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Advice please - loo...
 

[Closed] Advice please - looks like I've been scammed

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If has ripped you off which I sincerely hope he hasn't might be a nice idea to join up to the various well known photo sites that have classifieds and make people aware of him


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 2:15 pm
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I live near Preston, I have a nice pleasant attitude and like trips out to quite places........... I can even collect things


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 2:36 pm
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I would be PM'ing Tango Man if I were you.
Have you googled his name and address, and his Cannon Forum sign in name?
Its a 4 hour drive . I would be on the motorway 5am sat morning for £975
Good Luck


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 9:55 pm
 hora
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Step it up a gear I reckon. Shake the tree and see what falls out.


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 10:00 pm
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I live near Preston I can film it for you and post it up later if that helps


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 10:05 pm
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you have the address.

You can verify that the address exists via googlemaps etc.

You can take a trip up there, and if you do, knock on the neighbours door first, and be completely polite and ask if they've seen Mr X recently as you're trying to get hold of him (don't tell them why just yet). If they have, then go knock on his door and ask for your money back.

Sadly, you're not the only one to get scammed. I was done for £80 from here by some scrote from Plymouth (hence Hora's question). Really pissed me off, but what goes around comes around. Maybe that particular gent might piss someone bigger and nastier off than me. I hope so.


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 10:07 pm
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I do have his address, and google maps confirm it exists.

I've sent him an email explaining that if he doesn't get in touch with me tomorrow then he leaves me no option but to begin the small claims / police/ solicitor route.

No response yet - no answer to the mobile number he's given me either.

I am thinking about the four hour drive , but what do I do if he's not there and even more so can't get his hands on £975 in cash? Because his promise of getting the money to me would be pretty valueless.

Wouldn't trust a cheque off him either as he can stop this payment also.

He could get aggressive - I'm too old for that sort of thing now, and haven't had a fight since I was in school - read over 40 years ago (suppose I a stupid old xxxxxx, now).

This whole episode has really got me down...... Could do with a bit of help.


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 10:22 pm
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sadly there's not an easy solution i can think of really - good luck though and hope it does turn out to be legit.


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 10:48 pm
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I'll reiterate what I said earlier - you don't know that he has the money!! Reporting it to the police won't work at all as you can't prove he's lying, at best all you'll do is alienate him if he is being truthful.

Telling him to get in touch with you tomorrow won't work, it's an unreasonable deadline and you have no proof he's reading his emails.

Post a letter first class signed for, asking him to get in touch. Make sure you use a service with decent tracking so you can confirm he's at home as you can see who signed for it.


 
Posted : 12/08/2010 10:55 pm
 hora
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Issue here is your bank has verified what a/c numbers hes given you and what you have paid into.

Hes definitely given you the right a/c number- you've gone back and asked him to reconfirm?

So the money is in his banks system. His bank isn't obliged to give you any information at all. Which means it has to be driven by him (with permission from him/request where the funds are). If hes not forthcoming with this little bit of human-nature then I would honestly involve the Police now.

Even if he geniunely hasn't received it any decent human being would investigate where its gone. Initially I'd think you were trying it on with me but with your insistence I'd start digging, phone call etc. At the very least I'd do this- partly to close off the subject and put it to bed eitherway/get rid.

Can take upto two weeks- Sorry. I really don't believe that in this day and age.

Sorry, I'd involve the Police now and say unfortunately you feel you are the victim of a fraudulent transaction that didnt involve anything to sell. It can't be doing your blood pressure any justice.

What if this seller is actually doing it to others and turns out to be a teenager laughing his head off in his parents house? Far-fetched I know. Still.

Would I wait two weeks for someone to say 'no mate, nothing received'? No. Be proactive now. I wouldnt worry about him suddenly ignoring you- doesnt sound like hes being bothered anyway. Police involvement would make him sit up.

Call his local force to start with.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 8:19 am
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Thanks hora

I'm going to start this today - he will have received the confirmation of the bank transfer from me to his bank account this morning.

I also included a letter to remind him that I've been trying to contact him via phone and email for days, and he's been ignoring me.

