SCAM ALERT!!!! BUYER BEWARE
Equipment
I want to tell all my fellow hunters of a recent experience I had online. Let me preface that I am in no way bashing this forum or any other. A couple of weeks ago I posted on Hunt Talk that I was looking to buy a very specific item. Within a few days I received a direct message from a new member of HT (first clue)(Ericvgrath) that they knew of a guy who had what I was looking for and I could contact them at a specific email address. I contacted this person via email and they sent me pictures of exactly what I wanted. We exchanged a number of emails and came to an agreement. I agreed to send him payment via PayPal. His only stipulation was I had to send the money using "Friends and Family",(2nd Clue) not "Goods and Services". I didn't know this guy and I was uncomfortable with the deal so I backed out.
Let's fast forward a week or so. I get another PM from again a new member of HT(Dennis47). He tells me he has exactly what I am looking for, this time is asking $150 more. Like before he sent me pics of what he had. Holy Crap, wouldn't you know it they were the exact same pictures the first guy sent. Now I know both are SCAMS.
Then a couple of days ago I get another PM from another new guy, he says he has the exact item I want. Again I have him send me pics and the price. This time I get pics of a totally different item, not the same item pictured before. Now I am thinking there is a chance this might happen. We exchange a number of emails and I feel pretty comfortable and decide to pull the trigger. His next email says...please use PayPal "Friends and Family".....RED FLAG!!!!
If you send funds using "Friends and Family" you are telling PP that you know this person and trust them. There is no payment protection. If you check "Goods and Services" the seller pays an extra fee for PP to guarantee the transaction.
If you use PayPal to buy something online, make sure to click "Goods and Services" or PP will not protect you from scammers.
Buyers and Sellers Beware!!!! These scammers are everywhere.
FWIW, the Friends & Family thing alone doesn't necessarily mean it's a scam. I do a lot of Paypal and it is very common for people to ask me to use that feature when sending them money, because then it doesn't cost them the standard 2.9%+$0.30 in fees that Paypal normally charges to recipients. However if you have a merchant or business account, Paypal charges you the full fees regardless of the sender's method.
I think everything I’ve ever bought on Rokslide has been friends and family. Just not new members, established ones.
Good info. I use PP quite a bit and often folks want you to use F&F which is essentially a money order type of transaction. MOST do so to avoid paying extra fees they didn't figure on. SOME do so as part of a non-return/no recourse scam. That's a fact. NEVER use F&F.
Usually I'll offer to bump up my payment about 3% to cover fees and use the Goods and Services. Done that way everybody is protected. If they refuse I walk. Sometimes I'll even ask why they would not go that route and get some amusing answers..... they may even be some "valid" ones as I've been told PP will report (1099) them if they do over a certain value/amount of transactions. Which tells me they should likely have a business account and report anyway. But it's up to them. If taking the fee excuse off the table doesn't change things there's likely a reason why that you don't want to be involved in.
First thing I do is have them contact me through texts. That way I have a phone number. Then after several texts, I find out where try are located and where they work. Honest people will tell you everything. If you still don't trust them, call the place they work and ask for him. If things go bad, you have his name, phone number and work number.
Let me guess........................you were looking for a good cooler? ;-)
^....a good cooler on sale at an unbelievable price to boot.
I don't want to jazz anyone of the guys that bought into that scam cooler deal a couple-three weeks back because I almost did myself. I was lucky.....if I hadn't of gotten the Wally Martin cooler so quickly, I might have bit on the scam cooler too.
A bit off-topic, but never use PP for firearms transactions. An acquaintance did so, and PP banned him for life.
Postal money order is a good way to go. I’ve done a lot of transactions with it.
One of the best ways to clear a seller is to talk to them. Scammers can text. A guy selling a firearm is going to talk to you and you will find common ground immediately. I sent an old girlfriend of mine to buy a 300 RUM from a guy who I found online. She asked if it was safe, I laughed and told her that I talked to the guy for 30 minutes+ and he was solid dude. No problems.
Using Pay Pay, doesn't mean you are completely protected either. I fell into one of the Dewalt scams and got a gum ball machine whistle. I contacted PP and they didn't really want to help. After numerous emails back and forth and filling out the forms and still not getting anything, I contacted my CC company and handled it there without a problem. Bob
Doesn't sound like a scam to me.
Buglmin, you're spot on. A little research goes a long ways.
Do some research before you buy from a stranger. If they are a new member to a forum, that should be reason enough to ask more questions. I was contacted about an item by three different private message on the HT forum. I reported all of them and made the admins aware of the issue.
DJ
The same scam is happening on AT classifieds.
We are dealing with the new normal guys. I get three or four phishing emails every day. I know folks who’ve been hacked and had to change their email accounts. My wife and I have changed credit cards twice in the last three years. It’s just gonna happen no matter what. You can slow it down but you can’t stop it. Caveat Emptor !
Why use PP when they are an anti gun company. I’ve passed on some transactions cause the seller only accepted PP. And I’ll do so again, if that’s the only way to pay.
