GUMTREE - PAYPAL SCAM

I recieved a text message from "ebrillblaid" at almost midight last night, it read:

"Is this furniture listed on Gumtree.co.uk still for sale email me back at [email protected]"

When trying to call the number comes up as "32745525243"

I decided it was a scam as there was no punctuation, they texted at midnight and finally, I'm selling a Coffee machine so it doesn't really count as furniture. I googled the email address and came to this site. Hope this is helpful.

I put my car on gumtree to sell and had the exact same thing happen to me. So glad I found this website. Thanks guys for posting! This was my incident with the email address- [email protected].


Me:
Hi Nick,

The best price we can do is $6600. If your interested you can come and have a look sometime today?


Him:

Thanks for the email.I am okay with the price.I would have love to call but our base is bad right now so we can get along via email,Due to the nature of my work I will not be able to come for the inspection but I am okay with it. i am buying it for dad and i am at sea at the moment as i am a marine engineer and i really want it to be a surprise for dad so i wont let him know anything abt it until it gets delivered to him , i am sure he will be more than happy.I can only pay via paypal and I insisted on paypal because i dont have access to my bank account online as i dont have internet banking, but i can pay from my paypal account, as i have my bank a/c attached to it, i will need you to give me your paypal email address so i can make the payments asap and pls if you dont have paypal account yet, it is very easy to set up, go to www.paypal.com and get it set up , after you have set it up i will only need the e-mail address you use for registration with paypal so as to put the money through.I have a pick up agent that will come and pick up after i have made the payments.

*by this stage I already felt it was a bit fishy that he did not need to come and look at it and felt he couldn't be trusted so was going to say we prefer payment through money check to see if he agrees if not we were not going to go ahead and just wait for another buyer. But then luckily I found this website. So certain that he was a scam I was just curious as to what his reply was so played him a bit.

Me:
Hi Nick,

I spoke to my parents and as they are not very good with electronic and let alone the internet, they would prefer it to be done through a bank cheque instead if possible?

Him:
I can only do paypal

*So to see what he would say and play him a bit more I gave him a fake paypal email address and said:

Me:
Ok, well my aunty has a pay pal account you can send the money to her, her email address is (fake email address). After payment could you let me know details of the agent and when they will be coming to pick up the car so I can make sure someone is home.

Thanks!

*Then he replied:

Him:
I just got an email from the pick up agent. The pick up agent said I must pay for the pick up before they can schedule a suitable pick up date and time. I've been charged $950 for pick up and delivery. The payment must be sent to their Headquarters in China, all commission payment made for pick up from anywhere in the world is sent to their Headquarters in China and the only form of payment they accept is western union money transfer and there is no post office on sea. I will add the $950 to the money am sending to your account. Once am done making the full payment, kindly help me forward the pick up fee to the agent's HQ in China through western union money transfer. I would have done it myself but I can't send money through that means due to my present location.I tried to pay online (www.westernunion.com) but i don't have the required facilities to complete it online. I will email shortly notifying you about the funds.

*I then replied and told him to stop scamming people and blocked him.

I just got another one pretty sure he is a scammer too and couldn't be bother reply so look out for this email address too: [email protected]

Same, same but a little bit different. This happened today.

Sent via SMS:

From Richard: I'm interested in your vehicle. What's your last asking price & its present condition? Kindly email me and send the photos ([email protected])

My reply

From skilles1 ltd: Thanks for getting back, i'm cool with the price likewise the condition as described on the advert, i work with New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are presently offshore in New Zealand Taranaki Basin on kupe project. We do not have access to phone at the moment and that's why I contacted you with internet messaging facility. Regarding the payment, i will be paying through PayPal linked up with my westpac bank account, please get back to me with your paypal details so i can process the payment, you can alternativly send your bsb acct name and number if you have no PayPal acct.I have also contacted my courier who will come for a pick up and deliver to my place in Darwin after the whole fund has been cleared into your acct. Await your reply.

I offer to get the van to Darwin for seller.

no reply

how do we get the paperwork signed?

no reply

smells fishy. Give me a call and we can talk about it.

no reply

Scam, scam, scam scam, scam, scam scam, scam, scam scam, scam, scam scam, scam, scam scam.

if not, sorry Richard but you sound so scamy.

Welcome to Scamwarners InconspicuousB,

Do not feel sorry. He is a scammer. Thank you for posting the information.

if not, sorry Richard but you sound so scamy.

I recently got it from spammers/scammers on gumtree!

I'm from Singapore and I posted a 2nd hand laptop for sale on gumtree.com.sg, I received a reply from two "buyers" the next day, they responded to the mobile number on the post and requested for email correspondence. Both emails are strikingly similar; both are offshore, can only do PayPal, gift for someone else...Here are the emails (it is from bottom to top):

Email exchanges with the first 'buyer'

---
Sorry, I only accept COD terms.

