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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I’ve been scammed - help me nail the bastard.

149 replies

Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 12:59

Hello AIBU fans. Shamelessly posting here for traffic.

I work in an interior designs field, and over the part two months ago I have ordered some stock from a person who I previously had a good business relationship with.

He hasn’t delivered the goods. Apparently because he’s had a “family crisis”. It’s been eight weeks. Eight weeks of excuses I have accepted, even when he’s cancelled a delivery on the very same day.

It turns out he’s a massive fraud, and has scammed dozens of people in our industry out of money. There’s somebody in Australia waiting on 15k. Literally thousands of pounds in some cases. Why this hasn’t been documented more online is beyond me, but there you go… now is the time.

I’m taking him to small claims court as soon as possible, I just need to get his address and details, and as much info as possible on this scumbag.
What’s the best way to do this? And how can I flag this arsehole up to everybody in the industry I work in?

OP posts:
LizzieSiddal · 29/10/2023 15:23

When you paid him did it go into the same bank account as it always has or has he recently changed bank details? If it’s the latter then it is most probably a scam.

Palmasailor · 29/10/2023 15:25

Peculiar thread. Either you’re a fraud or he is or it’s all bullshit.

EnidSpyton · 29/10/2023 15:25

@Thebigblueballoon

Yes but how do you actually know it is the same person?

Have you met him in person since he started scamming?

You don't seem to be definite on this.

Original poster
Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 15:29

Palmasailor · 29/10/2023 15:25

Peculiar thread. Either you’re a fraud or he is or it’s all bullshit.

He is.

OP posts:
Original poster
Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 15:30

EnidSpyton · 29/10/2023 15:25

@Thebigblueballoon

Yes but how do you actually know it is the same person?

Have you met him in person since he started scamming?

You don't seem to be definite on this.

He’s scammed dozens of people, and we’re all talking now.

OP posts:
quicklybeendrivenmad · 29/10/2023 15:32

@Thebigblueballoon Did you pay bank transfer or via a debit or credit card? if bank transfer were they the same details you had used previously?

Original poster
Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 15:33

Debit and yes. Never again, I’ve learned my lesson.

OP posts:
EnidSpyton · 29/10/2023 15:34

@Thebigblueballoon yes I understand this. You keep repeating this as if it proves he's the same person, but it doesn't in the slightest.

Unless people have actually met him in person since he started scamming, or spoken to him and can verify by the voice on the phone that it is the same person, you have no proof at all that you are dealing with the original seller and that his identity hasn't been stolen.

JellyBeanFactory · 29/10/2023 15:36

There was a similar thread in the summer:

Is this a scam? Online furniture shop www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4877468-is-this-a-scam-online-furniture-shop

Waxlyrically · 29/10/2023 15:39

Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 15:30

He’s scammed dozens of people, and we’re all talking now.

Show quote history

But that isn’t evidence it’s the person you used to deal with. It’s only potentially evidence that you have all been conned by the same person.

Original poster
Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 15:41

Waxlyrically · 29/10/2023 15:39

But that isn’t evidence it’s the person you used to deal with. It’s only potentially evidence that you have all been conned by the same person.

Show quote history

Guess so. Oh well, everything I’ve mentioned is rubbish.

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 29/10/2023 15:45

Are you sure it’s a scam by this person? Oof seems so odd that someone who’s traded for years would suddenly do this. I’d think it’s more likely:

  • he’s had his identity cloned
  • his business is in serious trouble - it’s very common at the moment.
  • he’s got into trouble with drugs / gambling.
LizzieSiddal · 29/10/2023 15:51

I’d be inclined to send him a message now saying you know he’s scamming people and unless he sends your furniture by Tuesday, or you get your money back today, you will be going to the police.

Waxlyrically · 29/10/2023 15:53

Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 15:41

Guess so. Oh well, everything I’ve mentioned is rubbish.

Show quote history

Sorry OP I didn’t mean to sound hostile. I just don’t like to think of an innocent party being accused. It is horrible you’ve been conned and I hope you get your money back.

Zigzag24 · 29/10/2023 15:57

Whilst I believe that you’ve been scammed, I do think people have a point in saying that you might not have been scammed by the person that you have previously met and was reputable and well known within your industry. I only say this because I run my own business too and last week someone tried to scam us (book our service and pay using a stolen credit card, they did it to us a year ago too so we knew the signs). As part of their new scam, they have essentially stolen or taken on the identity of a legitimate business and are pretending to be them to prevent people becoming suspicious - only it’s not the “real” business and they’ve merely stolen their name.

When you paid by card, how did you do this? Was it via a payment link that you put your details into or did you pay over the phone?

Original poster
Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 15:58

@BitOutOfPractice

Absolutely. It’s two or three.

OP posts:
Ivyy · 29/10/2023 16:00

@Thebigblueballoon Did your payment to him go to the same bank details as previous purchases? If so and if the other victims of this fraud have also sent their payments to the same bank account, then it must be the same dealer gone rogue, not someone who's stolen his Instagram / identity as pp have mentioned

Carpediemmakeitcount · 29/10/2023 16:05

The first thing you do is contact your bank and put a claim in for fraud. They will investigate and hopefully return your money. I would also warn him through email of my intention this normally gets their backs up and they return what they have stollen.

margotrose · 29/10/2023 16:11

You have no proof that the person you spoke to on Instagram is the person you dealt with originally.

Have any of the people who have been scammed actually spoken to this man in person since the scams began?

Walkaround · 29/10/2023 16:29

Thebigblueballoon · 29/10/2023 14:11

I have. A couple of times pre-Covid.

Show quote history

So when you dealt with him face to face, you did good business with him. Now you are convinced yo are dealing with the same person, but you and everybody else recently scammed has been dealing with “him” online only?… So how come you are so convinced it really is the same man?

MadeOfAllWork · 29/10/2023 16:30

Have you been in touch with the other people who have been scammed?

Walkaround · 29/10/2023 16:32

Sounds like classic scam territory to me - assume the identity of someone people trust, con as many people as possible in as short a time as possible because they think they are doing business with someone they trust, then disappear into the ether with the money.

Findyourneutralspace · 29/10/2023 16:35

Are trading standards not interested in this? They can pursue a prosecution and the case would be reportable, along with him being sentenced.

TheFormidableMrsC · 29/10/2023 16:39

A tracing agent will find him.

GuinnessBird · 29/10/2023 16:46

It's blatantly obvious that the seller has had their identity stolen by a scammer.

Either that or this thread is bullshit.