Urgh. Fallen for a scam

[BingeOnChocolate]

Yep. I know I know, Facebook market place is full of scammers and I should definitely know better but I was sucked up in thinking I was finally going to get my hands on a dyson airwrap complete. I've been wanting one for ages but every time I go to buy it, it's out of stock so resorted to second hand.

Scammer said they moved due to studies, which seemed reasonable as I checked the profile, and said they would post today recorded delivery if I wanted to bank transfer. Stupidly after even discussing with DP at the possibility of a scam I transferred the funds apparently to their 'dad' as 'she' had a new phone and didn't have her banking app set up yet. My banking app confirmed the name was a complete match which made me feel reassured and I did click I was buying online goods - hopefully that will help with any recall should funds remain. The scammer did send a photo of the parcel showing my address whilst in the post office but when asked for a tracking reference refused to provide one.

I resorted to asking a friend to message to see if it's available from their account. Low and behold, it apparently still is and they encountered the same spill I did

However, I have managed to locate the toe rags actual Facebook given their name is unusual as per the banking transfer. They are 17 and posted photos of mummy and daddy's car complete with number plates and subsequently found their mum's Facebook as a result of them commenting on the photo. Again, lots of public information including them holding a senior job in the NHS....

I have already reported to action fraud and my bank but the likelihood of having my money back is zilch. I'm half tempted to message the mum and ask if her child X has bank account ABC then I suggest they make arrangements to return the funds but equally don't want to get into a tit for tat. I know it's definitely them though as the sort code of the bank matches their Facebook location and google says it's a little village.

somewhat pointless thread so I can vent at how stupid and naive I was for a bloody hair styler.

Lesson firmly learnt and I'll just need to be quicker when the in stock emails land next time

[Newbabynewhouse]

I know this is an old thread but makes me so angry!! I would definitely be contacting the child's parents through FB ...

[QueenBee52]

[quote Mummyto2rugrats]@Twentypast, so correct action fraud at most may pass on to trading standards and then they do nothing, I am currently in process taking a builder to court who (yes I was stupid to pay for somethings up front because i believed he was ordering ! lesson learnt trust absolutely no-one in this world) Action Fraud / Trading Standards / Police won't get involved as it is civil matter as you gave the money over all it is, is logged on a database. Costs you to take it to court but if you win you at least if you recover the costs will have your legal fees added, luckily yours would be small claims mine isn't so costing us an arm and a leg but it is either that or let the scum walk away with all our savings (on top of which the little work was substandard and left our house at risk)
Good luck I hope the mum is the mum and has a conscience and helps you get the money back and isn't a scammer like the kid[/quote]


OP already has her money back

[Mummyto2rugrats]

@Twentypast, so correct action fraud at most may pass on to trading standards and then they do nothing, I am currently in process taking a builder to court who (yes I was stupid to pay for somethings up front because i believed he was ordering ! lesson learnt trust absolutely no-one in this world) Action Fraud / Trading Standards / Police won't get involved as it is civil matter as you gave the money over all it is, is logged on a database. Costs you to take it to court but if you win you at least if you recover the costs will have your legal fees added, luckily yours would be small claims mine isn't so costing us an arm and a leg but it is either that or let the scum walk away with all our savings (on top of which the little work was substandard and left our house at risk)
Good luck I hope the mum is the mum and has a conscience and helps you get the money back and isn't a scammer like the kid

[ravenmum]

@LoisLane66

I too would deffo contact mum and dad and expect a result. I'd also mention that police will be involved if a refund isn't forthcoming.
Tell the whole story and how you found them quite easily plus the fact that you'll put the scam on social media if push comes to shove.

The fact she found them so easily is suspicious in itself. As a couple of people have mentioned now from personal experience, they may also be the real scammers' victims. Vigilantism would put not just their reputation at risk but also, ultimately, OP's, and she could be sued for libel.

[bumpertobumper]

Hi OP,
There was a programme on the radio yesterday about how criminals entice students to allow them to use their bank accounts to receive money and then transfer it on.
I had read your thread and thought it sounds like the kid whose account you sent the money to is possibly involved in this way rather than being the one pretending to sell expensive things.
If you talk to the police may be worth asking about this being the situation.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000zv87

The section on student money mules.

[LoisLane66]

I too would deffo contact mum and dad and expect a result. I'd also mention that police will be involved if a refund isn't forthcoming.
Tell the whole story and how you found them quite easily plus the fact that you'll put the scam on social media if push comes to shove.

