ARRESTED- 2 iPhone X Sold, Fake Westpac Bank Receipt, No Payment Received, Reported to Police and What's Next?

Lccvonlineoz on 10/01/2018 - 23:48
Last edited 20/01/2018 - 21:57 by 1 other user

5pm 18/01/2018. My boy has been arrested and I am now with POLICE. I will upload what I have done to see him again very soon, all about HUNTING and FISHING

Taking Money back is not guaranteed as per officer however i am relieved.

An iPhone X Award - Please contact me.

This is a fraud which just happened to me. It has already happened and I will make it very short compared to 3 pages in my Police Report.

Please comment if you have a solution for me.

It was a very last day of 2017, I had two brand new iPhone X for sale on Facebook. A guy approached me via facebook messenger not too long after, I ended up with a deal of $3370 for 2 phones and he will see me a day after.

He has rescheduled a couple of times and told me to meet him after lunch time. He asked me to give him my bank details and will make a transfer. A bank receipt (screen capture) has been sent to my mobile number and it looks genuine with correct.

I met him at a bank where I was doing banking, I took him to my car and gave him 2 phones. He kept telling me it would take 24 hours to receive the payment as my account was a new account.

Westpac confirmed that payment didn't go through. Payment is never received and there was another guy picking up his number and told me he has gone back to India. Facebook account has been closed.

What I have:

  • Real Name : Mod: Removed Personal Information

  • Location: Parramatta, NSW.

  • Profile pictures and a couple of his friends, family members.
  • The mobile number was used to contact me.
  • A confirmation the mobile number owner is Mod: Removed Personal Information, telstra Network.
  • Text messages.

  • Fake banking receipt probably showing his account number where he transferred from.
    Mod: Removed Personal Information

  • I think that bank and a real estate agent where I parked my car and gave 2 phones to him have footage.

  • Reported to police.

If anyone can help to recover loss, I would appreciate and give away one of those phones.
Thank you

UPDATE 20/01: If anyone was victim, please contact me to grab Police contact to sort things out.

UPDATE 13/01: A member PM asking to help me with his own website.
UPDATE: I have been given a couple of valuable messages.
UPDATE: I was told, Police has looked into the person with a name Mod: Removed Personal Information

This post has turned into a witch hunt. Fine to discuss but leave personal information out of it. Please leave the police to investigate.

Financial

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2018 - 23:54
    +5

    Damm…..tell us his name

    Hope you're okay.

    • ccvonlineoz on 10/01/2018 - 23:59

      Thanks, I am ok. I am happy to PM if you would like.

      • [Deactivated] on 11/01/2018 - 00:04
        +1

        He probably used a fake name

        • ccvonlineoz on 11/01/2018 - 00:05
          +1

          I am pretty sure it's a real name.

      • Zabuza on 12/01/2018 - 22:46
        +1

        Getting exposure as I may have found a listing from him

        OP does his number end in 37? i may have found a listing from him, he is from a city near parramatta it says

        He is using his full name in the listing and is selling an item.

        Don't want to review it just in case it may be the wrong person but he has the same name and lives in parramatta

        Edit: I just saw the number in your sms its different, but I believe it is the same person just using different phones to scam. In the listing he is selling an iphone 6s, same name, and near parramatta it states

    • dealman on 12/01/2018 - 17:11

      Damn show us a link to your advert

  • dcep on 10/01/2018 - 23:59
    +120

    nope, no chance

    take it as a lesson

    don't know how you trusted a screenshot and handover the phones without money clearing into your account

    you'll learn next time to only deal with cash , or money cleared in bank account , or cashed out from paypal funds , then only handover/post the goods.

    • [Deactivated] on 11/01/2018 - 00:01
      -3

      I think there is a chance….

    • ramb9 on 11/01/2018 - 00:43
      +55

      this^ have no idea how this can still happen in 2018 with people who know who to log-in to ozbargain and use this website.

    • SaberX on 11/01/2018 - 04:25
      +4

      on paypal - i've always been paranoid but once someone pays for a good purchased through paypal, what's the ability to lodge a dispute and have the amount clawed back? I alwayst hought it would be too hard to keep documentaiton and trails to fight this so i've always just insisted on bank deposit (sending books etc. over interestate) or cash in person.

      Paypal would be alot easier if someone could advise if it is impossible to dispute transactions and claw back money, or can money that goes into your paypal account be clawed back? In which case do you need to transfer money from paypal account back to your bank account before it is untouchable?

