Blimey, somebody just tried to scam me on Gumtree...maybe a lot of you know about this nasty little scam, but I thought I'd just pass on my experience. I'm sure many folk on here look at eBay for various bits of music gear, and I'd been trawling eBay for some PA equipment, like you do...and had a quick look on Gumtree to see if there was anything local. It's a want ads site that I don't often look at, but I have been successful in the past buying some great deals...a drum kit, guitar necks etc.
Anyhow, I saw something I wanted..it did seem rather cheap for what it was (the first warning sign!), but nothing ventured nothing gained I thought, contacted them via Gumtree...got a text back from seller with an email address...but no mobile number to be able to return the message.
The upshot was I emailed to say I'd have it and I could collect, cash on collection. Well, they said they could courier it round to me at no extra cost (as they happened to work for a distribution company...perks of the job). So I said well if it's no problem, but I can still collect it....this morning a strange email arrived from purporting to be from Parcelforce..saying I just needed to get a UKash voucher for the full amount (by paying cash at one of their numrous outlets), send the details to the seller and they'd get Parcelforce to deliver. I immediately smelled a rat,never having heard of UKash, and of course a bit of checking online revealed that UKash is a favorite scammers payment method.
It's put me right off Gumtree...although in the past it's been fine for face-to-face deals where the seller puts a phone number on the ad. I won't go on at length about the ins and outs and ploys of this particular scam...but the seller makes themself out to be very plausible, and there are some pretty cute variations I can tell you...and the whole UKash thing is a complete no-no as far as I'm concerned...it immediately means SCAM!!!
Well, that's the end of my Public Service Announcement...apologies if this is old news for a lot of you, but here's wishing you all a happy and scam-free New Year...and in the meantime I'm still looking for a decent pair of Mackie SRM 450 speakers!
Replies
I went onto Gumtree again...being very cautious, and spotted this...a lovely Santa Cruz guitar, local to me - a really rare model, that's why I thought it was a bit odd...but only £750...for something that would be about $3000 new. Sure enough, did a little Googling and found the pics and description had been copied direct from an eBay ad in the USA from a few days ago.
I've reported it to Gumtree...but it's reinforced my impression that there's a lot of this particular nasty scam about...be careful people.
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/santa-cruz-roy-smeck-model-guitar...
eBay item 230896340525 if you want to see what it's copied from.
John, could the advert be legit, and the seller on Gumtree and E Bay are one and the same? Some sellers on Gumtree also put the advert on E Bay? No deceit involved, just doublin chances to sell But obvioulsy, people need watch on Gumtree , always check etc..
Cheers
Jamie
No way it is legit. This is a guitar that retails at $4750, and if you've ever played a Santa Cruz you'll know why they typically cost £3000 and upwards new. Even 2nd hand it's worth £2000, probably more in the UK, and I wouldn't be surprised if they keep their value nearer to their "as new" price..it's repro of the model that Ry Cooder plays.
The original guitar was for sale on eBay in the USA and was sold on 11th Jan, and the West Midlands Gumtree advert appeared on 12th Jan. I'm not even sure if the original eBay sale is legit, as it went for a bargain price of $2295.
See, this is they way they get you - buyers really need to know what they are looking at, and what the item is really worth. Santa Cruz is an absolutely top USA make, and the Roy Smeck model is very unusual and niche..it's not just a nice guitar, it's ultra-desirable. I'm this case the scammer has been too obvious and doesn't really understand the unusual nature of the item in the he's ripped off - it's like someone offering you a Patek Phillipe watch for £100. Dodgy all the way through. Anyway, I've reported it, just hope they pull the advert or investigate it.
John, ma man. I DO take yer point, and the price obviously dictates that there is something wrong here somewhere!
Feel compelled to point out, tho, that I have seen(only once or twice, I admit) legit people selling on Glasgow Gumtree, offering £500 guitars for ridiculously low prices. In one case , I e mailed and told the lady. Turns out, they were nice people, who had death of guitar owner in family, no clue of value.
And when told, were still happy to pass a bargain on to others!. OK, notas large as the amounts in case you so rightly highlight, but just sayin that there ARE exceptions on Gumtree.
Works TWO ways. WE, as buyers, should NEVER take advantage of someone selling legit, but too cheap, because of lack of knowledge! (perhaps owner died etc).
Also , for those NOT knowledgable about Gumtree, they might have assumed from your post that posting on E Bay AND Gumtree at same time implied a scam! ( ME PERSONALLY, I knew ya never meant this, but others might take this way, and be denied a guitar that they wanted to buy, just because they saw it o E BAY as well). Some folks even point out on Gumtree that ther advert is up on E bay as well, (effectively sayin "get in quick if you wnat it").
So ALTHO THE SCENARIO BELOW IS MOST UNLIKELY,and I would agree JOHN, this WAS a scam you highlight!!, the reason for a VERY LOW PRICE could be thus :
1. guitar player (.grandfather , husband etc),DIES .
2,family member (with no clue about guitars), sells for ridiculously LOW price on both E bay and Gumtree (perhaps a freind of family, with knowledge of Gumtree car adverts etc, has helped family member ,placed advert for them in Guitar Section on Gumtree , and also an ad on E Bay)
3.Guitar sells on E Bay
4. Gumtree advert is left up on Gumtree, , due to laziness, forgetfulness ( we have ALL left ads on Gumtree days after items are sold!)
......................................
ANYHOOO, Chances of any item on Gumtree at a very low price being a scam, John: 99 %
Chances of being legit, 1%
But mircales DO happen, John, ma man. Myabe just me with a good imagination ? lol
You are RIGHT to point out scams etc. Been using Gumtree good while now, seen them, But also seen bargains.
