Bought something off Marketplace, was listed as collection only but seller happy to post. Asked me if they could email me instead (red flag 1). Then asked for payment by gift card (red flag 2). Stupidly I agreed to both these things. Only noticed belatedly that the email address (of their 'daughter') for the egift card matched the same format as their email address - eg [email protected].
They've mentioned their job which takes them away from home for a few days at a time, I looked them up and the name matches a job title on LinkedIn.
Item didn't arrive, no proof of postage, said they sent it regular post as tracked was too expensive (even though signed for wouldn't have been - I post a lot myself).
In the meantime, their profile has disappeared along with the listing.
Seller returned home from work and said parcel was returned to them and that they'll re-send. They then mentioned off-hand that their partner was being treated for a particular kind of cancer and they'd post the item before going in to hospital.
It's the same kind of cancer I had recently, which anyone can see from my public FB profile.
They've apparently posted it again, still no proof or tracking. At this stage I'm mostly just intrigued - if it turns up then that's amazing but I'm assuming it probably won't. But is it common for a scammer to string you along like this? It was the cancer comment that got me as it just felt too coincidental - and if they are a scammer then that's pretty fucking low of them.
Hoping to be proven wrong!