      • follow on 11/01/2018 - 08:25
        -5

        Ask them to send it to you via family and friends. That way no fees and also no protections

        • tomclancy on 11/01/2018 - 10:16
          +10

          This is not safe for the seller. Family and friends can still be charged back by buyers credit card company. It's a common scam. Just don't accept PayPal for in person sales. Cash only

        • follow on 11/01/2018 - 10:20

          @tomclancy: how so? You need to provide proof to cc company? Not sure how this works

        • tomclancy on 11/01/2018 - 10:26
          +5

          @ZubatRingo: buyer can lodge charge back without proof. Then credit card company asks seller for receipt of sale and proof of goods delivery to confirm sale took place. If seller can't prove then credit card company assumes seller is the fraudster and reverses the transaction. Nothing to do with PayPal.

          Though the sellers PayPal balance goes into negative and then PayPal chase you for their money back

        • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:41
          +1

          @tomclancy:

          that's exactly my worry. I know i could rip all my money out of paypal but i always assumed paypal could go into negative and charge you for it? So it is possible?

          If not family and friend,s and oyu just issue an invoice to a third party by DIY (i've even paid invoices this way for books i was buying) my worry is indeed the onus is on you for 'providing' the goods and so forth. I do take pictures and in these cases ask for them to do tracking so I can put it on shipping and have proof, but really i would rather not have to deal with this headache.

          Even if the sale is not 'in person', i assume if you sell something via paypal and ship it out, there is still always a risk they can lodge a dispute retrospectively and pretend they never received the goods or it came damaged right? So in other words no paypal if you want protection??

          Bank deposit i usualyl do for selling my books, but again hard to find people wililng to deposit cash as they have no protection.. Fine for me as i know i wont jip them.

        • neosin on 12/01/2018 - 07:50
          +3

          @tomclancy:

          Your comment is 100% wrong!

          Yes, the buyer can do a chargeback with bank. However, this is against paypals terms and conditions as family and friends payments strictly cannot be reversed. You will get you money back BUT, Your paypal account will go into negative and if you don't pay it, debt collectors will come after you (depending how much ofc), If you still don't pay the amount owing then you will have a bad credit history = good bye to any future loans and using paypal again.

          The $$$ to the seller will still remain in the sellers account and a negative will be applied to the buyers for doing a chargeback with the bank.

          The frightening thing is, a lot of people believe your advice is correct…

        • tomclancy on 12/01/2018 - 10:21

          @neosin: Let's say a thief gets hold of your credit card details and pays themselves $$$ from your credit card to their own PayPal account through friends and family (i.e. fraud). You're suggesting that if you call your credit card issuer and have the funds charged back from fraud that PayPal are going to let the crimials walk away with the $$$ and then chase you for the debt?

        • neosin on 12/01/2018 - 19:28
          +3

          @tomclancy:

          The fact that you gave that example shows you don't know how paypal credit card works at all!

          1. To add a credit card you need to verify it! Paypal charges a small figure and adds a unique code to the description which will only show in your credit card statement a few days later. If someone has stolen your card, pls tell me how they can get this code???

          If your paypal account is compromised i.e if someone gets your password/username, that is your fault. Paypal will not take money back from the recipients account.

        • Quantumcat on 12/01/2018 - 22:47
          +1

          @neosin: PayPal is not a provider of credit and can't affect your credit rating

        • neosin on 13/01/2018 - 08:09
          +2

          sigh

          do you even know how credit rating works?

          read this reply!

          “gilly. writes…
          PayPal is NOT a financial institution. Take none of their crap, do not try to deal with them. All you will receive is generic responses time after time. Take it further (financial ombudsman etc.) immediately as PayPal will never 'help you out'.

          Lol.

          As if you need to be a financial institution to default someone and/or collect a debt.

          Must remind Telstra, Optus, all the utilities companies and a myriad of other general business who can all default people they can't cos they’re not financial institutions..”

        • neosin on 13/01/2018 - 08:12
          +3

          @Quantumcat:

          here is another one, that gilly guy is you?

          “gilly. writes…
          PayPal is NOT a financial institution.

          Completely wrong. Paypal operate in Australia under and Australian banking license, They wouldn't be allowed to operate here without one. http://www.apra.gov.au/adi/Documents/cfdocs/PayPal-auth-and-conditions-2006.pdf”

        • neosin on 13/01/2018 - 08:15

          @Quantumcat:

          and another one just for you :)

          “
          RevNev writes…
          Paypal are not credit providers and you don't hold a credit contract with Paypal, therefore they cannot credit default list you.

