Scam Response To My Car Ad on Gumtree

WPExpress on 08/07/2020 - 14:18
Last edited 08/07/2020 - 14:26 by 1 other user

Hey ya peeps,

I am selling my car on Gumtree and I get a response from one of the interested party. Wondering if anyone has experienced something similar. Seems so dodgy and abnormal. Looking forward to your feedback.

Email From the buyer below :

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 of the corona virus isues, I cannot cross the border, I will be here spending my leave with the new family till August 2020, but I have a personal representative agent that will be able to cross all borders and 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.

Automotive

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Comments

  • khued on 09/07/2020 - 09:12

    Selling car. Chasing lolz, chuck on gumtree. Chasing $$$, chuck on carsales. Amirite?

  • hopper on 09/07/2020 - 09:23

    Recently I posted ad for selling my new ipad. got a reply asking for invoice, forwarded it. and then got reply that he needs time to think. I later checked his profile and found that he is also selling the ipad (which he got as gift) and then he adjusted the price as per my invoice.

    Later in the day: Looked into mirror and found a jackass.

    • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 09:53

      Isn't that silly? One can get the prices online?

      • hopper on 09/07/2020 - 10:20
        +1

        it was ipad pro 2018 (discontinued)

        • cheapaschips on 09/07/2020 - 12:35
          +5

          You realise he asked for your receipt to most likely provide with his sale.

          His iPad was probably stolen but with your receipt now it can look legitimate to a buyer who requests it.

  • funnysht on 09/07/2020 - 09:27
    +4

    https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk02lS6bTn83WrYqZZ6Hv…

    (search the first line of the email in google)

    Or it could be all a concidence and this guy has been trying to find a seller from Exmouth…

  • frostman on 09/07/2020 - 09:28
    +1

    lol i had the same response to my ad last year…almost exactly except not in WA - they're scams.

  • macdaddyjordan on 09/07/2020 - 09:32
    +1

    Dude

    you should play along with the scam

    give him a bogus name and see where it goes from there

    lol

    • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 09:51
      +2

      Haha. Who has the time for this. There is so much going on in life already.

      • macdaddyjordan on 09/07/2020 - 15:07
        +1

        lol yeh i guess

        ive been wfh during this pandemic so i have slightly more time

        i received a call yesterday from 07 number and saying that my internet has been compromised. multiple users have iniltrated my network and changing a password wont help lol

        i played along for like 10 minutes and their manager got on the phone and basically got upset with me coz i asked them how are people infiltrating my network if im on a vpn? and he goes on to tell me that why are you using vpn? you must be doing something dodgy, you are not allowed to use vpn accord australia law you are doing something illegal. and so in the end i continue to play dumb and ask so do i still give you remote access to fix my comp even tho im on a vpn? and he hung up haha

        • skid on 09/07/2020 - 15:11

          haha @ vpn and hang up. Indian accent saying they are from NBN, Telstra or national security? Have you ever signed up to TPG out of interest?

          • macdaddyjordan on 09/07/2020 - 15:30

            @skid: lols no i havent with TPG

            ive only been with telstra for last few years.

            it was a weird scam tho. they called me on my optus prepaid sim which is my burner, i change it every month. my nbn is with telstra. so immediately could tell this does not add up at all haha

  • ZSasha on 09/07/2020 - 09:47
    +1

    To summarise - never accept payments from strangers into your bank account because the money could be sent from hacked/stolen account and taken back later?? How to sell stuff in that case??

    • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 09:52
      +1

      How can the person reverse the transaction unless approved by the recipient.

      • ZSasha on 09/07/2020 - 09:53

        I personally have no idea how but that's what people were saying above…

      • Quantumcat on 09/07/2020 - 10:04

        The bank will reverse it after the person whose account was hacked complains about it.

        Banks won't usually agree to reverse a bank transfer that you made yourself on purpose because you changed your mind or were scammed etc. But the bank can still reverse transactions that you didn't make if your account was hacked

        • ZSasha on 09/07/2020 - 13:36

          So how to trade safely then? Looks like a Buyer has no way to be 100% sure the money that just came into their account would stay there?

