Gumtree User Contacting Me on WhatsApp and Asking to Use Aramex for Shipping?

ASOT on 01/07/2022 - 15:00

I'm selling clothes on Gumtree, listed an item recently and got a message today on Whatsapp from a number in Georgia (+995) asking if I could post the item over to them. I had listed my phone number on the ad, but didn't mention that I had whatsapp, or wanted to be contacted there. They said they live in Brisbane, and want it sent through Aramex (I'd never heard of this company before today). They also said they'll pay for the shipping.

Sounds like a scam to me, but what do you guys think? I would always get buyers to send the money first, but I'm wondering how this scam (if it is one) works.

General Discussion

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Gumtree
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Aramex
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Comments

  • jv on 01/07/2022 - 15:01
    +19

    Sounds like a scam to me

    • SF3 on 01/07/2022 - 15:21
      +12

      yep

      Georgia (+995)
      They said they live in Brisbane

      LOL

      • jv on 01/07/2022 - 15:23
        -1

        Georgia (+995)

        Found some more info…

    • HeWhoKnows on 02/07/2022 - 20:20

      Yep Stay well away

  • spackbace on 01/07/2022 - 15:02
    +11

    Cash in person

    Nothing else

    • Drakesy on 01/07/2022 - 15:04
      +4

      Was going to give the benefit of the doubt but Op Has been here for 2 years
      You'd think there'd of been enough of these posts already demonstrating the need to do just this.

      • ASOT on 01/07/2022 - 15:17
        -2

        I don't browse these forums much.

        • Drakesy on 01/07/2022 - 15:18
          +13

          What i don't understand how a Georgian Phone number claiming to live in Brisbane conversing through Whatsapp (so Gumtree doesn't get any evidence when you eventually get scammed) doesn't set off any alarm bells.

    • foxmulder on 01/07/2022 - 15:06
      -8

      If you are only selling to your local, you will be limited to your local, the person seem genuine. Use transdirect to organize Aramex/Fastway. Give her your bank details and the amount needed for the item to be shipped.

      • thegamerulez on 01/07/2022 - 15:14
        +5

        How did you deduce that the person seems genuine?

      • whatwasherproblem on 01/07/2022 - 15:20
        +2

        Give her your bank details

        Pretty sure OP didn't mention a gender, so how do you know?

        Sus…

        • LFO on 02/07/2022 - 11:23

          Hint: "clothes" …

      • foxmulder on 01/07/2022 - 15:35
        -2

        Sorry I meant if you see money in the bank, and it's only clothes not an Iphone, I dont see why not.

        • spackbace on 01/07/2022 - 15:42
          +2

          and it's only clothes

          Clothes can easily be worth more than an iphone

          Plus some people generally don't like being scammed out of their hard earned money? Just a thought…

  • PissLUR on 01/07/2022 - 15:12
    +5

    Block and Report.

  • StraightGuy on 01/07/2022 - 15:15
    +8

    This is a very common scam on gumtree.

    List a car for sale and you will also get a good offer from a Military guy in NT.

  • ASOT on 01/07/2022 - 15:17

    Surely I can just get them to bank transfer me (since they can charge back with PayPal), wait for the funds to arrive, THEN post it out? Could someone explain the scam

    • Drakesy on 01/07/2022 - 15:19
      +9

      The money won't ever arrive though.
      They'll send through a doctored screenshot of the transfer claiming it's in your account then push for you to send them the item.

      • ASOT on 01/07/2022 - 15:35
        +1

        I've had that happen before, won't fall for it.

        • whatwasherproblem on 01/07/2022 - 15:49
          +7

          Sure, but you can "not fall for it" even earlier by realising that the scam follows a pretty consistent script.

      • render on 01/07/2022 - 16:34
        +3

        Even if it arrives they can try to get it reversed claiming it was a mistake

        ePayments Code
        Section 30 "Process where sufficient funds are available and report is made within 10 business days"

  • jellykingdom on 01/07/2022 - 15:26
    +4

    Hey OP i have some magic beans for sale if you're interested

    • steven6 on 01/07/2022 - 15:39
      +1

      I'm interested in some magic beans, can you send them via Aramex?

