Is this a scam? - DPChallenge Forums

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

02/14/2012 09:37:08 AM · #1

I have my Nikon D80 for sale on craigslist. I had an inquiry this morning whether it's still available. I said yes, but there was another offer below my asking price. I am trying to get my asking price...$275.

Note that in my message, I said: "Cash or paypal only."

Here's the response:

Thanks for writing back. I'm sorry I won't be able to come see it because i am embarking on a business trip evening. I still want it anyway if you could sell it to me.I really need to buy this and send to my son schooling outside the state as a gift.I have been trying to buy this on eBay but its so very stressful buying there.I will offer you additional $50 so as to close the auction as soon as possible .I will be paying through PAYPAL because I have a verified account with PayPal but if you don't have a PayPal account you can set up an account with them just visit
WWW.PayPal.com the process is just 3- 5minutes . So kindly get back with your PayPal email address so i can make payment into your PayPal account,shipment will be handled by me through my personal FedEx account,so you don't have to pay for shipment.Get back to me if my approval is granted.I would like to see the pictures.I really need this, quite important and urgent. I will be more than glad if it can be sold to me.

PS: I am ready to pay you additional $50 if you can go ahead and secure the item for me.

Sounds a little suspicious. What do you think?

Message edited by author 2012-02-14 09:38:26.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

02/14/2012 09:44:34 AM · #2

Yes, my BS meter is in the red. The way he tells you all about Paypal, even though you already said you prefer that method, suggests it's prewritten bait. That and the conveyance of urgency, as if yours is the only used camera out there.

chazoe

Nikon Z7 FX

Nikon MF Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D PC

02/14/2012 09:45:05 AM · #3

Scam. It's a bot used to gain email addresses. He never even mentions the product. A thousand people probably got the same message.

cowboy221977

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

02/14/2012 09:47:18 AM · #4

I have seen this before..It is a scam...Run away!!!!

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

02/14/2012 09:47:21 AM · #5

Originally posted by chazoe:

He never even mentions the product.

Good picking out of that little aspect!

snaffles

Nikon D7100

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

02/14/2012 09:48:33 AM · #6

Ah yes, the ever-popular 'the camera's for my out-of-state/out-of-country son/daughter' scam. Frankly I always wonder why they don't just send the $$$ to the kid so they can buy the damn camera for themselves in whatever state they're in!

Look at the message closely. It's larded with excuses as to why they can't get it through any other means. It's asking you to go to a link (probably one that will steal your credit card info). Why the hell should you have to set up any kind of Paypal or other account? And the rule of thumb with most of these sites is to meet the buyer in person and use only cash.

If anything ever sounds so incredibly complex and has all these lame-o excuses, it's a good sign of a scammer. Most real people don't bother making up a million reasons why they need YOUR stuff and why YOU have to click on a linky.

Block these people and for gawd's sake, don't click on any links.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

02/14/2012 09:59:22 AM · #7

Its definitely a scam, but if you want to have a little learning experience to see how far he goes, just create a new email address - gmail or anything where else and tell him that this is your paypal email address (you do not have to create paypal account). Expect to get a paid receipt on that email address.

Originally posted by Neil:

ShutterRev

Nikon D610

02/14/2012 10:03:36 AM · #8

Yes that's a scam, I got the same type of e-mail but replace camera for laptop (when I was selling a laptop) the bastard even tried to make it sound like he was some kind of Jack Bauer type on overseas assignment... he signed the e-mail with a badge number saying he was "Special Agent Alex" he wanted to get the laptop for his son, needed PayPal yadda yadda... I forwarded it to whomever and whatever I could find that ensures widest dissemination, I love the thread on here that wasted the time of the nigerian scammer, and I love the fact that "scam-baiting" is a sport now, making their lives as difficult as possible should be a national sport... as stealing from the more trusting of us is for them. I HATE SCAMMING F***S.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

02/14/2012 10:05:06 AM · #9

THANKS!

So what are they trying to get? The paypal link is not a hidden link somewhere else...though the WWW is in caps (but I don't think URLs are case sensitive). The mail is really from Gmail according to the full headers.

Just trying to get the camera for free? Or to somehow steal money from my paypal account?