          They don't have to be "credit providers", and you don't need a credit contract.

          But regardless, they have authority from APRA to carry on a banking business.

          If you don't pay them, they send a letter with the following warning:

          "it may be passed to a Collections Agency, which could affect your credit rating".

          A credit rating is simply any debts you have unpaid/paid.

          From Money Smart Gov:

          "What's in your credit report:

          Any debts that were unpaid and overdue and have now been paid or settled."“

        • Quantumcat on 13/01/2018 - 20:19
          -1

          @neosin: of course they tell you "it could affect your credit rating" because they want you to pay it. PayPal is Australia definitely can NOT affect your credit rating. If you actually read the thread you quoted, you'd see that they would have to get a court judgement against you, same as any random business would. Most PayPal account holders have probably provided no identity documents so they can't even prove who you are. They never bother with court, they just sell off your debt to a collector and forget about it, and the collector hopes they can scare you into paying it so they make a profit. All you have to do is tell them you aren't the person they're after, or you dispute the debt if they can prove it is you (and they can find you - if you only used P.O. boxes as addresses and didn't give them your real phone number they probably wouldn't even be able to find you). Most of the time that's that. Even after that there's no effect on your credit rating unless they go to court, which they have to do to get their money (if they had enough evidence and they really wanted to do it, probably only for amounts in the tens of thousands or more)

        • neosin on 13/01/2018 - 21:02
          -1

          @Quantumcat:

          Not sure if you are serious or just trolling?

          So your suggestion is to commit fraud when you sign up to paypal and use a fake name and address?

          Also, paypal will need PROOF OF IDENTITY AND ADDRESS DOCUMENTS TO BE VERIFIED https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/confirm-your-identity

          They are not as stupid as you think! Use your brain a little please!

          If every financial institution had to go to court to give a bad credit rating NO ONE would have a bad credit rating because the court cost would outweigh the debt!!!

          Please don't reply, you will just make yourself look more stupid!

        • Quantumcat on 13/01/2018 - 21:50

          @neosin: businesses that offer credit can affect your credit rating. Not just any business that sends you an invoice. You are getting confused with PayPal in America, that has something called "PayPal credit" that Americans can optionally sign up for, where they have to provide their social security number, that CAN affect their credit rating, because they signed up for credit. A normal PayPal account is not credit. I'm not advocating fraud, I'm trying to explain why a normal PayPal account will not affect your credit rating.

          Have you wondered why there's no reports of an Australian actually having their credit rating affected by PayPal? That's because the only mention of it is people making assumptions and guesses (like you) and getting panicked about it. But that panic is not based on any kind of reality.

        • Quantumcat on 13/01/2018 - 21:56
          +1

          @neosin:

          From http://blog.credit.com/2013/11/can-paypal-hurt-your-credit-7…
          In regards to debt collection:
          "But here’s the good news: PayPal told us that they do not allow their agency partners to report to credit reporting agencies."

          This article is American-centric, and I am not sure if we have "bill me later" but in regards to that:
          "It’s also worth noting that when you check out using PayPal, you’ll be offered the opportunity to pay for your purchase using a service called “Bill Me Later,” which lets you pay for that item later. This service features a line of credit, and your credit report will be reviewed if you apply for one of these accounts …. Bill Me Later may affect your credit scores as a result of the inquiries that are reported as well as through the account that will be reported on your credit reports. The impact can be positive or negative, depending on whether you pay late or carry large amounts of debt."
          A regular account is not a credit account, but a "bill me later" account is.

          Just think about it for a minute before you go off the rails again. Imagine a world where anybody could claim someone owed them money and then threaten to hurt their credit rating if they didn't pay. Even if the debt was fictional. That wouldn't work, right? Exactly. A business that offers you a line of credit that you accept can do it (you have said you're happy to have a debt with them and have given them all your identity details and signed etc), but not any random business off the street that can't prove you really do owe them something. With PayPal, you haven't accepted any line of credit and in most cases they don't even know who you are, you're just a person with the username and password, not connected to any real flesh and blood person with a credit rating.

