Scam question

[Mindi]

Just advertised my boat yesterday on Trading Post Online. Within a few hours I had two separate SMS messages saying similar things..." What is the lowest price you will take for BOAT ..is it still for sale...email asap on "xclusiveseff@gmail.com" so we can sort things...!....other one similar wording and address "ryancamardi@live.com.au"

Couldnt resist trying one of the addresses but it was fake...so my question is..what is the point of these obviously dodgy messages..? How is the scam supposed to work..? The sending phone numbers look to be UK Vodaphone numbers..077 and 078 prefixes.Any boaties out the with scam experience or advanced computing knowledge who can throw some light on what the plot is..?

[Flex]

Lots of previous threads on these,

They scam you with shipping prices, saying they work on an oil rig etc and need you to pay $1000-$1500 deposit to freight company and they will re-imberse you a few days later with full payment of the boat. Which of course never occurs.

Give it 1-2 weeks and the scam emails will stop, they always target new adds..

[TopBhoy]

Unless you contacted them via a 3rd party site contact page, they now have your email address....its a start!! Obvious scams are best left alone in my opinion - admittedly some are not so easy to spot.

[randell]

from the paper sunday, a lady lost $16,000 on a car she was buying on ebay.......
She shouldn't have believed them , but her money was transferred to Spain...................

I sold a car a year ago, got heaps of emails asking to buy straightaway, and use paypal.....
the big paypal scam.
They get you to send money for the transport and send you fake email from paypal saying the money is your account, but it isn't....

BE CAREFUL

randell

[Micadogs]

Hi Mindi

I believe these scammers are trying to gather photos and descriptions to place a "GHOST" adverstisement. This means they will set up an ad trying to sell the boat, car etc. They may use a completely different site or advertiser. They usually drop the price considerably so that people pay a deposit beacuse it will go quick.

I recently purchased a Holden Cruze, it was advertised at $22K. The ad also appeared on another website here in Australia, and started at $18K, then dropped to $16 saying distress sale. When contacted, they stated they had plenty of interested buyers at that price. If you pay a $500 deposit, they will hold it for 2-3 hours whilst you organise inspection etc. Sounds genuine etc. They only need a few at $500 (remember you are getting a bargian here) and they have made several thousand dollars. Some of these people may have already seen the car and met the person and then transfer money to a scammers account cause they think it is the same car.

You are relatively safe though, you have the goods. Dont let anyone take the boat until $$ is in your account. Bank Cheques included!!!!!! (people are forging these now). Also, put on your ad in capitals CONTACT VIA PHONE CALL ONLY!!!! Real buyers will absolutely call, have many questions, want to kick the tyres etc.

Regards Adam

[Mindi]

Yes Alan of course..I am too old and cynical to get caught I hope. You have answered my question I think...not sure what purpose the sms messages serve if the email addresses bounce tho..? Oh well....and they can steal the photos anyway...hmmm lots of dodgy people out there

[oldie]

yeah mate i put my car up last night and within 15 min had 2 test messages stating they wanted to buy my car. Both did not come up as numbers just names:

1st one was Bibain Gold "Hello, what price are you willing to sell your item for me?Get Back to me asap on balarabecoal@gmail.com"

2nd one was james "I've view your car on the ad and want you to get back to me with the present... jamesmith02atyahoo.com

I mean these losers cant even spell so is blatantly obvious they are not in Australia and are out to scam, i just don't even reply and even write no SCAMMERS on my ads.

I'd love to say mate you have have it for 5k lets meet so i can rip your head off!!

just beware and encourage people to come and inspect, and pay cash. No transaction should involve you paying any money

[PinHead]

I have my yak on there..got the exclusives one and also one from seanwill@blumail.org

[thylacene]

and don't trust a bank cheque, they changed the rules a while back and banks can now dishonor, even payment by bank cheque is subject to clearance periods, you need to ask your bank for express clearance which usually takes three days.

[fisho8]

I got dave.crise01@bluemail.com and mahrywilliams26@gmail.com with my car I have for sale kenwillis004@gmail.com and davidcowley@gmail.com with my boat I had on boatsales. dave cowley and dave cruise is the same guys becuase I got the same bullshit story with him being on board a boat his sat phone was playing up so he could not call me ken willis just sent an automated text message as did mahry williams basically I just told all of them that my brother was a federal police officer and their details have been passed onto him as well as the carsales security team never got a reply back from any of them funny enough. They are out there that is for sure.

[Mindi]

Just got another one with a new address at 4 in the morning so that was pretty welcome... I doubt there is anyone behind each of these ..reckon they could be malware on a Telstra/Sensis server prank sending them out ...noticed that boatsales now dont publish the phone number unless you put yours in first...but if this is halfway clever that wont stop it anyway.

[PinHead]

got one from terehare@gmail.com this morning. and yerterday one from Lisa on lg4903@gmail.com

[cormorant]

Put a watermark on your photos with the original advertised website name so they can't use them elsewhere and they can't crop it off. .

Set up a seperate email account for when you sell things so your normal one isn't filled with all the scam stuff. When you aren't selling you can ignore it and every now and then use it so it doesn't expire.

I will only deal with people I can physically speak with now and until can work out they are a qualified buyer and decent to speak with I don't give out physical address etc and always have a valid landline and mobile to contact them on.
I call em and make sure they are on their way to inspect as I won't hang around waiting and no shows worry the hell out of me .
Too much steal to order stuff happens as they can see exactly what they want to steal and with google earth can see how accessable it is likely to be. I have shown stuff at my work address fo this reason.