ShutterRev

Nikon D610

02/14/2012 10:08:59 AM · #10

THey will end up saying they sent the money but it got held up somewhere, and that you need to send the item first for the money to get released. Or they will end up rolling the whole thing into a Nigerian scam with western union. With my laptop I baited the guy for a bit, he ended up saying he wanted me to send the item first and he would pay me an extra $250 just so I trusted him. RIGHT... I send $2000 laptop now and you will pay me an extra $250 *AFTER* so that I trust you? these fools are redonkulous.

I highly encourage you to read this thread: //www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1122420&highlight=she's

cowboy221977

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

02/14/2012 10:12:15 AM · #11

Originally posted by ShutterRev:

wow tell me how you really feel

02/14/2012 10:13:31 AM · #12

Just trying to have you ship the camera..

There is no way for them to steal the money from your paypal account, unless you have a very easily hack-able password like your firstname followed by lastname type.

A typical scenario is you will receive an email (which will look like a receipt) from payal.com saying that your account has been credited for your asking amount+ $50. If you look at the sender properly it will not be a paypal.com email address.

The email will looks fairly legitimate, paypal logo, security attachments - more legitimate than an actual paypal email.

02/14/2012 10:15:02 AM · #13

Originally posted by vikas:

Do they think I'd be dumb enough not to check my paypal balance?

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

02/14/2012 10:16:46 AM · #14

Originally posted by Neil:

Originally posted by vikas:
Just trying to have you ship the camera..

There is no way for them to steal the money from your paypal account, unless you have a very easily hack-able password like your firstname followed by lastname type.

A typical scenario is you will receive an email (which will look like a receipt) from payal.com saying that your account has been credited for your asking amount+ $50. If you look at the sender properly it will not be a paypal.com email address.

The email will looks fairly legitimate, paypal logo, security attachments - more legitimate than an actual paypal email.

Do they think I'd be dumb enough not to check my paypal balance?

haha. . yes they do think that and the scary part is it actually works.. there are enough dumb people who will ship!

ShutterRev

Nikon D610

02/14/2012 10:20:46 AM · #15

Yes they think you will, as these types of scams made $9.3 billion in 2009.

Message edited by author 2012-02-14 10:22:07.

02/14/2012 10:24:36 AM · #16

I just went through my emails to see how far back this exact scenario happened with me, it was back in 2005..and they are still trying to use the same tricks!

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

02/14/2012 10:25:55 AM · #17

I reported it to paypal, with full headers.

At least it will take that email address out of commission, maybe.

Thanks again.

ETA: Maybe I should sick Slippy on them.

Message edited by author 2012-02-14 10:26:35.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

02/14/2012 10:33:45 AM · #18

anytime paypal gets brought up on Craigslist is a scam. Craigslist should be face to face.

i went through with a pseudo transaction to see how the scam worked before and they send fake paypal emails that show a transaction has occurred, if you actually go to paypal (not through the emails) the funds aren't there.

Denielle

Canon EOS-7D Mark II

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

02/14/2012 10:37:56 AM · #19

Complete scam! I had almost an IDENTICAL response to selling an iPod that I had. If they want to use paypal, it's a scam. And if they say they are "out of the country," "out of the state," or located in another country, it's a scam!

I stopped using craigslist because of all the scammers!

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

02/14/2012 10:45:03 AM · #20

Well I was going to let people pay me via paypal, even though face to face. But perhaps I need to rethink that...although I was planning to do any transactions at Starbucks, I was thinking they could use a smartphone to pay, and I could check my account there before we leave using my Kindle Fire (I don't have a smartphone!) Just thought it was easier than bringing all that cash for people.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

02/14/2012 10:45:52 AM · #21

here is a thread where i drug the scammer for a little ride. i never followed up to the thread, but i got the guy willing to pay nearly double plus a huge amount of shipping.

eventually he gave up.

thread link

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

02/14/2012 10:55:07 AM · #22

Intersting thread...I just noticed that I got one yesterday too! That's two scammer emails and one real inquiry, LOL.

"Thanks for getting back to me.. Am buying the (Nikon D80 and D90 Kit) for my son as a birthday gift, He�s in Africa on a construction contract, am unhealthy to pick it up so i will be paying you through PayPal. Please send me a PayPal invoice or your PayPal identification email for payment. I will provide you my sons shipping information for shipment as soon as the payment is sent. I will be paying you the sum of ($700 USD) to cover the cost and shipping to Africa, Shipping will be through USPS Registered or Priority mail. Thanks for your help."

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

02/14/2012 10:59:41 AM · #23

i told my scammer that the post office couldn't send to the address he gave, and he said just sent it anyway... lol