Scammed on Gumtree (Sent $950 Seller Didn't Post Goods) - Police Don't Seem to Care?

LMarcusJones on 11/05/2022 - 16:57
Last edited 12/05/2022 - 09:43 by 1 other user

Hey all,

Mostly just need to vent, but was recently ripped off $950 from a seller on Gumtree which is annoying, but I am more disappointed in how little the police care. I have the persons mobile number and bank account details (Australian Bank) and basically when I tried to report it they basically said don't bother there was nothing they could do.

I mean, surely they should at least do a basic investigation with the bank to try and prevent this stuff happening again or at least get the bank account closed? I was able to report it at scamwatch (although they do nothing) and I reported it to my bank who basically said it had been more than 24 hours since depositing the funds, they weren't able to recover any money or help in anyway.

Anyway, guess the lesson is to not trust anyone in this country any more :(.

General Discussion Gumtree

Comments

    • UFO on 14/05/2022 - 20:40
      +2

      And that's exactly how the scammers think. They make it such a good deal that people take the risk because "it's worth it" and don't want to miss out.

      • sackrace on 16/05/2022 - 19:35

        It was a pretty niche product. Not a likely product for a scammer, and the seller had tonnes of detailed pics.

    • Frantic on 15/05/2022 - 02:25

      Yep.. at least you knew you were taking a risk.. you calculated the risk/reward.. that's different to the OP who was completely dumbfounded when he didn't receive any goods.

  • Brumby92 on 14/05/2022 - 10:27

    Paypal my friend. Paypal.

    It is possible to have goods shipped when buying off Gumtree. I've done it before. Bank transfer was a bad move.

  • Canberralad92 on 14/05/2022 - 11:52

    Lol nothing to do with the country mate. There are scammers everywhere - you're just stupid and got played.

    • [Deactivated] on 14/05/2022 - 15:06
      +1

      I disagree. I lived in Japan for 8 years, and never came across as many scams and dishonesty there compared to Australia.

      • lplau on 14/05/2022 - 20:57
        +2

        It still happens, but maybe less. Security in Japan is amazing though, although they have other problems. Like upskirting is a massive issue over there.

    • cookie2 on 26/05/2022 - 06:24
      +1

      I'll say this for all the people, like me, that think the passive aggressive used of "mate" and just f'd the word in general. Mate is not a term used when you are calling a stranger stupid. Idkw this even needs to be said, I feel like it's obvious.

      • Yola on 28/05/2022 - 17:46

        And even more so when you are thanking someone for giving you information. I am not your mate and am probably old enough to be your mother.

  • [Deactivated] on 14/05/2022 - 15:05

    Report it here:

    https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/report

    Not sure what kind of action they will take though

  • lplau on 14/05/2022 - 20:59

    If you have all the details from the other party, you can take them to Small Claims Court if you had that much time to go through the process.
    Police won't help you usually. ACSC might help, but unlikely you will see the money again.
    Usually un-recoverable and small time scammers usually get a slap on the wrist.

  • Frantic on 15/05/2022 - 02:21
    +1

    Be glad its -only- $950.00

    Some folks get done for much worse.

    Treat it like a $950 Udemy course called 'How not to get scammed again'..

    Just please learn from this lesson and don't upgrade to the next course..

    Also.. show me a country where scammers don't exist?? Maybe that island filled with savages that kill anyone on sight?? Or Snake Island??

    Scammers and Opportunists exist everywhere.. I don't mean go all X-Files "Trust No One" but a quick search on here would have saved you $950…

  • USER DC on 15/05/2022 - 06:28

    Had a similar experience, Bank or Police didn't do anything at all,

    I had found it hard way too, Only protected when paying with the VISA/MASTERCARD network

  • RichardZed on 15/05/2022 - 10:06

    I recently sold a retro computer on Gumtree, the guy in another state called me and we ended up chatting for an hour he sent me the money to my bank account and he also organized the pickup and delivery from my premises.
    I was not prepared to use Paypal as they ripped me off $400 many years ago and I have not used them since.
    Sometimes as a buyer you need to make a decision if you want something bad enough , sad that there are so many evil shits in the world that sleep soundly at night with other peoples hard earned money in their bank account.
    This is a life lesson for the OP though , I also believe what goes around comes around .The world has a funny way of evening things out in the long run.

  • diddy50 on 15/05/2022 - 10:18

    You're not responsible, but you must take some responsibility.

    I hope you can recover your money, that sucks. Sorry

  • TehBanga on 15/05/2022 - 21:13

    One of the biggest things people seem to get confused about is what the police are there to do. Police enforce criminal laws and some other minor laws (like environmental laws) but mostly criminal. They aren't there to enforce all types of laws and what you have isn't a criminal law.

    You knowingly, willfully and with consent transferred money to someone. That isn't theft; it wasn't taken against your will. You were scammed which is an illegal action but its a civil action not a criminal one unless its in mass or to an organisation.

    So yes the police won't do anything as its not their place. No different to if you lent a friend $20 and they didn't pay you back. Its a civil manner and needs to be dealt with in such a way. So yeah; quite simply don't get surprised about the police not doing your job. Want it to be addressed. File a case with the relevant tribunal to be heard as a civil matter.

    • Thrawn on 18/05/2022 - 14:13
      +3

      Fraud is a crime…

      Problem for the police though is they have to prove intent to commit fraud, which is very difficult. Eg, item's not lost in the post. Identity (the person you paid is actually the person charged for the offence)

  • MBix on 16/05/2022 - 02:53
    +2

    I sold a laptop I won from JB Hi Fi for around 2.5k via Gumtree and sent it interstate a couple years back. Funnily enough I actually stupidly got scammed selling the same laptop in person when PayID was first introduced and some banks had a caveat of sometimes waiting 24 hours if it was the first time the transfer was made. I believed a fake receipt and gave the dude the laptop like an absolute schmuck. He then went MIA. After a sleepless night I tracked him down on FB by matching the items his fake Gumtree account was selling on market place too, found out through some people that knew him he had been in jail for fraud, so messaged him, his wife and his mother letting them know what he had done and to drop everything back off to me within the hour and I would leave it there. Dude actually brought it back while making up some sob story about his wife cancelling the transfer.

    I obviously got extremely lucky after being so naïve. I then took everything I had to the cops anyways because (profanity) him (his fake receipt, fake Gumtree profile, real name, real everything) they seemed fairly disinterested in it all. Obviously a lot of he said she said type thing makes it hard for the police, but if they've gone to the lengths of faking receipts surely they're committing some sort of fraud.

    Hopefully in your case you might be able to track down the person and do similar, but sadly sounds like it will be a case of a costly lesson :(

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