          P.S.
          I remember seeing a clause in my bank's T&C saying something that if I let my online login details to be known by someone and that someone makes any transactions - it would be only my problem and the bank can't be held liable for that.
          Isn't this the case anymore?

  • WreckTangle on 09/07/2020 - 09:55

    If the money goes into your account in full & you transfer it nice and safe to a different account before you release the car, wouldn”t that be ok?

    • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 09:56

      I believe it is okay then.

      • anzacpaul on 09/07/2020 - 11:51

        no it isn't.

      • gromit on 09/07/2020 - 13:57
        +2

        not at all. The funds can still be reclaimed from you if they are paid from someone else account (e.g. stolen account details).

    • Quantumcat on 09/07/2020 - 10:05

      Your account will just go into the red then if it gets reversed and you'll owe the bank the money

  • Tomato on 09/07/2020 - 10:47

    i had another type of scam a few years ago trying to sell my car, found an additional photo in my gumtree that says i m not receiving gumtree messages and to email enquiries to an email that belongs to the scammer! so he must hv hacked into my account n put in the extra photo without me realising after some time!

  • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 11:09
    -4

    I have this new message now.

    Hello I have been looking for a suzuki for my grand daughter. I live at Erina and could be where you are in the next few hours if your in. please advise if this suits kind regards (Mod: personal details removed) anytime.

    Then I responded yes feel free to inspect.

    This is the next msg

    Hi there I’m going to leave Gosford at 11am and should be at your address say 1215 but before 1300 hrs is this ok with you I’ll b in a white falcon wagon. Kind regards (Mod: personal details removed)

    So hard to find what is genuine and what not. What happened to the good old days of trust and reliability.
    I don't know what to do now.

    • Samsungnote10 on 09/07/2020 - 11:17

      if its the brother of Chuck Norris, you might be in a trouble
      no one messes with the norris family

    • Mr BoMBAStiG on 09/07/2020 - 11:20
      +3

      Seems legit. I'd suggest meeting in a carpark near your place if you don't want to give out your address.

      If you are going to give your address, the best strategy I have used is arranging a time and tell the person to contact you just before they leave to come to yours and you will give address then. Had many people go silent as soon as they have my address which is concerning.

      • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 11:22

        But what can one do with an address. Anyone can get any random address.

        • Mr BoMBAStiG on 09/07/2020 - 11:24

          Not much unless they choose to target you for ID theft. If they have your name, email, phone and address they just need to steal a card/bill from your mailbox and they almost have enough to imitate you.

          • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 11:50

            @Mr BoMBAStiG: Everything is online these days.name and number is a requirement for any communication? Using an alias is so dodgy me thinks.
            The point I am making is , anyone selling anything on on any website wll need to reveal the name and contact details at some point?

            • Yummy on 09/07/2020 - 17:37
              +1

              @WPExpress: Meet your buyer at Popo's house. 100% safe. Dont forget to bring donuts.

              No need to thank me.

              • Ti-au on 09/07/2020 - 23:46

                @Yummy: upvoted because of donuts = Yummy.

                Can all of 0zB turn up at the sale?

    • fruxo on 09/07/2020 - 13:48
      +2

      Don't post someone's details (phone number etc).. that's just rude.

      There's no reason to believe that's a scam yet, all he's doing is asking to stop by and have a look. Like anyone would.

    • Pantagonist on 09/07/2020 - 15:10

      I don't know what to do now.

      Give them a call if they provided their phone number?

      Nothing about what they've written seems dodgy to me.

      Methinks you just need more practice selling stuff on Gumtree.

  • TK Deadwalker on 09/07/2020 - 11:20

    Are weddings even allowed with the coronavirus and the lockdowns?

    Looks like they may have missed a detail.

  • steko on 09/07/2020 - 12:18

    I've had similar attempts on my Gumtree ads. They send you a fake transaction receipt but overpay you a certain amount, then you have to pre-pay the extra money to their 'agent' before the actualy money clears into your account. Also, they've always got a reason why they can only do email communication. Had fun stringing him along for a while, wasting his time while I reported him (and his Bank Account details) to scamwatch.

