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

How could the mum possibly be unaware of this if it's her bank account that the funds are going into?

Excellent news that your bank was supportive on this occasion but I’m always disappointed at banks’ attitudes generally about fraud. Surely if they hold an account, it doesn’t take too much to do some investigation into whether the account holder is genuine? After all, to open an account in the first place you need to provide several items proof of ID and address.

Fantastic news... Im happy for you

@2389Champ

Excellent news that your bank was supportive on this occasion but I’m always disappointed at banks’ attitudes generally about fraud. Surely if they hold an account, it doesn’t take too much to do some investigation into whether the account holder is genuine? After all, to open an account in the first place you need to provide several items proof of ID and address.

I was listening to the radio at the weekend - where some young mostly college students had got involved in money laundering- " in these cases the banks put a hold on their account and ring fence it under Fraud - so it's hard for them to obtain another account or credit elsewhere. The idea is that the account holder will contact the bank and explain what happened and if they were coerced into it the bank are usually lenient. You would think the back could do a similar thing in cases like this.

@2389Champ

Excellent news that your bank was supportive on this occasion but I’m always disappointed at banks’ attitudes generally about fraud. Surely if they hold an account, it doesn’t take too much to do some investigation into whether the account holder is genuine? After all, to open an account in the first place you need to provide several items proof of ID and address.

In a lot of cases the account is opened genuinely but then taken over either with or without the agreement of the account holder and run by the scammers.

Well done on getting your money back. If it was me, I wouldn't attempt to contact the mother again. I'd leave it to Action Fraud etc and hopefully they will deal with it. Hopefully your initial contact will frighten the life out of them and cause them sleepless nights. If you do feel the need to make further contact, make sure you have the money well and truly back in your bank account first!!

I regularly buy off marketplace but pick up only and pay in cash or bank transfer on the spot.

Great you got your money back, hope the mum still gets back tho, she needs to know if her daughters up to something!

NEVER EVER EVER pay by bank transfer
Or Friends and Family on PayPal.

Only use Goods and services on PayPal

If they refuse Goods and Services you know they are scammers.

Glad you got your money back! I personally didn't rate either the supersonic or the airwrap! I lots of fine, very curly hair and the smoothing attachments didn't smooth it, yet the curling attachments didn't curl it properly either?? They just blew warm hair at my roots, giving me a huge halo of frizz around curls that dropped out by the time I got all the way around my head with the wand.

Not worth the money for me. I sent it back to QVC after three months because it blew up in my hand and short-circuited.

Hold out no hope to actionfraud op. My friend is still awaiting results 3 years for a fraud case.
She had the details for the person.
Police not interested.
She has not faith in them anymore.

Sorry 5 years ago.

Hello @BingeOnChocolate. Do you have a local community page such as spotted? I would post a warning about a scam: include the photos which show the conversations, fake parcel with address, and full name on bank account. Post and warn. Redact any of your personal information though. This way your shaming them in their local community. If they're not local, post it in their local community page.

it won't even let me said a friend request. She's definitely got her security settings all wrong given I can see what she posts about her child and life but shut off friend requests

That almost seems suspicious in itself.

I got a real long one from dyson last week, didn't seem to be any stock issues?

Really pleased you got your money back from your bank.

super curious to see if mum replied?!

I would package all the info neatly and send to Facebook via email support rather than "report'. Screenshots of your bank transfers, sort codes matching up etc. etc.

Little toerag having their main facebook account deleted will be the worst thing for them. You know what 17yos are like.

And fingers crossed their bank account gets frozen as well.

I dont know how much a second hand air wrap is - but it all seems a bit stupid for the sake of a couple hundred quid when as soon as you receive the money you are fucked.

I'm glad you got your money back from the bank.

I would 'friend' mum because she'll see the message then so she knows what her little darling is up to ... and if she's involved herself, she'll know you have all their details (reg plates, names, etc) and police are involved so acts are cleaned up.

[quote BingeOnChocolate]@SavageDetective it won't even let me said a friend request. She's definitely got her security settings all wrong given I can see what she posts about her child and life but shut off friend requests

@BoredZelda It turns to a circle with the persons picture in it over a circle with a tick - I was reading the different symbols last night and then tested them on DP messaging me

@PreparationPreparationPrep It's definitely made me more wary of using market place going forward and I'll never ever send money again. It will always be cash on collection which is a shame as I've previously brought books etc for DSD on market place as her reading confidence has grew and with Covid, some asked for bank transfers on collecting over cash to limit contact.[/quote]
If it is to someone who isn’t a friend, they can read it and you won’t know, they have it click accept for you to see that they’ve read it.

@oakleaffy

NEVER EVER EVER pay by bank transfer Or Friends and Family on PayPal.

Only use Goods and services on PayPal

If they refuse Goods and Services you know they are scammers.

Not always scammers! I sell on sites and ask for cash on collection - if posting I ask for bank transfer as it stops ME being scammed as a seller. I always buy postage online immediately after payment and send a photo of parcel with label and tracking number. Not everyone is a scammer.

I’m sorry you’ve gone through this OP and very pleased you’ve got your money back. I hope the family of scammers are brought to justice!

@Blindstupid PayPal goods and services protects you too as a seller. Nobody should be using bank transfer for online selling. Are you avoiding fees?

If you're ballsy enough I think you can post a screenshot of the profile or your message onto your local marketplace and tag her in it if you're part of the same group.

Ie, Can Jo Bloggs get in touch with me regarding the message I sent you about the £ you owe me? Thanks.

Marketplace is fine, but it has to be in person, cash only. If it’s a large dollar amount you should meet in public. Our local police have a well-lit cctv spot where people can meet for transactions.

Op, you mention regretting losing marketplace as a cheap source of books for your dd... I recommend website Abe Books, it is brilliant, loads of books of every kind and super cheap most of them, there are loads of micro sellers on there. I've never failed to find the book I want at an excellent price.