Tkbonz
---
Let me get back to you at night. Need to work

Tkbonz
---
> Well, am sorry but there's no way i can do that at the moment that's why am trying to make the payment directly to you. So i want you to be considerate about this as am seriously interested in buying it.
>
> Regards,
> Jason
---
In that case I'll sell to you first priority, when you're back in Singapore, if it's still available. I need to deal by COD, I'm sorry.

Tkbonz
---
> i can understand your concern very well but, am sorry i think have explained better to you due to the nature of my work am currently offshore so there's no way i can do that at the moment that's why i have to pay through my PayPal account as it's linked directly with my bank account which was why i insist on paying through it so i want you to be considerate about this as am seriously interested in buying it.
>
> Regards,
> Jason
---
I only want to transact thru COD. I can hold it for you when you're back in Singapore or you can have a proxy.

For the pics, pls refer to the gumtree post.

Tkbonz
---

Okay sounds good...am seriously interested and ready to buy it for my cousin in Malaysia as a B'day Gift but am currently offshore due to the nature of my work so i'll be glad to know ur firm price before proceeding further with the purchase also would be glad to have the current pics to see the present condition. i would complete your payment via PayPal as i'll be responsible for the transaction charges and include an extra $150 to your payment for the shipment fee via DHL. i hope you will consider my offer, kindly get back to me now to know the next plan as soon as possible...

Best Regards,
Jason.
---

Email exchanges with the 2nd 'buyer'
---
Hi Tim,

My best price is SGD$1050. Yes, its in perfect condition. Actually I would prefer a COD deal, can you send a proxy to make the deal? I am fine to wait for you to return to Singapore if the item isn't sold yet. Let me know your plans.

Tkbonz

Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 11:58:41 +0930
Subject: Re: Fujitsu LH772
From: [email protected]
To: @hotmail.com

Hi Tkbonz,

What's your best price? i hope it's in perfect condition? i am working offshore and very busy ATM and i would want it sent to my brother in Malaysia as a gift... would complete your payment via PayPal, and i will include the shipment fee to your payment via AusPost or Pack&Send Courier, i hope you will consider my offer and kindly get back to me to know the next plan..

Best Regards,
Tim
---

I have been pestered by Nigerians.

Queensly Anabel [email protected]
ello There,
I have remitted payment to you via paypal and I also paid paypal
charges to ensure you get full payment.
Kindly post the item to my son as soon as possible and write on the
package...
"A GIFT FROM YOUR MUM".

My son's Address is
Brite Osamuyi
30 John Amen Street,
Benin, Edo State
23452, Nigeria.

.

He is presently an Electrical Engineer in one Telecommunication
Company overthere.

Kindly post the Item directly to him via PARCEL FORCE ECONOMIC POST
and please do write the note "A GIFT FROM YOUR MUM" boldly on the body
of the package. Finally please value the parcel to be worth just
200pounds to reduce the custom duties that need to be paid by my son
on delivery because the higher the value of the parcel the higher the
custom duties to be paid by the receiver.
Thanks and nice buying from you.

Also goes by the email.
Jennifer Foley [email protected]
Gavin Mason [email protected]
Quinn Eve [email protected]

watch out...

Welcome to Scamwarners jebi1717,

Thank you for posting this information.

Hi,

same modus operandi and almost same script for this scammer. Hope this helps. Thanks!

Article posted on: Gumtree (UK)
He/She goes under the following email addresses:
[email protected] (armanda jainey)
[email protected] (Jason Clark)

Script 1:

I really appreciate your response to my text message, i am presently
working on the sea as a marine engineer which enable me not make a
call that is the reason i try to send a text message to you via the
sms web.i am satisfied with your ad as it was listed on the site and
am ready to buy for my Dad,i will not be able to come take a look due
to my work. I will have the shipper to come pick it up from you and
delivered to my dad after i have made the payment to your account.i
will make the payment to you via paypal and i hope you have a paypal
account so that you can be able to received the payment, If you are
not a paypal user you can set up a paypal with your bank account you
will just go on http://www.paypal.co.uk and attached your bank account to
your email using paypal so that you can be able to get the money on
your bank account .After the payment has been cleared and you have
your cash in hand i will have my shipper to come shake hand with you
and pick it up to deliver to my Dad.I will be waiting to have the
necessary details to make the payment to you.
Your paypal email..
Price Amount...
You Phone number..

