Hi, anyone actually had experience of the dodgy goings on with the gumtree ads? the fact that there is a message on the site warning of peril(!) makes me a bit nervous of contacting email only sellers. There have been what seem to be absolute bargains on there recently, but i am reluctant to reply to them, in case it is dodgy and it is a way of theiving scum obtaining email address's and access to computers. What do you think, am i just being over cautious?

it does seem like a wretched hive of scum and villainy

Probably over-cautious, but if you're sensible they can't exactly take over your PC and steal your brain.

I was lookign for a mig welder and one came up locally pretty cheap, but it turned out to be in one of the most dodgy areas of Glasgow, so I let it lie!

yeah your being over cautious, with your email. But really you don't want to be buying stolen goods or paying for goods beforehand.

I tend to find gumtree to be a collosial waste of time.
I reckon I've replied to upwards of 50 adverts.

In order of the most likely response:
1) Obvious scammers
2) No response
3) Timewasters

I don't think I've ever managed to buy something sucessfuly on gumtree.

I have no intentions of paying in advance, just seems strange that all the seemingly best deals are on top quality bikes, usually treks (which seems strange aswell) and not one of them ever has a phone number. Most of the 'run of the mill' bikes seem to have teleephone numbers.

I don't think I've ever managed to buy something sucessfuly on gumtree.

The casual relationship section must be quite hit and miss 😉

I just found that a bike I bid on eBay was re-listed 12 hours later on gumtree – same photos, same pictures but different location and £850 less than it went for on eBay.

If I was cynical, I would read something into the fact that the seller seemed reluctant to confirm the bike's provenance or actual condition – and the fact that despite no-one bidding on it apart from me a new bidder emerged and made a winning bid in the last 15 mins of the auction.

This looks dodgy doesn't it?

Definatly does John, you would never get grass like that in coventry! Yet another Trek!

http://guildford.gumtree.com/guildford/42/46313742.html

😕 Would have thought with a frame like that you'd know how to spell Lambda..

They are probably warning that as recently some thugs have been convicted at court of some hideous crimes. They would claim to be selling expensive cars, arrange to meet people with cash only then do them over for the cash. It was all via gum tree ads as well. it's like anything there will be some scum there you just have to be careful and precautious. There's scum sometimes on STW.

(mr MC posting)

the only gumtree ad I followed up on was for bargain Nomad that turned into an obvious scam – "send money via western union as I just happen to be out the country" etc etc. The scammer had obviously lifted pics and details from a genuine ad though, as his level of knowledge of bikes was far below what was featured in the ad.