Help - is this person trying to scam me?

Sensiekatie on 12/09/2016 - 11:07
Last edited 12/09/2016 - 12:30 by 2 other users

I have put a chain of emails below - I have an item for sale on a site specialising in disabled equipment. I've heard of scams using PayPal and similiar stories. So is this genuine or one of these scams?

I have never figured how they get you with these types of scam.

Thank you for your opinions in advance.

I have not tried that number.
Last message sounds stock as my reply was only very late last night as we had been away all day. Also why give a landline number if you are away at sea. Sounds too good to be true.

Received this morning
Hi
Thank your for your response. I am so sorry for not responding back to your message on time it was due to being busy with work, good to know the (Scooter is still available for sale and still in good condition as it was described on the advert. I want you to know i have a courier company that will come for the pick up of the item, so you don't have to other your self shipping the item, i will handle the shipping expenses. I am an oceanographer and am presently working on sea due to my status of work, i won't be able to see it but i will be okay with pictures if available and i would be happy to purchase it from you, no return or any complain.
I will be making making payment through Pay pal because my bank account is linked to my Pay pal account and Pay pal is a secured method of payment for both the buyer and seller. Kindly email me a Pay pal money request invoice direct to my verified Pay pal email which is the same as my email address [email protected] to proceed with the payment. I believe you can set up a Pay pal account easily at www. pay pal.com.com if you don't have one. Looking forward to hear back from you soon.

Cheers

On Sun, Sep 11, 2016 at 10:30 AM,
Hi Alice
Yes the scooter rack is still available. Please call me if you have any questions about the item.

"My name and phone number given here"

Thank you

From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
To
Sent: Sunday, 11 September 2016, 13:31
Subject: About your ad…Vehicle rack for mobility scooter or wheelchair

Hello Sensiekatie,

Listing these comments concern:
http://www.reusability.com.au/category/393/Everything-Else/l…

contact name: Alice
contact phone: 02 9778 9685

Below is an inquiry about your listing.
Hello..I am interested in purchasing your( Item ), if is still available,please email me at [email protected]

110.146.170.70 : CPE-110-146-170-70.knmu.knt.bigpond.net.au

Reusability.com.au Buy and sell aged care, disability and rehabilitation aids online! www.reusability.com.au [email protected]

Poll Options expired

  • 0
    Maybe
  • 1
    No
  • 61
    Yes
Internet

Comments

  • pyramid on 12/09/2016 - 11:12
    +10

    Looks like pure scam. Why?
    1) People working on offshore rigs, on ships , on sea. This is common trend across scammers.
    2) They are buying without looking at item.
    3) They only want to deal with paypal payment.

    • Sick of This on 12/09/2016 - 11:30
      +3

      "I'll handle the shipping, I'll buy it no questions asked, I don't need to see it, I won't try to return it, I won't complain."

      Red flags everywhere. You don't always need to be able to see how you could potentially lose money to be able to recognise a scam.

  • Blackrose on 12/09/2016 - 11:13
    +4

    That's a scam, they always working at sea or similar, they use a stolen credit card to pay, then once the fraud is discovered the payment is reversed.

    • jnewau on 12/09/2016 - 11:26
      +6

      It doesn't work like that in most cases. The scammer doesn't want the goods, and they don't go that far along the purchase process. All they want is for the victim to send them money via Western Union

      They will send a fake PayPal notice for a sum greater than the offered price. They will then ask you to use that "extra" to pay a non existent shipping company to release the shipment, via Western Union.

      End result is the victim has sent real money via Western Union to the scammer.

  • gaz3342 on 12/09/2016 - 11:14
    +6

    100% definitely a scam. Very common scamming method. Yes PayPal is a secure method but the 'buyer' would just tell PayPal they never received the goods.

    Stay away and sell it locally only.

  • CyberMurning on 12/09/2016 - 11:15
    +7

    even before i click this thread, by reading the title i know the answer "YES IT IS SCAM".
    gee why even doubting… i guess deep in human mind people still want to believe this is real (so they can sell their stuffs).

    • Sick of This on 12/09/2016 - 11:27
      +3

      There are plenty of people who don't have the experience to spot modern scams quickly. PLENTY. Help them learn the signs.

