Isn't Google great for catching scammers!!

So i’m selling some stuff on gum tree.
Have had a bit of interest in a range cooker for sale, Then I got an email asking about the cooker/condition etc – seemed ‘normal.
So I replied..

Hi there, Yes, the cooker and stainless steel extractor fan are still available. Someone from Bournemouth (!!) wanted to come and view it at the weekend, but they are area I’m unable to hold it for them, and it’s a ‘first to buy gets it’ sort of deal.

You’re welcome to come and have a look at the cooker if you like?
Just to add – it does come with all the hob/pan rests, as for some reason gumtree wouldn’t upload the image with all of them in, and somebody had asked to clarify if it DID come with them all – it does!

Thanks

DrP

Then got back:

Great! please consider it sold as i am willing to pay your full asking price because i need to buy it for my cousin asap, i have read through the advert and i’m totally satisfied with it,sadly i would not be able to come personally to collect due to my hearing loss and me being in wheelchair.
I would appreciate if you email me with more photos (if available) since i’m unable to see it in person.
I have a courier agent that would help me to pick it up at your preferred location after you have received your money and i’ll pay you via PayPal today.
Where is the pick up location so that i can inform the courier agent about it now?

This stank of oddness, so I googled the first paragraph and low an behold, tonnes of identical emails pinged off all over the world.
So the fun starts..

OK, no worries.
I tell you what – as you seem so nice and I feel sorry for you what with being deaf and in a wheelchair, I’m renting a van today to finish moving some stuff as we are moving home (hence getting rid of the cooker).
Let me know YOUR address, and I can drive the cooker up to you, collect the cash, and then drop it off to your cousin.
This saves you the effort of arranging a courrier.
Don’t worry if you are quite far away (though it would be odd to want to buy a cooker from far away wouldn’t it!).

I’m happy to collect the CASH and drop the cooker anywhere really.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you with your address i can collect the cash from.

THanks

James.

I’m sorry i am disabled and i have limited access to cash and other payment methods..so i can only pay via PayPal.
You can setup a PayPa l account at http://www.paypal.co.uk it’s very safe and secure. Also it’s very easy to set up within few minutes.

I know paypal is very safe – I use it all the time. It’s just that I’ve a ‘deal going down’ and I need cash ASAP.
Let me know your address, and as well as having the cooker in the back of the truck, i could strap you and your chair in the back and quite happily take you to the nearest cashpoint. I’d also take you out for lunch too if you’d like? Do you like nandos?
Simon

She’s gone quiet 🙁 I was looking forward to a cheeky Nandos with Rose, but it seems that shall never be…

DrP

i could strap you and your chair in the back and quite happily take you to the nearest cashpoint. I’d also take you out for lunch too if you’d like? Do you like nandos?
Simon

Brilliant that made me chuckle 🙂

Brilliant – you’re a winner either way 😀

Baiting is always fun.

I have had ‘Alex’ from India call three times in the last week, who wants to clear a virus from my computer, so would I mind logging on?
We also get daily calls for ‘Mr Henderson’, who thinks we might like solar panels….

Even one of the kids has now started the ‘one moment’ and simply places the still connected phone on the windowsill. I wonder how long before they hang up? 😆

Follow it up with an angry email from your wife asking why Rose is trying to steal her husband with romantic lunches.

Brilliant – you’re a winner either way

was all going so well, until

cheeky Nandos

You should gointo more details about the deal that is gogin down adn if they want in on it for some quick money. See if you can tempt them!

I like Nandos. Can I come too?

OK, so I’m a bit naive. If they are paying through paypal, how do they then get the money back from you?

(nice bit of google work btw!)

I have had ‘Alex’ from India call three times in the last week, who wants to clear a virus from my computer, so would I mind logging on?

I like to see how long I can keep them on the line.

Obvious favourites are, “Which computer? The green one? Or the blue one? “

Also, “I can’t remember. Amnesia due to eating too much custard, you see. ”

Do Nandos accept PayPal?

There’s a Nando’s at Hove Park now DrP if she lives in that area.

I have had ‘Alex’ from India call three times in the last week, who wants to clear a virus from my computer, so would I mind logging on?

