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Iv been scammed haven’t I? (Gumtree)

27 replies

NamelessGem · 18/05/2019 11:20

Have had my eye on a type of bag for a few weeks and spotted a few on Gumtree.

Messaged three sellers, one didn’t reply, two did.
I ask them both if they have paypal as I am dubious to pay for anything via bank transfer...

Both don’t have it. One does offer her boyfriends PayPal, but I take too long to reply and the bag she has sells.

I really want this bag. So message the other seller to ask for her details and if she’ll send it tracked. She replies very fast each time, and says of course :) no problem. Say sometimes if I pay tonight it’ll be sent tomorrow.

I pay the money. Email to say it’s sent.
She doesn’t reply.

A DAY later, she apologises - she was at work and will send tomorrow or Friday.

It’s saturday and Iv had no email from her. Is she busy, or have I not surprisingly been scammed out of my money...!?

It was ‘only’ £20 which I can afford to lose (but would rather not!) and I haven’t ‘rated’ her as a seller yet as I’m giving the benefit of the doubt.

OP posts:
NamelessGem · 18/05/2019 11:20

Has anyone had a similar thing happen ? Didnit turn out alright ?!

OP posts:
EggysMom · 18/05/2019 11:22

I think it's too early for you to know the answer.

Singlenotsingle · 18/05/2019 11:24

Gumtree is notorious for it. I never either buy or sell on it. I advertised a flat to rent once, and got loads of replies from people allegedly living abroad and wanted the flat for a relative but I had to send them the fare to get here!

Yes, you've probably seen the last of your money.

NamelessGem · 18/05/2019 11:38

@singletree oh god people are fucking chancers aren’t they!

I recently advertised a designer bag I no longer use on depop, had lots of offers for ‘£20’ and one girl just put ‘swap’

I asked what she meant? Swap for what?

And she just put ‘don’t mind hun’

Tempting to put, I’ll swap you for cash 😂

OP posts:
19lottie82 · 18/05/2019 11:56

Please NEVER send anyone money by bank transfer for something you don’t have in your hands.

I don’t mean to sound nasty but you’re lucky it was only £20. Please take this as a lesson learned, it could have been a lot worse.

Heismyopendoor · 18/05/2019 12:02

You shouldn’t be sending people money to their bank account as you have no protection.

I only use gumtree for local things I can collect.

Your money might be long gone now, hope you get it sorted and she’s not a scammer but just busy.

Luckily it really wasn’t a huge amount of money.

TeaForTheWin · 18/05/2019 12:06

Too soon to tell. If you don't have it after Tuesdays delivery, yeah probably. But I mean if she was a con artist I doubt she would have replied after you'd paid her. It's probably fine.

NamelessGem · 18/05/2019 13:10

Thankyou for your lovely replies ! Yeah I know 🙈 I was asking for it really!

I mean honestly who doesn’t have paypal these days?!

I have been checking my emails religiously incase she messages to say it’s posted, but nothing yet. Maybe it’ll turn up Monday!

I always wonder how people can stomach doing these kinds of things, if it is a con.

OP posts:
scaryteacher · 18/05/2019 14:40

I don't have PayPal, no reason to use it, so don't have it.

Singlenotsingle · 18/05/2019 15:22

I wouldn't be without Paypal.

BlackcurrantJamontoast · 18/05/2019 16:18

I mean honestly who doesn’t have paypal these days?!

scammers because they know that they have to prove delivery with PayPal.

NamelessGem · 13/06/2019 21:20

So no one asked for an update but I HAVE ONE!! Grin

I attempted to contact the seller a few more times and with no response I figured - my moneys gone.
Annoyed, I created a new account on gumtree under a different name. To just make sure (because my good side was telling me maybe somethings happened, and as Iv had a close bereavement recently I know how it can be).

I found the advert I had originally replied to and asked if it was available. She said ‘yes’.

Well I thought, that’s just bloody great! So I asked if she has paypal. Again... ‘yes I do’
So she intended to scam me from the get go! (No shit, I know)

Well, I wanted to find out some more, see if i could find out who the person was behind the advert and scare her a little for being a scamming bastard.

The next few days involved lots of ‘what’s your home address I’ll collect, to I’m sending the money now’
She pressured me everyday to send the money, saying lots of people were interested, that she was at the post office RIGHT NOW so if I sent the money she’d post it (I hadn’t given her my address for my ‘fake account’!) etc etc.

Each time I’d say yes brilliant I am sending it over now. Then ignore her Til the next day. And begin again.

I arranged to meet her at a certain time to collect and then was a no show. And after that I feel she must have clicked I was bluffing. At this point I messaged her saying ‘yes, it’s annoying when people lie isn’t it?’

While this went on, I found out who she was. A bit of digging with the info she gave me, coupled with a photo on her wide open Instagram of her WITH THE ITEM she said she was selling. I fired off a message, stil lthinking id never see my money again saying

‘Myself and gumtree have forwarded your details onto the police, as Iv been advised this is a police matter. I’d prepare for your pending interview next week...’

She replied back ‘ I don’t know what your talking about? Who exactly have I scammed ?! 😂😂’

I replied ‘ you know what I am talking about.’

Within 20 minutes, my account had been refunded the money she scammed from me.

I GOT MY MONEY BACK!!!!

I sent one more message saying Thankyou for doing the right thing, I’ll let the police know you have refunded me. Don’t do it again!

OP posts:
BackwardsGoing · 13/06/2019 21:58

Awesome OP 😎

ree348 · 13/06/2019 22:06

Haha! Brilliant!!

DonkeyHohtay · 14/06/2019 08:55

All that effort to get £20 back.... What a drama.

I thought Gumtree was about local selling/buying. I've used the site a lot as both a buyer and a seller and it's always been cash in hand on collection. Yes you get the people who say they'll collect then don't turn up, or the people wanting to pay less than the advertised price, but the whole point of it is to avoid having to schlep to the post office with things and accept money through paypal or bank transfer.

Megabeth · 14/06/2019 11:16

Great detective work OP. !!!

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 14/06/2019 11:17

Nice work!

Pasgaddi · 14/06/2019 11:19

There are messages all over gumtree saying not to use bank transfer. Everyone always thinks it doesn't apply to them Hmm

crosspelican · 14/06/2019 11:20

That's amazing! Well done. Grin

NamelessGem · 14/06/2019 15:15

Thanks everyone! I’m well pleased and it was well worth the few minutes per day I put in to get ‘just £20’ back!

OP posts:
QueenOfWinterfell · 14/06/2019 16:18

Well done. Glad you didn’t let her get away with it

SavoyCabbage · 14/06/2019 16:24

Well done!

Orangecake123 · 14/06/2019 16:32

well done OP!

justanidiotagain · 14/06/2019 16:36

That's brilliant. And it's not just £20! I think it's the principle of the thing

Infradoug · 14/06/2019 16:44

Good work! What an idiot.