Gumtree scam

[Danny28]

Most of you may already know but there is a major scam the people are doing after seeing an item on gumtree that you are selling. I currently have my mountain bike on gumtree, this morning I got a txt from 07(edited) asking me to email sharonshayluv “at”(edited).com ( wouldn’t let me post the email address properly) about my bike so I did. This is the response I got and after doing some research I have seen that this is a common opening to get you hooked into the scam ; Please consider it sold and take the ads down. I am interested in buying it today as a gift for someone and am ready to pay your full asking price . i have read through the advert and i'm totally satisfied with it and i will be glad if you can get back to me fast. Sadly i won't be able to come for the inspection and pick up due to my disabilities,i lost my hearing and being on a wheelchair but I have a courier agent that will help me to pick it up at your preferred location do the delivery .Regarding the payment, i can only pay via PayPal at the moment and I will be responsible for all the PayPal fee/charges on this transaction. kindly get back to me with your PayPal email and the pick up location so that i can make payment and inform the courier agent about it now. Awaiting your reply soon This person goes by the name of Sharon Mc(edited by moderator) which I presume is not their real name. Basically I thought I’d go along with the scam to waste their time. The bike was up for £1300, I got fake emails from PayPal saying I had received £1650 which I hadn’t. I then got an email from the “Sharon” saying that she was having problems with the courier and that they wanted payment to collect my bike upfront and that because she was disabled she couldn’t do it and that I had to transfer the extra £350 that she had supposedly sent was for me to transfer into a western union account to pay for the courier. This is obviously the scam as if I had sent that £350 I would have never seen that money again and the scam was complete. Don’t get caught out, I’ve seen that they sometimes say they work overseas or they have had major surgery and that’s why a courier is required. I hope this saves some people from getting done over by this scam.

[kernowlass]

@Danny28

This scam has been ongoing for about 15 years, its all over this forum and the internet but glad you were not caught out as folks are still being caught out unfortunately.

Also can I point out you have ZERO paypal seller protection for any motor vehicle OR items that are collected by the buyer, so on those occasions I would not use paypal but go for cash on collection only.

[mjpieters]

This same name is still actively trying to scam, I received an SMS from the same name and phone number. Because I also received the same email response from another 'buyer', it was easy to recognize these as attempts at scamming.

See Gumtree scam to watch out for from Justina Simon for my full report with names, email addresses and message contents.

I've reported the incidents to Action Fraud so the police can shut these clowns down.

[dianesison]

I've received the same offer and emails word for word through gumtree for my bike. I was apprehensive in continuing the transaction and I'm glad this forum helped to confirm my doubts. It's terrible that this has gone on for years. I hope they find the people running this scam soon. Thanks for sharing your post.

[janc2]

I have just had this scam today. More or less the same content as yours, asking me to pay £205 into another account before I would get money transfer from paypal  for an item I was selling on gumtree.  They are still sending me emails as I am typing this, reassuring me it's all legal . I am sure a lot of people would fall into this trap and pay. Please check before sending any of your hard earned money !

[Lara11]

I got the same scam today for a sofa that I am trying to sell. It actually sounded quite believable upon start: 

On 11 Apr 2018, at 14:06, (removed by moderator) [gmail address]> wrote:

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 on a 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?  

The last email after our communication I just got now was: 

On 11 Apr 2018, at 18:51,(removed by moderator)  wrote:

Hello again,

I am glad to inform you that i have made the payment! PayPal said that they have sent you a confirmation email

 so kindly check the inbox of your email. I had a little problem with the agent they said they can only schedule the

 pick up date and time after they receive their pick up fee in their head office via Ria Money Transfer, but due to 

me being in wheelchair i'm unable to get to a Ria Money Transfer shop to send it. I added the £250 they charged for the

 pick up and  £40 for the Ria Money Transfer charges,you will receive the total sum of  £680. You'll send £250 to them via

 Ria Money Transfer today and here is the details needed for the transfer below:

(removed by moderator)

Pls let me know  when you have completed the transfer for the necessary arrangement.

Thanks

Very sad that this happens. I sent back a suitable response: 

"I am saddened by the fact that you need to use people who actually have difficulties and challenges with disability to your benefit and scam people out of their money. In the end this will lie on your conscience and is your karma. I do hope you will get money in other ways without having to take it from people that are honest enough and fall for your scam. I will log this with PayPal now.

Shame. "

Personal details are not permitted as per Community Guidelines and have been removed by moderator. 

[ConcerndPerson]

Same story from David who is supposedly at sea. Was skeptical, so glad I saw this. Was for a MTB, price agreed, Paypal only, pickup etc etc.