PSA: Middleman scam using spoofed usernames

[Kiwi]

Hey everyone, 
Just wanted to share that we've had a couple of incidents recently involving 'middle man' scams.  This is where someone has joined the site and registered a username that is almost identical to the name of an existing member, apart from changing characters in the name for ones that look similar but are different.  For example, they might replace small L with a capital i,  they might replace O with 0 or they might add a full stop at the end of the name.  Changes insignificant enough to allow the scammer to take a punt on a buyer not noticing when they make contact via PM and eventually get them to send money.

In our situation we believe that the scams are from one individual who has registered two accounts that emulate the names of existing members.  We have already taken steps to ensure their accounts are frozen and we have accrued enough information to help us identify if that individual if they try to register more accounts in the future...they won't be able to hide behind a VPN either.  We are also going to raise how to prevent spoofed usernames with our forum software provider as a future development suggestion.

So...if you are PM'd separately by someone about an item they claim is for sale in the marketplace, check their user name carefully and if you have any doubts based on I or 0 or . in their username, maybe reply to them initially from their post in your thread rather than direct to their PM.  That way you can check if your message adds to their message or starts a new one. Also if members spot anyone masquerading as someone else, feel free to use the report function to flag it with the mod team and we will take a closer look. 

It's probably also worth reminding everyone to avoid using bank transfer or Paypal F&F to a seller.  These payment methods don't offer refund options in the event of there being an error.  (Although if you are quick enough, sometimes your bank might be able to reverse the transaction but it depends on your bank and whether you can prove deception as opposed to a lack of vigilance.)

Thanks in advance for your help in making life difficult for these scumbag parasites.

[MoonBassAlpha]

Is this what happened on my Barefaced Midget cab fs thread?

[Woodinblack]

35 minutes ago, MoonBassAlpha said:

Is this what happened on my Barefaced Midget cab fs thread?

 

This refers almost directly to the midget cab

 

[Louis Fantasia]

I was a victim to the "Dave Mingay." scam (we did get our money back from the bank). I want to thank Kiwi for their attention to this, and to reach out to the "real" Dave to say that I'm sorry the whole thing went sour. He is obviously a victim, too, in this.

Louis

[Burns-bass]

This is crazy. I’m so sorry to all the people this happened to.

[Schnozzalee]

I always check profile for achievements and date joined etc before having a look through the feedback threads.

 

Will check the Midget Cab thread as I'm not aware of what happened.

[SimonK]

Oh that would explain why the chap came back all pissed on a thread and the rest of us reading it couldn't work out what had happened (and yes it was the barefaced cab thread).

 

It's a wild west out there...

 

[Stub Mandrel]

This could be what happened to someone waiting for their double bass bow.

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

This could be what happened to someone waiting for their double bass bow.

 

It is.

[Woodinblack]

4 hours ago, Louis Fantasia said:

I was a victim to the "Dave Mingay." scam (we did get our money back from the bank).

 

Glad to hear you got your money back, it is not that common, so well done

[Orbs]

It's such a shame when this sort of thing happens. My sympathies to those who were a victim of this. Well done mods for picking this up and making everyone aware of these heartless undesirables.

[choob.squeemer]

Well done mods for picking up this stuff , have always found this forum is full of the best folks 

 

and we certainly don't want to be infected with these scammers - Well Done ! 

[Jakester]

On 02/04/2025 at 17:30, Louis Fantasia said:

I was a victim to the "Dave Mingay." scam (we did get our money back from the bank). I want to thank Kiwi for their attention to this, and to reach out to the "real" Dave to say that I'm sorry the whole thing went sour. He is obviously a victim, too, in this.

Louis

 

That's awful. I actually messaged Louis about a bow I have and I'm selling and hate to think genuine messages could end up being exploited by these scammers!

[Woodinblack]

35 minutes ago, Jakester said:

That's awful. I actually messaged Louis about a bow I have and I'm selling and hate to think genuine messages could end up being exploited by these scammers!

 

Private messages? No there is no issue with those. This is a problem as described above based on public messages

[Beedster]

On 02/04/2025 at 15:56, Woodinblack said:

 

This refers almost directly to the midget cab

 

Did the guy in Paris get his money back? 

[Hutton]

On 02/04/2025 at 19:36, Schnozzalee said:

I always check profile for achievements and date joined etc before having a look through the feedback threads.

 

Will check the Midget Cab thread as I'm not aware of what happened.

You are absolutely correct in checking feedback. A problem however is that not everyone leaves feedback even when they have benefitted from feedback in a particular transaction. I would urge everyone to take a moment to leave feedback when it has been merited.

[Woodinblack]

18 minutes ago, Hutton said:

You are absolutely correct in checking feedback. A problem however is that not everyone leaves feedback even when they have benefitted from feedback in a particular transaction. I would urge everyone to take a moment to leave feedback when it has been merited.

 

Yes, always handy, but remember this doesn't help with a man in the middle attack as you are not talking to the person with the feedback

[edstraker123]

On 08/04/2025 at 08:03, Hutton said:

You are absolutely correct in checking feedback. A problem however is that not everyone leaves feedback even when they have benefitted from feedback in a particular transaction. I would urge everyone to take a moment to leave feedback when it has been merited.

Yes leave good and bad feedback - let people know who they are actually dealing with. You can get carried away with the good spirited nature of the forum and whilst most people are gems , be as careful as you would when buying on any forum particularly when considering how much protection you have should things go wrong.

[ambient]

I'm obviously missing something here. How does the scammer know that two members are messaging each other about a sale?

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, ambient said:

I'm obviously missing something here. How does the scammer know that two members are messaging each other about a sale?

 

It relies on the fact they aren't.  I refer you to the original explanation of that helps

 

 

[Woodinblack]

And just for information, there was another attempt made today on the same shipping option attempt that was made earlier. I have shut that account down but the guy is obviously still out there.

[soulstar89]

On 13/04/2025 at 12:32, Woodinblack said:

And just for information, there was another attempt made today on the same shipping option attempt that was made earlier. I have shut that account down but the guy is obviously still out there.

Thanks for informing us.