To think I've been scammed

[NeedSomeAnswersPlease]

I had a spare ticket to an event that I decided to sell, couldn't sell it through Facebook groups so eventually I settled on sending an email around my company and found a buyer through there.

The ticket arrived yesterday and I sent a screenshot to the buyer (without the QR code and sent across my bank details for payment. She said she would pay me today - today arrives and she hasn't paid me but she sends me a screenshot of my bank details on her bank payment page and says she's about to pay. She's on the phone to me as I send the ticket and then she hangs up. She's ignored all my messages since then.

I sold the ticket for £200. So a pretty significant chunk of money but not enough for the police to bother. I'm going to have to just suck it up and accept that I've been scammed, aren't I?

I'd treat it gently to begin with. Message her, explaining that they payment didn't make it through, and ask her to send the money by tomorrow please.

If it's not forthcoming, then do a MCOL.

I’d be amazed that someone would be stupid enough to do this to a work colleague

Are you 100% sure this isn't a misunderstanding? Could she think they payment has gone through but in reality it didn't? It seems almost unbelievable that someone could try to scam someone they work with because surely they will look completely untrustworthy to the employer (not to mention colleagues). Can you go to see her face to face and tell her you don't have the money and try to sort it out that way? If she is scamming you it will be harder face to face for her.

She’s committed fraud so your coming should be told as it’s a criminal offence.

I deal with financial crime as a job. You need to give her one more opportunity to pay and if she doesn’t then to report her to the police - with messages and screenshots as evidence and also to your employer.

The advantage you have over most who have been scammed is you know who the person is. .

Could she be planning to argue that she changed her mind about buying the ticket and didn't use it? (If you involved police / HR) Just wondering if that's part of the reason she was speaking to you about it on a call rather than via message when you transferred it.

I've messaged her again, if she's not paid by tomorrow I'll send a more forceful message

I just don't really understand why you'd do it to be honest, we work together

Has she blocked you?

I suspect she might do less of a 'scam' but more just pissing you about to avoid ever having to pay. Taking forever to respond, claiming there's issues with the bank, she's had personal problems etc.. but she intends to pay when she can. And obviously there's little you can do at that point because she got the ticket off you so you can't sell to someone else.

Unfortunately that would make it less clear cut to report to HR / police I imagine.

So in that respect it being clear she's scammed you would be better to take action and get others to take it seriously.

Can she use the ticket without the QR code? As you work with her I'd be assuming something else has happened (like she realised she can't afford etc and is ashamed) rather than she's trying to skank you. Fingers crossed anyway.

She's read my message about paying and not answered so I'm assuming it's something like this

Bit of a pain as she's booked hotels and flights etc., so if she's realised now she can't afford to go it's literally the last thing falling into place!

I’d ‘accientally’ send an all company/department email addressed to her asking her why she feels she doesn;t need to pay for a ticket you sold her in good faith. Then send another all company/reply to all saying ‘oops! That was obviously meant for veronica!’

You said that you'd blacked out the QR code...she won't be able to use the ticket without it will she? So there's no problem - unless you've since sent the QR code? In which case you're going to have to name and shame her at work. Not sure why you feel you can't do that to be honest 🤷‍♀️

I sent her the ticket with it blacked out to show it had arrived, then emailed the full ticket. Dumb on my part, I know

Dangerous one...

If you're using company emails, on company time (even outside of company time), the email, the bandwidth, the laptop... they're all company property. Even if you're on your lunch break, it's personal use on company property.

I don't see how HR would care, and could quite easily say you were in the wrong.

Could this be seen as defamation if you spread the word?
(I'm just thinking out loud... need someone in HR to verify).

Do not do this. It is really unprofessional and I have known of people be sacked for using all company email lists for this sort of thing when they made accusations using a work email address. An email like this would not come under the acceptable usage policies for work email and you could end up in bother.

I would definitely tell HR. Report her for fraud.

Originally sent a company wide email (common in our company, happens all the time), then all chats have been via WhatsApp on my personal phone

If it's common practice, OP is fine

And, lawyer here, no. OP won't be "guilty" of defamation. She has a defence of honest opinion...and, well, the truth.

Sorry - should have put a /s on it to show I was being funny/sarcastic!

Thanks for your help everyone, she paid up last night when I threatened to go to HR - seems she just wanted to chance it and delay payment!

How close to pay day did you organise this? Could she be stringing it out until then?

Oh Hurrah for a good outcome!

Do you think she maybe thought she'd pressed send on her app and it didn't come though?

Rather than he scamming? I'd be inclined to find her face to face and say I'm sure you don't mean to but you haven't paid.

Sorry missed your update!!

@NeedSomeAnswersPlease where I work HR would be interested because we are expected to behave in a way that won’t bring the company into disrepute (written in contract). Stealing from a colleague is not acceptable and would not be a good look (even though roles are not public facing). She can afford it, she’s being a CF. As the email went company-wide to begin with you may have some leverage if you threaten police and/or HR. She will use the ticket!

She'd agreed to buy the ticket about four months ago and then we got paid last week