GUMTREE - PAYPAL SCAM

I got the same today in posting on Gumtree for my motorbike.

Response came from Mary Taylor on sms first -

I'm interested in your Vehicle, pelase what is your firm price & condition of it. Email me back ONLY at ([email protected]).

Then he emailed the following info:

Thanks for mailing back,am ok with the price and the condition,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,its 15days off and 15days on and that's why I contacted you with internet messaging facility.Regarding the payment,i will be paying you through PayPal,please get back to me with your paypal details so i can process the payment,you can alternatively send your bsb and acct number if you have no PayPal acct.I have also contacted my courier who will come for pick up and deliver it to my place in Darwin after the whole fund has been cleared into your acct.
Await your reply.

After a few emails back and forth, he just wasn't asking the right questions or giving the kind of replies that seemed appropriate to my questions. I got this in reply and the person just seemed to eager to get his "agent" to come out to pick up the goods.

"Alright thanks for your response and been honest,you can get back to me with your bank details and the final price of it so i can make the payment asap, and once the money is cleared into your bank account my agent will be coming with all necessary document and will also sign the paper works on my behalf".

My sister in law also got scammed the same way so alarm bells went off. I then checked this site and saw others having similar encounters. I am so glad everyone has put there experiences on line as I may have just gotten suckered in.

Dan

Thank you for the update.

What was the text number used.

No one would ever come pick up the bike. The scammer wanted to send you a fake Paypal payment. The fake payment will not be an email from the real Paypal. The scammer will tell you that he has made an over payment and ask you to wire money to his accomplice via Moneygram or Western Union. The scammer will send an email that your funds will be released when you send him a copy of the Mtcn or reference number.

This same scam also works with fake checks.

Please sell locally in a public place.