    • StewBalls on 12/09/2016 - 11:27
      +1

      Agreed. OPs could simplify poll options by only including the "Yes" option in future! ;)

  • PurpleHippo on 12/09/2016 - 11:16
    +7

    a lot of people wanting to buy stuff online via paypal seems to be oceanographers at sea..

    https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/Fraud-phishing-and-spoof…

    • StewBalls on 12/09/2016 - 11:24

      Seems legit, I would be worried however if the Oceanographer claimed to be working in a FIFO Coal Mine…that might tingle my Spidey-sense! ;)

  • supnigs super skids on 12/09/2016 - 11:20
    -1

    Scam. Accept the money anyway. It would most likely be a fake email from PayPal or a hacked account later on.

    • Sick of This on 12/09/2016 - 11:23
      +4

      Don't accept the money anyway, you're asking for a headache if you try to do this. Just drop it.

      • Kangal on 12/09/2016 - 12:43
        +2

        Don't just drop it.
        Ask for their PayPal details.
        Then report them to PayPal here:
        https://www.paypal.com/selfhelp/article/FAQ2422

        Email them with all the details, if you like, even link this thread to PayPal.
        The more pressure they're under, the more that they'll actually try to stop this practice.

        • Sensiekatie on 13/09/2016 - 02:18
          +1

          Thanks for that - I will take your advice

  • Sick of This on 12/09/2016 - 11:22
    +3

    SCAM for sure, do not engage any further with this person. Everything they've said is fishy, there's red flags everywhere. Save yourself a headache and just halt all contact with them.

  • [Deactivated] on 12/09/2016 - 12:12
    +1

    The scam is very common, I just haven't seen it used for the category you're selling under. I guess the key word is "scooter". I'm guessing you are selling specialised equipment but the scammer hasn't recognised it. The scam is often used for cars so I'm guessing it's used for other vehicles as well.

    • Sensiekatie on 13/09/2016 - 02:23

      Yes I sold a car recently and there were warnings. That's why I suspected it probably was.

  • rover on 12/09/2016 - 12:24
    +2

    100% scammer. This one is pretty common for Gumtree/classified ads vehicle sellers.

    Scam plays out like this:
    1) "Buyer" (quite frequently oceanographer/submariner/oil rig worker) is really interested, and will buy sight unseen (that's a red flag)
    2) Offers to buy using PayPal, other legit funds transfer (no red flag there)or send fake cheque
    3) Overpays or needs to involve a shipping company (that's a red flag)
    4) Requests difference/delivery costs be sent by wire (mega red flag)
    5) Takes money and giggles.

  • Rggmcl on 13/09/2016 - 01:44

    Certainly a scam. When I was selling a car had an email running along these lines of person being on a ship, pay by PayPal etc. I hit the delete button. Do not deal with this scammer.

  • Sensiekatie on 13/09/2016 - 02:25

    OK thanks everyone. I have bought things without seeing from interstate. I heard of this type of thing when selling a car recently. I was pretty sure, but wanted to check I wasn't being over-cautious. I would dearly lovely to sell the item!

    • devinadalovely on 13/09/2016 - 08:21

      The cost of a courier would be prohibitive as they would have to use a truck! I was selling something on Gumtree and the person said they would pay the postage to somewhere in NSW but I would only accept payment through Paypal. I would never give out my bank details. Never heard back.

  • Big Trev on 13/09/2016 - 08:39
    +1

    When I've dealt with these scammers, I consider it a community service to string them along for as long as possible. Can also be a bit of fun.

    A good idea to reply to the initial contact with a "burner" email address.

  • wildbill on 13/09/2016 - 08:50

    Last time I emailed the "buyer" back and said to give the carrier US$10,000 cash and I would give the carrier the item and the change at the same time.
    Never heard back.

  • WesthamAreMassive on 13/09/2016 - 20:09
    +1

    Lol.

    Think I got the same person just contacting me from Gumtree with this.

    Thanks for getting ba­ck,i'm cool with the ­price likewise the co­ndition as described ­on the advert.Am pres­ently off shore right­ now working on an oi­l rig project.We do n­ot have access to pho­ne at the moment, tha­t's why I contacted y­ou with internet mess­aging facility.Regard­ing the payment,i wil­l be paying you throu­gh PayPal linked up w­ith my bank account,p­lease get back to me ­with your paypal deta­ils so i can process ­the payment,you can a­lternatively send you­r bsb acct name and n­umber if you have no ­PayPal acct.I have al­so contacted my couri­er who will come for ­pick up and deliver i­t to my place in Darw­in after the whole fu­nd has been cleared i­nto your acct.

    Await your reply­

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