Gumtree

Y15HAL

Y15HAL

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Just wondered if anyone has ever had any bad experiences on Gumtree?

I have only ever sold one thing on there, which went nice and smoothly.

I've just put an item on there, and have received a few emails from people already...

All look a little dodgy though....:thinking:

One person said they will pay via paypal, without asking the condition of the item, or any details whatsoever.....

And i've had another couple of emails (gmail accounts) asking what my lowest price is....:gag:

I've just mailed these people back saying i will only accept bank transfer or cash on collection....to which i've received no reply! :naughty:

Am i right in saying that if someone pays through paypal, they can just claim the money back once they've received the item?

I'm thinking that i should just stick to either BT or cash on collection....
 
Y15HAL said:
Am i right in saying that if someone pays through paypal, they can just claim the money back once they've received the item?
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Unless you post the item and can provide Paypal with online delivery confirmation, then yes. But then the "buyer" would probably be requesting the item was shipped to their cousin in Nigeria, so.....:naughty:
 
I'd stick simply with cash on collection - and don't go and meet anyone in any dodgy places with whatever your selling. If you must meet them - make sure it's a very public and busy place...
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Unless you post the item and can provide Paypal with online delivery confirmation, then yes. But then the "buyer" would probably be requesting the item was shipped to their cousin in Nigeria, so.....:naughty:
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Even if i provide online confirmation, they could just sign it as someone else, so still could be a little dodgy :(

cymruchris said:
I'd stick simply with cash on collection - and don't go and meet anyone in any dodgy places with whatever your selling. If you must meet them - make sure it's a very public and busy place...
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Yep, i think you're right....I wouldn't even meet anyone to be honest, if they want it, they can come and get it! :wave:
 
Y15HAL said:
Even if i provide online confirmation, they could just sign it as someone else, so still could be a little dodgy :(
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The name that is signed is immaterial, as long as it's delivered to an address that corresponds to the correct Paypal account - I've had someone try that scam on me, it didn't work.......
 
Flash In The Pan said:
The name that is signed is immaterial, as long as it's delivered to an address that corresponds to the correct Paypal account - I've had someone try that scam on me, it didn't work.......
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:rules: Ahh, ok, you know your stuff Graham - You've sold a thing or two eh? :naughty:

I'd rather leave it though, knowing my luck, i'll get robbed! :(
 
Here is one of the replies i have received:

"Thanks for your response,I live in NOTTINGHAM and work as an engineer =for a private company called Tomlinson,i would have preferred to conduct=0D this transaction in person but apparently I'm on a site and i can't leav=, I really want to buy this item from you and thus I'll be paying via PayPal online payment.

I approximate the postage cost to be around 90pound(s) via Royal Mail =international registered post .
I'll really appreciate your help. Send me a PayPal payment request of =the total cost of the aforementioned item plus the postage cost to my =PayPal registered email account....(miyaka55@blumail.org) and I'll make the payment as soon as possible.

If in doubt,call me on this number 07024034405,and here is my home addre=s
4 Lamorna Court, Wollaton Road,
Beeston, NOTTINGHAM, NG9 2N"

Now, some parts of the message sound genuine....But then i had a think, and some parts make no sense!! Why would he tell me where he works, that has nothing to do with the sale, and £90 for internations post?? ....also, the postcode seems to be missing a digit...

All sounds a bit dodgy....
 
Yeah, Guntree can be pretty dodgy! Cash on Collection/Delivery might be best - and meet somewhere public and safe if you're going to have expensive kit and/or lots of cash on you!
 
especially the block caps for Nottingham... Does that address(or a similar one) exist? And that mobile number, after the 07, I've never noticeed there being a nother zero, unless its one of those commercial companies or something..I may just be paranoid though!
 
Don't do it, this is a classic Gumtree scam.

They say they have sent the money and then you get an email from "paypal" saying the funds are held until receipt. You'll never get the money.

I would imagine the next step would be, "this is actually a gift, can you post overseas? I'll pay postage plus a bit extra".

Total con. Don't send any more emails, just stop communication immediatly.
 
Just read the bit about international postage lol

Just stop all comms and move on.

I put a camera on Gumtree and had 20 replies. 19 of them were scammers asking for it to be posted abroad.

I did sell it in the end - cash on collection and met in a coffee shop. Nice guy.
 
Y15HAL said:
Here is one of the replies i have received:

"Thanks for your response,I live in NOTTINGHAM and work as an engineer =for a private company called Tomlinson,i would have preferred to conduct=0D this transaction in person but apparently I'm on a site and i can't leav=, I really want to buy this item from you and thus I'll be paying via PayPal online payment.

I approximate the postage cost to be around 90pound(s) via Royal Mail =international registered post .
I'll really appreciate your help. Send me a PayPal payment request of =the total cost of the aforementioned item plus the postage cost to my =PayPal registered email account....(miyaka55@blumail.org) and I'll make the payment as soon as possible.

If in doubt,call me on this number 07024034405,and here is my home addre=s
4 Lamorna Court, Wollaton Road,
Beeston, NOTTINGHAM, NG9 2N"

Now, some parts of the message sound genuine....But then i had a think, and some parts make no sense!! Why would he tell me where he works, that has nothing to do with the sale, and £90 for internations post?? ....also, the postcode seems to be missing a digit...

All sounds a bit dodgy....
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Almost certainly a scam - spot where they've inserted an appropriate location, and wants to use international post but doesnt tell you where to!

Even if they send payment from a genuine paypal account (instead of spoofing the paypal confirmation emails), it's likely to be a hacked account and the real owner will claim the money back.
 
Thanks for the input, the more i look into it, the mroe dodgy it looks! :D

It doesnt look like the address comes up properly when checking on google maps...