Doesn't sound like he cares etc.

Perhaps some official intervention will resolve one way or the other.

~~

My bank says - the money would have reached his account by now - if there was a problem with the transaction it would have come back to me by now as undeliverable.

I asked him to double check the account details he gave me --- no reply.

~~

If he was genuine, and wanted to get the money for his lens (after all it nearly 2 weeks since I originally contacted him), he would be wanting his money for the lens.

Next stop is the police station.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 8:48 am
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what is the rough address of seller/street postcode. I will tell you if it is a rough area or not...you can read into that what you want


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 10:29 am
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Ribbleton


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 11:40 am
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Ribbleton

I was warned by a local to keep well away from there 🙁


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 11:43 am
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Step it up a gear I reckon. Shake the tree and see what falls out.

Funniest thing I have read today.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 11:44 am
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mmmm, a couple of years old but [url=

was a poverty hotspot[/url] hope it works out for you


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 11:48 am
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mixed area could not the worst nor the besta area. Some deprived areas but mainly terrace houses with posher areas on the edges. No help really as not a fully chav area nor a posh area
Sorry
E-mail me address I can hand deliver a note if you want ..no calling/violence/bombers offered on my part


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 11:52 am
 hora
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Postcode for google streetview please 🙂


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 12:27 pm
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Denis, Accept the offers from locals on here to maybe go round and deliver a note? save you a drive to start with?


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 12:32 pm
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STW middle class pedantry on lock on mode. He lives in whats classed as a lower end neighbourhood, therefore he must be a scum of the earth low life thief. 🙄

I would give the guy the benefit of the doubt for a week. If no response then involve your local police and give them all the details you have for them to send it to the police local to that address. A chap on the door by the local police might be enough to kick him into action or refund the money if he has received it.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 12:41 pm
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Is this not the classic kind of case where the Police say "it's a civil matter"?


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 12:43 pm
 timc
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im near preston, i know of a few people who will get your money back, but will want 25%... haha


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 12:45 pm
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Can take upto two weeks- Sorry. I really don't believe that in this day and age.

It's not a question of technology, I think it's more to do with what the banks do with your money during this period. If the bank wants to play with your money for two weeks, they can and will.

Maybe talking to the bank again mentioning fraud, theft and the police might get them to look a bit more carefully.

Good luck.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 12:50 pm
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I was scammed a few years ago involving a cheque. I was with the Nationwide and they were no help at all. They treated [u]me[/u] like the criminal. I reported it to the Police who tried but couldnt't trace the person. As I had reported it to the Police they were able to get a copy of the cheque, acccount details it was paid into etc. From this I could prove that the name of the account didn't match exactly what was on the cheque (cheque was crossed so had to match) and therefore the Nationwide had to reverse the payment. Though I had to get copies of the relevant legislation to prove all this to them. Bottom line, report it to the Police so they can get involved. Nationwide were useless.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 1:11 pm
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[url=

the end of the day theft is theft, whether it's hundreds of pounds in cash or hundreds of pounds-worth of points and we were duty-bound to investigate this properly.[/url]

Get the cops in.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 1:31 pm
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timc - Member
im near preston, i know of a few people who will get your money back, but will want 25%... haha

I'm glad its amused some...................

~~

Police involved - will hear in 24 hours from the police what is happening. A neighbour of mine is a policeman, he has advised me not to get involved - his words - there are some dangerous and desperate xxxx's out there, and you could get hurt.

So thanks to all for the offers of help, but I'm a straightforward type - I'll have to let it run officially with the police.

I suppose the one thing I've learnt from this is that I will never conduct another transaction for less than say £20 online ever again.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 1:42 pm
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Hope it all gets sorted out soon with a satisfactory conclusion for you

Nothing is 100% safe, but a bit of research before you commit is always a good idea
I would never buy online from a new member here who had just started using the classifieds, same on any site really

Talk Photography is pretty good with its trader ratings and gives you a good idea about a persons trustworthiness

Maybe its time for something like that on all sites, something that has been mentioned here before and obviously needs doing where you bought from

Just out of interest being a Canon user myself, which site was it exactly?