        • paloverde88 on 13/01/2018 - 22:45
          +2

          @neosin:

          Actually most importantly

          credit providers is obliged to adhere to responsible credit lending rules, meaning you ought to have known the person you are granting credit to has a stable job. What sort of job? How long has the person been in the job. What is the nett pay of the salary? Accommodation: Is the person renting, sharing or owns a home or the home is still mortgaged, what is the weekly or fortnightly payment of the accommodation? How long has the person being in that accommodation? Taking the incoming and outgoings all into account, how much of the salary is left? Have you contacted a person where this account holder is working and verified the employment? Who did you spoke to? What was their position? How long ago did you do that check?

          If you did not even get any of the above information, you are not considered an entity that grants credit. And indeed PayPal does not grant credit they simply act as middle to complete the transaction. If they are offering credit than the amount owe can and should be spread out over a period of time to repay. And there should be interest charges and of course must be a responsible credit lender who have all information pertaining to the individual's source of income, all expenses and employment details.

          PP does not fall into the so called 'credit lender' category. They are a payment processing company not in the business of lending money or offering credit. In America, however PaPal is in the lending business offering 6 months credit for no interest payments now that product is not offered in Australia as yet so PP is strictly a payment processing company with no credit lending license from the Government because they do not offer any credit to anyone nor lend any money to anyone.

          see * https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/paypal-credit

          According to ASIC website:

          You must be covered by an Australian credit licence to engage in credit activities.

          If you engage in credit activities you will generally need to have an Australian credit licence (unless you are exempt or authorised to engage in those activities as a representative of a credit licensee).

          Credit activity includes:

          providing credit under a credit contract or consumer lease
          benefiting from mortgages or guarantees relating to a credit contract
          exercising rights or performing obligations of a credit provider or lessor (either as the credit provider or lessor or on behalf of another person who is the credit provider or lessor)
          suggesting or assisting with a particular credit contract or consumer lease
          acting as an intermediary between a credit provider and a consumer (for a credit contract) or between a lessor and a consumer (for a consumer lease).
          You will need to have your credit licence or authorisation from the day you start your business. Strict penalties may apply to persons who unlawfully engage in credit activities.

          ASIC assesses applications for credit licences as part of our role as regulator of the consumer credit industry.

          Consumers should be aware that the licensing process is a point-in-time assessment of the licensee, not of its owners or employees. Holding a credit licence does not guarantee the probity or quality of the licensee’s services.

        • chachi on 14/01/2018 - 00:34

          @neosin:

          How can nab still charge me a overseas percentage if I'm purchasing goods from overseas via PayPal?

        • neosin on 14/01/2018 - 11:59
          -1

          @Quantumcat:

          Are you aware that article is AMERICAN and is from 2013?

          Even so, the article says the CAN do it, but they won't do (based on no written evidence btw).

          So they do have the power even according the the article you linked?

          "But if the money has already been spent, and there is no backup form of payment available (such as a linked bank account), then that amount may be considered a bad debt. If that debt is turned over to collections, it potentially could appear on your credit reports as a collection account, and lower your scores."

          So you just proved yourself wrong with the very article you linked.

        • neosin on 14/01/2018 - 12:56
          -1

          @paloverde88:

          From ASIC website!

          What's in your credit report?

          Defaults and other credit infringements - These could be utility bills or loan payments which are 60 days or more overdue and where debt collection activity has started.

          https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/borrowing-and-credit/borrowing…

          Are you trying to tell me utility and telco companies are credit providers?

          If not then explain to me why utility and telco companies can give you a bad credit rating but owing money to paypal which holds a financial services licence can't?

        • Quantumcat on 14/01/2018 - 16:07
          +2

          @neosin: yes, utility companies are credit providers.

          See http://creditsmart.org.au/sites/default/files/fact_sheets/FA… (search for the word "utility", I can't seem to copy and paste from a pdf on my phone to give you quotes).

          Hopefully you understand now?

          Also, the part that you quoted is followed by the line that they don't report to credit agencies (if you read it). In any case, bottom line is you need to be a credit provider to affect someone's credit rating without a court order and PayPal are not one.

          If you wanted any anecdotal evidence, I got scammed by a buyer out of $450, I ignored it and the negative balance went away eventually (can't sell on ebay anymore, but that's hardly a loss). No effect on my credit rating to this day (~2 years later).

        • R-Man on 14/01/2018 - 16:33
          +1

          @neosin:

          Are you trying to tell me utility and telco companies are credit providers?

          If not then explain to me why utility and telco companies can give you a bad credit rating but owing money to paypal which holds a financial services licence can't?

          Utilities and Telco are a credit facility to the customer, they need to trust you to pay for the service you used in the past (e.g. you used your phone service for a month, now time to pay up)

          In order to provide a credit facility they need to do a credit inquiry and as a credit provider, they are able to report late payments or bad debts to the credit reporting agencies.