A friend had similar prank calls made. He played along with it but acted like he’d never used a computer before and made the guy explain everything in fine detail and kept messing up the instructions. The prank caller go so annoyed he was shouting down the phone and eventually hung up. 😆

shermer75 – Member

OK, so I’m a bit naive. If they are paying through paypal, how do they then get the money back from you?

– Their mate collects item (no proof of postage/delivery/receipt)
– They tell PP that item was never received
– PP side with customer and refund cash
– Scammer has the cash and the cooker

– Their mate collects item (no proof of postage/delivery/receipt)
– They tell PP that item was never received
– PP side with customer and refund cash
– Scammer has the cash and the cooker

Well this makes it a bit difficult to sell things using PayPal. Is there an alternative that people are using?

Is there an alternative that people are using?

Cash is quite good, I hear.

Paypal is generally ok for stuff sent through post with proof of posting.

I shall win her heart:

Actually, come to think of it – It’ll be me, you, a drop tail Luton van, and cooking facilities to boot.. I could bring along a mop and bucket for washing duties, stick a mattress in the back, and we’ve got ourselves a ‘family friendly camper build’.
I’m at work now, but if I sack it all off at lunchtime and pick you up, you and I could be hot tailing it outta her on “Pricilla, queen of the M3” (that’s what I’ve called our van, BTW)

I think with careful planning we could see most of this sights of the South of England in a week or two, and STILL get the cooker to your cousin by early September.

Would this work.

I’ve a wife, but TBH she’s a drag and is used to my Gum tree sales turning into brief romantic flings one way or another (I shan’t tell you about the Rattan Lampshade tale of 2013 – that can wait until maybe night 3 or 4 of our adventures in Pricilla.

Anyway, forgive me if I’m getting overexcited.

If none of this appeals, then paypal is fine.

Yours adventurously,

Robin.

DrP

Well this makes it a bit difficult to sell things using PayPal.

Only if it’s a collect deal, if delivery’s involved then you have proof of posting and signature on delivery etc. to counter their ‘not received’ allegation.

But if it’s a collect deal why not do cash anyway, hence the convoluted ‘my brother’s uncle’s dad will collect it but I’ll send the cash by paypal’ bit.

Well this makes it a bit difficult to sell things using PayPal. Is there an alternative that people are using?

Paypal gift* or bank transfer.

TBH I’m always wary of receiving paypal from people I don’t know, and I suppose people are ware of paying paypal gift to people they don’t know. At least asking for a bank transfer it avoids the whole “who’s going to pay the paypal fee” question.

*are you new around here?

[Mandy voice] Oh DrP,you are awful but I like you [Mandy voice]
Dick Emery

Ah, I see, it’s all about the collection

*Long enough to have seen the PayPal gift threads! 😉

The reason why Google brings up these scam messages so easily is that they all use the same kind of grammar and words. I’m amazed that it’s still worth their while trying this scam – surely most people have got wise to them by now?

IMO, paypal is a waste of time.

Go via a good company, cash if private unless I *have* to use it for eBay.

Go via a good company

Can you recommend any good companies?

The reason why Google brings up these scam messages so easily is that they all use the same kind of grammar and words. I’m amazed that it’s still worth their while trying this scam – surely most people have got wise to them by now?

There was an interesting article about this.
To you and I, these STINK of a scam – they are so obviously a scam they may as well write “I’m a scammer..bend over and prepare to be scammed“.
They don’t want OUR money.

What they want is money from people so daft/naive/distracted that they fail to see the OBVIOUS scam content, hence will be reeled in hook, link, and sinker.

If you cannot see past the pretty glaring scam-text, then you are VERY ripe for the taking (in the eyes of a scammer).

Hence why they DON’T try to make the content too subtle – they want to catch the ‘biggest fish’ so to speak..

DrP

Verses/Shermer no collection even necessary, scammers after the couriers fee.

THIS IS A TYPICAL PAYPAL SCAM…………read and see if it fits your transaction.

Also you are not covered for buyer protection for items that are collected >>>

You will get/got a “fake” email that looks as though it is from paypal…..it isn’t.

