Got Scammed in Gumtree JB Hi-Fi Gift Card Small Amount - but Still

nguyentran on 10/04/2020 - 18:06
Last edited 10/04/2020 - 18:36 by 1 other user

Hi all,

Typical JB Hi-Fi scam, I purchased JB Hi-Fi gift card online in Gumtree.

The seller seems legit, I even have his Facebook and ABN. After transferring the money, I checked the balance of the gift card, $0 inside. The seller said they have been scammed and will contact JB Hi-Fi to rectify but not transferring my money back. The gift card has been redeemed before I purchased it from him days ago.

It has been back and fourth conversation and he decided to stop talking to me. As reported to the police, they said nothing they can do because he may be defrauded and so they let him go.

To ease the situation, I even offer him just pay me back half of the money and he still resisted and swearing at me that I told him he is a scammer. Just letting you guys know that dont trust anything selling jb hifi gift cards in gumtree.

Police seems do not want to pursue this and JB Hi-Fi doesn't want to deal with me. So next time guys, don't trust anything in Gumtree relating to JB Hi-Fi gift cards.

This is what police said to me:

The suspect in relation to this matter was arrested and participated in a suspect interview with us.

He stated that the gift card was redeemed in Melbourne as a result of him having posted the item online with the gift card and serial number being visible on the add.

He showed us the gift card and explained that he had engaged with you and JB Hi-Fi in order to attempt to rectify this issue.

This was information that was not provided by you, when you initially reported this incident.

I have liaised with JB Hi-Fi who have confirmed that the suspect did attempt to rectify the issue with them.

There is insufficient evidence at this point in time to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the suspect had committed an offence, as it appears that the suspect himself had been defrauded when he had posted the item online.

Please feel free to email me with any questions you have.

General Discussion

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Comments

  • Hybroid on 10/04/2020 - 18:08
    +12

    What should I do right now?

    Absolutely nothing. Lesson learnt.

    Avoid buying off Gumtree in future and avoid buying gift cards, the tiny saving vs risk isn't worth it.

    • nguyentran on 10/04/2020 - 18:10

      Yepp, sometimes I need my brain to be conscious lol.

  • John Kimble on 10/04/2020 - 18:11
    +3

    What should I do right now?

    Have a drink

  • SydStrand on 10/04/2020 - 18:12
    +5

    Gift card + Scumtree. There's unfortunately nothing you can do.

  • kahn on 10/04/2020 - 18:12
    -1

    feel free to email me

    Riiiight.

  • netjock on 10/04/2020 - 18:13
    +1

    You are not the first. There was another thread a few months ago on here

  • holdenmg on 10/04/2020 - 18:13

    ScoMo says "Stay at Home"

  • AustriaBargain on 10/04/2020 - 18:25

    "This was information that was not provided by you, when you initially reported this incident."

    I hope you never need the police for anything that matters in the future, because you've got a mark on your file now.

    • nguyentran on 10/04/2020 - 18:33

      it's not really true about it, he can just try to fake that he contacted JB HIFi can do nothing. beside, I live in QLD, Police is is WA so =)))

  • garetz on 10/04/2020 - 18:25
    +7

    When will people learn, you didnt get scammed, you basically gave away your money yourself.

  • try2bhelpful on 10/04/2020 - 18:37
    +5

    Do not buy these cards from random people on gumtree. You have learnt a valuable lesson.

    • AustriaBargain on 10/04/2020 - 18:52

      Or use the card online in front of them on job website in your phone before handing over cash.

      • TheAccountant on 11/04/2020 - 05:08
        +3

        You can use a physical gift card to buy a digital gift card as a gift on jb hi-fi's website.

        Get the seller to do that and you're sweet.

  • Ughhh on 10/04/2020 - 18:41
    +6

    So next time guys, don't trust anything in Gumtree relating to JB Hi-Fi gift cards.

    If you think this only applies to JB Hifi gift cards, that means you haven't learnt anything.