          Paypal is not a credit facility provider, so it is treated the same as any business. Consider Jim's lawn mowing business: Jim mowes your lawn then invoices you $100. If you don't pay, Jim can't affect your credit rating until he involves debt collectors and seeks a court judgement. Jim is not a licenced credit facility provider so he doesn't have the right to report you to the credit agencies himself. Same as paypal. Paypal is not a credit facility and must also seek a court judgement against you in order to affect their credit rating.

        • neosin on 14/01/2018 - 17:26

          @Quantumcat:

          again the information you provided contradicts what you are saying!

          "yes, utility companies are credit providers"

          It clearly says in that fact sheet that telco and utility companies DO NOT hold a credit licence!

          "Default information can be reported and accessed by both licensed credit providers and
          those that do not hold an Australian credit licence (such as telecommunications or utility
          companies)."

        • neosin on 14/01/2018 - 17:34

          @R-Man:

          Going back to the original statement I was disputing.

          "Quantumcat on 12/01/2018 - 22:47
          @neosin: PayPal is not a provider of credit and can't affect your credit rating"

          You wrote:

          "Paypal is not a credit facility and must also seek a court judgement against you in order to affect their credit rating."

          So tell me, if I owed paypal 100k and I don't pay, you are saying Paypal can't do anything to affect my credit rating?

          What Quantumcat wrote is incorrect!

          Paypal can obtain a Debt Judgement from the Court and report it DIRECTLY to a credit reporting agency. Whether or not they will go through the trouble of doing so and the cost involved is irrelevant to the question I'm disputing. The fact is, Paypal CAN affect your credit rating.

          Have a read of this pamphlet.

          "When a debt is taken to court because it has not been paid, the court will make a decision about whether the defendant (debtor) needs to pay it. A debt judgment is a court order that says the debtor must pay the amount they owe to the creditor."

          "How does a debt judgement get onto my credit report? Credit reporting agencies get this information from the Public Record, however, it is the obligation of the creditor to report the judgment to Veda or the appropriate credit rating agency."

          https://law.adelaide.edu.au/free-legal-clinics/documents/deb…

        • R-Man on 14/01/2018 - 18:29
          +1

          @neosin:

          okay, sounds good to me. Didn't realise Utility companies dont have a credit licence, I wrongly presumed they do.

          Not sure why you asked me this:

          So tell me, if I owed paypal 100k and I don't pay, you are saying Paypal can't do anything to affect my credit rating?

          When i also mentioned the same thing as you, at the end of my reply, that paypal must:

          seek a court judgement against you in order to affect their credit rating.

        • Quantumcat on 14/01/2018 - 18:44

          @neosin: Looks like you agree with us now. Excellent :-)

        • neosin on 15/01/2018 - 10:18

          @Quantumcat:

          You remind me of my old friend, no matter what facts I present to him, he will always think he is right 😂

          A wise man once said, the moment you start arguing with an ignorant person, you have already lost!

          Good day!

        • Quantumcat on 15/01/2018 - 10:43
          +1

          @neosin: Is your friend actually yourself?

        • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 11:33

          @neosin: is your old friend Fred Santos.

        • kelza83 on 19/03/2018 - 02:10
          -1

          @neosin: not true. That’s only for adding bank accounts. I add and remove random cards on PayPal all the time when my friends want me to buy something using my paypal. I do it often.

      • rustynail on 12/01/2018 - 14:54
        +1

        I generally use Paypal for such stuff. Money shows up in your account instantly.

        There are times where I have made purchases online (ebay and a few other sites) and either received fake/damaged goods or none at all. Disputes raised by be were quickly addressed and settled by Paypal. Money was returned at the end of their investigation (usually 2 weeks).

        • [Deactivated] on 12/01/2018 - 21:45
          +3

          Yeah, PayPal will favour the buyer without concrete proof they received the goods which is nearly impossible to provide.

          Basically, the only thing you can accept for an in-person sale is cash. For larger purcahses (eg a Car) a Bank Cheque is also acceptable, particularly given it's going to be harder for them to disappear with a car.

          For non-in person sales the only safe methods (for the seller) are bank deposit - and you MUST MUST MUST WAIT until you see the money in your account before you send / hand over the goods. Receipts are trivial to fake. Alternatively money transfers like western union etc I hear work, but they're so often used by scammers selling things (because they cant be reversed) I wouldn't trust them as a buyer.

