Facebook market place scammers

[ubit]

I am in the process of selling some of my basses and have one for sale on Facebook Marketplace. In the last week I have had two scammers message me asking is the item still available? I say yes and they say ok, I will send a courier to your house with the money and you can give them the bass. Ok, I reply, as soon as I have the money the guitar is yours. Next message is I will pay the money but you have to pay the insurance. Don't worry as I will pay this back to you. I say ok, no problem but I won't be paying anything until I get the money. Then I get threats of legal action to which I laughed.

The second one I thought I will play along here. They said they came from Cambridge even although their command of English is questionable. I said that's a coincidence because I am actually coming to Cambridge next week so we don't need to do the postal thing. I can give you the guitar and you can give me the money. Can I have your details please? Immediately they left the conversation.

 

Is there a group who are doing these scams or is this just a strange coincidence? When I check their Facebook pages you can tell there is like three pictures of random people and no friends so the profile has obviously just been set up for the purposes of the scam.

 

Anyone else been the victim of an attempted scam?

[ambient]

It’s happened to me. I had hassle from someone a couple of years ago when I was selling a pair of Genelec monitors. The guy was going to pay but didn’t, then demanded to know why I hadn’t posted them.

Now I always state clearly on the listing that it’s strictly cash on collection only, and give my post code. Anyone wanting anything different the message is deleted and they’re blocked.

 

Life is too short to spend messing about with dishonest people on the internet.

Edited April 13, 2022 by ambient

[ubit]

1 hour ago, ambient said:

Now I always state clearly on the listing that it’s strictly cash on collection only, and give my post code. Anyone wanting anything different the message is deleted and they’re blocked.

 

 

I wasn't in any danger of being scammed because there is no way on Gods green earth I am sending money without getting paid first. I mean the guy was telling me he had paid the amount plus the insurance into this postal service that I had never heard of. He said I had to pay the insurance first for the company to know that I wasn't scamming. I told the guy straight, look pal, that aint happening. He started saying but I have paid, you will be doing me out of money, then threatening me with fines and jail terms which were way out of a flight of fancy, £75,000 and a seven year jail term 🤣.

 

I was armed and ready for the next one and as soon as the "you are liable for the insurance" came up that's when I hit him with the I'm coming your way I can bring the item, give me your details, he left the conversation. I was disappointed as I wanted a bit more fun with him.

[Lozz196]

It’s happening on ebay too, quite often get the message “I’ll pay via ebay and collect at an agreed meeting place on the same day”. 
 

No, you’ll pay cash at an agreed meeting place.

 

Silence.

[CJPJ]

eBay and Facebook Marketplace are just full of scammers - it really puts me off and why this community and similar 'lifestyle' ones are so attractive. 

 

I was searching for an iPhone the other day and saw various sellers selling thing on FB at really low 'too good to be true' prices. It was obviously a scam of some kind but I just couldn't work out want it was - maybe as simple as send the cash and you never get the goods?! I hope I've never stupid/greedy enough to fall for something like that....

[T-Bay]

Not just on higher price stuff. I had some fun with a muppet trying to get me to pay £100 insurance on a £20 sax mouthpiece.

[bassbiscuits]

I had an odd few on Gumtree recently. First time I was selling a pedal and some guy jumped in straight away to tell me he had paid already thru some system I’d never heard of and just needed to go to the link to accept the payment etc. I was out at the time and in no position to sort it out and told him so but he kept on insisting so I just withdrew the item. 
 

Last week I put something else up and literally within 10 seconds for a message saying “is it still available? How can I pay you etc,” from a number in the Philipines! So I edited the ad to remove my phone as a contact method and never heard from them again. 
 

Weird. For the sake of less than £100 I’m not getting involved in that sort of shenanigans. 

Edited April 13, 2022 by bassbiscuits

[Reggaebass]

It’s gumtree and shpock too, every bass or item I list I immediately get a reply saying, I would like to buy it email me @scam etc etc , I just reply with its cash on collection and I don’t hear anything more, they are just trying to get your email 

[ubit]

It must be scammer season. I just got a phone cal from someone claiming to be going to repay me £125 for the overpayment on my washing machine. She had a broken English which immediately puts you on high alert. Ok, I said. She quoted me my address which was almost right but not quite. She then asked for my bank details. Just send a cheque to the address you have I said. She then said let me put you onto my supervisor. Another girl came on with an even more broken English voice. You must provide your bank details for this to go through. No just send a cheque to that address I countered. She was about to argue when I just had to laugh and tell her I am sick of these scams just do one.

Obviously companies are selling your details to others and they are posing as legitimate businesses always going to give you money which gets some peoples attention. I just hope others are not taken in by these pricks.