Possible scam on adverts.ie

daveyjoe

I bought a Mac Mini on adverts.ie last week. I paid €550 including shipping to Cork. I paid by bank transfer to an Irish bank account.

The ad is here but he has deleted all info: https://www.adverts.ie/mac-mini/withdrawn/16402825
His feedback reviews are pretty good but his item history looks a bit dodgy, he has edited all the item text: https://www.adverts.ie/member/1083420/ads/withdrawn

He has not been responding since Friday and he was last seen online on adverts on Sunday night. I rang him a few times today and messaged him on adverts this morning telling him that I would report all details to the Gardaí tomorrow morning if he doesn't contact me. Then a while ago I received the following message:



Normally, I'd give the guy the benefit of the doubt but his item history in adverts.ie does look very dodgy. Any thoughts?

NIMAN

Looks like you've been done.

IMHO, madness to spend that much money on something you couldn't go and collect yourself.

Classifieds are full of scammers these days.

Mec-a-nic

I've been around adverts.ie for ages and reported several scammers - but this doesn't look like one (yet)

The guy sells a lot of Macs so must be connected to a large factory in Hollyhill, Cork. He's been a member for 4 years, and you're getting a reply on a phone, so benefit of the doubt might be OK here.

However, set a deadline for delivery or refund and if he doesn't surface, there's not much you can do except get all your evidence together to present to a Garda.

nava

It does look very doggy, edited all ads and not answering calls or PM's, from the text it looks like a good few people are calling the number, I would report to Garda and also to Adverts they won't be able to do a lot other than contacting the seller, maybe they can give you original ad to report to Garda

daveyjoe

The guy sells a lot of Macs so must be connected to a large factory in Hollyhill, Cork.

Just in case it wasn't clear, I am in Cork, he is in Dublin (or claims to be at least), the name he gave me is a Polish name.

I've been around adverts.ie for ages

As an adverts veteran, why do you think he might have edited all the text of previous listings?

harr

His profile looks dodgy on adverts alright it seems all his previous adds have changed and a lot of his older adds seem to have been sold by PM.
Only thing going for him is his feed back and the fact you got a return message.
I think I would be reporting at this stage , the edited adds would be enough of a red flag for me.

pancuronium

Ive sold items on adverts and withdraw rather than mark sold to avoid paying advert costs. Adverts only take cash once an item is marked sold. No big deal looks ok to me 50+ positive reviews I wouldn't panic yet!

nava

pancuronium wrote: »

Ive sold items on adverts and withdraw rather than mark sold to avoid paying advert costs. Adverts only take cash once an item is marked sold. No big deal looks ok to me 50+ positive reviews I wouldn't panic yet!

What I wonder is why the description of all his add is changed, was he doing it as he was marking as sold/withdraw because I don't think you can change after.

utyh2ikcq9z76b

He does seem to edit all the withdrawn adds and he also got someone to reply, I wouldn't panic yet.

pancuronium

Any update on your item??

OldMrBrennan83

Suppose there could have been a chance it was genuine with the text reply and all, but editing all the ads? Scammer.

daveyjoe

His phone is now going to voicemail and he still hasn't responded to my messages on adverts (been over a week now since he last responded).

Reported him to boards and going to pay a visit to Gardaí next. Anybody have any advice on how to approach this with Gardaí? I have an Irish bank account number, his full name (or what he claims is his full name) and a mobile phone number.

daveyjoe

daveyjoe wrote: »

His phone is now going to voicemail and he still hasn't responded to my messages on adverts (been over a week now since he last responded).

Reported him to boards and going to pay a visit to Gardaí next. Anybody have any advice on how to approach this with Gardaí? I have an Irish bank account number, his full name (or what he claims is his full name) and a mobile phone number.

Just bumping this up. Going to the Gardaí tomorrow. Who specifically should I be looking to report this to?

7aubzxk43m2sni

Try getting in touch with buyers on his old ads, you might be able to get an address from someone.