  • sleepyowl on 09/07/2020 - 13:50

    lmao that is such a blatant scam, it reads exactly like someone trying to hustle you. Died at the excuse for not being able to speak on the phone HAHAHA

  • jabbathepom on 09/07/2020 - 14:05
    +1

    I wonder if a thread like this is the perfect way to get localised feedback on how to make these scams more convincing.

  • dufflover on 09/07/2020 - 14:31

    If it wasn't for the risk that you really do get paid but it's stolen account details, I wouldn't mind stringing them along and just have to say sorry, no funds cleared, no sale.

  • No ONE on 09/07/2020 - 14:33
    -2

    Open additional saving account, give account detail to scammer, wait for money. Move the money, close the account and block the user. You have successfully avoided a scam.

    Cheers.

    • gromit on 11/07/2020 - 21:41

      You missed final steps. Money paid from stolen account, bank reverses transaction demands payment from you. Closing account and moving money will not stop them coming after the money

  • TRANCE on 09/07/2020 - 14:35

    When I was selling a $3k laptop I got a whopping 10+ scam responses. Ended up putting it on ebay and copping the fee, gumtree is just a shitshow.

  • Raj09 on 09/07/2020 - 15:45
    +1

    Looks dodgy. How about you say you prefer face to face meeting? If the purchaser is genuine, he'll do the needful. I had a similar email before when selling some stuff. I asked to see someone face to face. He then arranged with a friend to have a look and pay. That was some time before lockdown chapter 1. Covid was already in mind

    • BartholemewH on 10/07/2020 - 12:41

      Plus for 'do the needful'.

  • BuDWiZe on 09/07/2020 - 16:23

    Sell your stuff elsewhere gumtree is a shithole of scammers or assholes wanting you to give your shit to them for free

  • IanC on 09/07/2020 - 16:24

    Sold a car on car sales.com a year back.
    Similar sight unseen buyer one hour after posting

    Total scam…straight to bin and delete.

  • Windows98 on 09/07/2020 - 16:26

    You mouth be better off selling the car to a dealership

  • ghostdom on 09/07/2020 - 17:10

    this cannot be any more scam. lol

  • Sr11 on 09/07/2020 - 17:18

    Definitely a scam. Tell him to send a bank guaranteed cheque with his courier to you.

    Should he agreed (which he wont), go with the courier to deposit it.

    This is the safest.

  • FlexBargain on 09/07/2020 - 17:42

    So you sold the car yet or what OP??

    • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 18:34
      +1

      Yes it been sold now. Got paid in cash

      • [Deactivated] on 09/07/2020 - 19:00
        +1

        Glad to hear you were able to sell.

        Was it to a different buyer? Or the same person/scammer described in your OP?

        • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 19:20

          It was a different person . Gumtree reference. They came they saw. Test drove . 15 mins and deal done

        • WPExpress on 09/07/2020 - 19:21

          It isn't that hard actually. I have bought cars in gumtree aswell. Just that these scams are new to me

          • [Deactivated] on 09/07/2020 - 21:14

            @WPExpress: Nice.

            Tell-tale signs of scams usually involve some sort of elaborate story (ie. bullsh*t) as to why the person can't do a face-to-face transaction, can't meet in person, can't talk via phone or video call, can't provide any kind of identity verification, etc.

  • ankor on 09/07/2020 - 19:28

    You're asking an awful lot of questions relating to how to scam someone on gumtree! :P

    Don't be this guy!

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53309873

  • Zachary on 09/07/2020 - 19:49

    Ask them to pay in cash fully and send to your postal address. If they really want it, they will risk it. Can't reverse a cash transaction.

  • Punda on 09/07/2020 - 19:49

    Someone tried to scam my nephew saying he did a typo and transferred 8800 instead of 8000 and can he please transfer the extra 800 back to his account. They definitely try anything.

