No-one doubts the convenience that online marketplaces offer us when we want to get rid of our old stuff. This convenience, however, comes with a downside. The scam artist’s profession is arguably one of the oldest professions. The Internet, just as it has opened up a whole new vast marketplace for us legitimate sellers and buyers, it also has created a new field of action for scammers. The approaches scammers might take in order to make an insidious living for themselves online are virtually endless. One of the most common, old, and idiotic of these approaches is the one of the fake buyer.
In this case, some random dude will show up pretending interest to buy an item you have for sale online. Then they will try to convince you that they have made the payment and have added an extra sum for shipping, insurance, or whatnot. But you are not able to see the payment until you pay that extra sum to them beforehand. Such an attempt was made against me recently.
I had listed an item for sale on the Greek marketplace site xe.gr. I received a message on the platform which said the simple “Is the item still for sale?” The fact that the message was written in English alone (whereas the ad was in Greek) had me 99% sure that it was a scam. I actually had run before into a similar attempt on the same site, so I knew exactly what it was about. As I find it recreative to tease such idiots a bit, just like I’ve done several times in the past, I decided to have a little fun.
The user was registered by the email address [email protected]. He had a profile picture of a middle-aged westerner. Of course, the picture must have been of a random person, so I rather not publish it here. The credentials he’s used to set up this Gmail account must also be fake. Although it’s up to anyone to check it up. My goal was to extract from him a bank account where I could (supposedly) pay him the money he asked for so that I would be able to disclose his real identity. But, unfortunately, I didn’t have any luck. Anyhow, following is our conversation…
Hey there, it’s for sale. Do you want it?
Myself
Thanks for your response.Am interested in buying, How long have you owned it how much are you willing to sale it to me ?? send me some of there photos
Scammer
Awaiting to hear from you soon,
Best Regards
Have owned a bit more than 10 years but have used it only for the first couple of them. €300. It cost 600 new. I can send you more photos later today when I get home. You live in Athens?
Myself
Am ok with the price, i wish to let you know that I’m satisfied with the conditions and i will like to inform you that i’m buying the Snowboard to My new apartment in Ukraine, I will be the one responsible for the pick up and delivery stuff.kindly get back to me with your full name and address so that i can forward it to the pick up agent to calculate the pick up fees for me
Scammer
This here was a little surprising. I was expecting to hear of a new apartment in Nigeria. A Nigerian immigrant in Ukraine? A Ukranian scammer? Who knows…
That’s totally fine mate. Name: Dimitrios Paketadoros. Address: Koroidias Street, 10445 Athens.
Myself
Great i will like to inform you that the Payment will be made via PayPal send me your PayPal name and email to make the Payment immediately ??
Scammer
Yes, sure. My Paypal address is the one I’m writing to you now from.
Myself
Ok i will make the Payment immediately
Scammer
In fact, I didn’t even have a PayPal account registered on the email I communicated from. The fool didn’t even take the time to check this up.
Hello
Scammer
I just completed the transfer and you would have received confirmation from PayPal so i want you to send me the address where the pick up would be made and i made an additional payment of 250 euros for the shipping agent pick up fee and i am sure you noticed that, according to PayPal policy you’ll have to send the extra amount to the shipping company headquarters through Money Gram and these are the steps to follow below in order to get the money sent.
1: Visit any of this Money Gram outlets at your local post office.
2: Choose their Money in Minutes service.
3: Enter the required information ask from you.
4: Enter the shipping agent’s address as requested below
Name: Alcott Charles
Address : Kosmonavtiv street 28
City : Mykolaiv
State: Mykolaivs’ka oblast
Postal Code : 54000
Country: Ukraine
6:Complete your transfer by tendering the 250 euros cash from your own pocket to the Money Gram agent.
7: You will get a confirmation receipt scan it and send it to PayPal After you have done this, you will receive a confirmation mail from PayPal about the activation of the total funds of 600 euros in your PayPal account balance.
