Well, where do I begin. I have come across an array of scammers in my time; from those with far-fetched stories of how they're busy working on an oil rig overseas or stuck in a storm over in Asia somewhere, but with every one i've had my guard up and seen straight through them. Except for one.
Buckle yourself in, it's a long one, but you wouldn't believe the ending or my luck!
So recently i've been in the market for a second-hand lens for my new Canon 5D camera, and after searching on eBay and posting a 'wanted' ad on Gumtree, I was contacted by someone by the name of 'John' from Tassie who said they were interested in selling their lens.
After asking for $500, I naturally asked what his best offer was, to which he replied $450 - which I was more than happy to purchase it for.
We communicated back and forth via text, with the guy sending photos of the lens, going into minor details about it and pointing out how it was originally purchased at JB Hi-Fi but later given to him as a present.
At this stage I thought everything seemed legit, and the fact the seller was asking if I needed any other attachments (battery grips etc.) meant I had no reason to think otherwise.
However, my 'scammer senses' started to tingle when 'John' asked non-challantly if we could do payment via bank transfer to save on PayPal fees. I have only used PayPal in the past, but having sold my old camera recently and being charged $200 (or 10%) I understood where he was coming from. I figured he didn't overly pressure me to have the payment done exclusively through PayPal, so the alarm bells weren't ringing too loudly.
It was interesting, however, that he didn't have the lens listed on either eBay or Gumtree at the time, so I asked him as to why that was, which he said was because he saw my post before he had a chance to post it up. Fair enough.
Again, it crossed my mind (hence me asking the question), so I figured I should at least have him list it on eBay to ensure I have some sort of protection - stupidly not knowing you aren't covered unless you pay via PayPal or by credit card.
So after agreeing to try and protect us both, the next day he posts up the listing, only for it to go missing shortly after I have the chance to pay for the item. eBay then sent me a generic email saying the listing had been taken down but not saying why. Strange. So I tell him what happened and he explains that he can't relist it as eBay is recognising it as a duplicate listing, so asks me if it's OK to post it on his 'sisters' account. Sure, why not? I point out the problem of how his sisters bank account details would be linked to that eBay account, and he just says he'll get her to transfer the funds to him.
Mind you, a couple more alarm bells ring off in my head, as the seller starts eagerly sending me texts asking if I saw the listing shortly after he put it up, whether I was legit, and why I hadn't bought it yet. After quizzing him over his behaviour, he replies that he has been stuffed around in the past and doesn't want to be screwed over. On reflection, I now know they were trying to use this as a tactic to entrap me and ensure I don't get cold feet.
So anyway, sure enough the lens is listed on the sister account whereupon I buy it and send payment through. I then send a screenshot of the bank transfer and he happily replies he'll post it ASAP.
One day passes. I hear nothing. I text him about how he went with the shipment and my heart regains it's steady beat as he texts back almost instantly saying he didn't get a chance during the day so would send it tomorrow.
The next day comes. Nothing. I figure it's Friday, so cut him some slack and don't text until Saturday afternoon. Still nothing. Now it's panic stations.
Yesterday I tried to call his mobile for the first time, but it simply tries to connect every time only to cut out without ringing or a dial tone. Yep, you guessed it - he's disconnected his phone.
My heart sinks and i'm left lamenting how i've been such an idiot to not see this person for a fraudster like any other i'd easily identified in the past. I start looking into the eBay account a little further and notice they'd changed their username from 'jenwil' to 'jemwil' on the same day they put up the listing. The name attached matches the name on the bank account - Jem Williams. Then I start thinking they changed the username to try and match the fake name attached to the bank account to make it look legit - which is something I fell for initially.
But why would you change the name so subtly? It is at this point I begin to unravel the mystery and it becomes clear.
I had noticed they had made two previous purchases on this account, so I got in contact with the sellers via email and asked if they could pass on any information about the person behind this account. And you wouldn't believe it - one of them could relate after being scammed herself in the past, and passed on the details including the name and address of the woman who instead resided in NSW (not Tassie).
Amping up my investigation, I grab the BSB supplied to me that I used to transfer my payment and it linked me to a bank also located in NSW. Trying to connect the dots, I crosscheck the distance between her address and the bank. 10 kilometres away.
Was this woman the scammer all along, posing as 'John'?
I then type her name into Google with her address as the biggest of all hail marys...
AND THE FIRST RESULT SHOWS AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS WOMEN BEING CHARGED FOR FRAUD BACK IN 2011, which contained the real name and street name that mirrored the contact details I acquired from another seller!
BOOM, BAM, SMASH! TOUCHDOWN!
So she subtly changed her username on eBay to match her fake bank account name which is a variation of her actual name.
I then went ahead and found her business name, ABN and address though online government websites.
I have had so many thoughts run through my mind about how to handle this, but am going to kindly inform her that I know who she is (starting her real name for shock factor) and that if she doesn't co-operate and send my cash back within a few hours all of the evidence I have on her will be handed over to the cops. Mind you, even if she gives me back the cash i'm still handing everything over the cops and helping throw her ass in jail, which will no doubt be the punishment handed down given it seems she has a long list of priors. I'm just using it as a ploy to turn the tables and get my cash back before the cops arrest her.
