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Original poster

Horrible buyer on FB Marketplace - can they find me?

32 replies

Pipsquiggle · 13/12/2023 20:45

Selling an item on FB. Was priced very reasonably at circa £100, lower than similar items as I wanted to sell quickly. A large item which would need to be collected.

A bloke got in touch.
He said he could pick up today - great.
He said he wanted to do a bank transfer - not great. I said I would prefer cash.
He said he couldn't get hold of cash.
He asked for my bank details - I gave them to him.
I then got an email to my junk folder from a bank I had never heard of saying that they have withheld the transfer as I didn't have a business account.

He then starts ringing me.
I said the bank transfer had been withheld.
He then rings again, says he's paid another £100
He then says I need to pay £100 to his account and then £200 will be released to me.
I tell him this is not the usual way I sell things on FB
He then asks me if I am thick and insane.

This is the point I tell him I am not going to sell to him as he is being rude.

He tells me he can't get his money back. I've told him I am not comfortable with this transaction and think it could be a scam..... He calls me more names.

Can he find out where I live? Can he defraud me as he has my bank details?

Is this a normal way to do bank transfers these days and I am just a dinosaur?

OP posts:
Baldieheid · 13/12/2023 20:46

Of course it's a scam.

Report to fb then block.

Baldieheid · 13/12/2023 20:49

Talk to your bank but AFAIK, having your bank account details (number and sort code) allows people to put money IN only. But call them, just in case. Please don't say you've given him your card details.....

Alwaystired2023 · 13/12/2023 20:50

I doubt he can do anything with your account details unless he also knows some one who has the ability to hack your bank and find your address

All he can do with your bank details is pay money to you which I don't think he actually planned to ever do - seems it part of his awful scam

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General money
Gymmum82 · 13/12/2023 20:51

It’s a scam. Block him

Original poster
Pipsquiggle · 13/12/2023 20:53

I have reported.

The bank was Tide Clearbank.

No they don't have any card details.

OP posts:
ChaToilLeam · 13/12/2023 20:53

Scam scam scam. Trying to intimidate you into giving him money. Block and report to FB!

Baldieheid · 13/12/2023 21:01

I think you're fine then, OP.

It's a variation on the oil field worker fraud - random email from total stranger saying he's inherited a load of money, but needs to put it somewhere safe for 3 days, and your bank account will be perfect. For your inconvenience, you'll earn £100k for helping himout. All you have to do is send him £200 to verify your ID and voila, riches will be bestowed.

Pay the £200 and the oil worker/diamond miner disappears into the sunset with your months rent.

Bristoluser · 13/12/2023 21:01

My husband nearly fell for a version of this scam.

Baldieheid · 13/12/2023 21:02

Scammers are vile. As my Granny used to say, "hingin's too guid fir them".

Girlsjustwannahavefundamentalrights · 13/12/2023 21:03

Never give your bank details out to randoms. Cash on collection only.

OnTheBoardwalk · 13/12/2023 21:05

Baldieheid · 13/12/2023 21:02

Scammers are vile. As my Granny used to say, "hingin's too guid fir them".

My Grandma used to say ‘I hope all their fingers fall off' scammers deserve both

BabyQuark · 13/12/2023 21:09

Whether he can find you will depend in part on what you've posted on Facebook. He can access your profile so if you're worried about him tracking you down in real life its probably worth locking your profile down a little.

HundredMilesAnHour · 13/12/2023 21:12

Alwaystired2023 · 13/12/2023 20:50

I doubt he can do anything with your account details unless he also knows some one who has the ability to hack your bank and find your address

All he can do with your bank details is pay money to you which I don't think he actually planned to ever do - seems it part of his awful scam

This is incorrect. Fraudsters can do a lot with bank details! Don't ever give your bank details out to strangers. If someone wants to pay you electronically, insist they use Paypal so you have some protection.

Kinneddar · 13/12/2023 21:13

Girlsjustwannahavefundamentalrights · 13/12/2023 21:03

Never give your bank details out to randoms. Cash on collection only.