  • AndyC1 on 01/07/2022 - 15:33
    +4

    Why ask if you think it's dodgy? Ask them to use gumtree email system and in there ask them to meet at McDonalds with the cash on Sunday otherwise forget about it.

  • rektrading on 01/07/2022 - 15:38
    -1

    listed an item recently and got a message today on Whatsapp from a number in Georgia (+995) asking if I could post the item over to them.

    What's the problem?

    The buyer pays and the seller ships. Easy.

  • ASOT on 01/07/2022 - 15:55

    The piece of clothing is only $40 as well, so this seems like a strange thing to scam me for.

    • Gareth on 01/07/2022 - 16:21
      +6

      "I've accidentally transferred you $400. Can you send me the $360 back via Paypal/Osko/Western Union?"

      • ASOT on 01/07/2022 - 16:30

        "No"? Why would anyone transfer that back

        • trustnoone on 01/07/2022 - 16:48
          +6

          Some people do, and this scam does exist AFAIK.

          Essentially they use a stolen credit card to send through say $140 instead of $40. They'll then ask you to refund back the $100. Either to another bank account, gift card to send or maybe even the stolen card itself.

          By the time the person who owns the credit card realises they then get the bank to attempt to charge it back and the initial $140 is gone from your account/statements. But you already have $100 gone from sending through cash/card etc as the refund. I'm guessing even if its to the same account, as its just a transfer, the scammer uses that cash to buy gift cards (so that they can sell them off for some other odd trading currency) and thus both you and the initial owner can't get it reversed.

          • whatwasherproblem on 01/07/2022 - 17:14
            +7

            @trustnoone:

            Some people do, and this scam does exist AFAIK.

            Exactly.

            We can laugh at the scams and wonder to ourselves "who the heck falls for this?" but we're not the targets. The very fact that we're discussing this on an Internet forum means we've got more technical chops/savvy than the people that they're actually aiming for. That we can pattern-match and think things through and determine that things are suss/"too good to be true" immediately disqualifies us from their consideration. Which is fine by the scammers: they're not aiming for us after all, they're aiming for the suckers.

            It's actually a waste of the scammers' time for someone with a positive quantity of common sense to get caught in their trap and then 'wise up' later and bail out. They want people that are certifiably gullible that will believe whatever scripted nonsense the scammer tells them until the very end. That's why most scam calls/texts/emails are deliberately shoddy and suss: if you can tell immediately that it's a scam, then congrats! You got caught in their filter. You're literally too smart for their purposes and they don't want you wasting their time.

      • AndyC1 on 01/07/2022 - 18:25
        +1

        No worries. Please make a request through the police to get the money back.

  • pharkurnell on 01/07/2022 - 16:52
    +15

    nobody would ASK to use Aramex … except possibly Aramex themselves.

  • Donaldhump on 01/07/2022 - 16:58
    +5

    you need 50 people to tell you its a scam

  • Ocker on 01/07/2022 - 17:09
    +5

    I seems you are desperate to make the sale so go ahead, and take your chances.

  • John Kimble on 01/07/2022 - 17:16
    +2

    Aramex themselves are a scam, they only have 1.2 out of 5 on Google 😂

    Edit: Hmmm, much like Telcos and Insurance companies, almost all the main couriers have a similar low rating…so nevermind.

  • poboy on 01/07/2022 - 18:20
    +1

    Always include a note on Gumtree to not use WhatsApp. No good ever comes from a stranger contacting you via WhatsApp.

  • 2esc on 02/07/2022 - 10:00

    Just a simple no. Use payment methods you normally prefer.

  • Dejaar on 02/07/2022 - 11:21

    Scam

  • OzHunterNSW on 02/07/2022 - 11:27
    +1

    Why can't people WAKE UP WAKE UP.

    Just use eBay … you are protected in Ebay

    • ASOT on 02/07/2022 - 12:46
      -1

      Fees though

  • orangehead911 on 02/07/2022 - 12:55

    Scam. I was selling stuff on ebay and the scammer claimed to be on a merchant vessel in the pacific and wanted me to ship to NZ. Told him where to go…

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