So my rather long post, John, ma man, in what I hope is a "kindly" reply to yours, is keep on keepin on, like a bird that flew (thanks Bob). DO continue making folks aware that there are many scams on Gumtree. Do point out that if a guitar is TOO MUCH of a bargain,best be VERY wary, probably don't even inquire about it!
But do also be aware that one or two people may be newbees, selling for family members (dead or not) etc, and selling cheap.
Be aware also that it is wrong to buy cheap from a "newbee", tho unlikely buyer willcome across scenario I outline!
Think your in reply to me , John, you were a bit "passionate". But I know that these scammers annoy/efffect us all. B***ARDS, one and all!!
Just like to point out I've bought about 10 guitars, 5 amps on Gumtree, most a VERY good price.
Should also point out I bought a Yamaha electric piano on Glasgow Gumtree,at such a BARGAIN price, felt compeleed to tell guy it was worth more, and I offefed him more!. Turned out he KNEW was worth more.Just wanted to give someone a bargain. He DECLINED my offer of extra money.
One of my OWN Gumtree stories:
Guy came to me to buy guitar for nephew. Guy was working class guy, (like me!) handed over money, and about to leave. I asked him, as he was leaving my house, if his nephew was a beginner.
Turned out the wee boy had just been diagnosed ith cancer, was in Yorkhillhospital, and had mentioned to family while back, that he would like a guitar. Think he was taking guitar up to show wee boy.
Guy left my house with not only a FREE guitar (MADE HIM TAKE BACK MONEY), but when I asked him if he HAD an amp (I had assumed that he would have, as I was only selling guitar), he said he had still to buy one.Well John, he left my house with not only the guitar, but a wee practice amp, and his MONEY BACK!! And I almost had to FIGHT him to take gifts.
OK, maybe my own experiences of cancer made me EXTRA sypathetic; but no, on reflection, not reall! Maybe I am just a good guy, who uses Gumtree. Two sides every story, ma man (Cost me NOTHING to be kind, I had about 30 guitars and 8 or 9 amps at time).
SOOOO,
Chances of meeting a SCAMMER on Gumtree: VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY HIGH. They WILL find YOU, tho you think other way about!!
Chances of meting a "good guy": Well , I have faith in people, so "HIGH".
Chances of being ripped off if you DON'Tcheck out every advert in minute detail : VERY, VERY HIGH.
I'm on your side, John, am "just sayin" :)
Jamie
Done a bit of selling on Gumtree lately and had no probs. Most have come to collect but have sold a few things by post. I used Paypal to get payment from them first. All seems to have worked OK but I'll certainly be more watchful. I get a lot of timewasters offering silly amounts or people who ask if it's still available and then never follow up any further. that's about the only probs I've had. What about Preloved - very similar site to Gumtree. Just started putting a few ads on there and had a few results.
Smojo, ma man, I have use preloved now and then, mostly looking for a cheap acoustic Gibson (no luck so far! lol).
I renewed my £5 full membership, as for £5, thought was worth paying (tho you can use it free, as you will know).
Think Gumtree probabaly best for FAST selling, but maybe Preloved is bit more organised/safe? Don't really know, as rarely use preloved, as opposed to ah'm "never off" Gumtree! lol
wow John clever escape! though whatever anyone says about ebay i always manage to get my money back on faulty goods, and a call to their hotline sorted out a scammer a few years ago! ( a hijacker trying to advertise my stuff cheap and run off with the money, a £400 guitar for 200...?).
It wasn't a clever escape...it's just that the whole UKash thing sounded fishy. I'd never heard of UKash before, it seemed a strange thing to ask me to do, and immediately I thought "scam". I simply Googled "UKash Gumtree scam" and hey presto...loads of info up there.
I once nearly got scammed buying a second hand caravan
There are lots of dodgey people out there.
If I sounds too good it probably is.
It's a really nasty scam this one - I'd had some great bargains on Gumtree, but they have always had a phone number contact, a home address for collection and cash payment. As Jamie says, Gumtree is NOT eBay..it's perfectly fine as long as both parties to the deal operate honestly, agree a sale, exchange phone numbers and arrange a place for face to face collection and payment.
With this scam they may give a mobile number...but say that reception is poor so best to email them (but it's a fictional unobtainable number anyway). The scammer often assumes the persona of a pleasant, personable and busy woman (even giving links to family photos..just like my would-be scammer), and will build up a fiction of what their working pattern or family commitments are in terms of maybe not being able to get back to you straight away as they are "just on the way out to visit mum" or being called in to work to do some unsociable overtime, all to build up a false sense of trustworthiness and reliability. They set the scene that they are so busy that it's difficult to make a convenient time to collect the item, so they offer to courier it over to you via UPS or ParcelForce (...isn't that nice of them?), with the offer that you'll be able to inspect it before accepting it. There's no mention of anything other than payment by cash except right at the last moment when you get this weird request for payment via a "UKash" voucher system (which appears to be sent by the delivery company, complete with reference number and other nonsense requesting payment before they release the item for delivery). This request for payment is "The Sting", because they will have played a pretty long game by now...putting out the bait with an attractively priced item, reeled you in by agreeing the sale, taken you into their confidence and then you'll be off your guard, ready to take delivery of that great bargain. The scam items are often just ripped from eBay in terms of photo and description (I now realise why the item looked sort of familiar, but it's not unknown for people to put things up on eBay and somewhere else to increase the chances of a sale)..but they don't exist and won't be delivered, they'll just take your money via UKash, Western Union or some other money transfer scheme.
It's dashed cunning....so watch out..and have a Happy New Year.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next