Is This a Scam?

bion83 on 17/06/2015 - 17:30

Hi all,
I'm selling a watch on eBay and I received and price request email yesterday which I reply and now I got this:

hank you for getting back to me, I will be offering you AU$1,500 for the cost of the items including shipping cost to my son, as am sending the item on my behalf to my adopted-son as a Birthday Gift, he is currently studying in a missionary college in Southern Africa.I want the item sent to him Via (AUSTRALIAN POST EXPRESS with Insurance) for Fast Delivery, I will like to know the present condition of the item.

And i will make the payment via bank deposit or paypal, so kindly send me a paypal invoice money request to my email ([email protected]) so that i can make the payment, or get back to me on my email using the item number as the subject and also with your bank details to this email([email protected])so that i can make payment and pay you in Australian Dollar, and you can post the item to him.

It looks like a scam abd smells like a scam but I would like your opinion.

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Comments

  • pyramid on 17/06/2015 - 17:31
    +7

    SCAM.

    • toristo on 17/06/2015 - 22:47

      This is one of those times I wish we could add photos in the commments.

      <<insert Admiral Ackbar "It's a trap!!" meme here>>

  • loulou1 on 17/06/2015 - 17:31
    +4

    It's a scam

  • nocure on 17/06/2015 - 17:37
    +1

    Report it to EBay.

  • marbles0 on 17/06/2015 - 17:47
    +1

    That's one of the dodgiest sounding emails I've ever read… I think SCAM.

  • YTW on 17/06/2015 - 17:59
    +1

    If you have to ask…

    This one's been around for years. It will usually involve him 'overpaying' you in some form. He'll then request you pay back some funds as well as send the items. His bank deposit will subsequently bounce, you will lose all the money you sent 'back' as well, as the items, as well as your cost to post them internationally.

  • Kawaii69 on 17/06/2015 - 18:05

    Yeah it's a scam, this exact thing was covered on the radio a few years ago where the talk show host's friend got a ridiculously high offer for a car and wanted to send it over to some country

  • holdenmg on 17/06/2015 - 18:16
    +4

    Tell them it will only work on Sydney time… lol

  • Heizenberg on 17/06/2015 - 19:31

    scam

  • bion83 on 17/06/2015 - 20:16

    Thanks guys I've already reported him.

    But wondering if he paid by PayPal then all I need is to send it with tracking to wherever he want and get signature

    • saintmagician0 on 17/06/2015 - 22:59

      You can chargeback on paypal. Paypal hates it… but it's possible. If someone is using stolen paypal accounts, then even more possible.

      Also paypal will not cover you for seller protection if you send it to an address that is not the address registered on the paypal account (which it's not going to be. Even if this guy's legit, his paypal account is not going to be registered to his son's address). But if he's using a stolen paypal account, then the address will defintely be wrong.

      Paypal is only 'safe' for the seller if you do some things right. One of them is to only ever ship to the address that Paypal tells you to (and if the buyer asks otherwise, just refuse). Sometimes legitimate buyers will ask for this… e.g. i recently sold a item to a legit buyer who wanted it sent to his company address. I said no, and insisted on sending it to his home address as shown on the paypal account.

  • Unorthodox on 17/06/2015 - 20:47
    +2

    Soon as you see 'Africa' you stop, take a breath read whilst trying not to laugh

  • PVA on 17/06/2015 - 20:48

    quite simply scam, and a very common one like that too.

  • Steptoe on 17/06/2015 - 21:38

    http://www.scamwatch.gov.au

  • GnarlyKnuckles on 18/06/2015 - 00:47

    It's not even a GOOD scam. Geez, would this work on anyone? Maybe a young child? If this happened to me, I'd be very tempted to have a bit of fun with this scammer. String them along a bit, try and make them think they're gonna be successful, ask them to fulfill some bizarre requests to convince you they are genuine (make up a short poem, email you a pic of them with their hand on their heart, etc.)… "Scam the scammer" in a way… Not in any attempt to get any money from them of course, just to have a bit of fun yourself, and waste their time; which may go some small way to discouraging them from doing it in the future.

    A bit like my approach to telemarketers who call my mobile unsolicited. I have a "sound-board" of "Mr-T" catch-phrases open/at the ready on my lap-top, and when I get a call from an unrecognised number, it's usually Mr-T who answers.

    A typical call goes something like this:

    Mr-T: "Hey man"
    Unsolicited caller: "Hello Sir, how are you today?"
    Mr-T: "Hey man, you better fix my van!"
    Unsolicited caller: "Excuse me sir?"
    Mr-t: "I'll tell you what's up. Nobody messes with my ride!"
    Unsolicited caller: "Oh, that is not me doing that sir, I am calling from Insurance Line, to se-"
    Mr-T: "I know you guys lied to me"
    Unsolicited caller: "I beg your pardon sir?"
    Mr-T: "Let me explain. I don't no nothin' about no Chinese food, all I know is somebody ordered a pizza, now SOMEBODY GOTTA PAY FOR IT!"

    Click< beep, beep, beep

    I used to use a Judge-Judy soundboard, but the spectrum of her sentiments was a bit limited ("That's bologne", "yer a loser, sir", "Your not as smart as me!" etc.); Mr-T makes for a more 'abstract' conversation. Here's a link to the soundboard if anyone wants to try this fun little game:

    http://www.realmofdarkness.net/pc/sb/mrt/1

    Actually I was wondering if anyone out there knows of a good site for AUSTRALIAN (or Un-Zud would even do) soundboards… because occasionally an unusually savvy unsolicited caller cottons on due to the US accent, and clicks of prematurely. Which is of course highly disappointing. Hmmm. I think I'll post this question as a dedicated forum topic, cause no one's gonna see it here.

    Oh btw OP, it's a scam.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/06/2015 - 08:13

    Fine. I'll go against the grain here and say that it's completely legitimate. /s

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