Not very safe buying things here
- Thread starter LikeABoss
- Start date
TheRenaissanceTinker
Active member
Unfortunately the only way to stay safe these days is face to face transactions. Sorry you got burned.
@Dendy Jarrett
@ktmk36 posted a for sale thread on a come-up winch at what seemed like a STEAL. The only thing that was a steal was them trying to steal people's money. So I messaged them about it and they were very pushy and impatient. They wanted to know if I was ready to pay right now and wanted payment via venmo. I told them I only pay via Paypal for the buyer protection. They replied that if I didn't pay via venmo they have two others that reached out and they would just move to the next person. It was enough red flags for me to pass on it. Account needs to be locked or banned.
Sorry to hear that they scammed someone here.
@ktmk36 posted a for sale thread on a come-up winch at what seemed like a STEAL. The only thing that was a steal was them trying to steal people's money. So I messaged them about it and they were very pushy and impatient. They wanted to know if I was ready to pay right now and wanted payment via venmo. I told them I only pay via Paypal for the buyer protection. They replied that if I didn't pay via venmo they have two others that reached out and they would just move to the next person. It was enough red flags for me to pass on it. Account needs to be locked or banned.
Sorry to hear that they scammed someone here.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
Yeah watch out!
By the way a private well managed Face Book Parents group I’m in. We had a well known parent get her account hacked. And another parent “bought concert tickets” from the hacker thinking it was the well known member. $3000 lost…
We all now tell people face to face meet up or no deal.
By the way a private well managed Face Book Parents group I’m in. We had a well known parent get her account hacked. And another parent “bought concert tickets” from the hacker thinking it was the well known member. $3000 lost…
We all now tell people face to face meet up or no deal.
You should share the details of behaviors and communication.
Even if painful / facepalm moments for you, the more people that see the red flags called out the more likely that others won’t get scammed.
eyemgh
Well-known member
I’ve always been a very trusting online consumer on forums, Craigslist, and FBMP. I’m afraid I was hooked in by this poster today too. I think I paid some life tuition on a learning experience. I reported the profile. My mistake was just looking at the number of posts that were up. Sucks, but oh well.
Hopefully the mods will at least close that profile. I reported it.
Hopefully the mods will at least close that profile. I reported it.
I posted my interaction with @ktmk36 above. Essentially is short, pushy, creates a scenario where there is a "demand", asks for venmo only, and says if you don't pay with venmo then he'll move on to the next buyer. It raised enough red flags for me to walk away. I won't lie though, it was definitely tempting. Since being called out they have since deleted all their FS threads. The also created a fs post in which they posted a picture of their username on a postcard with the item in the background. If you looked at the details clearly enough the hand and postcard was a photoshop. Scary stuff the lengths these people will go to.
In short, don't do business with people who are demanding, create a pressure situation, and NEVER EVER send money via Venmo or Zelle. There is no buyer protection with ACH transfers. Only do Paypal for "goods" and not Paypal friends and family. Paypal for a Good forces the seller to pay a 3% transaction fee and provides purchase and fraud protection for the buyer. If you ask someone to use Paypal for Goods and they decline, think very hard about dealing business with them. Most scammers will go away after you tell them you will only use PP Goods. Always trust your gut and instinct on these things, it's usually right.
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DirtWhiskey
Western Dirt Rat
Phone number + address + actual phone call or no dice on remote purchases. With those three things there is no fraud possible. You can verify anybody in the country with that info in this day and age.
LikeABoss
Observer
As clearly not the expert… Others who have chimed in already listed the common tactics. The other posts with the “used” winch that was clearly new and the photoshopped hand which I didn’t pick up on the photoshop) were not posted at the time I bought. After I bought, he only referred to the lights as “your shipment” and I knew I was done. I’ve seen this in the past. Scammers can’t keep track of all their moving pieces so just call things a “product” or “shipment”. No one talks like that.
Venmo should cease to exist IMO.
This site should not allow classifieds unless an active user (x posts/yr or something). At least make them work for it and delete inactive accounts. Hacking peoples accounts seems to be a newer phenomenon?
workerdrone
Well-known member
Hacked accounts are definitely a concern.
I've bought and sold many items over the years on a high-end photography website that I'm a member of, we're talking 5 figure items sometimes without real worry.
Couple things they do - it's $69 a year to join, which probably eliminates 99% of the scammer types. And it has a reputation/review system similar to Ebay. Even one transaction that's not perfect can really set you back. With that, you don't have to go searching for people's experiences with the buyer/seller - it's all right there in the open.
But a hacked account would be a real concern.
I would never sell on Ebay or take Venmo/Paypal payments as a seller anymore. Cash or Bitcoin is the only way to receive payment and not have it taken back by a scammer.
I've bought and sold many items over the years on a high-end photography website that I'm a member of, we're talking 5 figure items sometimes without real worry.
Couple things they do - it's $69 a year to join, which probably eliminates 99% of the scammer types. And it has a reputation/review system similar to Ebay. Even one transaction that's not perfect can really set you back. With that, you don't have to go searching for people's experiences with the buyer/seller - it's all right there in the open.
But a hacked account would be a real concern.
I would never sell on Ebay or take Venmo/Paypal payments as a seller anymore. Cash or Bitcoin is the only way to receive payment and not have it taken back by a scammer.
2025 deleted member
Well-known member
I saw that winch and was tempted- then told myself I’d never use it so why buy it..
plh
Explorer
Always use caution for sure. I bought a $14K+ vehicle from more than 2,000 miles away a couple years ago via photos only and a bank transfer, yes I was nervous even after phone conversations and drivers license exchanges. Ended up being a great experience with an excellent seller. Have daily driven the vehicle for more than 30K miles all over the country.
eyemgh
Well-known member
Well I “bought” it too. 
I bumped it being a huge fan of ComeUp. Then the “seller” bumped it again immediately. I thought it was weird, but it had the effect they desired. I looked at the ad again and saw the price drop. I tried to get a friend to buy it. After he passed, I figured I’d grab it for my son.
I felt there was a chance it was a scam, but against my instincts, felt it was a good enough deal to risk it. They didn’t call, so “vetted” them by reading old posts, thinking what scammer has almost 100 of them. It was only after I sent Venmo information that I looked carefully at the old posts. The last one was before COVID. It was clearly a hacked handle.
The learning experience that cost me $400 is that Venmo doesn’t have the same protections that PayPal has. Also, I need to stick to my guns and always have a phone conversation.
It sucks, mostly because I feel that the whole hobby has been violated. I can weather it though.
I bumped it being a huge fan of ComeUp. Then the “seller” bumped it again immediately. I thought it was weird, but it had the effect they desired. I looked at the ad again and saw the price drop. I tried to get a friend to buy it. After he passed, I figured I’d grab it for my son.
I felt there was a chance it was a scam, but against my instincts, felt it was a good enough deal to risk it. They didn’t call, so “vetted” them by reading old posts, thinking what scammer has almost 100 of them. It was only after I sent Venmo information that I looked carefully at the old posts. The last one was before COVID. It was clearly a hacked handle.
The learning experience that cost me $400 is that Venmo doesn’t have the same protections that PayPal has. Also, I need to stick to my guns and always have a phone conversation.
It sucks, mostly because I feel that the whole hobby has been violated. I can weather it though.
plh
Explorer
I get it. I have 2 winches NIB sitting on the work bench for a couple years. and another one on one of my trucks that rarely gets used.I saw that winch and was tempted- then told myself I’d never use it so why buy it..
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