Seems rude but I have asked for drivers lic when folk have showed and genuine people don't have a issue as they have seen mates get scammed and happy to show mine. I write down their car rego numbers. Yeah I know crims will have fakes but it is all about the reaction not about the actual lic if you get what I mean.
When 5 burley young blokes turned up to look at a rare fast bike I had I simply asked them to leave - what were they thinking. One of them may have been serious but I was not interested in the hangers on.

Absolute scum and the selling sites need to get better at stopping all this crap

It is a real pain

[TopBhoy]

The problem as I see matters is that anyone can create an email account in seconds from any number of sources ie hotmail, yahoo, gmail, etc.

How a website can stop 5 burley young blokes turning up to look at an advertised bike....I just don't know:P

[Mindi]

well I was wrong about them being viruses/malware without anyone behind them...I replied nicely to Chloemiller001@gmail.com thru an alias and just got this reply....

Thanks for the prompt reply,I will be please to know the lowest
price,i want you to get back to me with more picture and the present
condition of it because i am currently on a business trip and i could
not come over to check it out,but no worries as i am willing to handle
the pick up of this merchandise through my legitimate agent in
Malaysia,it will be picked up after payment, so i really need to know
the mode of payment.
Hope to read from you asap.

Hahah...Some more fun to be had here yet with Chloe ....

[cormorant]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/30/3257303.htm?site=melbourne

Yeah Topbhoy - that didn't really come out right. Must be mi engrish , punchuation und grummer;)

Mindi I fear they may seem dumb on the surface but they eventually get enough punters and all automated so none of their time wasted till very late in the process. Can't see you winning this game even with spare time on your hands. Maybe a swap some photos for some of Chloe::)

[Mindi]

Haha...good one...my bet is Chloe is ugly and male...and I agree..no idea of winning anything here but I might just fire off and email to Trading Post ...what a waste of time that will be..my objective really was just to see if I could get a response and see that it was a scam rather than an auto virus...having mentioned cash to Chloe I expect to hear no more. You are dead right..we can laugh..but they only need to get one every now and then who is gullible or desperate and its a nice little earner...scumbags.

[Mindi]

Well would you believe it...Chloe is still on her business trip and wants to pay via Paypal.....what a surprise....here is the last email

-----------------------------------------------------------

"I am really interested in buying it and i want to go ahead with the
purchase,what is the lowest price for it but i can only conclude the
transaction through PayPal for our own protection,they act as a
neutral third party. it is safe,secure and reliable.and also due to
the fact that i am on a business trip,that is what safe and convenient
for me.

PayPal is the fastest,secure,easier and the best online transfer or
receiving of money into someone's account,you register with PayPal
account with your bank details or credit card,so any transfer you made
with your PayPal goes through to your bank account,it is free,safe and
reliable.
After you have registered for PayPal account,all i need is just the
full name with the email address of the PayPal account to transfer the
fund into your bank account that you link up with your PayPal
account,it is just as simple as that.

For more information visit www.paypal.com"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Cant think of how to have any more safe fun so might ignore it.... hard to believe anyone would send account details at this stage but I guess it happens..?...scumbags

[Mindi]

Still getting this rubbish a week later...no more communication from Chloe Miller since I asked for cash.

[odes20]

Hi Mindi

I believe these scammers are trying to gather photos and descriptions to place a "GHOST" adverstisement. This means they will set up an ad trying to sell the boat, car etc. They may use a completely different site or advertiser. They usually drop the price considerably so that people pay a deposit beacuse it will go quick.

I recently purchased a Holden Cruze, it was advertised at $22K. The ad also appeared on another website here in Australia, and started at $18K, then dropped to $16 saying distress sale. When contacted, they stated they had plenty of interested buyers at that price. If you pay a $500 deposit, they will hold it for 2-3 hours whilst you organise inspection etc. Sounds genuine etc. They only need a few at $500 (remember you are getting a bargian here) and they have made several thousand dollars. Some of these people may have already seen the car and met the person and then transfer money to a scammers account cause they think it is the same car.

You are relatively safe though, you have the goods. Dont let anyone take the boat until $$ is in your account. Bank Cheques included!!!!!! (people are forging these now). Also, put on your ad in capitals CONTACT VIA PHONE CALL ONLY!!!! Real buyers will absolutely call, have many questions, want to kick the tyres etc.

Regards Adam


yeah mate i put my car up last night and within 15 min had 2 test messages stating they wanted to buy my car. Both did not come up as numbers just names:

1st one was Bibain Gold "Hello, what price are you willing to sell your item for me?Get Back to me asap on balarabecoal@gmail.com"

2nd one was james "I've view your car on the ad and want you to get back to me with the present... jamesmith02atyahoo.com

I mean these losers cant even spell so is blatantly obvious they are not in Australia and are out to scam, i just don't even reply and even write no SCAMMERS on my ads.

I'd love to say mate you have have it for 5k lets meet so i can rip your head off!!

just beware and encourage people to come and inspect, and pay cash. No transaction should involve you paying any money

Thats the real issue "No transaction should involve you paying money to anyone as a seller." Also one of the reason some will push to pay thru Paypal as they are Credit card theives and will actually pay you but with someone elses money and you will have to pay it back in the end. I was caught out on this
John:(:(

[odes20]

I think all these online selling web sites should take more responsibility about training the naive public about these dangers of and the operation methods of the same . I havent checked them all out but are there any bold warnings on these sites? Anyone paying for advertising selling anything should be fully warned becuse most of the public are naive to this extreme wickedness. Most will still be operating on the old Australian handshake philosophy that a mans word is his honor.
Today its more like " a fool and his money are soon parted" LOL

John