How Do I report Online Fraud?

[insertNameHere]

I was trying to sell something on Gumtree and I think a potential buyer is trying to defraud me.

How would I report this?

This is not bank specific and I doubt I am the first victim

 

[genetic]

If you reply to an ad and the person who posted the ad emails you with a suspicious request (eg. asks for money to be sent to them via a payment service), please forward us the email and stop all communications with that person.

http://gumtreehelp.com/za/index.php?a=add

 

[insertNameHere]

Thanks. But will (or can) any action be taken against the fraudster? All we essentially know is an email address. The IP address of the sender is not useful if the original reply to the gumtree ad was not done from his/her home connection.

 

[genetic]

Thanks. But will (or can) any action be taken against the fraudster? All we essentially know is an email address. The IP address of the sender is not useful if the original reply to the gumtree ad was not done from his/her home connection.

If he has not committed any fraudulent activities yet, then there is not much you can do I'm afraid.

I might be wrong, but to open a case of fraud at the police station, you'd need his ID number... but to open a case, he would have already have had to defraud you.