green dot "money packs" ?? why would someone use them?

[daniel_buck]

So I just picked up an item off craigslist, and the lady who I was talking to on the phone earlier in the day said that for payment instead of cash she wanted the money put on a "green dot money pack" card from a 7-11. She said that she would not be home, but her teenage son would be there, and to give his son $20 and put the rest (a little over $200) onto the green dot card.

I did as she asked, and all went well. I have my item, and her son has the money and the card.

But I can't help but ask myself why she wanted most of the money on the green dot card? The only thing I can think of is that she didn't want her son to have that much money, maybe he would get into trouble or something with it!? I could understand that I guess, I was a reckless teenager once. But if that's the case, why not just ask me to give a personal check or a cashiers check? Her son would not be able to cash that.

My information is not on the card, I just went to a 7-11 quickey mart, gave the clerk cash (plus a small fee, like $4 or something for the card) and he put the amount into the card, and that's that. So I can't see how this could at all be a scam, I am in no way attached to the card, he didn't ask for a telephone number, address, or anything, not even my name. And the exchange for the item I was purchasing was made smoothly with her son. I have my item, and they have the money.

Apparently green dot cards are kind of like a one-time use credit card, or like a gift card. You put so much money on them, and then you can use the card just like money at what ever places accept that card, and then you can not re-fill the card with credit it after the money is spent.

Any ideas? Just curious.

[Jason]

I agree with you that maybe she didn't want $200 of excess cash lying around. I've never seen a Green Dot card. Can it only be spent at a 7-11?

[daniel_buck]

I'm not sure, I think it can be spent at a variety of places. I had never heard of it until yesterday, haha But after reading a little about it, and seeing that it's kind of like a gift card, I decided that there is no way this could be a scam, so I went for it, and it wasn't.

[sarah]

Weird - no wonder our tiny 7-11 is always packed

[daniel_buck]

haha! yea, maybe there's something awesome about these green dot cards I don't know about

[OU812]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_laundering

Just saying..

[Jason]

I alway thought that happens when I don't check my pockets before they get washed and I forgot about all my monies I left in there.
:hide:

[Kodiak Spirit]

So, beside the fact that your on MJR and MJR people are all kinda of honest and awesome, how did they know how much money you put on the card?

[NAILER341]

So, beside the fact that your on MJR and MJR people are all kinda of honest and awesome, how did they know how much money you put on the card?

Good question. Who's to say you didnt put 10 bucks on it and give him a 10 dollar card instead of a 200 dollar card.

[NAILER341]

Ok... I had to look into this BS.
https://www.moneypak.com/Partner/Pay...wItWorks.aspx#
I'll take my payment in gold bullion for wares traded on craigslist. LOL
This is a bullshit way to handle money IMHO

[Roger]

It seems it's just like every other pre-paid credit card. Dumb.

[daniel_buck]

So, beside the fact that your on MJR and MJR people are all kinda of honest and awesome, how did they know how much money you put on the card?

I gave them the receipt of the card as well, which shows the amount put on the card, and the card number. But you are right, who's to say I didn't spend 1/2 of it before giving it to them! You can use the card immediately after activating it. Who's to say I didn't fill up my tank and my ice chest before giving them the card?? I was kind of wondering about this myself.

I suppose there's a number you could call to verify how much $$ is on the card?

Seems like a silly way to receive money, especially from someone you don't know or might not be able to trust, but since I wasn't on the receiving end of the payment, I didn't see anything wrong with it, or any way that I could get scammed.

Maybe I'm just thinking to much into it, maybe she just didn't want her son to have enough cash to go out and order a case of beer and 5 pizzas to throw a party, haha. But she did ask that I give him $20 cash, maybe for his supper? I don't know.

Oh well, never a dull transaction on craigslist

[OU812]

I would never accept payment like this. What’s to stop the buy from buying tow cards, one for himself for $200, and one for you for$10? He could give you the $10 card and the $200 receipt.
All and all there is too much risk involved to be doing this without nefarious intentions.

Scam artists have discovered the Green Dot MoneyPak.

MoneyPaks, sold in stores throughout the U.S., are reloadable debit cards normally used to make same-day payments or add money to prepaid cards or PayPal accounts.

But in recent weeks, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) says it has noticed a significant increase in schemes where scammers either tried to solicit – or were able to collect – payments via MoneyPak for merchandise, advance fee loans or sweepstakes prizes that all proved to be fraudulent or nonexistent.
“[M]ore and more scammers are moving away from seeking payments via wire transfer and instead asking consumers to give them money via MoneyPaks,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB. “We feel this is likely due to the fact this form of payment is quite convenient – for both consumers and scammers – and untraceable.

The BBB and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS(, which has also reported seeing the increase, say any website requesting payment via a MoneyPak is likely a scam. They also say people should be very cautious when using MoneyPaks to pay companies or individuals they don’t know, and want people to understand that once they load a MoneyPak with funds, anyone they share the number of that card with will also have access to those funds.

Bill White, a DPS agent, says fraudsters will convince consumers to put money into their MoneyPak card, get them to share its serial number, and then the scammers empty the card of funds, leaving consumers empty-handed.

[daniel_buck]

the receipt has the card number on it I believe. (If it didn't, that would be SUPER shady!) But I'm not disagreeing with you, I'd never take payment like this.