scam?

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I've got an ad in classifieds, and have received an e-mail from a Nicole Curtis. It reads

Hello
Good Day to you.Am interested in your advert posted and i will like to know the present condition of it and the last price with pics..Mind you,i will be responsible for the pick-up of it at your locations okay.Hope to read from you soon.

Regards….
Curtis

I think this is a scam, as the grammar is a bit odd, and Ms Curtis would not usually sign with just a surname. Anyone else had dealings with this person

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

[Anonymous]

It reads exactly as the classic scam where they overpay and then collect the goods. You pay a refund for the overpayment. But the original bank transfer can take a month or more to become irrevocable. Surprise, surprise the money is recovered from your account, leaving you out of pocket and minus the goods.

Andrew

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I wouldn't touch that with a bargepole.

Could you PM me with details of which account contacted you ASAP?

Last time this happened we had a lot of people approached.

This is why we have the minimum number of posts rule.

Thanks

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 29/09/2018 18:35:55

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Sounds 100% scam to me but must be a member here to gain access to your email address, perhaps a couple of questions is not enough.

Emgee

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

Duncan

Have heard that name before as a scammer on the Homeworkshop site. Ignore it.

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Of great importance, this needs reporting to the authorities…Might sound strong.

The London Met have a Fraud squad dealing with this stuff…

Just think, you grafted for your hard earned…but to give it away to some scammer?

Edited By John Rudd on 29/09/2018 20:01:47

[Ian McVickersParticipant @ianmcvickers56553]

The Nicole Curtis name has been around a few sales sites. Ignore it.

[Alan Waddington 2Participant @alanwaddington2]

Do people actually still fall for these enquiries ?…….scammers need to up their game

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Not signed up on here; apparently it's also advertised on another site.

This is why we require people to make a few posts before they can access the classifieds. Most scammers can't be bothered or don't want to draw attention to themselves.

Always the possibility someone will post a few sensible messages in an attempt to get around the system, so do take care.

I do get fed up with people who have no interest in joining in our discussions and moan about having to make a tiny effort to see the classifieds. Free classified ads are meant as a benefit to forum users.

Another website I use requires people to make 50 postings so their classifieds really are for regular forum users.

Neil

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Simple way to deal with this guy,tell him you will accept cash money,the kind you can spend in the pub,you do not give refunds,and you want cash on collection and to have-a-nice-day !

I dont think you,ll hear any more from Curtis !

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 29/09/2018 23:13:21:

Not signed up on here; apparently it's also advertised on another site.

This is why we require people to make a few posts before they can access the classifieds. Most scammers can't be bothered or don't want to draw attention to themselves.

Always the possibility someone will post a few sensible messages in an attempt to get around the system, so do take care.

I do get fed up with people who have no interest in joining in our discussions and moan about having to make a tiny effort to see the classifieds. Free classified ads are meant as a benefit to forum users.

Another website I use requires people to make 50 postings so their classifieds really are for regular forum users.

Neil

 

Thing is Neil that we are a target demographic. We are elderly, often not so streetwise & let's face it . . . getting to the stage where becoming bewildered & confused is a distinct possibility.

These scams work because 100's of 1000's of contacts can be made for very little time & effort, they work because they only need 1 hit.

Perhaps ALL classified ads should be screened first?

 

P.S. Victims will often remain silent if they have been caught unawares to save themselves from embarrassment !

 

Edited By Mick Charity on 30/09/2018 09:25:43

[Anonymous]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 29/09/2018 23:13:21:

I do get fed up with people who have no interest in joining in our discussions and moan about having to make a tiny effort to see the classifieds. Free classified ads are meant as a benefit to forum users.

Me too; I think the minimum number of posts should be increased to, say, 5 or 10.

Andrew

Edited By Andrew Johnston on 30/09/2018 09:29:46

[Simon Williams 3Participant @simonwilliams3]

I'm with Andrew, I'm in favour of increasing the number of posts to qualify for member benefits. And I like Neil's policy of being vague about what this minimum number is.

