Got Scammed by SAMUE

[crazysccrmd]

As stated - pretty much the only use for Zelle is to send money to friends to pay for lunch. Maybe for a face to face deal in which you have your hands on the product. Never for an internet deal where you are relying on trust for the other party to ship something.

 

[Cummins_expo]

Painful lesson- I will never use Zelle unless its like you mentioned above- TRUE friends and family paying for a known item.

 

[Cabrito]

Extremely unfortunate story. Thankfully these incidents are the exceptions, and most transactions go well. Humans can suck, but most of us are pretty good people.

Can Zelle offer any help at all? Do they allow you to get any real contact info for the other person?

 

[Alloy]

Sorry to hear about this. We just had another incident now. They are getting really good at it, but the common denominator is THAT THEY ALL WANT TO USE ZELLE.

So run away if they only take ZELLE.

Might be helpful to have a Buy/Sell Tips title at the top of the classified section and list PayPal Goods as the only/safest way.

 

[eblau]

I ALMOST got scammed on an engine for my 2005 4Runner via a WTB ad. What tipped me off was the seller referred to the engine as "the item" in one of the texts. Nobody would refer to it like that unless it was cut/ paste text from hundreds of scam communications. In the future I will ask for a picture of the item with something unique placed on or near it, a piece of mail with the sellers name and address, or something stupid like a coffee mug sitting next to or on the item, can't fake that.

 

[stevo_pct]

Might be helpful to have a Buy/Sell Tips title at the top of the classified section and list PayPal Goods as the only/safest way.

Just curious, how is PayPal any different than Zelle? Would it be just as easy to scam someone on Paypal as Zelle?

I have done a number of online transactions using Paypal for payment and either shipping or receiving goods based on good faith. Maybe I'm just lucky. But I'm wondering what difference Zelle vs Paypal might make in this regard.

 

[VanDominator13]

Just curious, how is PayPal any different than Zelle? Would it be just as easy to scam someone on Paypal as Zelle?

I have done a number of online transactions using Paypal for payment and either shipping or receiving goods based on good faith. Maybe I'm just lucky. But I'm wondering what difference Zelle vs Paypal might make in this regard.

If you choose to use the goods and services option with PayPal you have recourse if there is a scam. If you choose friends and family with PayPal it’s the same as Zelle. SOL.

 

[dogman1911]

The problem with Paypal now is people are shying away from goods and services due to PP’s 1099 reporting. Another forum I frequent had to resort to paid membership only to see the WTB section because scamming got so bad.

 

[Alloy]

Just curious, how is PayPal any different than Zelle? Would it be just as easy to scam someone on Paypal as Zelle?

I have done a number of online transactions using Paypal for payment and either shipping or receiving goods based on good faith. Maybe I'm just lucky. But I'm wondering what difference Zelle vs Paypal might make in this regard.

Paypal "Goods" charges a fee and insures both sides of the the transaction. There's NEVER any guarantees but it brings both sides of the trasaction up to another level. If there's a problem I know it won't be 100% loss.

The No.1 issue I have is improperly packaged goods then UPS/FeDex/USPS refuse to insure it. One shipper made a nice box with 1/2 plywood but they screwed it together with 3/4" screws. The plywood arrived 2 days before parts that ended up going to the scrap yard.

 

[shays4me]

I always prefer postal money orders for all my transactions when I can. I feel they’re safer and mail fraud is still investigated. I just dropped twice the money the op did on here with a member that was a few days drive away. A friends wife picked up the item for me a week after the transaction and it went pretty smoothly. I never met the man in the whole process but I did ask pertinent questions, do some search engine research on him and look at his posting history. It’s easy enough to see if they exist if they give you a name and location. All in all I have had great luck on forums but you definitely have to use your spidey senses.

 

[gabrielef]

They always request to email them, but my scam test is to require all communication through the forum. If they decline, I know they’re a scam.

Also, they’re normally recently joined on EP with zero posts. Dead giveaway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[OpenTrackRacer]

That sucks. There's a new user cave67heros that posted a ShiftPod and a trail kitchen a few weeks ago. I was asking about the Shiftpod but all my scam warning lights went off. My philosophy is when in doubt, don't. Also, as you now know, never pay via Zelle. PayPal goods is much safer (but not perfect).

 

[AlwaysRoaming]

Post his number. Maybe we can all have a little fun.

 

[highwest]

Venmo recently started offering Purchase Protection for goods and services too.

 

[al415]

Hey,
I read over this very quickly but I would recommend you making a police report (if you haven't already). Here is why:

The grading for theft in your state of NM and the money you are out makes it 4th Degree (felony).

Zelle are a US based company and in my experience they are receptive to subpoenas.

If your local law enforcement agency is even half competent they will assign the case to a detective. The detective will, at a minimum, determine whether the actor is in the US or overseas.

You never know, this person could live right down the road from you. If not, they are most likely in India: The Nigerian Princes of the early 2000s have been replaced by criminal gangs in India that do this stuff all day and on a pretty large scale.

If you want some guidance on the language to use if you choose to make this report, to decrease the likelihood of being blown off; DM me.

cheers.