Scam report

[TOPCHOI]

Be aware!

I post a camera to sell on Gumtree. after 30mins, received this email. 

We emailed for a while then I asked the business card of NZOG, She can't have it so sent her driver license that has been matched with her email on the email. Then I googled NZOG I've found some scam story from Paypal. 

The same company name, similar story. 

Name: Kathleen <removed>

<removed>

Thanks for the reply am buying it for my only daugther for a gift due to the sucess in her exam so whats your final price and i will like you to send me some picture of it, i work with New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are presently offshore in New Zealand Taranaki Basin on kapo project so I won't be able to come for the inspection due to the nature of my work, also i will be paying via paypal or you can alternatively send your bsb and acct number if you have no paypal acct and i will arrange for the shipping.

Awaiting for your reply

100% Scam!!!! Do not send any items

[darns71]

Luckily I googled the persons work location before proceeding. Unfortunately I gave away my email address. I should have googled earlier even though I do not accept anything other than PayPal. So this is Kathy's new alias. 

From: Karon <removed> 

Thanks a lot for the email. I am away at sea at the moment,i work with New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are presently offshore in New Zealand Taranaki Basin on Kapo project. We do not have access to phone at the moment,its 5days off and 25days on,which is why I contacted you with internet messaging facility. Where is it located at the moment?

I am buying it and i want it delivered before my arrival.I won't be able to come for the inspection due to the nature of my work and I would have called but our calling is restricted. Regarding the payment, please get back to me with your final asking price and your paypal email address so i can process the payment, you can alternatively send your BSB and account number if you don't have paypal account, you can set up at www.paypal.com I have also contacted my courier who will come for pick up after the whole fund has been cleared into your account.

Karon

I just contacted the courier agent that will assist me in handling the pick up and all necessary paper works, I cannot come for the inspection and the pick up due to the nature of my work, but the Agent will assist me in handling the pick up when the payment has been made, I will send the requested amount to you via secure online bank transfer. I will like to proceed with the transfer, get back to me with your

Account number

Account name

BSB number.

I will initiate the transfer after you get back to me with the details.

[alexchudz01]

same issue and later received a Paypal confirmation from <removed>

Payment Confirmation!

Hello Alexandra,

         This Message is originated from PayPal Account Section. Regarding the payment some minute ago which has not appeared in your PayPal account. In answer to this, we want you to know that the fund as been deducted from the buyer's account and can not be reversed under any circumstances which is now pending in our database and won't reflect in your account due to the new policy of PayPal to protect both the buyer and seller from any fraudulent activities. So we strongly advise you to proceed with the transaction, as soon as you send the $950.00 AUD to the pick up agent address for the Pick up agent fee. Kindly reply back with the Ria Money Transfer details, if possible with the scan copy of the Ria Money Transfer receipt as a prove that you have send the money to the correct address, so that we can fund the money into your account immediately with $1,800.00 AUD. If you have any question kindly reply back.


Note: The money as been deducted from the buyer's account and which can not be reverse back, since the money has been deducted from her account and the transaction as been approved. 


Thank you for using PayPal!
The PayPal Team

[jenbin22]

I had the exact same email as the first one but this time her name was Mona <removed>. Luckily i searched about the project and this came up

[_Joseph_]

@jenbin22 

If you think you’ve received a suspicious email or have been directed to a fake website, forward it to spoof@paypal.com and we’ll investigate it for you. After you send us the email, delete it from your inbox. If you clicked on any links or downloaded any attachments within the suspicious email or website, log into your account and view your transactions. It’s also a good idea to change your password.

If you find this or any other post was helpful, make our community better by giving kudos or accepting it as a solution.

