DS ripped off

[halfthesun]

Hello, would love some advice but also a word of warning. DS has just sold PS5 for £580, however the twenty pound notes were counterfeit! We are both so upset and feel so stupid. DS doesn’t want to report to the police. I think we should. The guy has a fake Facebook / this on reflection. So cross and upset on DS behalf plus this dodgy guy now knows where we live. If it helps we live in Hove, Sussex - please be. Ore carful than us. Any advice?

I'm so sorry this has happened to your DS and you..
My DS2 has sold a fair bit via Facebook, but hes been lucky.
Definitely report to police!

@KhaleesiOfChaos people are questioning it because it was a brand new ps5 bought on credit, not something he’s bought when he’s had money, used and enjoyed and then sold when money has got a bit tight.

If he impulse bought it and then realised he couldn’t afford, he could have returned it to the shop and got all his money back. That would be the most cost effective, because even selling second hand you often lose money from fees or postage costs.

Where did he buy it from in the first place to pay £580?

They're only £449.99 from proper shops.

Def report it involves counterfeit money I’m sure police be interested. And very unlikely to be one off

@halfthesun

He has had it listed at 680 ... not sold so dropped price. Needs money to pay credit card thus in desperation accepted 580. Not sure why this is so tricky to understand???

Well, it is tricky for me to understand, as, if it is brand new, why not return it to where he bought it from for a refund ? But also why would he buy it in the first place if he didn't have the means to pay for it.

Sorry, I realise that isn't what your OP is about, but just answering your question about why it is difficult to understand.

I feel desperately sorry for your ds, and angry that people do this, but my thinking is still to report to the police asap.

www.actionfraud.police.uk/blog/counterfeit-currency-what-to-do-if-you-receive-counterfeit-notes-or-coins-and-where-to-report
Also if your son's debt is on a credit card please ask him to look into doing a balance transfer.

There's a lot of fake OLD £20 notes around at the moment they will expire 30th September.2022

When selling high value goods from your home it is best not to deal with cash, or like someone said above, use the counterfeit pens if no PayPal, bank transfer etc

The problem with using PayPal for collection items is that people can later claim never to have received it and get a refund, which PayPal then takes back from you. PP might accept proof of posting or proof of delivery by a recognised delivery company or tracking information - none of which you will have, of course, as the item was collected from your doorstep. Cash on collection is normally the safest method, but obviously not at all if the thief 'buyer' gives you fake notes.

I think alarm bells would have rung for me with somebody only in his early 20s having that much to spend - and on his nephew (not even his own child); but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I'm also a bit confused with your DS's intentions, though - was he hoping to make a profit by buying something in short supply and then selling it for more, second-hand, or was he thinking of effectively 'borrowing' it for free by having the use of it for a while and then selling it on to get his money back again?

Is there some virtuous, acceptable position he can occupy, then having been being robbed? Because a few here seems to be implying he deserved it somehow, for making a mistake, or trying to make money? Capitalism's fine when you're trying to turn a profit on a house, but not on a PS5? Shame on you. Robbed is robbed. As long as he didn't steal it in the first place, who's business is it?

This is awful. Poor guy. I can't think of any way to fix this.

Is there some virtuous, acceptable position he can occupy, then having been being robbed? Because a few here seems to be implying he deserved it somehow, for making a mistake, or trying to make money?

What I wrote may have come across as ambiguous, but fwiw, I 100% support his entrepreneurial spirit, if that's what he did. I'd think differently if it was an absolute essential that's in short supply and stocks were being snapped up and people held to ransom, but a games console is a completely non-essential luxury, so good luck to him.

I thought it had already been well covered in what others had said, but no mistake, this is an appalling, devastating thing to do to an innocent young man who did not deserve it in the slightest. I really hope the thief slips up somewhere and is caught and brought to justice.

Poor kid he must be gutted. All very well being “a lesson learned” etc but he’s lost weeks worth of wages in one hit. That is tough. It might be worth speaking to immediate neighbours in case anyone has footage of him. I don’t suppose the police will give a shit but it would be good to warn others. Although if you’re worrying about him having your address then maybe best to just let it lie.

a few here seems to be implying he deserved it somehow, for making a mistake, or trying to make money?

The op's son has been ripped off and of course he didn't deserve it and the perpetrator should be held to account. But we also need to spot suspicious behaviour and I would never expect to pay the cost of a new item when buying it 2nd hand as is. So if someone was willing to do that, I'd be very suspicious about them.

Yes I think in the real world most people would think up the obvious plan of just using the money in dribs and drabs over time.

@Seema002

Yes I think in the real world most people would think up the obvious plan of just using the money in dribs and drabs over time.

You must know a fair few criminals if that would be normal in your world!

How do you make that link? .

@Seema002

How do you make that link? .

If your world experience (so the people you personally know), are in your opinion likely to commit crimes, it means you must know quite a few criminals or would be criminals.

Yes I understand what you're inferring. I just don't know how you can be so naive that you don't think that most people in this situation wouldn't just think they will try and spend as much of the money as they can in dribs and drabs rather than lose £580 given there is presumably so much fake money already out there.

I agree.. surely most people would spend it in big shops, eg supermarkets. It may be technically a crime but it doesnt seem likely you would be caught. Again not advising this, just pointing out it is probably what most people would do, especially as the Police probably wont be able to help.

Sorry this happened to your son. Although he feels mad with himself, I’m sure a lot of people would be taken in by this scam.

So that he isn’t paying interest, has he thought of getting a balance transfer credit card, to give himself longer to pay it off without having to pay anymore

He absolutely should report it to the police.

He has learnt an expensive lesson but it could have been worse. All he can do is work hard, life quietly and try to pay it off as soon as he can.

Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, so he shouldn't be too hard on himself.