Neighbours Kid Scammed in Gumtree Sale - Scammer Offering to Payback via Bank Transfer

Lnedski on 29/06/2023 - 11:22

I got a text message from a neighbour this morning to advise that their kid had been scammed by buying some fake airpods on Gumtree. Apparently they met at the local McDonalds and he paid $150 for some Gen 1 Airpods. (Kids 14, be kind). Anyway they are fakes and mum and dad manage to track down the seller who is apparently a teenage girl. The girl has offered to pay back via bank transfer but wont meet again to hand back the cash.

They have asked me if this is safe and I have been racking my brains to see if there is a scam angle here and cant see one regarding handing over the bank details. All I can think of is that she wont pay and she just said that to get away from mum and dad when she got cornered again.

I have already given the parents plenty of crap for letting their kid A) buy an apple product as well as B) overpriced apple product on Gumtree.

I did recommend that they provide the bank details of a little used account, ring up the bank and let them know to be alert to any suspicious activity but I really dont think the girl will transfer the money back.

Any other thoughts brain trust?

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Comments

  • Settero on 29/06/2023 - 11:27
    +5

    There's no real risk to losing money here, the real risk is if they send stolen funds, attempt to use this account to mule money by overpaying and asking to forward the remaining

  • angywoo on 29/06/2023 - 11:29
    +1

    Paid in cash refund in cash.
    Too scared to meet up? Do it at the local police station or apple store.
    Isn't it against the terms and conditions of Gumtree to give bank account details to randoms? Either way they warn against it.

    Cash only

    • nedski on 29/06/2023 - 11:32

      Im just working off the info the mum has given. The parents of the kids arent scared of the girl and want the cash back. Teenage girl wont meet again to give cash and only do it via bank transfer.

      Personally I think the $150 is gone and its a life lesson for the kid.

      • angywoo on 29/06/2023 - 11:36
        +5

        I understand it is the girl who is scared.

        Tell them to tell the girl she either pays up cash or you are going to the police.

        Seriously, I am surprised she even offered to give the money back….

        • Heaps for Cheaps on 29/06/2023 - 11:58
          +1

          "Seriously, I am surprised she even offered to give the money back…."

          She only made the (fake) offer because she was confronted by two adults in a sting… She just said it to get out of there otherwise she would have given back the money then and there.. Why ask for bank account details instead of giving it back right away…

          She should be in juvie.

          • azero on 29/06/2023 - 12:14
            -4

            @Heaps for Cheaps: Whoa, 2 adults in a sting against a teenage girl ? Depending on how evil smart the girl is - this could go very wrong very fast. I would treat it as a lesson and let the 150 pass. If the girl accuses you of anything, you will be guilty automatically.

            Not a worthwhile headache for 150.

            • Heaps for Cheaps on 29/06/2023 - 12:17
              +2

              @azero: Agreed! …only because it's from little things that it gets out of hand, and everyone wishes they just forgot about it.

            • angywoo on 29/06/2023 - 12:35

              @azero: she wouldn't have had the money on her if she was here to sell another set of pods….

  • CodeXD on 29/06/2023 - 11:32
    +6

    Cash only.

    The girl's parents will need to be notified too. Who knows how many other people they have scammed already.

    • nedski on 29/06/2023 - 11:35

      Well what I didnt include in my write up, was that the mum and dad found her because the girl was still advertising airpods for sale on gumtree and they set up a separate buy. They met her to "buy" them and wanted the cash back. Im thinking because girl didnt want the airpods back, she is just buying fakes from Aliexpress or whatever and making a nice little earner.

      I also recommended to the parents that they should make a complaint to the police. Wont solve anything but this girl may already be on their radar and it would be useful information.

      EDIT: just to clarify, the girl was offering to transfer cash back and she didnt need the airpods back prior to doing the bank transfer. Hence my thoughts about them being fakes being bought from Aliexpress or whatever.

      • Love a bargain on 29/06/2023 - 12:07
        +5

        Should have just escorted her to the nearest ATM & get her to pay up there & then. There's no guarantee that the parents are gonna be able to track her down again.

        • 2esc on 30/06/2023 - 13:11

          Dont know how you can escort her to a atm? Threaten her, physically drag her to the atm? I dont think the Police would look kindly upon that even if she is guilty. End up being charged by the Police.

          • Love a bargain on 30/06/2023 - 15:08
            +1

            @2esc: She agreed to pay but offered to do a bank transfer.
            Parents reject that offer and said "let's go to the nearest ATM and we can get this over and done with" - just like any civilised negotiation.
            No need to get physical.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 29/06/2023 - 12:35
      +7

      Yep
      The girl is a criminal in the making and needs to be stopped now

  • Heaps for Cheaps on 29/06/2023 - 11:39
    +7

    It's a waste of time and will complicate things… She will say she transferred the funds, and it will drag on…

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 29/06/2023 - 11:46
    +2

    Prob will send a fake remittance

    • kerfuffle on 29/06/2023 - 11:59
      +4

      Or a scheduled transfer receipt, then cancel the transfer

    • djones145 on 29/06/2023 - 12:29
      +2

      and then say they accident sent too much
      and say u sacmmed them if you dont send some money back

  • Heaps for Cheaps on 29/06/2023 - 12:07
    +3

    "ring up the bank and let them know to be alert to any suspicious activity "
    I am sure the bank manager, Old Mr Jenkins, has informed his secretary & tellers of the possible suspicious activity and they'll be monitoring transactions as they appear.