Hope to have a reply back from you

Your Regards
Jennifer

Script 2:

Okay sounds good...am seriously interested and ready to buy it for my cousin in Malaysia as a B'day Gift but am currently offshore due to the nature of my work so i'll be glad to know ur firm price before proceeding further with the purchase also would be glad to have the current pics to see the present condition. i would complete your payment via PayPal as i'll be responsible for the transaction charges and include an extra £150 to your payment for the shipment fee via DHL. i hope you will consider my offer, kindly get back to me now to know the next plan as soon as possible...

Best Regards,
Jason.

Hi all,

Great website which saved me time and hassle. Thanks guys.

I posted an ad on Gumtree and I received a reply in 10 minutes. I received a text message from Mikel Richard saying:

"I'm interested in your bike..What is your last asking price & its present condition? Kindly E-mail me at ([email protected])"

I replied via e-mail and I got this e-mail back:

"Hello thanks for reply, i am a marine engineer, i am at sea right
now.I am buying this for my son as a surprise gift. However,does it
haveany history I should be aware of? and why are you selling if you
don't mind my asking and I will really appreciate if you can email
more info and if possible more photos. I can only pay through paypal
at the moment as i don't have access to my bank account online(i dont
have internet banking with it), but i have it attached to my paypal
account, and this is why i insisted on using paypal to pay,all i will
need is your paypal email address to make the payment, and if you dont
have a paypal account yet, you can set one it cant take you less than
3mins to do that, i will be expecting your paypal email so l can pay
and your phone number. I have a pick up agent that will come for the
pick up after payment has been sorted, l will be waiting for your
reply asap."

It seemed suspicious so i goggled his name, which brought me here. I have seized all communications.

Best regards,
Radu

I also got a txt today and told to reply via email ONLY to andwells90102 this one goes by the name of Andres Wellington but still a marine engineer at sea. I haven't gone any further with response thanks to the comments listed on here

Welcome to ScamWarners mandyjkaur, we are pleased we could help you not become a victim. Please read around our site to know the types of scams we deal with.

Hi,
I was just scammed by so called White Kattie Lee. I didn't find anything about her and her Solicitor before and that's why I lost my money. I became suspicious when 'she' said that her lawyer forgot to tell 'her' that for new tenants the price of the room is 2 first months of rent + deposit, while I already paid 1 month + deposit, as 'she' said before.
'She' change her e-mail: [email protected]
She sent an agreement signed and stamped by Paula Cawley - a solicitor from Raeburns in Aberdeen, Scotland. The stamp says "the bar council george associates". I checked the list of lawyers....gues what?...no Paula Cawley on the list.
Kattie sent me a photo of her passport and the agreement and also, beforehand, some pictures of the room.
- her passport
- room
- room 2
- room 3
- room 4
the adress of that room is: 5 Bannermill Place Aberdeen, AB24 5EA
The scan of the last page of the agreement with the signature and the stamp of the 'lawyer':
(had to cut my details out)

I was told to send money to:
RECEIVERS NAME : Paula Cawley
ADDRESS ADDRESS : 16 Albyn Place, Aberdeen, AB10 1PS
COUNTRY: England
by Money Gram transfer

I also received this message via the email [email protected]

HI There
Just letting people know that these scammers just copy and paste. I listed an office desk on gumtree and received this email within a few hours. The first email was a quick question ' is this still available" and then the following email is copied below.

Thanks for mailing back.I am away at sea at the moment,i work with New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are presently offshore in New Zealand Taranaki Basin on kapo project.We do not have access to phone at the moment,due to bad mobile network.It the more reason why I contacted you with internet messaging facility.Am buying this for my for my holiday, and i want it to be delivered before my arrival in NT . However,does it have any history I should be aware of? and why are you selling if you don't mind my asking . I am already in talks with the courier that will handle the pick-up and delivery to my family.

2nd email
I would have come down there to buy it face to face but am currently out of australia and my pickup agent doesn't deal with cash that is why am make the payment through paypal.,Paypal is the Faster,Safe and Easy way to send and receive money through out the world.I linked my bank with Paypal so i can pay for whatever i buy online though.You can easily set it up on www.paypal.com.You have nothing to worry about.Kindly get back to me with your paypal email or you can send me a paypal money request so i can make the payment and get your money to you and we will make the pickup arrangement after payment completed.Thanks

I have not responded and googled Kapo Project that bought me onto this site. I just wanted to add this guys email address Dodgy+++++ Do not trust anyone fro this email addrress...

[email protected]

Hi,

I listed a watch on gumtree yesterday and have already had two of these idiots contacting me. The first one I messaged back until I got bored, but the second one I just sent a quick 'fuck you' picture.

The two email address used were:

[email protected]
[email protected]

The original messages came through as texts straight to my phone, asking me to reply to their gmail, which set alarm bells ringing. It's a real shame that Gumtree has people like this as I've managed to sell quite a few things on there before with no problems.

By posting these email addresses hopefully it will help other people avoid them.