Gumtree - What's The Scam?

JelIyfish on 29/09/2022 - 08:42
Last edited 29/09/2022 - 08:49

I've put something on Gumtree and received a couple of offers to purchase through Auspost courier service.

I'm sure this is a scam but I don't understand how it works.

This seems like a legitimate prepaid service but I image the 'buyer' claims the item was damaged or not as described and the money gets refunded. Can anyone add further detail?

The catch is that I'm trying to move a broken TV that is worth next to nothing. I don't understand what they have to gain.
I'm almost tempted to go along with the scam to get rid of the TV, unless I'd be stuck with huge courier costs?

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Comments

  • pegaxs on 29/09/2022 - 08:46
    +8

    Over payment scam. They will “pretend” send you $1000 and then kick off about it being too much and want a refund, OR, fee forward scam where they will “pretend” to send you more than you need and ask you to forward a portion of it onto a “courier” that will do the pick up. (A hint: there is no courier.)

    • JelIyfish on 29/09/2022 - 08:52

      Ah, got it, thanks.
      Here I was thinking it was a shady electronics repairer trying to get a tv…

  • elgrande on 29/09/2022 - 08:46
    +5

    They will 'send' you extra to cover the courier cost which you pay via western union to the 'courier'

  • sharka on 29/09/2022 - 08:48
    +5

    The scam is that Ausport is a clothing company, not a courier company ;)

    • JelIyfish on 29/09/2022 - 08:50

      I have no idea what you're talking about… :)

      • sharka on 29/09/2022 - 08:56

        lol..
        Good pick up ;)

  • Quantumcat on 29/09/2022 - 08:50
    +3

    If you don't want to gain money from the TV, consider joining your local Buy Nothing group to see if anyone there would like it. Probably not good chances as a broken TV would be a very niche thing to want but you never know.

  • Bignudge on 29/09/2022 - 08:51
    +1

    I usually just agree with anything as long as I get my cash in hand. They could smash the item to bits and I couldn't care less.

  • Xistn on 29/09/2022 - 09:08
    +1

    Scamtree you mean.

  • 87percent on 29/09/2022 - 09:14
    +1

    Look for those smash places (eg; https://www.smashsplash.com.au/). Recently was doing a cleanup at the kids school, and found a few broken tvs in storage. The smash place gladly took them

  • randomusername2017 on 29/09/2022 - 09:23

    Phishing scam.
    Part 2 will involve a redirected auspost link.

  • starspawn on 29/09/2022 - 09:38

    Yeah the last couple of times I tried to sell something on Gumtree I got the same. So many scammers now.

    I only use Facebook Marketplace, much more reliable to get things sold.

  • fullmetal on 29/09/2022 - 09:43

    I will check how new is the account on gumtree. If its very new, I save my time and not entertain them at all.

  • pharkurnell on 29/09/2022 - 10:13

    Face to face cash only.

  • Hardlyworkin on 29/09/2022 - 11:43
    +1

    The correct response to these people is 'yeah nah'.

  • Zylam Marex on 29/09/2022 - 14:11

    "I'm almost tempted to go along with the scam to get rid of the TV"

    Haha made me laugh. Sorry don't have anything to add, haven't gone to gumtree in ages, fb marketplace is far better. Hope it all goes well!

  • thatonethere on 29/09/2022 - 19:01

    Noone is coming to get your Tv. They just want to hit you up for some advance freight fee fraud.

    Which you can probs charge back anyway but the scammer probably shifts leaving credit card holding the hot potatoe.

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