**Beware**Gumtree**Scam**

[Temp20221108A]

I posted several items on gumtree for sale and received a text from a woman called **** ***** asking if I still had an item (the most expensive one on the list) and to email her.

Eager to sell the item, I obliged and emailed her. She replied with the following:

Great! please consider both sold as i am willing to pay your full asking price because i need to buy it for my cousin asap,

i have read through the advert and i'm totally satisfied with it,

sadly i would not be able to come personally to collect due to my hearing loss and I'm just recovering from heart surgery so I'm home-bound.

I have a courier agent that would help me to pick it up at your preferred location after you have received your money and i'll pay you via PayPal once you are ready.

Kindly get back to me with your location so that i can inform the courier agent about it now?

I replied asking if she was local to me and if a bank transfer or cash on collection would be possible. She ignored the 1st question and said she has no access to bank because she is house bound. Then gave me a link to PayPal.

After repeatedly asking where she was from and only getting her email address as a reply, I googled her name and came across a thread detailing the email I received but using a different name. So be careful. **** ***** (******** at ****.***) 

[Temp20230525FL]

Hi, I have been receiving the exact email from Katherine for a desk I'm currently selling on Gumtree.

I had a feeling it was a scam when the person was asking me to pay cash to the courier driver for the pickup of the desk, and that they have already supposedly paid for the pickup through PayPal. 

Thank you for the Information provided and hopefully, other people see your post before falling for the scam.

Much appreciated!!

Regards Chris

[Ktoing]

This exact thing has just happened to me!  Same name, same story (Hampstead Barracks etc) and then I got a BS email from 'PayPal' stating I need to buy a $250 'STEAM' gift card and reply to the email with the gift card details to finalise the PayPal transaction.  I just typed out an email to complaints at ADF as I was genuinely concerned this person works in the Defence Force. Before I hit 'send' I decided to google this stupid email address - [removed] - and here I am!  The email is obviously not even worth sending to ADF now but i'm going to send it to Scamwatch as i've given this **bleep** my home address! 

[Arethereanyname]

Yes, Rose <removed> emailed me about my laptop... Great! please consider it sold and take the ads down off gumtree,i am buying it for my cousin and i am ready to pay your full asking price, i have read through the advert and i'm totally satisfied with it and i will be glad if you can get back to me fast,sadly i won't be able to come for the inspection and pick up due to my disabilities,i loss my hearing and being on a wheelchair but I have a courier agent that will help me to pick it up at your preferred location. Regarding the payment i can only pay via PayPal at the moment and I will be responsible for all the PayPal fee/charges on this transaction kindly get back to me with your PayPal email and the pick up location so that i can inform the courier agent about it now? Awaiting your reply soon... I do feel sorry for her with all this heart surgery, hearing loss and being wheelchair bound. Surely her cousin should be doing her own shopping when she's got all this going on?!

[Woodlandwomble]

I've just got a similar message although they have a different name appear to be recovered from heart surgery and able to leave the house!!!  My message appeared as this:-

I am Satisfied so Im just asking about it to make sure its in good condition as im buying it for sister as a surprise, the payment will be made via PayPal for the safety of both.so i will like to have your PayPal email address and the name on the PayPal account where the funds will be sent. And also the address where it will be picked up because am arranging for a pick up. I may not be able to come and check it myself due to the nature of my job, but my pick up agent will be doing the rest after payment cleared. So i'll need it to get home before me.So as soon as the funds is cleared in your account, they will come for the pick up with the document that you will need to sign on to show that you have delivered the item safely(if you don't have an account just log on to (a paypal link was here but I've removed it as you can bet your bottom dollar it wasn't genuine!).  Do you have a PayPal account?

Please write me back Asap.

The person is now called Mrs Julian <removed> (unusual name!)  They texted me via my ad mobile number but their number didn't appear just the words Gadd and no option to respond. (strange for someone not in my phone!)  Initally I was excited as I thought I had sold my item but equally suspicious as didn't want to give ut Paypal details.  Contacted Gumtree live chat and they advised it was a scam.  They have all the details.  I thought I was internet and scam savvy (used to work in IT!) but was nearly taken in by this.  Be careful!

[veevee_amu19]

Their name is now Alison <removed> you’ll see this when they send you their email but the name on Gumtree is Rose

[cousins2kuk]

Yep - Had this SCAM come throught today also!

First strange part was a text message for a foreign number... once he then started asking me to send money to a bank account in China, I knew things were strange!

