the scams are high, in every facet
of your journey. I caught one man in a bank in Zagora trying to steal $200 from
a$5000 money change TWO separate times. Each time he claimed to make a mistake,
so I sent in a friend, SAME PROBLEM!!!! This guy must be a real idiot to make so
many mistakes.
DO NOT rent a CAR, receipts mean NOTHING, DO NOT use ANY credit card for
ANYTHING, cash is the only way to go.
Good luck, those who think that this is easy will find out the hard way.
DON'T send ANYONE $$$$$$ without the items. It is a useless and futile gesture.
Mike Farmer

Nick Gessler wrote:

> CAVEAT EMPTOR (Let the buyer beware.)
>
> The US Department of State Travel Warning for Morocco reads, in part:
>
> "Morocco has a high crime rate in urban areas. Criminals have targeted
> tourists for robberies, assaults, muggings, thefts, purse snatching,
> pick-pocketing, and scams of all types. Most of the petty crime occurs in
> the medina/market areas, parks and beaches. Commonly reported crimes
> include falsifying credit card vouchers and shipping inferior rugs as a
> substitute for the rugs purchased by the traveler."
>
> Beware of Casablancans offering meteorites over the Internet.
>
> At least two of us on the Meteorite-List have been approached with offers
> to sell meteorites from Morocco. We have been sent a photograph of 29
> meteorites on a white sheet. One of us asked for samples and received no
> reply. The other of us, me, sent partial payment for a FedEx shipment and
> has watched the offer escalate: death in the family, automobile injury,
> money for shipping spent, will send extras like trilobites and jewels, will
> send not 60kg but 100kg, the "stakes" keep getting higher, the "carrot"
> grows in size, but I have received nothing besides promises. "Buy quickly,
> I have received a better offer," and "I really have 1000kg of meteorites"
> were the neweest enticements. I set up a FedEx account so that I could
> offer to pay shipping without sending the seller any more money. He
> responded by sending me a scan of a FedEx shipping document, the kind
> anyone can pick up at FedEx and fill out on his own, telling me this was
> the "receipt" they gave him. According to FedEx the shipment was never
> made, the tracking number, while valid, has never been scanned in
> Morocco. I thought I might go to Western Union and pick up one of their
> blank money-wire forms, fill it out, and send a scan to him, but I'm sure
> he wouldn't appreciate the humor. I've cancelled that FedEx account number
> and will wait for more developments...
>
> I have spent what a four-day meteorite hunting expedition would have cost
> me. A calculated risk since I've often come back empty-handed. So I'm
> more pissed off than hurting financially. Does anyone have a similar story?
>
> The photograph is on my website at:
> http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/geog/gessler/167-2001/morocco.jpg
>
> Is it time to send the Meteorite Sheriff and his Posse to Morocco?
>
> Take care,
> Nick
>
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Received on Tue 27 Feb 2001 05:29:12 PM PST