For people who always buy and sell things online, PLEASE beware such scammers on the Internet. You don’t get scammed only when you buy things from untrusted blogshops.
Even as a seller, if you are not careful enough, you MAY get cheated as well.
I didn’t fall into that deceiving trap of these suspicious scammers behind the screens. But I was quite frustrated and now rather amused at the fact that these “professional” scammers don’t only go for expensive items but they try to cheat on cheap products that are worth $20+.
Besides, I have encountered a few experiences with these tricky people and I really want to warn anyone who read this post.
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So I started with posting an ad on GUMTREE stating that I’m offering to sell away my camera which is estimated to be worth SGD300. This guy replied me stating that he wants it at SGD500 including shipping cost. I was totally shocked. Why would anyone pay such a huge amount for this camera? I was suspicious. But I thought ‘no harm trying’.. the maximum he could do is to back out/ not pay.
Then he claimed that he’s buying it for his girlfriend and daughter in another case today, making it seem less suspicious.
This scammer asked me to mail out the item FIRST, and I have to send ‘PayPal’ my proof of shipment before the funds will be successfully added to my account. WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS RULE. I have done several transactions with my customers and none has this kind of requirement.
He even misused people’s trust for PayPal to conduct such scams. Tsk tsk.
He even acted as the ‘victim’ and that I’m scamming his money as I was unwilling to mail out the item to his mailing address. OBVIOUSLY I wouldn’t.
You think that this is all they have? No! They are kinda smart in faking ‘PayPal’ emails which are sent into my junk folder. Sorry for the really small screenshot, but the whole email is roughly about informing me of the funds transferred to my account. But I would have to show proof of shipment before they will successfully transfer.
And their email looks quite real, except for a few mistakes they made.
I bet some would fall into this trap after reading this email. Lucky I didn’t!
But in fact, there were quite a few loopholes in the whole scamming process. And I tend to be a very cautious person when dealing with such transactions and buy-sell thing.
1) The buyer offered to buy at a ridiculously high price without a single bit of negotiation
2) The ‘PayPal’ email sent to my junk folder was actually from ‘costumer_careservice@accountant.com’.
Apparently, they couldn’t even spell ‘customer’ correctly and it wasn’t even PayPal’s official email.
3) I used my mum’s PayPal account which is her email, so in any case, PayPal should be sending a confirmation email to her and NOT TO ME.
So I replied “I have enquired PayPal about this case and we will see who is scamming”
That scammer never replied again.
I WIN.
And I even reported this fraud to Paypal.
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And today, I received another ‘interested’ buyer’s reply for one of my handphone pouch which is worth SGD20-30. I saw the same methods used, and immediately knew that it was another scam.
I SERIOUSLY DON’T UNDERSTAND.
These people really got nothing to scam, so they target such cheap items? *Shakes head totally*
Rather than being angry, I feel amused that they have demoted to become CHEAPO scammers (¬‿¬)
So guys, remember to be really careful when this happens to you!!!
On a side note, maybe I should start posting at the side of my ads “Please don’t bother contacting me if you’re one of those buyers who will ask me to mail out the items first before PayPal funds will be transferred to my account, you will be wasting your time (:”
