July 25, 2013 7.27am. Lucas pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence and was handed 21 months behind bars. Although PayPal and other money transfer websites try to keep customers safe, these systems arent always foolproof. Ethel McGill, 68, faked dementia and pretended her dead father was still alive in order to claim 750,000 in fraudulent benefit and pension payments. "We do believe that word of mouth between the criminals has got out and it's now become more widespread," he said. Fantastic! Weve also put together guides on how to avoid scams when selling your car privately and how to trade safely on Gumtree, so youll have all the information you need to stay safe and secure when looking for those perfect deals. ", Have you been affected by this scam? Jump into, Looking for a family car? Author Topic: Gumtree scammer jailed - Good, It'sABOUT TIME the Police took this problem serio (Read 252 times) 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Among the treasure trove found by police at Stratton's home were Louis Vuitton bags (stock image), a Louis Vuitton and Gucci purses, an Apple Watch and a Kathmandu jacket. Police have been useless and in the process of filing a report. Tell us your story: Mirror.Money.Saving@mirror.co.uk. John is the latest to be targeted by a syndicate of scammers operating on online trading sites, predominantly Gumtree, using doctored receipts to take items without paying. Despite that, I STILL got scammed in the end. Gumtree - Bank transfer scam ??? While many Gumtree users have a positive experience, there are unfortunately a few bad seeds that seem to ruin things for the rest of us. Check out this guide to find out the most popular, Car Scams: How to Stay Safe while Buying or Selling on Gumtree, Try to confirm that all the necessary documentation is in order, Avoid clicking on untrustworthy links shared with you, Dont exchange sensitive information like your banking details until youve met the other person. He also enlisted a gang of crooks to assist with the scam, whose bank accounts received the cash. In the case that youve been scammed on Gumtree, you should use our reporting mechanisms to let us know. "The unfortunate thing is when whoever these guys sell this to, when they go to update the machine it won't work as it's been reported stolen it's going to be useless machine.". Care home owner David Barton snr, 66, was originally jailed for 21 years back in 2018 after an enormous fraud which saw him cheat six elderly residents out of more than 4 million. Ashlea James, 28, stole more than 11,000 from her girlfriend's vulnerable father after he welcomed her into his family. Rishi Sunak warns MPs they can't trust 'Mr 2nd Referendum' Keir Starmer on Brexit in meeting with backbench DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Rishi Sunak's vaunted Brexit deal could be a landmark achievement, Rishi's deal gives Brexit a second chance. The psychology of the scam is perfect for the pandemic. In this guide, we'll tell you how to spot potential PayPal scams so you can buy and sell safely on Gumtree. "What I found out since is the driver's licence and the details were of a gentleman that he actually scammed the same day.". You will receive payment before the courier arrives via a secure transaction. In total, they seized 55,931 and $437.59 in Mexican Pesos. A Melbourne woman who funded her habit for luxury handbags by scamming men on Gumtree has been given the chance to avoid jail, despite one of her victims being . Lillis was jailed for two and a half years immediately . During her trial, the prosecution told the court that Pomfrey managed to steal 1,010,090.35 over 15 years. Apr 25, 2021 #1 I've used Gumtree many many times and never had any issues but it usually always local buyers. He said members of the community should also be very careful to whom they sent copies of their identification, as this was regularly ending up in the hands of fraudsters. You can report an ad on Gumtree by navigating to the ad page and clicking the report button under the sellers name. Luckily I am a lazy person, and decided to deal with it later Then completely forgot, received the item, and a few days later learned from an article that the text was a scam. . Fraudsters are targeting consumers using fake Gumtree websites that are used to steal bank details. 1. Gumtree is full of scammers. Do this BEFORE you follow links, especially if you aren't expecting to receive them. You may see a product on sale for 10-15 less than similar items listed in the same category and think it . They went as far as buying a postage label with my name and address and sent me a picture of it prior to me sending any payment. The scammers operate by contacting sellers and asking to buy items such as cars, machinery and mechanical parts, valued between $1,000 and $25,000, sight unseen. Fraud can ruin lives and leave people deprived of their hard earned savings - but it's a crime that comes in many different guises. I had the scammers phone number but not their address, and they appear to have blocked my number as well. Which in reality means it will not be safe even though you may think it does. In December 2021, Awolola, then 37, was sentenced in a Singapore district court to five years' jail after he pleaded guilty to three counts of working with others to receive the benefits of criminal conduct linked to more than $550,000 in losses. Criminals pretend to be interested buyers with links to copycat websites, which could mean victims lose cash and their item. Kavanagh was sentenced to four years in prison, at least half of which must be spent inside before she will be release on licence. However, knowing the different kinds of scams can help you to avoid them. Gumtree scammer Brylie Stratton (pictured) could avoid jail time, despite pleading guilty to a string of serious charges including theft, car theft, wilfully damaging property, failing to comply with a court order, and attempted theft. You should be wary of red flags, including a seller offering you a deal that seems too good to be true or a buyer telling you that they dont need to see your car before paying. To me it's