It will say the buyer has paid …you won’t have been paid.

They will tell you that the payment is released when you provide paypal with a tracking/shipping number……this won’t happen.

Or if the item requires shipping they will tell you that they will pay you extra and you must pay the agent via western union / moneygram BEFORE the funds are released to you.

They are not interested in the item, they just want the western union etc funds and you will never see money in your paypal balance.

They also threaten legal action…have a laugh at that one and ignore it as its rubbish.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send an item before the payment is showing in your paypal account.

Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service.

This scam might be a bit different to the one you’re thinking of.

There’s a variant- they’ll send you what looks like a PP payment, with an ‘overpayment’ for a courier, which you are meant to pay, usually to a Western Union account.

They’d explain all about it in the next series of emails to you, if you’d bitten.

What then happens is: you make the WU payment (from your bank account, as you think the PP payment is legit), and they’re up on the deal, as you find out a day or so later that the PP email was faked.

^sputnik beat me to it.

In a way, knowing that I’m mid-scam, it would be interesting to see what would happen. I’ve asked for payment to my address. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so forthcoming and actually seen how far it would go.
[list][*]Would money really end up in my paypal, only to come out again/not clear?
Would I receive a fake email – I’d have checked paypal and then replaied “erm nope, no monies mista”[/*][/list]

Regardless, She’s got cold wheels so it’s seems this fling’s over…

DrP

The reason why Google brings up these scam messages so easily is that they all use the same kind of grammar and words. I’m amazed that it’s still worth their while trying this scam – surely most people have got wise to them by now?

You’d be amazed. This week’s victim spent an hour on the phone to a nice sounding computer virus removal man, who ‘took remote control of my computer’ and fixed it, and then helped her log on to internet banking to pay the £10 fee. By entering the ‘authorisation code’ 3500 🙁

DrP I am afraid you may have blown your cover by signing with a different name each time.

Bit of a wheeler dealer methinks.

Hence why they DON’T try to make the content too subtle – they want to catch the ‘biggest fish’ so to speak..

Moreover,

Sending out the emails is low impact. They can send out thousands with next to no effort. Reeling in a mark takes time, however, so they don’t want to have to invest half a day in actual work only for the victim to go “er, hang on a minute, that sounds a bit dodgy” and pull out at the 11th hour. It’s not really a case of ‘big fish’ so much as fishing in shallow water.

I had a scammer try to buy my iPad on eBay – paid using Paypal and said a friend would collect etc etc

I contacted eBay and explained things and they agreed it looked dodgy – so their eBay account was deleted and they said I should refund their 300 odd quid. I accidentally forgot. And after a few weeks their Paypal account was deleted.

The money was wisely spent on drugs and hookers.

DrP I am afraid you may have blown your cover by signing with a different name each time.

LOL – I thought it may have been the offer to escape the rat race in the back of Luton van with a Britannia range cooker and a mattress for living quarters…!

DrP

i could strap you and your chair in the back and quite happily take you to the nearest cashpoint.

You could have offered

I had a scammer try to buy my iPad on eBay – paid using Paypal and said a friend would collect etc etc
I contacted eBay and explained things and they agreed it looked dodgy – so their eBay account was deleted and they said I should refund their 300 odd quid. I accidentally forgot. And after a few weeks their Paypal account was deleted.
The money was wisely spent on drugs and hookers.

They don’t seem like scammers.

They paid you, and you kept the money.

You didn’t send the item. Who got scammed?

TBH I’m always wary of receiving paypal from people I don’t know, and I suppose people are ware of paying paypal gift to people they don’t know. At least asking for a bank transfer it avoids the whole “who’s going to pay the paypal fee” question.

This whole “who’s going to pay the paypal fee” question should never come up, it puts me right off. I never pay by gift out of principle, I know people who have been scammed that way.

You should always put up a final price (including any fees) in online adverts outside ebay.

The paypal fee is £2.90 on ever £100, it’s not really that bad unless you’re shifting big tag items every week, which means you should be in business with a proper payment system if so 🙂

Might be interested in the range DrP
Drop me some details will you?
Cash and trailer available!