[stevalnamechanger]

Contact the Mum on LinkedIn ! And other channels

[notoldjustpastyoung]

Stop being polite. They have scammed you and you can do as much tit for tat as it takes to get your money back. What site was the item on. Report to the site. ie. Next Door, Face book, ebay, whatever it is. Go for it all guns blazing. And put their names all over the internet to beware. Good luck.

[milcal]

@Redland12

I keep getting Carphone Warehouse ringing! Offering the latest iPhone for a ridiculously cheap monthly deal. A number came up on my phone which was about 40 miles from me, I am in The south west. Where are you calling from I asked? London she said, no your not I told her, so I asked her where Carphone warehouse head office is, she read out their address, yes I said, what part of London is that? Not a clue! Needless to say she hung up! Be warned. I have reported it to them.

My partner asks scammers this and when they say London he asks what time it is there. They always get it wrong 🙄

[Nelia5]

I think you will find that this is part of a bigger scam conducted from abroad with cloned fb account and bank account. I doubt the real 17 year old and her mum are actually involved.
It happened to me with PayPal where someone ordered goods online and had them sent to a Uk address, which turned out to be registered to an older lady working for the council. The police investigated and the parcels were intercepted by the scammer long before they even got delivered to the address.

[BritMommyAbroad]

They’ve committed fraud. I’d contact the police.

[Kikibabes]

I'd 100% be contacting the mum- if for no other reason they need to know what they're children are getting up to! I would absolutely tell her your going to the police as it's theft at the end of the day and if she is a has a senior post in the NHS I'm sure she won't want any bad/negative comments/publicly! Plz plz contact her cuz that's not right and you shouldn't be out of money because your too trusting! Good luck & let us know how you get on xxx

[sausagepastapot]

Glad you got the money back.

I'm sad that people really don't understand that if you get scammed, the police tell you to call ActionFraud, and then LITTERRALLLLYYYYYY put the phone down on you. They do not give a fuck about fraud.

We do not have any faith in the police after our fucking fraud experience.

[GoldStarAngel]

I would contact the police with all this info. The parents could be part of it

[Crystal8559]

In stock at shopping channel Q V C and often on easy pay if that helps op, so sorry to hear you were scammed as it’s a fantastic product. 💐

[Redland12]

I keep getting Carphone Warehouse ringing! Offering the latest iPhone for a ridiculously cheap monthly deal. A number came up on my phone which was about 40 miles from me, I am in The south west. Where are you calling from I asked? London she said, no your not I told her, so I asked her where Carphone warehouse head office is, she read out their address, yes I said, what part of London is that? Not a clue! Needless to say she hung up! Be warned. I have reported it to them.

[ny20005]

She's a silly silly girl.

I'm glad you got your money back. The banks will block her account as a beneficiary of fraudulent funds. She may well have her account closed & a fraud marker added.

That will stop her opening a bank account anywhere for 6 years.

I had a similar case the other day when a 19 year old realised the error of their ways & wanted the block removed as their employer said they couldn't work for them without a bank account. Eh no 😂

[CandidaAlbicans2]

If mum doesn't reply to your message I'd try her NHS email address. It should be easy enough to get hold of if you already know she's in a senior position, plus they tend to have a format eg first name, dot, surname, at NHS dot UK (you'd need to check this though).

[StargazerAli]

If the parents are aware of this scam and they hold a senior position within the NHS they're certainly leaving themselves open to vulnerability. I'd have to get a message to this mother somehow; I'd certainly want to know if it was my child.

[Delshan123]

Omg that was a tense 9 page read…I’m so glad you got your money back OP but equally…I REALLY want mum to read the message and see what she says!! 🙏🙏🤞🤞🤣🤣

[Bignanny30]

The parents are probably involved !

[Wineandroses3]

Glad you have got your money back but can I ask what’s a dyson air wrap?(I know what a dyson is , I just think Hoover. How did you even hear about it? I never seem to know about these things that everyone is buying until the very last minute! Are they amazing?

[Miisty]

My son(who has severe mental health issues)used to sell coins on Facebook He sold the coins and posted them off with receipt from the post office These people then said they had not received them PayPal still taking money from his account leaving him nothing to live on

[FrozenWillow]

Just seen you have your money back. I am so relieved for you. Hopefully the mother sees the message soon. If this was any of my kids I'd hit the roof.

[BingeOnChocolate]

@anotheronenow Still no airwrap. There was a parcel delivered today and I got dead excited but turns out it was DP starting Christmas shopping - he's Mr Organised

Message to mums still not showing as read but if she's declined the message request then it won't show she's read it. So, nothing further to update and doubt there will be any updates given my Banks refunded me anyway

top tip: always make sure you select correct transferring of funds reason as without having done this, I'd have lost the money completely according to my bank.