          With bank transfers as a buyer you want to know something about the trustworthiness of the seller as well, specifically because it's really hard to get your money back (Impossible without the police involved).

          If you're a buyer PayPal is very safe, precisely for the same reason it's not safe as a seller.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/01/2018 - 00:01
          +1

          @Bargs:

          Personally i would have just recorded the whole thing just to have proof or at least have audio of the exchange it will help in case of paypal dispute. Also have another person their to verfiy is also good.

        • Smarch on 14/01/2018 - 08:14
          +1

          I worked with an online retailer, we once had a dispute raised in PayPal by a customer saying they never received their delivery.

          We provided to PayPal a shipping consignment number and a proof of delivery from the courier with the signature that matched the name of the person that placed the order and PayPal still sided with the buyer in the dispute.

          I have no idea what else could have been provided to prove delivery had been made and accepted by the purchaser but as a seller I would never trust PayPal, they always side with the purchaser.

      • elgrande on 13/01/2018 - 13:39

        I avoid paypal for this reason.

        They can claw back even once in your bank account.. too much power I think.

  • sraymond on 11/01/2018 - 00:00
    +19

    Sadly nobody can help you. Hopefully this post can help others. There should be one or two people who don’t realise that screen shots can be photoshopped.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/01/2018 - 11:12
      +2

      Don’t even need to photoshop. I won’t say it here but a ten year old could do it in ten seconds.

      • Korban Dallas on 13/01/2018 - 15:38

        Edit the html and boom

      • Smol Cat on 13/01/2018 - 19:05
        +1

        What he's alluding to here is that anyone can edit the information on any website via the browser and take a screen shot from there. This is still something that most people haven't realized is possible, but it is so easy to do. You can change any text/value in a matter of seconds.

        Never trust a screen shot when it comes to dealing with money. I wouldn't even trust being shown on someone else's phone/device as they can spoof apps. You need to see the money in your account cleared.

  • [Deactivated] on 11/01/2018 - 00:00
    +21

    You are a long shot from recovering this or even finding this guy. Bad luck on your part but you should always deal in cash or await payment to clear.

    I'd suggest calling westpac to confirm if the account details he used in the screen capture is real or not (yes or no if account is held with westpac - they can't give information away beyond that) just so you have more information to give to the police.

    All the best

    • ccvonlineoz on 11/01/2018 - 00:07

      Thanks. Westpac confirmed that payment did not go through, that's it.

      • follow on 11/01/2018 - 00:48
        +3

        damn. only way left is through the courts. if his bank details are correct, and IF he is still in this country, you can send a letter of demand. ensure he receives it. next, after no response take him to small claims. if he doesn't show up, get a default judgement. now you can apply for a garnish of his account.

      • [Deactivated] on 11/01/2018 - 13:12
        +3

        westpac would have only confirmed if you received payment (i.e. if it went through).

        You can ask if the account exists (the one in the screenshot) so that you can know whether that detail is useful or not. Call and ask 'does these account details exist'

  • zonra on 11/01/2018 - 00:44
    +36

    Unfortunately it’s a case of live and learn.
    Always, and I mean always, wait until you see the funds in your account yourself, treat any screencaps/receipt emails sent to you as fake.
    As for pursuing it, it doesn’t hurt to try, but imho chances are slims.
    Facebook names and profile can well be fake, and if it wasn’t, the guy (assuming you do get to him) can just say it was hacked.

    Also, even if buyer transfers money in front of your eyes, do not give the goods away.
    Happened to me, luckily I was the buyer, went to the seller’s house to buy a used car, tranferred 7k to their acc in front of them, they gave us all keys, paperwork and we left.
    A few days later we noticed we still have 7k and the car, turned out the bank stopped the transaction (probably due to unusual location and high ammount). We got in touch with seller and paid again, which went through.
    TL;DR: no money in your account, no handing goods over.

    • MathNerd on 11/01/2018 - 13:30
      +13

      A few days later we noticed we still have 7k and the car, turned out the bank stopped the transaction (probably due to unusual location and high ammount). We got in touch with seller and paid again, which went through.

      Good on you zonra.

      • zeomega on 11/01/2018 - 23:28
        +21

        As much as i'd like to say "good on you" as well. Problem is, shouldn't this be the norm? Shouldn't honesty be the only policy? Why do we need to praise people for being honest? I feel the world has really gone to shits with all the materialism in life and people wanting more than they can spend, thus killing the faith of mankind.

