**Beware**Gumtree**Scam**

[Temp20221108A]

I posted several items on gumtree for sale and received a text from a woman called **** ***** asking if I still had an item (the most expensive one on the list) and to email her.

Eager to sell the item, I obliged and emailed her. She replied with the following:

Great! please consider both 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 I'm just recovering from heart surgery so I'm home-bound.

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 once you are ready.

Kindly get back to me with your location so that i can inform the courier agent about it now?

I replied asking if she was local to me and if a bank transfer or cash on collection would be possible. She ignored the 1st question and said she has no access to bank because she is house bound. Then gave me a link to PayPal.

After repeatedly asking where she was from and only getting her email address as a reply, I googled her name and came across a thread detailing the email I received but using a different name. So be careful. **** ***** (******** at ****.***) 

[kernowlass]

@Stefania84

Not much point as the scams are all worked via FAKE spoof emails and are never actually done using Paypals site.

They tend to work from somewhere like Africa, using internet cafes and anonymous or hijacked email addys / usernames.

You just have to remember 3 things and then delete the emails.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send an item before the payment is showing in your paypal account.
Paypal do not tell you to send trackable, they advise it for selling protection but it is not compulsory.
Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service eg Moneygram or Western Union.

[Victoria312]

I put a dress up for sale and I got a text asking it was still available and to email this person, who I believe is the same person as everyone else has experianced, I google her email and it took me here to your messages.  I got the I'm off shore, I can pay into paypal asap, I said what if your friend didn't like it and she replied very similar to the comments you got, in other words all looks fine, she then said she'd move the money and be in touch once she'd heard from the courier, 20 mins half hour later she came back with having trouble withthe courier I have paid the courier fees also to your paypal account you need to go to Moneygram some where like Tesco take your ID and the cash and send to a (post edited by Moderator) in France! I then got am email from 'Paypal saying funds had reached y account but are suspended until the courier has been paid by followng this link, luckily I didn't go through that email I googled Moneygram but I still nearly got caught out, even put my card info in to pay 'transfer' fees then it went on to the person recieving the money needing their details which weren't on her or the paypal email - I sent the emails to my husband who's an IT specialist and he confrmed it was a scam!  Luckily I hadn't processed anything if I had it could of been £340 out of pocket, not much but if they're a fair few people like this it's a good earner 😞

I have reported to the company I was selling the dress through and I've also notified Moneygram and Paypal, Paypal came back n minutes confirming it was a scam - luckily escape!

[markpenparc]

Nearly fell for it!  Well, I did fall for it initially then I checked the email address out on google and landed here.

(post edited by moderator)

I initially received a text with the email address enquiring about the item I was selling.  Feel a bit thick now tbh.

Email reads:

"Great! please consider it sold and please cancel every other appointment regarding it as I am willing to pay your full asking price because I need to buy it for my cousin as a gift, 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 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.  Where is the pick up location so that I can inform the courier agent about it now?"

[Rachelcochrane]

Still going on. Same thing happened to me yesterday. As soon as the " i can't talk I've just had throat surgery" I knew it was a scam. I hope no one actually falls fall this. It's so ridiculous.. is there any way to report this person on gum tree or by the fake PayPal email they sent? Also have a text number <removed>

[tomsavvy]

Has anyone fallen for this though and if so what did you do?

[VickyMarie91]

I have literally had this about an hour ago...i thought it seemed dodgy so a quick Google and I found this! I screenshot it and sent it back to them

[alexboothe92]

When you were initially contacted, was it as a text message from a landline number?

I was contacted by <removed>- an automated number. We must deduce what is an authentic piece of information about this person.

She said to me she lived in Northern Ireland and it was going to France.

Has she contacted anyone directly on Gumtree Messenger rather than email or text?

[Victoria312]

Mine was through a bridal company I was selling something - she texted me then asked me to email her

[rih2010]

My turn for this today with my new Gumtree ad. The gmail address was <removed> and the name was <removed> Take care, everyone. Cheers

[Gbspark]

What can they do . Empty your account , or ... you sell the item and do not get payment .