Yep Lawrence, you're right, doesn't make sense for it to be in CAPS....no need really...

Thanks for that Barry, i thought as much....just wanted to know how they can pull it off.....and, the interantion post definitely made me think....especially because he said he's in NOTTINGHAM! ;)

These thieveing bar stewards try anything!! i bet they probably sting a fair few people aswell! maybe 1 in 10 or something! :(

James, yep, could be like an account hacking or similar....

Thanks for everyone's input! :)

Just done a google search on the number, and it looks to be a routing/rediverting service, which points to another number.......... slippery little buggers!! :bang:
 
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I've never used Gum Tree, but if I were to advertise I would insist on CoD/CoC and no International sales.

However, I only hear bad things about it...

Steve
 
Jelster said:
However, I only hear bad things about it...
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Thanks Steve, it looks that way so far! :suspect:

A friend has just also pointed out that it looks to be a generic email, so can be sent to anyone, selling anything! so, that email would work for someone selling a TV, stereo, house, car, anything! as there is not mention of my item on there! :bang:
 
Y15HAL said:
Thanks Steve, it looks that way so far! :suspect:

A friend has just also pointed out that it looks to be a generic email, so can be sent to anyone, selling anything! so, that email would work for someone selling a TV, stereo, house, car, anything! as there is not mention of my item on there! :bang:
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Yep, thats usually the dead giveaway for these emails - they'll always say theyre interested in your 'item' or similar
 
Yep those phone numbers are well known in the scam community also have a look here http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/ you'll soon see how easy it is to get a fake name and address.

As has already been said cash on collection only meet in a safe location.
 
Never really used Gumtree and one experience I had put me off. I had seen a lens on there which was ridiculously cheap. I emailed an enquiry and this was the reply.

'I'm a professional photographer and I'm in Plymouth near Dartmoor National Park to gather some material for a short film regarding the evolution of wildlife in the park in the last few years. I have the item here with me in Plymouth. i would like to close this transaction through Ukash the delivery will be next day and i will pay the postal charges.

The transaction will be like cash on delivery, let me know if you're interested to use this service'

I had never heard of UKash so did a quick search and on there site there was a warning about Gumtree/scammers. That got me concerned straight away.That and the cheap price of the item certainly rang warning bells so not bothered with Gumtree since.
 
According to the post office the address in Nottingham does not exist:|
 
Foreign bank transfers can be dodgy as well, something to do with the bank clearing it early so you get the money in your account then withdrawing it at a later date when the transfer bounces
 
Suvv said:
According to Royal Mail it does:

4 Lamorna Court
Wollaton Road
Beeston
NOTTINGHAM
NG9 2NG
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Not that It's important, (to me), I really need to get the hang of this as Royal Mail on my Mac can't find it.........:help:
 
I used to work around the corner from here. It sounds dodgy as.

If you search NG2 2NG in Google it doesn't come up with Wollaton Road, Beeston, this post code is NG9 2NP.

NG9 2NG is in an 'interesting' part of town, if you get my drift?
 
Y15HAL said:
Is a bank transfer OK?

And how can i tell whether it is a foreign one or not?
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Bank transfer is one of the least safe ways to conduct a transaction.

I haven't read all of the above in detail, but Gumtree used to be my happy hunting ground when I was on the Burglary Squad for my borough - it was absolutely littered with stolen goods. I solved numerous vehicle thefts, house burglaries - even the theft of some Banksy artworks - through the site.

When I moved to the Major Crime Unit, Gumtree reared its ugly head again through masses upon masses of fraud. I cannot even begin to describe how many people transferred money to others (via banks or Western Union, etc) through Gumtree for non-existent products, services and even houses. With no word of a lie, we would receive 10+ reports of these per day. And that was just one area of the Met. We get minimal help from the banks, and the odds of a) tracing the suspects (who usually work through mule networks, fake documentation and foreign bank accounts) and b) recovering the victim's money are almost non-existent.

I haven't even begun to mention the gangs that advertise non-existent things for sale, then rob the prospective buyer when they turn up to collect their goods in a C.O.D. transaction...
 
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Of course Gumtree can be safe, you just need to be careful that's all. Always take someone with you for the sale. If it is for a large amount of cash (ie a car or something) then DON'T take cash with you. Arrange to see the car AT THE SELLERS HOME ADDRESS (make sure they don't just stand outside the house either) and then sort out payment once you are happy the car exists and is legit. Make it clear from the outset that you will be using these precautions.

I did once break my own rules, when I bought my camera. Seemed a great deal, camera and 2 lenses for £500. My OH injured his leg shortly before I was due to meet up and I ended up dropping him at A&E before I went on my own. I hid the money in my car and went to the address. Well it was in a dodgy part of town :( I was absolutely crapping myself. I phoned the OH and told him to give me 5 and if he didn't hear back he was to call in the cavalry :O

Well it turned out the the chap selling the camera was a keen amateur who had diabetes and was going blind :( He was having to sell of his beloved camera (only a few months old as he dropped his original one and this was the insurance replacement. He showed me a case of stuff including a flash, memory cards, filters. He showed me pictures he had taken and was an absolute gem of a fella. Offered me the lot. Told me that he was only going to give all the other stuff if the person who turned up to buy it was genuine. He thought that someone would snap it up and sell it on again for profit! I didn't even haggle. When I fetched the cash he handed me back a £20 and told me it was tradition (he was an old farmer) to give back a note at the auction house for good luck with the purchase!

Have faith and be careful!

PS The Lamora Court in google maps appears to be an empty building for Let. Perhaps it is a commercial premise? Definitely dodgy!
 
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