        • Blitzfx on 11/01/2018 - 23:55
          +1

          Car is riskier to steal. They can just report the VIN and registration number and then they're (profanity) when they get pulled over for anything or cops ride up behind them with the scanner.

        • TrendyTim on 12/01/2018 - 12:59
          +1

          @Blitzfx:
          Not if all the paper work is signed, which it typically would be.

          Although i hear that shortly after Australia day instant transfers between banks will go live.

          What they need next is escrow transfers, the buyer transfers as an escrow, the buyer "accepts it" and you should be able to get a verified picture of them, confirm identity, then release the funds.

          If any issues then a process to sort it out.

        • [Deactivated] on 12/01/2018 - 21:53

          Honestly, it is the norm in my experience, but that doesn't mean scammers aren't everywhere. A few people manage to generate a lot of scams, because it works, they make a lot of money doing this sort of thing. Thousands of dollars worth of phones just for having no morals is going to be attractive to some people.

          The guy doing this with phones probably trued the same scam a thousand times, it probably worked 20-50 of those. That's a lot of money, they then can just leave the country when the heat is on.

        • BartholemewH on 12/01/2018 - 22:52
          +1

          I would have paid 6300 the second time, keeping the 10% finders fee for myself.

        • lansalot on 13/01/2018 - 10:58
          +2

          I did the same, organised a $16,000 bank cheque for a car, hand it to the guy and drive off. He called me later that day, the banker hadn't signed the cheque. I met him in a branch and sorted it out. What goes around comes around in my opinion. A year later my wife gets a job, is made redundant a week later when the HR company she was working for lost its contract to a mining company… After only working there a little over a week they pay her out 4 weeks redundancy and let us buy the $20,000 Patrol that she was using as a company car for $6,000.

    • Seni0r El Cheapo on 11/01/2018 - 21:25
      +2

      Hobby developer here - you can mimic a banking app easy ( using simple screenshots ). Wait until you actually see payment in your account is always wise.

      • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:43

        One you receive payment from a bank deposit their is no way it can be recalled or disputed fraudulently to undo their payment, right?

        • Seni0r El Cheapo on 12/01/2018 - 01:01

          Most probably no. But you can always call the bank and say that your phone was hacked or something and cancel the pending transaction. The transfer delay between two unknown accounts is to handle such situations ( my assumption ).

        • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 01:47
          +1

          @chootar-singh:

          but i meant received payment as in you see the money in your bank account (Deposited) - in which case the person sending it technically shuld have had their bank processed it already, and therefore too late to cancel i would have thought??

      • Suspect420 on 12/01/2018 - 05:53
        +6

        I would like a new hobby developed. Can you help?

        • abb on 12/01/2018 - 08:51
          +3

          Kite skateboarding.

        • Seni0r El Cheapo on 12/01/2018 - 11:58
          +2

          Begin with creating a new thread on ozbargain and hunt for free courses on udemy. You are welcome.

        • Suspect420 on 12/01/2018 - 12:36
          +1

          @chootar-singh: not a very good hobby developer.

          Was expecting some personalised questions 😂 and then a week of anxious waiting.

        • Antikythera on 13/01/2018 - 01:10

          @Suspect420:

          perhaps you were expecting a hobby hobby developer? this guy is a professional hobby developer.

    • [Deactivated] on 12/01/2018 - 21:48

      I bought something COD years ago, Australia Post just dropped it next to the letter box. No signature, didn't collect the money. I contacted the seller and gave them the money via bank deposit, but it's safe to say they were pretty pissed at Australia Post.

      • zonra on 13/01/2018 - 00:29

        Wow, I honestly didn’t know Auspost offered COD service.
        The asking fees are probably why I haven’t come across them. (Not saying they’re ridiculous, just that they would significantly eat into sales’ profit)

        • mavis30551 on 13/01/2018 - 10:54
          +1

          doesnt COD offer insurance?

          Id offer for him to make a claim for insurance and then split the insurance money (still give him the cash for the goods).

          Though its probably not morally right it would serve Aus post right. Saying that, I probably wouldn't do it, I tend to do the right thing usually but id consider it.

        • gravewax on 14/01/2018 - 12:49
          +1

          @mavis30551: morality is the least of your concerns. you are committing insurance fraud, trusting someone you hardly know to keep quiet about you committing a felony is pretty ballsy, wanna be a huge payday to be worth the risk of prison. Hell they could turn you in just for offering.