[Junan]

I had this recently:

Thanks for Responding to my request,my name is Holt <removed>, I am 43 year old non smoker lady coming to your country because i have just been post to your country due to the nature of my work . i work with New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are Presently offshore in New Zealand Taranaki Basin is kapo project and i have limited time to surf the internet and phone calls est strictly limited due to nature of my work. I will like you to make the arrangement for the total cost covering the available dates with rent together leap from the time the house will get to be available. I will also like you to get back to me with your apartment address for me to forward it to my luggage mover to calculate the cost of moving my little stuffs from NZ,also send more pictures to me and state the present status of the property. I will be waiting to read back from you. Cheers

[LC-Syd]

I had the same email today on listing an item on gumtree, after requesting my email ID that I was naive enough to send:

This lady (or whoever) ,  writes from Kate David  katedvd000 at gmail dot com

"Thanks a lot for the email. I am away at sea at the moment,due to the nature of my work. We do not have access to the phone at the moment, its 5 days off and 25 days on,which is why I contacted you with an internet messaging facility. Where is it located at the moment?

I am buying it  i want it delivered before my arrival.I won't be able to come for the inspection due to the nature of my work and i would have called but our calling is restricted.Regarding the payment,Pls get back to me with your final asking price and your PayPal details so i can process the payment you can easily log on to www.paypal.com

Send Money, Pay Online or Set Up a Merchant Account - PayPal send money, pay online, merchant account. What is PayPal?Learn how PayPal works in your everyday life; Check Out Securely OnlineUse your credit cards or other funds; PayPal Credit & CardsOur credit, debit, prepaid cards & PayPal Credit; PayPal AppTransfer money and track activity with our app; PayPal Can Do ThatDiscover ways to manage and move your money ... www.paypal.com

 and register an account with them if you don't have,or you can alternatively send your bsb and acct number if you have no PayPal acct.I have also contacted my courier who will come for pick up after the whole fund has been cleared into your acct.

Await your reply."

That's when I looked this up and found a similar message that other have received! Thought of adding my message here hoping it helps

[snowzhao]

---

the same thing happens to me and seems the scam group still use the same name and email address. 

Thanks a lot for the email. I am away at sea at the moment,i work with New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are presently offshore in New Zealand Taranaki Basin on kapo project. We do not have access to phone at the moment,its 5days off and 25days on,which is why I contacted you with internet messaging facility. Where is it located at the moment?

I won't be able to come for the inspection due to the nature of my work and i would have called but our calling is restricted.Regarding the payment,pls get back to me with your final asking price and your paypal details so i can process the payment,you can alternatively send your bsb and acct number if you have no paypal acct.I have also contacted my courier who will come for pick up after the whole fund has been cleared into your acct.

Await your reply

after i reply her, she insisted want my paypal account 

Do not reply avoid this person 

[Musty-1]

From this Scammer "{Removed}"

His message is    "Great, I am away at sea at the moment, i work with New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are presently offshore in New Zealand Ta ranaki Basin on Kapo project. We do not have access to phone at the moment,its 5days off and 25days on, which is why I contacted you with internet messaging facility.   
He sent me the message below in response to buying my car he saw on gumtree.

Can you assure me I will not be disappointed buying this from you?

Where is it located at the moment? 

Are you the first owner?   

Regards"    

Another scam message I received today from "Mr George [Remove]" which seems slightly different is    "I'm very happy to read back from you. I'm currently at my son's place here in Exmouth-WA for his wedding ceremony coming soon. also, I will not be able to meet you for inspection and collection because I will be here spending my leave with the new family till May 2020, but I have a personal representative agent that will meet you for collection after payment has been made.

I cannot take calls or make one due to my ear barotrauma from my last air flight, I barely hear clear and my email is the best channel for me to communicate. I want the agent to deliver it to my new house in Exmouth-WA before my arrival. I am ready to make the payment so get back to me with the details below :

Account number. BSB. Name. Final price:

That is all I need to make the payment through a secure online bank transfer from my bank to yours. I will transfer the money to your account and my representative courier agent will meet you for the collection and deliver it to my new house in Exmouth-WA after you confirmed the payment.

Please consider my payment method because I cannot travel around with cash, risky and I cannot visit you due to the distance. Best Regards".  

[PayPal_Rich]

Hi @Musty-1,

Thanks for sharing your experience with the PayPal Community. That's definitely a good example of an external bank transfer scam.

Please check out the following link for information regarding common scams.