  • Youi2018 on 09/07/2020 - 20:43
    +1

    Gumtree has just become scam central . I was selling a gold necklace . Someone messaged me saying they were from Adelaide and they needed the necklace posted i said fine and sent my bank details at their request . Then they said “ their friend “ from Melbourne had deposited the money in my account and wanted to come pick it up that evening. I checked my account and it was a cheque deposit that had not cleared yet . I said i will not give the necklace until the cheque has cleared . Sure enough next morning cheque was reported as stolen

    Then selling a handbag last week , gave my bank deposit details because they wanted it posted out . Person said they paid but nothing in my account. They then sent me a made up deposit screenshot . Waited two more days still nothing in my account . She wanted me to post the item without actually paying. Didnt fall for that

    The best bet on gumtree is just cash on pick up . Just stick to that . Anything else is very likely a scam

  • HASS on 09/07/2020 - 21:31

    Defia scam. Report it

  • HASS on 09/07/2020 - 21:31

    Definitely its a scam. Report it

  • ohdarn on 09/07/2020 - 22:28
    +1

    Seen this a few times on gumtree when selling my vehicle. They usually state that they're on an oil rig or in NZ etc…

    I play along, then when I obtain their bank account details, I call up their bank, report and forward the evidence.

    Whilst this may seem like a bit of work, it could potentially save some sucker.

  • peterw1 on 09/07/2020 - 22:40
    +1

    why couldn't his representative courier agent bring the cash? After all he is trusting him with the vehicle and the buyer doesn't need to carry cash, his representative courier agent can.

  • aussie bargain on 09/07/2020 - 23:26

    As others have pointed out, definite scam.

    Some tips for clarity: Unless the bank can absolutely prove that you are complicit in a crime, then they cannot simply take cleared funds from your bank account. You can tell that the funds are cleared and all yours when it is part of your "available balance". In most instances, your bank will call you to discuss and "ask nicely" prior to debiting your account.

    Banks go to great lengths to make sure that they are allowed to debit their customer's account as this is one of their core functions, so don't simply trust online forums as the exact situations can be different from yours.

    Source: I have worked in the areas of banks who are involved in the processing and managing of payments for many years. I have also had recent experience where another bank called me to debit 10c from my account as it was erroneously deposited twice during processing.

  • 7am on 10/07/2020 - 07:59
    +3

    I've seen this all before, even in reverse where I was the buyer looking to buy the car. The seller gave me this exact same spiel, they were in the Army and would arrange to send the car by courier after wiring money.

    Plot twist, I live one street away from the car I was looking to buy and I went straight up to them and asked if the car was for sale. No, obviously.

    Play it safe and don't waste time on this kind of scenario.

    • JuryWheel on 10/07/2020 - 09:15

      YES! me too!

  • DarkOz on 10/07/2020 - 08:13

    My father in law recently walked into a reputable second hand car dealer. Checked out a car with a price tag of $5,000 and offered $4,500 cash on the spot. The dealer agreed with the transfer/transaction made on the spot and he simply drove the car home.

    What makes you think your second hand car is so good that someone with so much trouble goes through so much to buy it off you? There is only one answer. SCAM!

  • JuryWheel on 10/07/2020 - 09:10

    haha, ive had one of these also but i was going to buy a car. There are some truely disturbing things on carsales…

  • grr1701 on 10/07/2020 - 09:35

    I got EXACTLY the same email when I was selling our Mazda 2 earlier this week. Even when I replied that the car had already be sold, the person persisted with wanting to buy it. He says he’s from WA but I’m in North Queensland!!?

    • BartholemewH on 10/07/2020 - 12:49
      +1

      WA = Western Algeria.

  • greatlamp on 10/07/2020 - 12:57
    +1

    Gumtree is so full of scammers it is worth using a prepaid mobile number and separate email address for listings

    Don't be surprised if your mobile number starts getting scam calls and sms scams

  • pharkurnell on 10/07/2020 - 16:46

    Cash or tell your story walkin'…

  • Kkuba on 10/07/2020 - 16:57

    I've posted this before in a similar thread, but here goes anyway:

    Funny story, a close family friend of ours is a tour guide who takes foreigners (from his native country) on tours in the Australian outback. He uses Toyotas for his trips. Turns them over every X number of years, maintains them meticulously, and sells them with ultra-high KMs.