I will advice you to check your inbox or spam/junk folder for the PayPal confirmation email in one of these folders..
It’s nice doing business with you.
Here, I wonder… I don’t use MoneyGram or other traditional money transfer agencies, but shouldn’t you need an ID in order to collect money from a MoneyGram office? I can think of two possibilities: 1) The scam is performed in cooperation with a MoneyGram worker 2) His name is indeed Alcott Charles, in which case he must be a British bloke living in Ukraine… How many people by this name could there be living in Ukraine?
Nice doing business with you too, Charles. That’s great, yes, I’ve received the info from PayPal. Do kindly send me your PayPal address to send you the money there instead of MoneyGram.
Myself
You don’t have to send me the Money you have to go to the Money Gram ore Ria office to make the transfer to the Pick up agent Representative Address below as soon as you make the transfer you email PayPal the Ria transfer receipt for verification for your account to be credited with the Total amount of 600 euros immediately
Scammer
Name: Alcott Charles
Address : Kosmonavtiv street 28
City : Mykolaiv
State: Mykolaivs’ka oblast
Postal Code : 54000
Country: Ukraine
I Hope everything is well understood ??
All understood but I don’t have time to go to moneygram. Just send me the bank details of the company and I will make a direct deposit.
Myself
You can send someone to the Money Gram office or make the transfer online and send the Money Gram receipt to PayPal for verification
Scammer
Are you able to send online ??
Scammer
Sorry but I don’t like MoneyGram. I rather go for direct bank transfer. Do please send me the details and I’ll transfer the money immediately.
Myself
I am able to send money online but I only use PayPal or direct bank transfer.
Myself
Ok they also accept Bitcoin do you know about Bitcoin ??
Scammer
The Pick up agent Representative only accept Money Gram or Ria transfer they also accept BTC
Scammer
I Need a response the transaction can not be canceled ?
Yes, of course I know Bitcoin. Cool, but I don’t use them. I told you mate, I only make direct bank transfers. So it is either that or no *item* for you my friend.
Myself
Ok i will contact the Pick up agent Representative for there PayPal email for your to make the transfer to them ??
Scammer
Yes, that’s fine
Myself
Did you get the PayPal address? Somebody else has also shown interest in buying the *item*.
Myself
Yes i will send it to you immediately
Scammer
This is the email [email protected]
Scammer
As soon as you make the transfer you email PayPal the transfer receipt for verification for your account to be credited immediately
Scammer
Hello Good morning did the Pick up agent Representative PayPal Email ??
Scammer
Hey mate, I was just trying to send the money but there’s a problem with my PayPal. I don’t quite get what’s wrong with it, but it won’t let me send me money to that address. But no worries, I can still do a bank transfer. Do please provide me with the company’s bank account details and I will pay them asap.
Myself
Are you kidding me I collected the PayPal email for you and now you are telling me you are not able to make the transfer is that possible
Scammer
Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. And no, I’m not kidding with you.
Myself
Try to make the transfer agin if you can’t it go the PayPal email you have to go to the Ria office or make the transfer online
Scammer
I tried many times already but it won’t do it. The problem is that I use a special, corporate PayPal account which is set to not process payment to unverified accounts. Your company’s account is not verified and that causes the issue. So, unless you can tell them to verify it, and given that there will be NO RIA OFFICE, one option left, pal: BANK TRANSFER. As soon as you send me the details they will have the money within 5 minutes, and you will have your snowblower soon after.
Myself
I didn’t really bother to check whether this PayPal account is verified, but I’m quite certain that it’s not.
Did you get the account dude? If you don’t send it to me soon enough, I’m afraid that I’ll have to sell it to somebody else.
Myself
Are you kidding me if you can’t follow the PayPal interaction sale it to another person
Scammer
Well, actually, as a matter of fact, yes, indeed, very true, I’m just kidding with you. Sorry about that. Nothing personal. It’s just that I find it amusing to poke fun at idiots. Hahaha 😀😅😝
Myself