        • kelza83 on 19/03/2018 - 10:32

          @mavis30551: aust post is pretty bad. They deserve to compensate. Perhaps this isn’t the way. I dunno. I’d be tempted too just to teach them a lesson.

  • sween64 on 11/01/2018 - 00:48
    +3

    Be polite and patient with the police and you might get somewhere but I doubt it. I'd say he committed fraud but it could be hard to prosecute.

  • bobbified on 11/01/2018 - 06:48
    +29

    there was another guy picking up his number and told me he has gone back to India.

    I'm willing to bet my gonads that he is still in the country and asking someone else to lie for him (in the hope you give up chasing). There aren't many reasons why someone would leave their sim in a charged-up phone here after they've left the country.

    (Good chance that sim is in a brand new iPhone X!)

    • ccvonlineoz on 11/01/2018 - 07:25

      That was my thought.

      • follow on 11/01/2018 - 08:26
        +8

        Do you not have the IMEI no's

        • dust on 11/01/2018 - 09:54
          +6

          This. If you do, the iPhones will be worthless.

        • ccvonlineoz on 11/01/2018 - 10:09
          -1

          Unfortunately, i don’t have.

        • follow on 11/01/2018 - 10:13

          @ccvonlineoz: where did you buy from?

        • follow on 11/01/2018 - 10:43
          +4

          @ccvonlineoz: ask them? they may have receipt and you can then retrieve it then block the phone

        • bobbified on 11/01/2018 - 11:11
          +30

          @ZubatRingo:

          ask them?

          I'd be pretty annoyed if I gave an iphone to someone as a present to find out later that they were selling it for cash!

        • ccvonlineoz on 11/01/2018 - 11:13

          @ZubatRingo: i will try.

        • ccvonlineoz on 11/01/2018 - 11:15
          +1

          @bobbified: We have already upgraded contract and have iPhone X so there is no need to have same phones.

        • follow on 11/01/2018 - 11:16
          +1

          @bobbified: no need to mention you were selling. just say it was stolen

        • dcep on 11/01/2018 - 12:37

          @ccvonlineoz:

          unless they're clever enough to sell it overseas, it'll most likely be on gumtree

          and 1 day there will be simcard inserted on the iphone, that's when you can block the phone using the imei on the invoice

        • xuqi on 11/01/2018 - 19:53
          +1

          @ccvonlineoz:

          Find out where they were purchased and proof of purchase to prove ownership, then contact Apple and report them stolen. Once Black listed they will be paperweight. It won't stop the same prick screwing other unsuspecting people as he will most likely sell them to other unsuspecting buyers.

        • yellowfever on 11/01/2018 - 20:11
          +14

          @ccvonlineoz:
          If you already have 2 iphone x and another 2 iphone x were stolen thru scam then you are comfortablly well off enough to stupidly lose them. There's nothing else you can do unless you have the IMEI number.
          No point wasting the authorities time and resources to investigate this stupidity.
          More so ozbargainers time from finding decent deals! Lol

        • marbles on 11/01/2018 - 20:33
          +3

          @xuqi:
          No, Apple won't do anything (Activation Lock) if the iphone has never been activated. Apple cannot IMEI block, only Telco's can.
          No Telco will IMEI block unless the phone has been registered/used on their network.

          The police do have the ability to track the IMEI (if you have them) if used on a AU Telco service but are loathed to do so.

        • follow on 11/01/2018 - 20:34
          +2

          @kofs2s: bit harsh m8

        • marbles on 11/01/2018 - 20:49

          @phunkydude:
          No you can't. Your Telco will only IMEI block a phone that has been used on your account.

        • SaberX on 12/01/2018 - 00:44

          @marbles:

          wait - so a brand new phoen with IMEI that's never been opened can never (if stolen) be blocked? AN IMEI/phone has to be used at least once before all telcos can IMEI block it??

        • [Deactivated] on 12/01/2018 - 08:07
          +13

          @ZubatRingo: I think @kofs2s hit the nail on the head. Sorry but OP sounds a little dodgy too!? Who is dumb enough to hand over $3500 worth of "legitimate" goods without seeing the cash in your hand or money in your account!?

        • theguyrules on 12/01/2018 - 08:32
          +6

          @dazzz73: yeah I think OP is just trolling.

        • [Deactivated] on 12/01/2018 - 13:21
          +5

          @ccvonlineoz:

          You got given two iPhone X's for Christmas, each one by a different person? Right…

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