  • dtxau on 10/04/2020 - 18:52
    +3

    Did you not read this thread: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/510995

    • holdenmg on 10/04/2020 - 20:05

      Well, they posted in it twice…

  • bazza1980 on 10/04/2020 - 18:55
    +1

    don't trust anything in Gumtree relating to JB Hi-Fi gift cards

    Don't trust anyone on Gumtree end of story. Plenty of examples of transactions gone wrong on Gumtree, not just gift cards.

    • TilacVIP on 11/04/2020 - 08:50
      +2

      Plain stupid to say "anyone" as I have bought over 100 things from gumtree (pick up) and not had a single issue. Well, maybe I'm one in a thousand I suppose??

      The majority of Gumtree seller's are legit IMO, it's the percentage of scumbag buyers that give that place a bad rap.

  • CrankyCarrot on 10/04/2020 - 19:04

    No one else curious how much it was?

    • nguyentran on 10/04/2020 - 19:08

      $120 for your information lol

      • CrankyCarrot on 10/04/2020 - 19:10
        +2

        Ouch. I wouldn't call that a small amount personally.

        Damn. I'd be p—-ed.

        Was also wondering if it was the same scenario but the guy hadn't posted visible codes/serials — would the police have then pursued it further?

        • nguyentran on 10/04/2020 - 19:16

          I am not sure about it, I am emailing the police again regarding scammer reckless and ignorant. let see how it goes. Even Police pursue that, I still need to flight to WA costing me roughly $400 to do it. So as per comment above, I just gave away my money myself. $120 is big for student like me but $120 for the lesson that I have learnt I think is worth it. Just letting any naive ozbargain fellows like me no to make this mistake again.

          • CrankyCarrot on 10/04/2020 - 19:22

            @nguyentran: $400 more and flights (interstate?) during the time of lockdowns/pandemic hysteria? I'd say it's loss-cutting time.

            So it was $120 cost for Gift Card(s) of …$100 and $50? $100 and $5? Just had a look at what JB have in those regards. Next single card up from $100 is $250. That might have been a tempting saving but seemed too good to be true surely.

            • nguyentran on 10/04/2020 - 19:25

              @CrankyCarrot: yeah, it was 120 for 140 so I reckon it was tempting and reasonable saving. Yeah lock down, there is no flight come to Brissy heading south right now at the moment. So I just posted here and let other knows before someone decide to do something in Gumtree. Anyway, Enjoy your good Friday lol.

            • nguyentran on 10/04/2020 - 20:06

              @kerfuffle: just $1600 for my new laptop, but with first post, I didnt acquire enough so I need to create another post lol. $120 is 4 hours working T.T

      • TheAccountant on 11/04/2020 - 05:09
        +2

        Next time ask the seller to use the physical gift card to buy a digital gift card as a 'gift' using your email as the recipient on the JB website.

  • grog on 10/04/2020 - 19:47
    +4

    No good coming to W.A you would be refused entry and told to go home probably not be allowed to get off the plane.

    We cannot even go into the south west region or anywhere outside Perth metro

    Checkout this WA internal region border roadblock.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dJPwNqHDDg

    I think is about 40km from Perth CBD

  • holdenmg on 10/04/2020 - 19:57
    +2

    Casino's have better odds, more oversight than Gumtree.

  • Melb69 on 10/04/2020 - 20:04
    +2

    Nothing new here. Move along everyone.

  • CyberMurning on 10/04/2020 - 21:00

    such a simple scam….

    not exciting enough to grab my popcorn…….

  • Cave Fire on 10/04/2020 - 21:56
    +2

    wow, at least they arrested him. Most other people here and online have had larger amounts scammed and they don't get an arrest made.

  • Pimpiticians 4 Life on 10/04/2020 - 22:09
    +4

    BUYING ANY GIFT CARD ON GUMTREE

    The only safe way is message the seller to meet you inside the store (JB HIFI) and have the item/s you want paid for with the gift card and give the seller the cash. Any other method is at your own risk. If the seller wont meet you in store simply move on not worth the hassle or risk.
    Not a good time to be doing this at the moment with the corona virus restrictions in place though.