Nothing wrong in bank transfers. You're giving the same info as used to be on cheques. It's perfectly safe

If its a bigger item cash is a faff for everyone. Buyer has to go and withdraw cash. Seller has to go to the bank & pay it off. That would put me off a buyer quite honestly

Alwaystired2023 · 13/12/2023 21:15

@HundredMilesAnHour Yes a proper fraudster could - as per my post - this guy sounds like a chancer using intimidation to get cash from the OP rather

Littlesparks · 13/12/2023 21:18

I had a wierd one on marketplace last week. Put up a 10 pound santa & a man messaged me asking for address to give to a courier as a courier was going to come for the santa & the courier give me cash. The man's public profile was in Hungary & his latest status & photo that day had him in Budapest, I quickly blocked him!

gamerchick · 13/12/2023 21:21

Kinneddar · 13/12/2023 21:13

Nothing wrong in bank transfers. You're giving the same info as used to be on cheques. It's perfectly safe

If its a bigger item cash is a faff for everyone. Buyer has to go and withdraw cash. Seller has to go to the bank & pay it off. That would put me off a buyer quite honestly

Show quote history

That wasn't a bank transfer. It was a scam.

Because there are so many scams about, anyone would be an idiot to even think about a bank transfer. It's cash on collection and not cash sent by courier. if someone doesn't want to do that then someone else will

Original poster
Pipsquiggle · 13/12/2023 21:30

Just blocked. I wanted to show the thread to my DH before I blocked him.

There was other crap he was saying
He was in the hospital, his DD was in critical care.
He said it was totally normal for me to pay him first.
His profile name was totally different to his bank details.

I can't believe I just didn't shut it down earlier. I feel pretty stupid.

OP posts:
Madameprof · 13/12/2023 21:32

Kinneddar · 13/12/2023 21:13

Nothing wrong in bank transfers. You're giving the same info as used to be on cheques. It's perfectly safe

If its a bigger item cash is a faff for everyone. Buyer has to go and withdraw cash. Seller has to go to the bank & pay it off. That would put me off a buyer quite honestly

Show quote history

Exactly, I give my bank details out all the time for people to pay me for my self employed work. You can only pay in money with these details.

Just be careful anything like someone ringing and saying they've sent you a code to read back to them. Banks don't do that but someone could do that to get into your account.

Obviously in this case it's a scam. But I've had FB people pay me by bank transfer for stuff perfectly fine. I just waited to make sure the money appeared in my account before giving them the item.

gamerchick · 13/12/2023 21:38

You'll get another one tomorrow, upgrade to a business account bollocks.

Beware the ones who insist on bank transfer on the doorstep. Ask you for your email and send you a fake paid email receipt. Then they've gone and you've lost your item.

Chewbecca · 13/12/2023 21:39

I doubt the buyer was even in the UK so it is unlikely he is going to track you down. Well done for realising before you got scammed.

Ecnerual · 13/12/2023 21:41

I find Marketplace is so scammy now. Within an hour of listing anything a couple of scam messages arrive, and I only ever sell low value kid's items. I now insist on cash on collection and I won't post anything.

HundredMilesAnHour · 13/12/2023 21:42

Nothing wrong in bank transfers. You're giving the same info as used to be on cheques. It's perfectly safe

No it isn't safe. You need to be selective who you share your bank details with. There are plenty of risks such as identity theft, money laundering etc. (I work in banking)

ActDottie · 13/12/2023 21:44

100% a scam

I don’t think he can do much with just your bank details, but I’d maybe ring your bank just to flag it just in case and I’m sure they’ll reassure you too.

Baldieheid · 13/12/2023 21:53

Pipsquiggle · 13/12/2023 21:30

Just blocked. I wanted to show the thread to my DH before I blocked him.

There was other crap he was saying
He was in the hospital, his DD was in critical care.
He said it was totally normal for me to pay him first.
His profile name was totally different to his bank details.

I can't believe I just didn't shut it down earlier. I feel pretty stupid.

These vermin rely on their victims being very busy so maybe not noticing their crap, and on manipulation when their intended victims ask inconvenient questions. If it didn't work, they wouldn't do it, so don't blame yourself. Be pleased that your instincts were good.

Since when has selling something meant the seller paid for it?