I have been scammed - Iphone on Gumtree

[markfj]

Ok  Well,

I have been scammed of 290 for an Iphone I know I am never going to receive, which I had bought for someone  I had checked things out as it was on Gumtree, and I know its got no safety precations, but I chcked with the guy for his name, paypal address, email address, he even gave me an address but its clear its a scam.

  I paid his paypal account (he requested paypal or C.O.D) I chose paypal as I was working an 8 day week and didnt have time, to drive and pick up.. so after paying his paypal account, I then looked at the transaction details, and his phone number listen on the account I paid is a Thailand number, so I knew from that it was no good  I did some googleing on Iphone scams/Thailand and found a thread on the Moneysavingexpert, so many people have been done by this, usually by Bank Transfer (which I would never do) and I thought paypal was safe, but here is how the scam apparently goes 

1. He doesnt send phone/answer any emails

2. you then open dispute with Paypal saying no item received

3. He then sends out a Fake/Toy phone which you sign for upon receiving

4. Paypal see you have your item as its been sent with tracking number and close dispute 

I cant open a dispte yet as its too early, but now I know what his plans are what can I do about it do you think? I have emailed him from a different email address, and strangely he answered this one and beleive it or not still has an ipohne for sale, he changes his name from "John" to "Jonathon" and his address strangely changed from number 4 to number 6, but same street... why would he even offer me to come down and pay C.O.D is what I want to know? any ideas?  Thanks, and sorry for rambling, I cant afford to lose near £300 at this time though

[surplusdealdude]

Wellll,

Sometimes Paypal allows you to change your claim if the seller has sent the item after you filed your original claim.

(This is developing so many twists and turns that you're going to need a road-map before it's done)

[markfj]

I see lol

I didnt know that, can you tell I have never had a dispute before

I can only presume, that the other people tat have been scammed by this person didnt have this option as I know some they signed for the item and lost their claim, but I know one that didnt sign and won there case.

Based on what you have said, would you say then, I have 2 choices, whcih would you say is best

1. Take the item, and hope I can them claim for Item Not as Described

2. Do the original plan of not signing (I am not there)and then not collecting

lol, I do think that road map could come in handy now 🙂

[surplusdealdude]

I would continue with the "item not received" claim for now - hold the other option as a back-up.

[markfj]

Hi

Thanks again

I will update as an when from now then, I can put in the claim after midnight tonight so will do ASAP

Shame Paypal didnt even reply in anyway to my email, a big company like this, should be abit worried if their service is being used to scam customers in this way, and turn a blind eye

Thanks for your help once again!

[surplusdealdude]

Shame Paypal didnt even reply in anyway to my email, a big company like this, should be abit worried if their service is being used to scam customers in this way, and turn a blind eye

It's not so much turning a blind eye as an inability to do anything about it and a ton of these emails coming in in a regular basis.

At this point, it's still a "he said/he said" argument - Paypal doesn't know the guy's a professional crook.  Once they investigate, they have 1 piece of evidence that he may be shady, but it's not enough to close him down for.

Even if they DO close him down, he can be back up under another ID in minutes.  That makes it a tough fix.

[markfj]

Hi

Yes, I understand it must be a very difficult issue to fix, he clearly knows what he is doing

I know he has used other Paypal accounts and Various email address too, but then it makes me think twice about how safe Paypal is, I just think a courtesy email would be nice too.

No hate towards Paypal, generally its a great service, Its just clear now there are loopholes that have been exposed, which I didnt know about, espicially IF I do loose my case, then despite me having clear evidence he is a fraud, I cant see how they can Justify that

I have emailed Trading Standards, not because I dislike Paypal, but to highlight the issues, they tried ringing back the day after I emailed, explaining the whole scam so they do have some ineterest though I doubt the will do much, I just a concern of mine this person is also using real address here in UK to aid his scam, who knows whos addresses he is giving out, but I know they are not his

[surplusdealdude]

hey could be post office boxes or he may have someone remailling items to him.

[markfj]

Hmm, the plot thickens

As mentioned I emailed him from my fake email address

He told me, he was going to sell me two phones, I agreed to buy tomorrow, as I know this is when I can claim for my dispute, he said ok no problem

Tonight (the dy before I, Mark can claim) He emails my other account, and says he wants me to use his wifes paypal address, and gives an excuse about his wife and him spending, **bleep**

Now I can assume 2 things

1. He closed his account that I paid him into last week as he knows I am due to claim

2. He knows I am going to claim so has ANOTHER account for him to scam into

I know he is using a new email address to, there is no end to him

I am due to claim in about 5 mins as thats gone midnight here, but I bet he has closed his account already 😞

[markfj]

well

I have filed a claim, but it went straight to say

seller is unable to respond etc etc etc

Any reason why this could be? Other disputes? He closed his account? I bet he is going to get away with yet another scam!

[surplusdealdude]

The seller is unable to respond because he's been booted out, most likely.

Escalate the dispute to a claim and see what happens.

If he can't respond, you should win by default.