Ok so I have been receiving replies to my classifieds and just wondering if these guys are for real or just pulling my leg?
Example of one message conversation
Q: i am interested in buying this item if it is still available please get back to me and lets talk about the cost
Me: I listed it for HK 300 - it is brand new and unused
Q: ok one more question i am sending this to my son so can u ship after i pay you i am out of HKG now in frankfort
Me: sorry - we can arrange a place to do the transaction but shipping is not my responsibility. i can hold the item for you so when you return from frankfort
Q: i am ready to pay you for the shipping justy tell me the cost
Me: im sure you can pay the costs. but i really am unable to do the shipping. if you return from your trip... you can arrange to send the item to your son
Q: pls understand i have to work here for 1 year rounder clock and my son just calld me and told me he needed one
whaddya think?
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03-08-2009, 08:46 AM #1
Geoexpat Classifieds - Is this guy for real
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03-08-2009, 08:53 AM #2
Could be a DH (somewhat poor English, they really do work "rounder clock") but otherwise ... hmm - suspicious yes.
If you arrange however, to get paid plus shipping and not ship until you recieve the money, well, what's the harm.
I used to sell loads of stuff on auction sites in NZ and they always wanted shipping, it wasn't that much of a hassle.
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03-08-2009, 08:53 AM #3
The issue I guess is the payment mechanism - you need something that's irrevocable - the problem with things like Paypal is that the buyer can claim they never received the goods and then Paypal takes the money back. Get him to pay by bank transfer into your account and you're covered.
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03-08-2009, 09:00 AM #4
Don't believe it. When I sold a few of my things here I got the same type of message. Basically they're trying to lure you into a detailed conversation which is more trustable than asking for your bank details outright, which I'm sure they're going to try to con you out of somewhere along the line.
Don't waste your time on this one.
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03-08-2009, 09:02 AM #5
There's very little someone can do with the name of your bank and your bank account number, which is all they need to send you money.
If you're really paranoid then insist that they send you the money by Western Union. All they need for that is your name.
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03-08-2009, 09:31 AM #6
yeah im highly suspicious specially when he said he was in frankFORT
for a year...
one year and he couldn't get the spelling right!
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03-08-2009, 09:39 AM #7
Q: ok one more question i am sending this to my son so can u ship after i pay you i am out of HKG now in frankfort,
i had a very similar message, but the person is in nigeria and on holiday, he also states son wanted my item, very dodgy, sound like a scam
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03-08-2009, 09:45 AM #8
here's another one from a man with a chinese or asian sounding name, and he wanted to send it to his nephew in malaysia
Send to:
Name: Mack Gary
Address: 45,cheras bukit tamma
City: Kaula lumpur
State KL
country..Malaysia
Zip Code: 56000
errr his nephew seem to have a very "western sounding" name
and he said he is from the states... i wonder why he couldnt go to ebay instead ...
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03-08-2009, 09:49 AM #9
PLEASE report any dodgy "my son / my nephew" private messages to us using the "Report PM".
Allows us to investigate IP addresses and ban ....
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03-08-2009, 09:53 AM #10
The con is on my friend...
