Green Dot Money Pak scam?

[niceguyaz]

An escort that I was trying to book asked for a Green Dot Money Pak instead of cash - I told him no and he refused to book - is this a new scam? Anyone heard of this?

[+ azdr0710]

https://www.moneypak.com/

 

I don't know how Green Dot works, but this warning is on the front page of their website:

 

How to Stop A Scam:

 

Use your MoneyPak number only with businesses on our approved list. If anyone else asks for your MoneyPak number or information from your receipt, it’s probably a scam. Don’t give your MoneyPak number to pay for something you buy through the classifieds or to collect a prize or sweepstakes. Do not give away your receipt information to another party either. If you give your MoneyPak number or information about the purchase transaction to a criminal, Green Dot is not responsible for paying you back. Your MoneyPak is not a bank account. The funds are not insured against loss.

[Colbi]

Yes, it is a new but very obvious scam: http://tosluts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=799532

[BearDad58]

Green Dot Money Paks are no more a scam than is Western Union or any other form of money transfer, or even sending someone a money order or check. I have used Green Dot several times over the last few years to send escorts deposits, and there has never been any problem. The key is to know who you are sending the money to and this holds true for any form of money transfer. The link above to "tosluts" is a story about a client how got scammed sending money to a female escort he knew nothing about, saw no reviews, etc.

 

In that case the client would have been scammed no matter how he sent the money, Green Dot, Paypal, Western Union, etc. It would be the same as if one of us on this board sent money in advance to a new escort on Craigslist for example who had no reviews or info anywhere. Sure maybe he would show up after getting the deposit, but odds would be 50/50 at best. Why anyone would send money in advance to a escort with no reviews or info about him on this board is completely beyond me.

 

I used to use Paypal to send deposits to escorts, but now many escorts frown on that. One escort told me last year that Paypal reversed a payment from a client four months after they had met. Paypal said the client claimed the services provided were "not as claimed". For personal peer to peer money transfers Paypal offers no guarantees of any sort to the person receiving money. In fact Paypal will freeze a escorts account if they find out their service is being used for escort related activities. That is why many escorts will not use Paypal any more, and the only ones that are still using it aren't aware payments can't be guaranteed and can be charged back many months after the fact.

 

Besides companies like Paypal, Western Union, MoneyGram, etc are not for those who require discretion as the sender has to give his personal info out, and the escort also has to do the same when picking up the money. I don't think most escorts mind giving out their name and personal info, but many clients who require discretion would balk at that. Green Dot Money Pak alone among all the other money transfer services offers complete anonymity and discretion.

 

If I want to send a escort a deposit for example $250, I simply go to any drug store, grocery store, 7-11, etc that sells Green Dot Money Pak cards. I would pick up a Money Pak card and take it to the cashier and tell here I want to load $250 on it. I then give her $250 and a $4.95 service fee and she loads the card with $250. Then all I do is give the escort the serial number on the back of the card. Once the escort has the serial number he can then load the $250 to any one of his credit cards and it will be instantly available for him to use.

 

Note in the above scenario I did not have to give the escort or anyone my name or any personal info to buy the Green Dot Money Pak. The escort did not have to give me any of his personal info either so for both parties complete discretion was allowed. Yes, scammer's can use Green Dot as well as any other money transfer service, so the key is to be sure you trust whoever you are sending the money to. If you send money to someone you know nothing about like the person at tosluts did, then don't be surprised if you are scammed. If you have to send a deposit to a escort, make sure he is well reviewed with multiple reviews from more than first time reviewers.

[RSully94]

Lol some guy was trying to convince me to pay him using Money PAK last night, and I told him no.

[Guest boiworship08]

Is sounds like a much more reasonable and discreet alternative to Western Union. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to using it. Can it be used for international transfers, to the UK, for example?