Or I could just send this...
Thoughts?
Buckle yourself in, it's a long one, but you wouldn't believe the ending or my luck!
So recently i've been in the market for a second-hand lens for my new Canon 5D camera, and after searching on eBay and posting a 'wanted' ad on Gumtree, I was contacted by someone by the name of 'John' from Tassie who said they were interested in selling their lens.
After asking for $500, I naturally asked what his best offer was, to which he replied $450 - which I was more than happy to purchase it for.
We communicated back and forth via text, with the guy sending photos of the lens, going into minor details about it and pointing out how it was originally purchased at JB Hi-Fi but later given to him as a present.
At this stage I thought everything seemed legit, and the fact the seller was asking if I needed any other attachments (battery grips etc.) meant I had no reason to think otherwise.
However, my 'scammer senses' started to tingle when 'John' asked non-challantly if we could do payment via bank transfer to save on PayPal fees. I have only used PayPal in the past, but having sold my old camera recently and being charged $200 (or 10%) I understood where he was coming from. I figured he didn't overly pressure me to have the payment done exclusively through PayPal, so the alarm bells weren't ringing too loudly.
It was interesting, however, that he didn't have the lens listed on either eBay or Gumtree at the time, so I asked him as to why that was, which he said was because he saw my post before he had a chance to post it up. Fair enough.
Again, it crossed my mind (hence me asking the question), so I figured I should at least have him list it on eBay to ensure I have some sort of protection - stupidly not knowing you aren't covered unless you pay via PayPal or by credit card.
So after agreeing to try and protect us both, the next day he posts up the listing, only for it to go missing shortly after I have the chance to pay for the item. eBay then sent me a generic email saying the listing had been taken down but not saying why. Strange. So I tell him what happened and he explains that he can't relist it as eBay is recognising it as a duplicate listing, so asks me if it's OK to post it on his 'sisters' account. Sure, why not? I point out the problem of how his sisters bank account details would be linked to that eBay account, and he just says he'll get her to transfer the funds to him.
Mind you, a couple more alarm bells ring off in my head, as the seller starts eagerly sending me texts asking if I saw the listing shortly after he put it up, whether I was legit, and why I hadn't bought it yet. After quizzing him over his behaviour, he replies that he has been stuffed around in the past and doesn't want to be screwed over. On reflection, I now know they were trying to use this as a tactic to entrap me and ensure I don't get cold feet.
So anyway, sure enough the lens is listed on the sister account whereupon I buy it and send payment through. I then send a screenshot of the bank transfer and he happily replies he'll post it ASAP.
One day passes. I hear nothing. I text him about how he went with the shipment and my heart regains it's steady beat as he texts back almost instantly saying he didn't get a chance during the day so would send it tomorrow.
The next day comes. Nothing. I figure it's Friday, so cut him some slack and don't text until Saturday afternoon. Still nothing. Now it's panic stations.
Yesterday I tried to call his mobile for the first time, but it simply tries to connect every time only to cut out without ringing or a dial tone. Yep, you guessed it - he's disconnected his phone.
My heart sinks and i'm left lamenting how i've been such an idiot to not see this person for a fraudster like any other i'd easily identified in the past. I start looking into the eBay account a little further and notice they'd changed their username from 'jenwil' to 'jemwil' on the same day they put up the listing. The name attached matches the name on the bank account - Jem Williams. Then I start thinking they changed the username to try and match the fake name attached to the bank account to make it look legit - which is something I fell for initially.
But why would you change the name so subtly? It is at this point I begin to unravel the mystery and it becomes clear.
I had noticed they had made two previous purchases on this account, so I got in contact with the sellers via email and asked if they could pass on any information about the person behind this account. And you wouldn't believe it - one of them could relate after being scammed herself in the past, and passed on the details including the name and address of the woman who instead resided in NSW (not Tassie).
Amping up my investigation, I grab the BSB supplied to me that I used to transfer my payment and it linked me to a bank also located in NSW. Trying to connect the dots, I crosscheck the distance between her address and the bank. 10 kilometres away.
Was this woman the scammer all along, posing as 'John'?
I then type her name into Google with her address as the biggest of all hail marys...
AND THE FIRST RESULT SHOWS AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS WOMEN BEING CHARGED FOR FRAUD BACK IN 2011, which contained the real name and street name that mirrored the contact details I acquired from another seller!
BOOM, BAM, SMASH! TOUCHDOWN!
So she subtly changed her username on eBay to match her fake bank account name which is a variation of her actual name.
I then went ahead and found her business name, ABN and address though online government websites.
I have had so many thoughts run through my mind about how to handle this, but am going to kindly inform her that I know who she is (starting her real name for shock factor) and that if she doesn't co-operate and send my cash back within a few hours all of the evidence I have on her will be handed over to the cops. Mind you, even if she gives me back the cash i'm still handing everything over the cops and helping throw her ass in jail, which will no doubt be the punishment handed down given it seems she has a long list of priors. I'm just using it as a ploy to turn the tables and get my cash back before the cops arrest her.
Or I could just send this...
Thoughts?
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