A co-accused, 17, also linked to the crime spree remains on bail awaiting trial. Date of experience: 23 May 2022. The scam involved stealing the ID of a Portuguese man and obtaining a National Insurance number using that fake ID. 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. 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. A MOTHER and son were under the dominance and control of another when they helped him carry out a Gumtree scam totalling nearly $80,000. Christina Pomfrey, 65, cheated the benefit system out of 1 million during a decade and a half long fraud. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://love2dev.com/img/domain-name-structure-diagram-980x469.png, https://old.reddit.com/r/UKPersonalFinance/comments/o4rtr6/nearly_got_scammed_on_gumtree_beware/. Reputation management expert reveals why it doesn't just happen to 'This is the most ridiculous thing I've seen!' The buyer then claims that theyve accidentally overpaid, and asks you to send them the money back using a fraudulent link. That fake website again: gumtree-payments.me. She would then arrange to meet up with the sellers before driving off with their goods without paying. Stick to face to face transactions and cash only or bank transfer (not PayPal). 'Don't think for a moment I'm not serious when I say to you if you don't take up this opportunity, if you continue to do what you were doing - you will end up in jail,' the magistrate told the young woman. The scam works by criminals pretending to be genuine buyers messaging sellers on the Gumtree . 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. Giving the 'buyer' the benefit of the doubt, I tried to get them to use secure payment method Paypal instead. Find out more about scams targeting Gumtree users or Australia Post customers. Stratton's shocking crime spree ended after police raided her Coburg home a week later. This is because they are able to set up any subdomain they like on their own domain, but not any domain at the top level, as those are already taken by (usually) the legitimate company they are impersonating. She also claimed that multiple sclerosis had left her unable to walk, dress, wash or go to the toilet without help. Criminals pretend to be interested buyers with links to copycat websites, which could mean victims lose cash and their item. I had just sent my tax files to my accountant the day before I got that text. Prominent Member. It also says to avoid clicking on any links sent by other users. He admitted two counts of fraud and was sentenced to 22 months in prison. I had the scammers phone number but not their address, and they appear to have blocked my number as well. Over 11 years, the Knowsley Borough Council employee siphoned off money intended for care homes into her own bank account. In one incident in June last year, Stratton bashed a man's face with the MacBook Pro laptop she was trying to steal as he tried to stop her from driving away by reaching into the car window before helost his grip and fell from the car. Oscar Cainer reveals all. 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. 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. Its a version of the paypal on collection one . 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. Melissa Ellis, 34, and Jonathan Lucas, 38, stole over 100,000 in benefit payments by falsely claiming to be landlord and tenant. The victim spent two days in hospital, where he underwent surgery for a badly injured foot and received stitches for a gash above his eye. The woman whole stole 11,000 from girlfriend's widowed father. He admitted 20 charges relating to fraud, acquiring criminal property and dishonestly claiming a wrongful credit. You may see a product on sale for 10-15 less than similar items listed in the same category and think it . Gumtree - Bank transfer scam ??? I was genuinely waiting for a delivery when I got the scam text. People selling goods on Facebook, Gumtree and eBay are being targetted by scammers - especially people selling high-value items such as watches and mobile phones. You can also sign up to our court newsletter here and get a twice weekly roundup of court cases sent your email inbox for free. Yeah had quite a few of these, asking for me to use Gumtree mail or some shit. Email my Mom directly mel.anman.04@ gmail.com highly interested in this! 1st one. :). Gumtree users are warned to be wary of scammers, How we enforce rules for gambling services, Technical Planning Guidelines for broadcasters, Broadcasting transmitter (apparatus) licences, Renew or transfer a community broadcasting licence, Temporary licences for community broadcasters, Carrier licences and carriage service providers, Rules for operating around submarine cables, Statutory Infrastructure Provider (SIP) register, Follow our rules to supply your electrical product, Steps for antenna installers to fix TV reception, Business operating procedures for spectrum, Delete the message and block the number if it is unknown, Do not call the number unless you are sure you recognise it, If you have lost personal information to a scammer you can contact. She then asked if Gumtree do deliveries, which I replied they do not to which she posted a screenshot of the Parcel2Go partnership with gumtree and that she will arrange through here. Hi, I'm selling a phone on gumtree and was contacted by someone offering full asking and said they want to pay by paypal and will pay an extra 20 for me to post the item. The court also heard Stratton met up with two sellers within hours of each other on July 30. Jan-17-2018 05:10 AM. During her trial, the prosecution told the court that Pomfrey managed to steal 1,010,090.35 over 15 years. In the worst-case scenario the seller could be left doubly out of pocket - they will have posted off their item and lost money from their bank account. 19 replies 18.7K views leahw38 Forumite. Couple stole over 100,000 in benefits to fund expensive holidays. He also sold two elderly residents his Rolls Royce cars at grossly inflated prices and tried to claim 10m from the estate of a resident when she died despite she and her husband paying 1 million for two years of care. 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. There are cases where individuals stole thousands in ill-gotten gains including tax fraud and elaborate online con schemes. Today I nearly fell for quite a clever gumtree scam which I'm sure has fooled many people and want to raise awareness so others can avoid it. Keep an eye out for the following scams if you notice any of them, dont forget to report the user to us. In order to ensure the safety of sellers and buyers, Gumtree follows strict guidelines for online safety and has partnered with OPP to offer you a secure payment option. In some cases once the victim has sent over their email and name to the scammer, they then receive a fake eBay invoice. But with hundreds of millions of pounds lost in financial scams in the UK in 2020 alone, now, more than ever, everyone needs to be on their guard and stay vigilant.". Here are some of the biggest fraud cases to come through Liverpool Crown Court. Log in, register or subscribe to save articles for later. April 22 SES warns of 'donation' scam as fraudsters take advantage of disaster news.com.au. Tech guy here. There are some simple steps you can follow to help make sure someone is a genuine buyer or seller on Gumtree: Unfortunately, it is possible to fall for car selling scams on Gumtree. Image by Author. 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. My mum also almost got caught out by this. Martyn James, of complaints resolution service Resolver, said: "Notifying your bank as soon as possible is the key issue.". If you receive one of these SMS messages: Scammers target everyone! Fraud can ruin lives and leave people deprived of their hard earned savings - but it's a crime that comes in many different guises. Lucas pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence and was handed 21 months behind bars. She even made up the existence of a carer to make further claims to Halton Borough Council. "If you're selling the item online and someone wants to buy the item sight unseen then that should be a bit of an alarm bell. They're racing away in their getaway truck together with a scary-looking bulldog! By Thomas O'Byrne. Fraudsters are targeting consumers using fake Gumtree websites that are used to steal bank details. Scammer Wilson Edgar. 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? The buyer suddenly demands a refund on the fake transaction. On Carsales, eBay or FB way more hassle free. Magistrate Angela Bolger agreed Stratton was a suitable candidate while offering a stern advice. Benefit fraudster stole 120,000 posing as family friend. Trade Count: Forum Posts: Not a business - A Passion! Items on Gumtree subject to scams tend to be slightly cheaper than others, but not cheap enough to raise suspicion. However, in March 2008 she started to pay the money into her own bank account and changing the payment details to make it look as though this money had been paid to the care home. Fortunately, I realised that the link was not original and quickly told her where to stick it. The victims never received the items and were left out of pocket and struggling to afford equipment they needed for work and studies. and paying particular attention to the part immediately to the left of this. Stratton 's shocking crime spree remains on bail awaiting trial over 15 years a! 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