AndrewJRenko

pancuronium wrote: »

Ive sold items on adverts and withdraw rather than mark sold to avoid paying advert costs. Adverts only take cash once an item is marked sold. No big deal looks ok to me 50+ positive reviews I wouldn't panic yet!

Most of his reviews are for low value items, with just a handful of reviews for items over €100 value.


Doesn't look good to me. Might be worth contacting your bank too, though there is probably not much they can do.

daveyjoe

OmegaGene wrote: »

Any update on this from the boys in blue op ?

No haven't gone to the guards yet.

I've confirmed his name is correct with another seller who met him in person and bought from him successfully. Trying to see if I can get his address before I go to the guards because then there might actually be a chance of the Gardaí doing something.

darconio

OmegaGene wrote: »

Editing withdrawn listings isn’t a bad thing, I do it myself (only prices though)but I don’t know why he would want to edit sold listing, I want people to see what I’ve sold as it builds up the profile and shows my history of good and fair trading over the years

Unless he is shifting goods coming from an unknown source...

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Most of his reviews are for low value items, with just a handful of reviews for items over €100 value.

That is because when an item is withdrawn you cannot leave/receive feedback anymore, and he has done that a lot especially with high value goods


BTW all the history of sold items has gone now from Adverts


550 is a big amount of cash, if it was me I would start using all the available means to get my money back (contact the bank, guards, and whatever you can do): if it turns out it was genuinely in the hospital, then you can send him the money again

98q76e12hrflnk

darconio wrote:

That is because when an item is withdrawn you cannot leave/receive feedback anymore, and he has done that a lot especially with high value goods

Thats not true, you can still get feedback.

darconio

Kamila Unimportant Beam wrote: »

Thats not true, you can still get feedback.

I was convinced it wasn't possible, but I haven't withdrawn anything for a while now so can't say for sure.


Ah I see, if the offer is accepted you can still leave feedback even if the ad is withdrawn



https://help.adverts.ie/hc/en-us/articles/360001336709-When-can-I-leave-feedback-


However if the offer is accepted surely the item should be marked as sold?
I know, I know, to avoid the adverts charges, however....

OmegaGene wrote: »

Adverts don’t charge for marking items as sold anymore, they tried that and it was a disaster, bank can’t get a bank transfer back once it’s sent it’s gone

daveyjoe

OmegaGene wrote: »

Sadly paying paying someone via bank transfer is the same as meeting someone in a car park and handing them a bundle of cash and hoping they will come back with the goods

It's not quite the same. There's evidence that we agreed a price (on adverts) and evidence that I gave him the money (bank statement). You don't have that when handing money to someone in a car park.

daveyjoe

OmegaGene wrote: »

When paying for goods you don’t pay by bank transfer to a private person you have no comeback for item not received, item not as described, empty box scam or faulty goods, the evidence you paid on your bank statement and the conversation isn’t going to entitle you to a refund from the bank.
Adverts.ie can’t do anything for you because the seller isn’t a shop, I’m not sure if his phone number or address is even registered with them, all they will advise is for you to contact the police.
If you are extremely lucky the guards might convince the seller to refund you but chances are he won’t answer the phone or he will tell lies and say he sent it to you and that will be that.
It’s a hard thing to hear and a very harsh lesson but all the advice is out there.
Best of luck with the guards anyway and I do hope they can help you out.

Oh yeah, I doubt I'll get the money back. Was just saying with a deal in a car park there's no paper trail or evidence of anything, so it's not quite the same.

dubrov

daveyjoe wrote:

Oh yeah, I doubt I'll get the money back. Was just saying with a deal in a car park there's no paper trail or evidence of anything, so it's not quite the same.