Named and shamed! - shead <removed> (gmail address)

"Hello again,

I am glad to inform you that i have made the payment as discussed! PayPal said that they have sent you a confirmation email so kindly check the inbox of your registered paypal email 

I had a little problem with the agent they said they can only schedule the pick up date and time after they receive their pick up fee in their head office via Western Union,but due to me being house bound due to my throat cancer surgery,i'm unable to get to a Western Union shop to send it and i do not have debit card to complete the transfer online,. I added the £205 they charged for the pick up and £40 for the western union charges charges,you will receive the total sum of £290 

in your account after you have made the payment of £205 in cash at the Western union shop and get back with the transfer details as instructed on the payment confirmation.

Here is the details needed for the transfer below:

First name: Xiliang

Last name: <removed>

Address: <removed>

Country : China

Please let me know once you've sent the money so that i can make necessary arrangements."

And a scam Paypal looking email address of - <removed> (gmail address)

[Ionescuvd]

Same story here:

Received a txt msg from buyer requesting me to contact him via email and he asked me if i still have the printer for sale.

In my reply, i've asked him which one is he after as i have 2 for sale, and this was his reply:

Great! please consider it sold and take the ads down off gumtree,i am buying it for my cousin and i am ready to pay your full asking price, i have read through the advert and i'm totally satisfied with it and i will be glad if you can get back to me with some pics if available,sadly i won't be able to come for the inspection and pick up due to my disabilities,i loss my hearing and being on a wheelchair but I have a courier agent that will help me to pick it up at your preferred location.

Regarding the payment i can only pay via PayPal at the moment and I will be responsible for all the PayPal fee/charges on this transaction kindly get back to me with your PayPal email and the pick up location so that i can inform the courier agent about it now?

Awaiting your reply soon...

Then my reply was: 

i'm sorry to hear about your disabilities. if you consider buying it as a present, i would recomand buying one new. I won't be posting it. sorry but collection only with cash pay.

His reply:

I'm sorry due to my health conditions I can only pay via PayPal as it is the only medium at which i can make Payment at the moment,i have limited access to other payment methods and my bank details. 

I am paying with my PayPal balance.I hope you understand?

You can set up a PayPal account at (paypal link) very easy to set up within few minutes.

My reply:

due to paypal scam i won't be posting any of my stuff and i won't take payments using any other method other then cash.

I'm very sorry for the incovinience.

You can buy a brand new printer from ebay and pay with your paypal balance.

have a great day.

This was the end of the conversation.

Reading about these paypal scams i am sceptical about selling something and receiving money over paypal...

Beware people...

No genuine buyer would send a courier to pick something up (unless it's a friend or family)... at least, in UK it doesn't work like that... the seller will contact a courier so he can post the package.

Happy buying and selling but stay safe everyone!

[Butch25]

Had exactly the same thing happen to me yesterday, so clearly this is ongoing. Received a message to my phone from an email address, asking if the item was still for sale, and to reply by email, which I did. I then received the ‘script’ from the person otherwise known as ‘Rose <removed>’, going on about being on death's door, and wanting to be so generous towards her cousin. You may be surprised, but this aroused my suspicion.  'Rose' also asked for me to confirm my address and PayPal details. I initially confirmed my PayPal email address, but nothing more, as was harmless by itself. After reading this thread, I then responded by saying I knew that they were fraudsters, and to stop wasting my time. This was before the inevitable email came through asking for the £200,000 'courier-agent fee' in order for me to collect my £120 for a TV.

Nothing else heard back. Shame.

Be on your guard, people.

Be on your guard people.

[Mike106]

Name used by scammer: Srdjan <removed>

Initial contact: SMS wanting email reply

Email response to reply: 

Thanks for getting back, I'm fine with the price likewise the condition as described on the advert, exactly what am looking for, I just got a job with Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Beetaloo Basin, Northern Territory, Australia and the reception is terrible. We do not have access to phone at the moment, which is why I contacted you with internet messaging facility. I am already in talks with the courier that will handle the pick-up and delivery to my new house here in Darwin.

 As regards the payment, I can pay you through direct bank deposit (EFT), using paypal instant bank wire transfer service, linked up with my ANZ bank account, I will need your bank details and I will make the payment through paypal facility to your bank account, all I will need is your acct number, BSB number and acct name.

Thanks....

Await your reply

[Stefania84]

OMG!! I am sooooo glad I googled the email address!! I almost fell for this! Scary!! Is there a way to report this to gumtree or PayPal??