So this is a little odd on a bargain site.
I had a dodgy gumtree user waste 2hrs on/off of my time with negotiations to buy something.
At the end of everything guy sent a fake paypal notification of payment sent. I think this isn't some normal person but someone who probably works with a network since they also have a reply text system.
Anyway, the guy gave me his physical address to send goods to, so I'm hoping I can get him evicted by his landlord or investigated (it's a unit address so I assume there's someone (him or his minion) actually living there).
Any way to quickly and effectively do this?
Would calling up real estates around the unit be helpful, or would they not really care or pass this onto the landlord?
Only reason I don't just want to report to cops is because I think they usually have more pressing matters, and won't investigate this one. I've also heard that cops aren't much help in fraudulent online transactions, even in cases where scammers have rorted several people in their scamming sprees.
Alternatively, what else can I do that makes his life a little more miserable?
Because only I waste my time, nobody else. Hahah.
TLDR: Guy wastes my time, almost takes my precious dollarydoos. Me bad want revenge now.
EDIT: Thanks for your responses guys, got a good chuckle from the salty revenge answers, and others philosophically interesting or informative.
And I'm glad there are people who actually exist that hate scammers and do something about it. Monkhood leave-it-alone mentality sure brings about better mental health for yourself, but being a monk isn't about helping society- it's about withdrawing from it completely. Which in my opinion is a bit removed from altruism.
I learned a bit from this thread, on complexity of scamming operations that changed my initial assumptions- I know the address given is probably not the scammer him/herself.
For now, going to just leave it at my reports to gumtree, acorn and paypal and hope the guy has a good few setbacks to prevent scamming for a while.
Won't be responding to new comments as lifes gotten a lot busier.
But will def keep everything in mind once I do decide to continue this side hobby!
Thanks tightarses of Australia.
Lol you angry that someone wasted 2 hours of your time. In response you want to waste more time? Your poll options are also not great.
4.Leave him alone and move on
A story for you:
A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young and beautiful woman also attempting to cross. The young woman asked if they could help her cross to the other side.
The two monks glanced at one another because they had taken vows not to touch a woman.
Then, without a word, the older monk picked up the woman, carried her across the river, placed her gently on the other side, and carried on his journey.
The younger monk couldn’t believe what had just happened. After rejoining his companion, he was speechless, and an hour passed without a word between them.
Two more hours passed, then three, finally the younger monk could contain himself any longer, and blurted out “As monks, we are not permitted a woman, how could you then carry that woman on your shoulders?”
The older monk looked at him and replied, “Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river, why are you still carrying her?”