You probably won't get your money back but do report it and follow it up.

bobwilliams

Hi op..if you know someone who works in the bank you could find the address out quite easily using the internal system.
Then go knocking

bobwilliams

OmegaGene wrote:

Terrible advice, don’t do this

If you say so....I operate zero tolerance in relation to scammers and I will continue to do so.
They are scum and deserve everything that comes their way.

tuxy

bobwilliams wrote: »

If you say so....I operate zero tolerance in relation to scammers and I will continue to do so.
They are scum and deserve everything that comes their way.

And your tolerance of illegal activities in the work place? Or putting a friend in a position to do something they may feel obliged to do that could get them fired?

tuxy

The Garda PULSE system was abused for years and may still be, I'm not sure how severe the crack down on that was.
In some cases this illegal activity may have been used for good. Would you be comfortable knowing that any Garda could disclose your info to the general public once it sometimes severed a good purpose?

Eire Go Brach

bobwilliams wrote: »

Hi op..if you know someone who works in the bank you could find the address out quite easily using the internal system.
Then go knocking

GDPR this could end up a heavy fine for the bank, plus dismissal if found out.

AndrewJRenko

tuxy wrote: »

The Garda PULSE system was abused for years and may still be, I'm not sure how severe the crack down on that was.
In some cases this illegal activity may have been used for good. Would you be comfortable knowing that any Garda could disclose your info to the general public once it sometimes severed a good purpose?

Every access on PULSE is now logged to the Garda who made that access. If the access cannot be justified, the Garda will up sh1t creek.

STB.

daveyjoe wrote: »

No haven't gone to the guards yet.

I've confirmed his name is correct with another seller who met him in person and bought from him successfully. Trying to see if I can get his address before I go to the guards because then there might actually be a chance of the Gardaí doing something.

https://www.cylex.ie/company/irepear.it-11648352.html

bobwilliams

Eire Go Brach wrote:

GDPR this could end up a heavy fine for the bank, plus dismissal if found out.

Everything you said is true but doesn't change the way I would deal with that situation.

AndrewJRenko

bobwilliams wrote: »

Everything you said is true but doesn't change the way I would deal with that situation.

That's some great consideration you show for your friends there.

bobwilliams

AndrewJRenko wrote:

That's some great consideration you show for your friends there.

Gee thanks

STB.

OmegaGene wrote: »

Op
Has the seller/scammer been banned from adverts ?
All their listing have been wiped completely which is very unusual

That account has been stripped. Their facebook is stripped.

They are operating out of a residential apartment in Swords.

Its all very odd.

bobwilliams

OmegaGene wrote:

The op may or may not know someone in the bank and you want them to risk their friends job if they do ? Then you expect them to travel from cork to Dublin and knock on the door ? Who knows what’s on the other side of that door or what could happen, if they are that brazen to steal the money like that it’s anyones guess what events could unfold

I just threw it out there as an option...and that's what it is...an option.

Get over it.

henryforde80

I would think if he's polish OP it sounds like he has packed up and gone home or gotten another job and chanced his arm for a scam on adverts because of his good feedback.

Anything on adverts for that value should be done in person and the item fully tested, regardless of seller feedback.
Any laptops, pcs should be stress tested.

youcancallmeal

Sorry to revive an old thread but looks like I'm in a very similar situation to the op. Paid 670euro via bank transfer for a Samsung Note 10+ from a seller in Galway a few weeks ago, his account was setup in Sept 2019 and has about 23 positive feedbacks for mostly items less than 200euro. Seller was giving me various excuses like being stranded in the UK for work when flybe folded a couple of weeks ago which all sounded very plausible, he said he was definitely due back last Wednesday night and then all contact ceased after that. I've contacted adverts.ie support already and they've suspended the sellers account. Everything points to a scam unfortunately. I should've know better, I've been using adverts since it was created, a costly mistake. Did you ever manage to get anything back op?

nava

MOD: Please do not bump old threads, if you need create a new request.

You follow correct steps by contacting Adverts support, you could also report it to the Garda, keep all the information you have about seller and communication.