I was nearly scammed for $3000 + International Postage worth $250+, I was selling my video camera on Gumtree, and I got a potential buyer. They seemed legit, they asked for extra information and photos, and if I’d be willing to post overseas at their cost. They suggested we use PayPal, I emailed them the request, which said ‘pending’ that’s when I got the scam email from ‘[email protected] [email protected]‘ the email seemed very real, had all the right markings/icons of an official letter. But it said they wouldn’t release the funds to me until I had provided a Tracking Number upon postage. That’s when I went over the email, and tried to match what they were saying to the actual PayPal website. We the site mentioned nothing about this, I looked closer and saw the email was actually send by [email protected] which doesn’t exist. Attached is the fake email.
Victim Location 95138
Total money lost $5,200
Type of a scam Online Purchase
I was defrauded out of $5,200 ($4,500 laptop, $200 shipping, $500 in itunes gift cards) when I sold a laptop through Gumtree. The buyer used a fake paypal email address. I am in Sydney, Australia and sent the computer to Pittsburg, PA, US. Fake PayPal ([email protected]
[email protected]) contacted me and told me they needed the tracking receipt before they could release the funds. I did so. I was then contacted twice more telling me that the buyer was overcharged due to a ‘systematic error’ and I needed to make up the difference in iTunes gift cards. The first time for $200, the second for $300. They then asked for $400 to be transferred to the buyer’s account and I would receive $5,600. I finally realised it was a scam and I forwarded the emails to the appropriate sites as well as filed police reports.