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

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. 💐

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

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.

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

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

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.

@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 🙄

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.

Contact the Mum on LinkedIn ! And other channels

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.

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.

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.

@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 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

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