    Anyway, I believe one year year he was selling his Prado, it had high KMs, and so he listed it as the cheapest one on carsales for that year by a significant amount.

    He got an email saying "I'm from a mining company… would like to buy your vehicle…will be coming from interstate…etc."

    Friend was apprehensive about the situation, but organised for the guy to come see/buy the car, gave him his bank details (as requested), and waited.

    Started to become more and more worried that this was a scam.

    Day before the meet up, he logged into this online bank, found the full amount for the car had been deposited in his account. o_0

    Next day, the guy arrived in a taxi from the airport, at the agreed time, got out, had a look around the car said "WOW! it's even better condition that I expected, it looks fantastic! Look, I gotta run and get this car back to Kalgoorlie by Friday, here is the paper work, please sign your name….etc."

    Signed the papers, and off he went. And that was it.

    It seems there are situations where mining companies want quality workhorse vehicles for cheap (as in the case of my story). I wonder if they are now lamenting the fact that scammers have probably made it much harder for them the buy vehicles in this way.

  • HangryCakeStore on 10/07/2020 - 17:34

    Scumtrees full of bogans, go figure

    This is like the 3rd scam forum in a month

  • Blue Cat on 10/07/2020 - 21:12
    +1

    It's even more awful that Gumtree encourages people to use PayPal for payments… Yikes!
    Not only will ATO jump on your ass eventually (if you sell often), you also enter a world of getting scammed as fast as possible!

  • furyou on 10/07/2020 - 23:25
    +1

    How do you know it's a scam? In Gumtree if they don't say "what's your best price" or offer you 50% what you put "for cash" it's probably not real…
    These bastards aren't even here, they have whole companies that do scams in India, all day every day. There's a doco on BBC

  • El cheepo on 11/07/2020 - 10:46
    +1

    It’s funny I clearly look at that message and think - what an obvious load of rubbish… Scam!

    But I actually sold a leather couch on gumtree to someone with a story as ridiculous As that haha.

    It was a old school original leather chesterfield couch and they wanted to buy it with no inspection, just cash paid into my account and then arrange their friends brother to come get it and deliver it 500km away…

    Told them they need to send cash with their friends brother or no dice. They agreed then on the day said they said he is unable to make it. (Eyeroll)

    Told them it’s no go then.

    Then the story got better,
    Something like needing the couch badly for their shop they are planning on opening and the courier needs to be organised this week etc etc
    Told them to ring me but got nothing back

    I was still convinced it was just a stupid scam so screwed with them a fair bit on and off over a few days before just outright saying i think its a scam.

    They did ring in the end, explaining their story which still sounded suspicious. Gave me a Facebook acc of their shop to look up - still suspicious

    I gave in and said ok… payid only. They did it, but not immediately which worried me.

    Few days later a courier came and the couch was gone and i was still sitting at home wondering if they can somehow get the money back.

    In the end, i kept the money, they were real, the shop was real and i saw the couch on their Facebook page a week later.
    kudos to them for putting up with me haha

    TLDR;
    Gumtree person sounded very suspicious and suggested known scam tactics to try buy my couch.
    Result was i gave it to them even with some doubts and was ok.

    I’m in no way saying anyone should ever sell a car this way, thats crazy.
    But just thought it’s funny that there is a few legitimate people that look as suspicious as a scammer on gumtree.

  • Samsungnote10 on 11/07/2020 - 22:33

    im selling something digital, and got the usual scam msgs,

    unsual contact
    got one that actually didnt have a silly name, had some positive feedback but a 2020 account , and a pic of a middle aged white woman,
    got the story of she had been ripped off before and was worried,
    I told her no paypal, only payid, she agreed,
    asked me a lot of questions about the item, even asked me if I had the reciept,
    I said I would send after payment,
    so she agreed and said she would arrange payid
    an hour later, she said lets do paypal, which I said no, and then no contact,

    so I sent a msg saying "youre from nigeria arent you?"
    she replied "yeah, how on earth did you guess?"

    this one was a more convincing scammer

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