However, if I've understood Neil's comments correctly Nicole Curtis has managed to post a reply to a classified ad' without being qualified to do so. So that begs the question of how he/she/it (we don't know!) has managed to bypass this safe guard. No point in increasing the shield if there is a way round it.

It never fails to astonish me the time and effort some will put into being dishonest, when for less effort they could apply their talents to making the world a better place.

Simon

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

Posted by Simon Williams 3 on 30/09/2018 09:58:10:

However, if I've understood Neil's comments correctly Nicole Curtis has managed to post a reply to a classified ad' without being qualified to do so. So that begs the question of how he/she/it (we don't know!) has managed to bypass this safe guard. No point in increasing the shield if there is a way round it.

Simon

Duncan also advertised his "Ajax" loco on Homeworkshop, where 'Nicole Curtis' has appeared previously.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Simon Williams 3 on 30/09/2018 09:58:10:

However, if I've understood Neil's comments correctly Nicole Curtis has managed to post a reply to a classified ad' without being qualified to do so. So that begs the question of how he/she/it (we don't know!) has managed to bypass this safe guard. No point in increasing the shield if there is a way round it.

Most likely because it was also advertised elsewhere, but there's an obvious way around it that I won't share which is almost certainly far too much faff for a scammer to be bothered, hopefully they will move on looking for easier targets.

The problem is that it's hard to advertise successfully without sharing your contact details.

All we can do is make the process of contacting people convoluted enough to deter mass scamming, but it will always be down to the seller to protect themselves. Caveat vendor!

Neil

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Definitely a scam. There's a preponderance of scams doing the round lately, I've had 3 this past week. I delete any e mails that are from people / companies that I don't know or have not contacted myself.

George.

[DustyParticipant @dusty]

If you have a minimum number of posts and a minimum length of time as a registered member say 6/9 months, that will deter all, but the most persistent scammers.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

There needs to be a degree of proportionaility,as it benefits sellers to have plenty of buyers, and some worthy members have joined because the classifieds attracted them to the site.

Don't forget anyone can walk into a newsagent and flick through the ads in the magazines.

Neil

[Adam StevensonParticipant @adamstevenson91624]

Unfortunately the homeworkshop site displays contact details so that people can get in touch with the seller/buyer directly to avoid data processing issues. All email address are converted to an image but members get a clickable link. I may be changing this in the future but still want to make it simple for people to use. Requiring someone to gain some post count means that those people that can't easily communicate with others are left out. Also we do get alot of people selling because their partner/dad/uncle died leaving a vast collection of goodies that they want to not scrap but sell back are missed.
I hate scammers because running a site like homeworkshop takes resources and they are wasting those resources and my time sorting out their stupid attempts to get hold of the data when the mk 1 eyeball is all you need.

They is also a new posting type to allow you to name and shame scammers on the site but please put the scammers details not your own and a copy of the email they sent you.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

The fact that the reply is signed "Curtis" suggests that the responder is oriental., where the first name is actually the surname, unlike caucasians where it idsthe given name.

Duncan you need a bargepole of infinite length and minimal weight!

Howard

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

"Cash on collection" should get rid of Nicole or Curtis or whatever his name is.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Adam

"I may be changing this in the future but still want to make it simple for people to use. "

I'm afraid that, at present, it has defeated all my efforts to logon! Undoubtedly down to incompetence on my part but, apart from your intervention email, I cannot get any reaction to my attempts to update/correct my logon. I understand your point about not needing to be a member to insert adverts but I'm finding the inability to logon a bit depressing!

rgds

Bill

[Adam StevensonParticipant @adamstevenson91624]

Hi Bill, sent you a response to your email, the username has no spaces. You might need to check your junk folder.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Adam – Many thanks. All working as advertised now! Very much appreciate your patience in sorting this.

rgds

Bill

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