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

[Candleinthebreeze]

I had a similair issue. Bought an item from a guy who was very open about needing the money, trusted him and it duly arrived, but it was a reprint not an original. It was around £90.

It was a genuine error on his part, I genuinely believe that, but I knew he didn’t have the money he was very clear on the ad he was struggling and would sell to the first to pay.

I agreed to let him repay me at £30 a month for 3 months but after the first payment date all I got was excuses.

I ended up finding his mum, sister and several clearly very close friends. I messaged them very politely and his mum replied saying tough basically.

I ended up convincing him I was going to get his bank account closed, and also said I’d almost certainly pass where he lived at some point (4 hours drive away so unlikely!), I told him I had his mums address (I had the street but not house number) and that I’d turn up unannounced and whilst no harm would be done to anyone I wouldn’t be leaving without creating a hell of a scene.

He did then transfer it back, took dozens of messages though

[Russell19]

@CoralBells

You'll probably get the airwrap now they know you're onto them.

The aircraft doesn't exist....that's the point!

[Horseradishsauce]

@Russell19 of course the aircraft doesn't exist! ✈️

[JudyGemstone]

This happened on a local women’s clothes group, I bought a pair of trainers for £45 or something and lots of others bought various items off her too.

There was almighty pile on/public shaming, apparently the poor girl has bit of an out of control ket habit. People were messaging her boyfriend, friends, old work place etc, for a bit nasty really.

She was messaging a few of us about refunding and was full of apologies, I think a few people got their money back but she stopped replying to me after a while and I never did. I wasn’t too bothered, sounds like she needs it more than I do to be fair.

[NativityDreaming]

Good luck!

Just to say, I don’t receive notifications of messages from people not connected to me on Facebook so the mum might not see your message. Can you message the daughter still or has she blocked you? You can ket her know you’ve contacted her mother, your bank, etc. At this point it wouldn’t seem to matter if she knows.

[SunshineThelma]

If it is a scam, then they need to see how a bank opened an account for said scammer given ID would have needed to be used for a 17 year old for sure.

But the 17yo may have handed over their bank details to a third party to 'help them out' or had them compromised through impersonation. The scammer may not be connected to this kid, other than by having access to their bank account.

One of the ways fraudsters recruit kids is offering incentives to use their bank accounts. They might even be told it's a job - receive this payment in, you keep 10% and then send the rest to account XYZ.

Not saying the 17yo is an innocent victim, but they probably aren't the one with the Dyson.

It's worth everyone reading up on money mule activity as it's rife amongst teenagers and can be catastrophic for everyone involved (apart from the bastards pulling the strings). Start with this:
moneymules.co.uk/what-is-a-money-mule/

[Abigail12345654321]

Isn’t it possible it isn’t a scam at all and the young seller didn’t reply when you asked for a tracking number because they didn’t send it via a tracked service? Surely now they are most likely panicking that you will claim it never arrived, and demand your money back?

[BingeOnChocolate]

@Abigail12345654321 I did think this but a friend contacted them asking if it's available or not still, after the message confirming it had been sent, and received almost identical messages back to me. They offered to collect as local to the postcode given to me only this time scammer was other end of the country

[Derbee]

I can’t believe how many posters still think there’s an airwrap

I hope you get your money back. These people have often got unsavoury parents who won’t be of any help, but I hope at least the police will follow up

[DecentPleasant]

The parent could be in on the scamming. Stay alert!

[CoralBells]

Definitely a scam then

[Twentypast]

I'd message the daughter, tell her you've tracked down her mum and other details and will be going to the police if you don't get a refund.

[RedskyThisNight]

I was about to come and say it might well be the 17 year old just offering their bank account with no knowledge of the scam. So at least your message will have alerted the parent to this. Teen DS tells me "loads of people" are doing this (offering bank accounts) at his school.

[PricklesTheHedgehog]

Hope you get your money back.

[TidyDancer]

It does sound (with all the info you've been able to find) that this is probably an attempt by this girl to scam rather than a hacking. I wouldn't rule out the latter entirely though.

[HaggisBurger]

So annoying!!! Send this thread to Dyson’s Twitter as there is lots of free advertising for them here and see if they can help you out 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Abigail12345654321]

[quote BingeOnChocolate]@Abigail12345654321 I did think this but a friend contacted them asking if it's available or not still, after the message confirming it had been sent, and received almost identical messages back to me. They offered to collect as local to the postcode given to me only this time scammer was other end of the country[/quote]
Ah I see!

[HalzTangz]

I would message the mother and say that the police are involved (this won't look good to whichever parent is senior NHS) especially in a small village where gossip travel fast.

Screen shot what you have found from Facebook before they block your account.

If the parents are half decent they will refund you directly

[notacooldad]

I wonder if the parent has received the message but not accepted it/replied yet as they're going ape shit at speaking to their daughter to get their side of the story first
Or that it was only 07.16 in the morning when you posted and OP didnt post until 22.56 last night.
Blimey not every is glued to their phones and iPads

[astoundedgoat]

I hope she replies!

[ravenmum]

Are the police not involved?
The amateur sleuthing sounds very clever and all that, but don't forget that there could be someone else behind this entirely and that this woman and her daughter may also be the victims of fraud.
Happened to me - someone opened a bank account and an ebay account in my name. I knew nothing about it until some woman phoned me up very pleased with herself, telling me how clever she was to have tracked me down, and I was an idiot for having my business address online. The idea that maybe someone with their business address openly available online might not be selling fake scuba diving equipment hadn't occurred to her.

[HarrietsChariot]

I'd have gone straight to the police. Every day that you delay, more people are likely to be being scammed. The Dyson is "still available" after all.

[StrongArm]

good luck - hope you get your money back! yes the girl could be in some sort of trouble - apparently they do this now, pressure innocent kids to be involved to use their bank accounts as @RedskyThisNight says. Either way, hope you get to the bottom of this.

[ninnynonny]

Spent most of this thread wondering what sort of vacuum cleaner an airwrap was, looked it up and realised that it's a hair thing - £400 +! Blimey they must be good!

[HalzTangz]

@NativityDreaming

Good luck!

Just to say, I don’t receive notifications of messages from people not connected to me on Facebook so the mum might not see your message. Can you message the daughter still or has she blocked you? You can ket her know you’ve contacted her mother, your bank, etc. At this point it wouldn’t seem to matter if she knows.

Same for me, I don't receive notifications either, this post prompted me to look and I have 12 messages in my other box dating over the last 2 years.

OP you are better to comment on one of the pictures if you can telling them to check their 'other' box, even put on the comment that it's regarding a legal issue. That will spike their interest to go look