Gumtree Scams - Latest number

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EmileS

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Hi all, I couldn't find a similar thread on MyBB.

Last year I worked with police to catch scammers in the JHB area. Caught 3 of the F'ers! Mainly from the Computers and Software section. All of them released for no reason after court cases. All of them not RSA citizens.

I'm trying to sell one of my PC's there at the moment. Scammer replied again.

Number he is using: 0737711358
Goes by the name of: Herry

As soon as they start smsing, they are not interested in more specs, they just want to buy. As soon as you see spelling mistakes, good chance of a fraudster. Later on he'll ask for your banking details to EFT and tells you a co-worker will pickup or a friend. They are from the Bruma area.

Just putting it out there, so we all stay aware.
 
Thanks for putting the word out there.
A great pity that the guys you helped to get before the courts weren't put behind bars :(

Are you going to try to catch "Herry"?
 
So none of these numbers are registered, this is exactly why I posted in the one thread and got an infraction for it, I know for a fact which syndicates do this.
You have been warned.
Stay away from Gumtree
 
marine1 said:
So none of these numbers are registered, this is exactly why I posted in the one thread and got an infraction for it, I know for a fact which syndicates do this.
You have been warned.
Stay away from Gumtree
Click to expand...
What exactly happened when you posted it?
 
rudig said:
Thanks for putting the word out there.
A great pity that the guys you helped to get before the courts weren't put behind bars :(

Are you going to try to catch "Herry"?
Click to expand...
Nope. The police are too lazy to help. I worked with contacts I had and the Flying squad (which I have a lot of respect for!)
 
I'm a gumtree veteran. It's simple really. Only work with people in your area. If someone calls from anywhere other than PE, I'm not interested. Meet in public places. I like the parking lot at the shopping centre near my house. And the most important of all. ONLY WORK WITH CASH. If you not working in cash, I'm not interested. There's no need for a stranger to know your bank details.
 
i also just do face to face deals , i mainly sell on gumtree as i get more cash for my used stuff then on carbonite.
 
I'm with chocolateBadger on this.

If you careful, and only work with cash you can get things sold on gumtree... I have done things from laptop to cellphones and video cameras... Always cash - stay away from the sms's.... If they can't afford a phone call they probably can't afford what you selling
 
Yes, always do face-to-face deals in public places or at security gates. Take cash only!

Let me just give you guys the reason behind me posting this:
After we caught these fraudsters, their phones just didn't stop ringing. A lot of people trying to sell their phones, Xbox's, Playstations, PC's, etc. These guys do a lot of deals daily! And yes, it is part of a massive sindicate!! And there are smart guys involved, guys whom know how to generate fake numbers so it looks like bank notifications and guys that know how to assemble PC using different parts.. So, it is not your average Joe. And I can assure you, the guys we caught can't tell the difference between a Playstation and a Xbox...

So, say a family is selling their Xbox to get some cash to pay for their kids. This is the first time they are selling something using the interwebs, which as we all know are full of these scammers (this was the case in most of the phonecalls the police received). Now they get this sms, and get excited to sell. Then the uncle googles the words "Gumtree 073....." (the number of the sms). Guess what pops-up? This exact thread if you use the number provided, and now he knows what is going on.

Yes, it is risky to post these kind of things. And yes, the police are not technically advanced enough or skilled enough to catch these kind of criminals, thus we have to make people aware of this. I know the peeps in MyBB are fully aware of how to do these deals and what to look for. But, sadly most of our citizens don't have a clue! Most people know how to google. So, hopefully this thread pops up when they are looking/checking if it is a scam.

Finally, there is also the slight chance that it is not a scammer, in which case "My Bad". But, I'm 100% this idiot is one.
 
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ChocolateBadger said:
ONLY WORK WITH CASH. If you not working in cash, I'm not interested. There's no need for a stranger to know your bank details.
Click to expand...

I did that when I sold a car. Oh boy, walking around with R30k was interesting.
 
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When I advertise electronics on Gumtree I invariably get numerous really ridiculous replies, from people who I'm certain are scammers to people who are so stupid they're incapable of reading the advert and looking at the pictures I have included.
 
Only deal with cahs, meet at public places, you'll never have a problem
 
Not just gumtree thought, a few years ago i was selling a car through autotrader. Gentleman from some African country contacted me, said he was a businessman staying at the Protea midrand and wanted to test-drive the vehicle. All looked good, he showed me some papers etc. and he seemed genuinely interested in the car, until he started about just having to raise some cash to 'get his money out of his country'.

Told him not interested & left him right there in the parking lot.
 
I started a thread on this subject not to long ago.

These con artists operate with impunity, just like so many other criminal factions within the RSA...

Both sad and pathetic that the good citizens of the country are being held to ransom by these thieving cockroach skum while the SAPS, for the most part, do sweet fckall about it.

Edit: anyway I've sold plenty on gumtree and am yet to be conned despite the best efforts of said cockroaches.

It's really quite simple, COD!!!!
 
EmileS said:
Hi all, I couldn't find a similar thread on MyBB.

Last year I worked with police to catch scammers in the JHB area. Caught 3 of the F'ers! Mainly from the Computers and Software section. All of them released for no reason after court cases. All of them not RSA citizens.

I'm trying to sell one of my PC's there at the moment. Scammer replied again.

Number he is using: 0737711358
Goes by the name of: Herry

As soon as they start smsing, they are not interested in more specs, they just want to buy. As soon as you see spelling mistakes, good chance of a fraudster. Later on he'll ask for your banking details to EFT and tells you a co-worker will pickup or a friend. They are from the Bruma area.

Just putting it out there, so we all stay aware.
Click to expand...

The have been doing this for years in Cape Ads. They can just as well take that site down.

edit: Oh and it's great to know that at least someone is doing something about this! :D
 
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