    • TheAccountant on 11/04/2020 - 05:11
      -1

      Nah, you can use JB physical gift card to buy a 'gift' digital gift card of the same value which is sent to the recipient email.

      • TilacVIP on 11/04/2020 - 08:55

        And if it's paid for but not sent???

        • TheAccountant on 13/04/2020 - 06:33

          The seller enters the buyers email during purchase on the JB website. JB sends the email with the digital gift card to the buyer.

          The seller does not have to manually forward the email and does not have access to the e-gift card number.

          • blurn on 13/04/2020 - 15:09

            @TheAccountant: Could they forward the e-gift card to themselves, change the numbers, then forward that to the customer? Emails can be changed to look like they come from jbhifi.

            • TheAccountant on 14/04/2020 - 20:56

              @blurn: When you receive any email, do you check who sent it? As in the email address. If the email was sent from a domain registered to JB, in this case @jbhifi.com.au, then you should know it came directly from JB.

              If there is something else in the sender field that you don't recognise, obviously it's a scam.

              • blurn on 15/04/2020 - 08:59

                @TheAccountant: The sender's email address can be altered to appear to originate from a jbhifi domain in a process called email spoofing…

                Which is why I wouldn't condone this method..

  • newak on 10/04/2020 - 22:12
    +1

    It sounds like the seller put an ad with the serial number showing and someone used that number to buy something.

    I am wondering whether OP could not see that the ad was showing the serial number. The lesson is probably not to buy a gift card from anywhere(not just gumtree) where the ad shows the serial number.

    • nguyentran on 11/04/2020 - 01:06
      +1

      yeah, i was thinking about it at that time when I saw the listing, he covered the serial number, however, after paying, he told me that he did not cover it and just delete it from listing the day before. At that time, I have smell something is suspicious but looking at info I have been given about the seller, I decided to continue the transaction, was really dump of me.

    • TilacVIP on 11/04/2020 - 08:56

      bit like putting up a pic of your credit card front and back???

  • MS Paint on 11/04/2020 - 00:45
    +1

    Is that quote in the op from the police sent to you directly from a police officer with a legit police email address?

  • TilacVIP on 11/04/2020 - 08:43

    As others have said, risk to reward simply not worth it, especially for giftcards, as you'd only be likely saving 10%.

  • Strikes on 11/04/2020 - 10:18
    +1

    Instead of saying 'Move on', who took the money? if someone deceived, why can't police get money back and charge him so that that person will not repeat in future.

    • ssquid on 11/04/2020 - 14:50

      Someone wandered into a JB store, redeemed the card just by quoting the serial (which isn't meant to be possible but has happened multiple times). JB is scummy and won't reimburse the cardholder.

  • OzHunterNSW on 11/04/2020 - 11:46

    How did you pay?

    PayPal… seek dispute.
    CC… seek a fund return

  • Mentallysick on 11/04/2020 - 11:55
    +2

    Exactly that is what i was thinking. He took your money , he should give you back. regarding other person used it when posted online, The seller should be chasing and you should get your money back from him as he sold you the $0 GC. I was shocked to see the response from cops.

    Makes me feel like i want to sell the $0 GC. Absolute joke from Cops.

    Seems like Cops are encouraging people to do such crime.

    • ssquid on 11/04/2020 - 14:52

      From the cop's point of view it's like someone who unknowingly buys stolen goods; they lose the goods and the money they paid. But in this case the person doing the selling was acting in good faith, so there is no reason to charge them.

  • sky blu on 11/04/2020 - 12:44

    2 questions:

    1- How did you reliably verify the Gift Card has the credit value that you were going to buy off of the seller?

    2- Shouldn't the Gift Card have PIN/Access code that needs to be scratched off in order to use (instore or online? Where was the credit used, you can check this info online.

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