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 4:42 pm
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I've paid for items on BR and it's taken 8 days for the funds to get there. Still 950 no communication, sounds like it's gone.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 5:04 pm
 hora
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there are some dangerous and desperate xxxx's out there, and you could get hurt.
Thats why I said Police at the start. There are people out there with less to loose than me and you in many ways. They see scamming someone as 'their earnings' and the unfortunate is just a money source/should know better/tough.

The key to your communication with the Police is persistence and asking for info to be logged and you to be called back. If you are not- chase. Dont give up especially as you have a trace on this person.

Its a cash/fraud-crime NOT CIVIL.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 7:11 pm
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We take most of our payments by bank transfer and the time for them to come through can vary a lot. Some people's come through almost instantly, some take several days.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 7:59 pm
 hora
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Should the OP wait 6 weeks 'just incase'?


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 8:30 pm
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I've had a phone call from the police saying that they will be pushing this case as it is fraud.

Hope to hear from the Lancashire police in the next 24 hours - at least they are taking a real interest and seem to want to do something about this.

Hope I see my money again........


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 8:34 pm
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Luck.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 10:19 pm
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Hope it works out for you mate.


 
Posted : 13/08/2010 11:48 pm
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Denis99 - Member

"My bank says - the money would have reached his account by now - if there was a problem with the transaction it would have come back to me by now as undeliverable."

This is cobblers, a substantial minority of problem payments aren't returned, but instead drop into a suspense account awaiting further action. But it's pretty rare for a payment made to correct account details to fail to arrive.


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 12:03 am
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Good luck and keep us informed!


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 12:09 am
 Amos
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It's been 14 hours and heard nothing from Denis? What's happening!? Hope he's not scamming us I want to know the outcome!


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 2:34 pm
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Waiting for the police to contact me back with news.


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 5:26 pm
 hora
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Keep at them polite but firmly. They can't arrest you for being a victim. All the best 🙂


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 5:27 pm
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Hope it all works out ok and you get your lens or cash back.

I've bought a lot of s/h stuff on the net (including a £16k car, that gave me a few sleepless nights) and it's always come good, but I'm always conscious there's a lot of unscrupulous scumbags out there. I only buy from sites with a feedback system and hence from sellers with good feedback.


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 6:58 pm
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Hope it works out for you, sounds like very tough luck. Hopefully it will be the bank's mistake.


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 7:05 pm
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The seller has contacted me after 5 days of silence.

He's emailed me saying that he's gone on holiday in Cornwall without his mobile - but he's been checking his emails to keep in touch.

Well I emailed him about two days ago saying I was concerned about the situation and wanted him to get in touch with me - otherwise he'd leave me with no option other than involve the police - as it looks like fraud - but he didn't get in touch then.....

Anyway, he doesn't seem to think its too much fuss to have the lens and my £975 for a fortnight......

I did tell him that I wanted the lens for a specific event last weekend , and when I emailed him this week, I said I needed it this weekend...

I don't think he realises the stress he has caused, I've given him my contact details again, but he still hasn't contacted me, therefore, I keeping the police option open for the moment.

He hasn't even checked to see if the money has cleared in his account yet.


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 7:46 pm
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Sounding better though and pretty sure a real scammer wouldn't have been in touch

Some people are just very laid back and can't understand everyone not feeling the same way

Reckon it will all be ok and the mobile bit could be true, I don't even have one


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 8:12 pm
 hora
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He hasn't even checked to see if the money has cleared in his account yet.

Press ahead I say. Good luck 🙂


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 8:25 pm
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Ask him for a landline no in Cornwall that you can call him on...
Sorry, but just sounds like this prat is playing for time.
If he had a grand of my cash I'd be outside his bloody door.

Try setting up a new email address & account on this camera site. Get a few people to buy/sell to you if needed.
Then contact him asking if the lens is still for sale...tell him you've the cash ready, maybe a bit more if he can post quickly etc.
Just to see what he says...


 
Posted : 14/08/2010 10:05 pm
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