    • Heaps for Cheaps on 29/06/2023 - 12:11
      +1

      Aha, so instead of giving back the money then and there she wants to do a direct deposit… I guess for good record-keeping purposes…

      This girl has no future except to work at another dodgy business like Kogan or Harvey Norman.

    • Love a bargain on 29/06/2023 - 12:13

      PayID linked to a new/ unused email address would be safer than to a mobile number, unless the girl already knows that number.

    • AustriaBargain on 29/06/2023 - 12:24

      girl wants to avoid jail/being bashed to death

  • Seraphin7 on 29/06/2023 - 12:14
    +3

    Any other thoughts brain trust?

    Let the kid's parents sort it out and just stay away from it. No upside in any of this for you.

    • nedski on 29/06/2023 - 12:34
      +1

      I am not getting involved, I was just asked if there are any scam risks with providing bank transfer details. I couldnt think of any but thought I would ask here as well.

      • Seraphin7 on 29/06/2023 - 12:37

        There are all sorts of scam risks … generally low, but they exist.

  • AustriaBargain on 29/06/2023 - 12:23

    don't blame the girl for not wanting to meet https://www.9news.com.au/national/abdul-karaali-found-guilty…

  • Love a bargain on 29/06/2023 - 12:31

    Use PayID with a new/ unused email address if they must.

  • azero on 29/06/2023 - 12:42
    +3

    Next post, my neighbour is falsely accused of inappropriately touching a teenage girl and police are taking her side. What legal options do they have ?

  • FoxJump on 29/06/2023 - 12:56
    +5

    If you know who they are, just go to the Police, and file a report and tell them all the information.

    • try2bhelpful on 29/06/2023 - 17:15
      +3

      +1 on go to the cops. The only way the kid will stop this sort of thing is to be scared straight. Also alert Gumtree that the AirPods are fake. You need a trail here because otherwise the girl will say you threatened her.

  • Empharand on 29/06/2023 - 17:40
    +2

    Wow what a little scammer bitch.
    Probably being exposed to a life of crime through her parents and/or who she hangs out with.
    Bitch better change her ways before she gets too far into the life of crime (If she hasn't already) and f#%k her life up.

    I doubt she is this smart but if you were to provide details then give her a PayID payment method or a GoalSaver type account where money can be deposited but not withdrawn (Commbank have 'GoalSaver' which provides a BSB & Account Number but it can't be used for Direct Debits), reason I say that is because if you give her a BSB & Account Number and she's a pawn in a bigger picture and those in her little crime syndicate are more clever than your typical bottom dwellers they may use the BSB & Account Number to sign up to an Electricity Plan, Gas Plan, Contract-bound phone plan with the latest iPhone or Samsung etc that may or may not be tied to more criminal activity which may or may not result in a knock on the door.

    Cash would be preferred but she could always do a double-whammy and hand back fake notes (Thus getting scammed twice).

    Put a little caveat in the mix that if she doesn't send the money back within X amount of time then you will report her dodgy ass (Personally I'd probably do that regardless to benefit her so she doesn't get far into the life of crime, and to prevent any future victims - I don't really care if anyone thinks that's really 'Cut Throat' or anything).

    Depending on how much a cunning little bitch she is, and who she is taking advice from (because I very much doubt she came up with this all on her own), she may do one of the following

    • Pay back the money (Best case scenario)
    • Won't reply back to you and won't send the money
    • Will claim she sent the money and when you inevitably don't receive it then she will make you chase your tail by telling you to ring the bank etc
    • She will block you or will cease communication knowing that even if she is caught and put in front of Children's Court she will just get a slap on the wrist and will walk away free to continue her BS with other victims
    • jackspratt on 30/06/2023 - 17:06

      Do you write comedy in your spare time?

      If not, you should really consider it - what you produced above is hilarious. 🤣🤣🤣

  • onceupon8 on 29/06/2023 - 19:55

    There's very little risk in giving out your bank details. Most likely, she won't transfer the funds and is just using it as a delaying tactic. To be safe, provide an account that is not your main account and has little funds.

  • thrillhouse on 30/06/2023 - 07:51

    I have already given the parents plenty of crap for letting their kid A) buy an apple product

    Is Apple corrupting children’s minds now or something?

    • Sammy2000 on 30/06/2023 - 15:13

      Not just children! make sure you wear your foil hat at all times.

  • DazMon on 14/07/2023 - 15:54
    +1

    A 14yo has $150 cash to burn?
    I had nothing like that when I was 14.

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