Why I had to be a victim of fraud?

[edwaredward_49]

Just wonder if i get my money back

[jr-41ford]

Facebook has a "Marketplace" within it and it's loaded with a lot of scams and phishing. The only difference is the items for sale are not bottom dollar bargains, but average priced. 

I've been looking for a Jeep Wrangler with an automatic for sale locally. 7 ads I responded to, asking to look at them in person and got only one response, but the vehicle would not be available for 2 weeks. The seller was going through a divorce and his soon to be ex got the vehicle for 2 weeks, then he got it for 2 weeks.

Sounded more like child custody agreement going on. Said no thanks and moved on. Car club member has a 1966 el Camino for sale, fits my needs for a car to run around town in.

[mr.elmwood]

When the stories start, turn and run. Thing is, the stories are what hooks people in the first place. 

It takes two to lie. One to tell the lie and one to believe the lie.

"How do I get my money back?" Well, you believed a lie. Who's fault is that?

It hsa been said that it is easier to fool a person, than it is to convince them they have been fooled.

[legitimate_bidder]

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@mr.elmwoodwrote:

When the stories start, turn and run. Thing is, the stories are what hooks people in the first place. 

It takes two to lie. One to tell the lie and one to believe the lie.

"How do I get my money back?" Well, you believed a lie. Who's fault is that?

It hsa been said that it is easier to fool a person, than it is to convince them they have been fooled.

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It's funny too: If someone were mugged on the street, they wouldn't ask, after reporting it "How do I get my money back?" -But yet, if they get fooled into handing their money over electronically to a stranger who is probably on another continent- someone whom they've never even seen....they DO ask "How do I get my money back?"!

[mr.elmwood]

Muggers have return policies? Based on what, customer satisfaction?

The analogy is good there, LBJ.

[vanman1029]

It could have been worse, I read where one victim was contacted buy the "seller" that they needed more money for "shipping insurance" and he went ahead and sent even more money.

[jr-41ford]

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@vanman1029wrote:

It could have been worse, I read where one victim was contacted buy the "seller" that they needed more money for "shipping insurance" and he went ahead and sent even more money.

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Geez.... unbelievable. Several weeks ago, Facebook has a classic car group of selling classic/hot rod cars and trucks. Inquiring about a 1935 sedan, has a decent price, getting a lot of attention and looked legit. I sent a PM, lady in Louisianna selling it said she needed money for her lung transplant in Texas. 

OK.... just ended my back and forth correspondance between the two of us. I'm trying to make a serious purchase, sure running into a lot of scams.

[edwaredward_49]

Man i know i should have sat down an thought about this

[mr.elmwood]

Ya think?

We make it look very obvious, don't we?

You got caught up in FOMO (fear of missing out).

[mr.elmwood]

JR! There was a local scam, lady got beat for $200 on a non-existent couch from a seller, 20 minutes away. Scammer picked a town of a couple hundred to "hide in". Everyone here knows everyone, she still got beat.

[hyperrush]

Wow the advert is outside ebay, total scam.

[ripsmc]

Since most of these scams are interstate or international and there are so many of them one would think the Feds could set up a sting operation and nail these crooks in droves.

Build a prison in the west Texas wastelands and give them say 10 years/ no parole on a first offense. Once released, put them on 20 years of probation and reimbursement.

As I've mentioned. someone hacked my eBay account a dozen years ago and scammed who knows how many people using my ID. I'm sure there's a number of people out there who absolutely hate my guts to this day even though I had nothing to do with it.

[legitimate_bidder]

Rip, these scammers have it down to where they can maintain total anonymity (hence the payment via gift cards)....and the vast majority are in countries that wouldn't bother 'em even if they were caught.

At some point, people just have to learn how to avoid obvious scams. There will always be scams, no matter how many scammers they were to lock up- just as there will always be drug dealers or pimps, as long as people want those products.  I often think that the more we do to try and make the interwebz safe for everyone, just ends up getting people to let their guard down more....hence the "How do I get my money back?" questions. That's the world some of these people live in....they think they can take no precautions and send money to strangers for deals that are too good to be true, and then when it turns out to be a total scam, they imagine that they are somehow protected.

[jr-41ford]

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@mr.elmwoodwrote:
JR! There was a local scam, lady got beat for $200 on a non-existent couch from a seller, 20 minutes away. Scammer picked a town of a couple hundred to "hide in". Everyone here knows everyone, she still got beat.

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I'd like to hear how she got scammed. Probably too comfortable with her environment. 

[mr.elmwood]

She replied to a local FB ad and emailed the money because "I can trust a local ad".

Seller had pictures, a story, wait for it, free delivery. Delivery time came and went, buyer goes back to find the person. Account is deleted, "How do I get my money back?".

I wonder how many times this free delivery couch has been sold?