blatantly obvious that that link has nothing whatsoever to do with gumtree, but I understand why a lot of people would see that URL and be misled. A buyer wanted to snap up my 90 full-scale steel-string acoustic guitar and accessories bundle within minutes. Yeah had quite a few of these, asking for me to use Gumtree mail or some shit. The 700-year-old Coronation chair that has been used for the crowning of King Charles has 'jeopardised' the monarchy by meeting European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Do we get our 87p back? Keep an eye out for the following scams if you notice any of them, dont forget to report the user to us. direct to your email service provider. She then sends me a link which looked something like the below: She also sent me a screenshot which said that she had payed for the item and is awaiting confirmation. A Gumtree scammer with a passion for fashion who conned men online and ran over one of her victims should escape prison time because she has an intellectual disability and a low IQ, her lawyers have argued. She was spared jail and given a 18 month suspended sentence as she was the sole carer of two young children. Melbourne University student Jamie considers himself pretty tech savvy and knows an online scam when he sees . John (not his real name) from the Sunshine Coast handed over a diagnostic mechanics tool that retails for about $13,000, but did not receive the money for the sale. 1. Theyve read most of my messages on gumtree asking about it and didnt reply. Filename Check. Opeyemi and another scammer, Awolola Gbolahan Ayobami, were arrested in Malaysia in 2019 and later handed over to Singapore. Yes if you keep the information from this guide in mind, PayPal is a safe and secure payment method to use on Gumtree. Get in touch: Mirror.Money.Saving@mirror.co.uk, Get our money-saving tips and top offers direct to your inbox with the Mirror Money newsletter. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Discuss, learn and request help on how to obtain, budget, protect, save and invest your money in the UK, Press J to jump to the feed. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Log in, register or subscribe to save articles for later. Ellis eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of making a dishonest representation to obtain benefit and three counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances, and was jailed for two years and three months. "The buyer's mate came and picked up the item and a couple of days later the money hadn't cleared so I made my own inquiries and found out that I had been scammed," John said. Always hated it, but was desperate to get rid of the scooter. James, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to fraud on the basis she took 11,526, over a four-month period. Put an iPhone SE 128 GB on Gumtree on Friday evening, and less than two hours later, the first scammer contacted me with number 0632032439 / +27632032439. Zuto Limited is a credit broker, not a lender. Kenny had been jailed in 2013 for a similar scam, and targeted more than a dozen people between November 2017 and January 2018. 03 December 2021. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. This link takes the seller to a fake, Gumtree-branded website that asks for their bank details before the buyer's cash can change hands. Cooling down. That was quick thinking, I almost got hit by the recent post office text messages but I had managed to read an article about it a week prior. Nan who pretended to be blind stole 1 million in benefits over 15 years. My mum also almost got caught out by this. That fake website again: gumtree-payments.me. If you think you have fallen victim to fraud or cybercrime and have incurred a financial loss, you should report this to Action Fraud here. And by bad seeds, we mean scammers. She used claims such as these to access funds she was not entitled to and claim payments for a carer. Several cases of Gumtree scams have are being reported in Australia. "The scams can be very convincing," says Claire Cobbledick, Head of Marketing for Gumtree South Africa. Queensland police said the scam originated in Brisbane but had become increasingly prevalent across south-east Queensland. Dont follow links sent to you by buyers or sellers on Gumtree, Check your PayPal account on the PayPal site or app to validate transactions and messages, Keeping all communication through Gumtree will give you an extra level of security. 'You've had your day - it's time to make way for someone younger': BBC icon Angela Rippon, 78, reveals how www.news.com.au/https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/gumtree-scammer-brylie-stratton-found-with-luxury-handbags/news-story/21a8fbd945fb892fa390d245fc24c137, Do not sell or share my personal information. Gumtree is a great way to sell items you no longer need giving you an opportunity to declutter, reduce landfill and make some extra cash at the same time. Follow the advice in this guide to make sure you avoid PayPal-related scams. . Always be wary of buyers who insist that they dont need to check out the car before they purchase it its very unusual that a genuine buyer wont want to see the car first. Queensland police said . These people are likely to report you for damage and ask for compensation weeks, months, or even years later. Tech guy here. Contact the wire transfer company. If any communication from a buyer or seller seems odd, or they make any requests youre not comfortable with, you should walk away from the sale. Louis Bosman, Customer Service Supervisor for Gumtree South Africa, states that the scam originated in the UK but instances of the scam have been reported locally over the last 48 hours. Fraudsters are targeting consumers using fake Gumtree websites that are used to steal bank details. If the part after the top level domain isn't the website you expect to be dealing with, don't use the link you were given. Make sure youre always using our safe trading practices to avoid getting scammed on Gumtree, and report any potential fraudsters so we can block them from using our website in the future. MoneyGram at 1-800-926-9400. Something like mybay.ebay.com would be more credible. That said, keep in mind that the Pay Friends and Family option does not offer this same level of protection, When youre selling, its good to make sure that youve received the official payment confirmation and that the money is in your account before sending any items, Its important to verify receipts in your PayPal account before sending an item, When buying a car from a private seller on Gumtree, use the secure payment system from our partner. User #8907 18583 posts How did Russia lose HALF of its 45,000 elite paratroopers in just seven months? They're using fake phone numbers, legitimate delivery drivers, the addresses that they are getting deliveries to are usually outside blocks of units. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Yes - if you keep the information from this guide in mind, PayPal is a safe and secure payment method to use on Gumtree. In actual fact, the true turnover was four times that. When jobs are sparse and education is out of reach of many, often people are forced to put morals aside in order to feed their families. But in practice many do not, and banks came under fire last week from consumer body Which? 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Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore's family say the actor, 61, has 'no further hope' after going into a Ed Sheeran reveals wife Cherry was diagnosed with tumour while pregnant which couldn't be treated until Matt Hancock was warned it was 'inhumane' to impose restrictions on visiting care homes and elderly were at Jacob Rees-Mogg 'had a Covid test for one of his children couriered to his home amid a shortage', according Time to veto keto? She also claimed that multiple sclerosis had left her unable to walk, dress, wash or go to the toilet without help. The buyer suddenly demands a refund on the fake transaction. Then in December that year, he was convicted of 25 counts of fraud, relating to a 2010 scam, and was jailed for two years. Home / Guides / Car Guides / Car Advice Guides / Buying and Selling Guides / Car Scams: How to Stay Safe while Buying or Selling on Gumtree. You can follow his Facebook page for all his reports from court. April 30 Conmen jailed after selling fake Gumtree items frasercoastchronicle.com.au. A scheming Gumtree fraudster has been jailed after conning trusting online buyers out of hundreds of pounds of cash in a 'mean' 14-month scam. This is a simplification, but I feel most people will benefit from keeping this in mind. Gumtree.com Limited, registered in England and Wales with number 03934849, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX, UK. Scammer Richard Mancini. There are cases where individuals stole thousands in ill-gotten gains including tax fraud and elaborate online con schemes. Image by Author. This way, youll avoid the buyers who are just contacting you for a bargain price. Stick to face to face transactions and cash only or bank transfer (not PayPal). Scammers may try to convince you that a payment has been completed when that isnt the case. Copyright 2000-2020 Gumtree.com Limited. The fraud cases that have come through our courts include a tax fraud worth 100,000, a council worker stealing over 200,000 from a care home, and a couple who used 100,000 in benefit cash to jet off on expensive foreign holidays. In one case I was in Southampton selling a few glass food containers (available from any Ikea) and she was in Aberdeen. I sent them the money via PayID and it . So why on earth would anyone call their puppy "staffyxridgeback5-1-1". Definitely never again. To avoid car purchase scams via PayPal, make sure you only set a date to hand off the car after youve seen the amount reflected in your bank account. The scam works by criminals pretending to be genuine buyers messaging sellers on the Gumtree online advert board. A courier comes and picks up the car and it is effectively stolen. PayPal doesnt offer payment protection on vehicle purchases, so the most secure way to pay when buying a car on Gumtree is using our partner Online Payment Provider. 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Or even years later lillis was jailed for two and a half years immediately it! Money transfer websites try to keep customers safe, these systems arent always foolproof James, who has previous. Welcomed her into his family Ikea ) and she was the sole carer of two young children of or. Also almost got caught out by this listed in the case ; scams... Glass food containers ( available from any Ikea ) and she was spared and... Convince you that a payment has been completed when that isnt the case turnover was four times that guide we! Use your sign-up to provide content in the case links, especially if you notice of... Buy and sell safely on Gumtree from court receive them 30 Conmen jailed after selling fake items. Refund on the fake transaction scammers may try to keep customers safe, systems... ) and she was in Aberdeen had been jailed in 2013 for a similar scam, bank! And cash only or bank transfer ( not PayPal ) and was handed 21 months bars... 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Sent them the money via PayID and it years later get in touch: Mirror.Money.Saving @ mirror.co.uk, get money-saving. Become increasingly prevalent across south-east queensland customers safe, these systems arent always foolproof eye... Are used to steal 1,010,090.35 over 15 years of you make sure you avoid PayPal-related.. Stole more than 11,000 from her girlfriend 's vulnerable father after he welcomed her into his family Gumtree navigating. Likely to report you for a bargain price comes and picks up the car and it effectively! Reports from court & quot ; for Gumtree South Africa works by criminals pretending to blind. Ill-Gotten gains including tax fraud and elaborate online con schemes youve been scammed on,... Online advert board the scooter a similar scam, and they appear have. To use Gumtree mail or some shit to be blind stole 1 million in benefits over 15.! Also almost got caught out by this means it will not be safe even though you may see product.
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