SCAM - Buyer pretends to be an Army Vet and asks to include a Steam gift card for the birthday gift

[vdchome]

I got an offer on eBay for a bath set I was selling and I got an offer. In the comment section of the offer he requested that if I accept the offer I should text him and he left a number, because he had some questions about the product.

I went along with it knowing that I would not buy or ship anything until I had the money for it in hand. He requested I send an email detailing the agreement for the additional service so that he could send money. I did so, strictly detailing that the order will only be processed, the gift cards purchased and shipped with the order, only once the necessary funds have been received and confirmed for this order.

Then I get an email from a gmail.com  address with a big PayPal banner saying sent $536.00 USD,  "for an item and a steam wallet gift card of $400 and the shipping." Payment Approved ... so on and so on. I must say, the top portion looked like it could have been authentic. Until you scroll down and see the following:

"Important note: it may take a little while for this payment to appear in the Activity section of your account.Until you email us the picture of the eBay gift card and receipt for verification so that we can credit your PayPal account.The transaction can't be cancelled based on the fact that the payment was made via PayPal advanced method, the money can't be refunded  back to the buyer because it has already been ordered to your PayPal account. Thanks for using PayPal"

He asked if I got the confirmation, I replied that I got an email. I said I would wait to see it in my PayPal activity. He said, but didn't you see the bottom part of the email. I told him I agreed to do it when money was received and confirmed, I did not receive money only and email.

Suddenly, I get another email from the gmail address with the subject line *** LEGAL ACTION ***, with crude graphics and text saying they have forwarded my name and address to the police. There where crude payment buttons splattered all over the place and pictures of dudes being perp walked, LOL.

I responded back saying I am going to post about this everywhere on eBay, PayPal and Google, you may need to change your email address and get all new accounts. 

He responded back with another statement.

At this point I just blocked him and put him into my spam folder.

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE GUYS. NO MONEY - NO PRODUCT/SERVICE ... remember that.

[aa0905-6]

It just happened to me. It is a scam! Thank you for sharing

[48hrs-clothing]

Thank you for sharing your experience and escape from clutches of these fraudsters and I would report and block any one who sent a similar message to me.

Lesson to be learned is Run in opposite direction when some one asks you to contact them or carry out any business outside of eBay.

[gjs_16]

Tell him the only pile that's "steaming" right now isn't one you can send off in the mail.

[jonathan-171]

Hello yea today just now the buyer had bought one of my items and it says they haven’t payed yet and later they sent me a message asking for my number to ask for the condition of the item and after they sent me this *Alright, i would like you to include Steam wallet gift card of $400 inside the package when shipping because it’s going to a recipient as special gift from me, I'm a veteran (0311) and not in right position to have it mailed out myself. I will add $400 for the gift card, $30 for shipping through USPS/FedEx. and i will also add $50 for gas and inconvenience of getting the card*. Good thing of me for searching up if it was a scam, I was on here to tell that the number of the person that sent me the message is +1 (321) 878-3772

[hyperrush]

wiil know scam- now a veternary.

[nikgar-9618]

THANK YOU so much for the hint! 

I just got off the phone with one of these IDIOTS and just like you discribed it...."steam gift card" for my cousin in Germany...blablabla. The suspicious email address (.gmail) and this "important note". Total Bullcrap! 

Oh and here is the number that called me: +1 (320) 373-7890

Stay safe and don't get ripped off. It's crazy...

regards,

Nik

[soh.maryl]

Am glad the OP realized it was a scam attempt; however, I can never figure out why ANYONE responds to these scam bags -- just for fun?

My favorite response is always just ignore and block.  

One of these days someone who receives an offer like this and decides he wants to play around with that scammer will find that eBay has zeroed in on him as participating in an off-eBay transaction.  

[femmefan1946]

And of course James Veitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MHDDSekvcE

"Hummus is going to be big."

[fashunu4eeuh]

This is a necro-thread from last November.

[toysaver]

"got an offer on eBay for a bath set I was selling and I got an offer. In the comment section of the offer he requested that if I accept the offer I should text him and he left a number, because he had some questions about the product.
I went along with it knowing that I would not buy or ship anything until I had the money for it in hand."

I hope that by 'I went along with it' you do not mean you answered in text, that is against eBay policy and nothing to mention in a public forum....

[7by_77]

I'm brand new to selling on Ebay. I listed a dress a couple of days ago and was surprised that I got a buy this morning. As soon as I accepted the offer, I got a message through ebay saying that the buyer is a military personel and that he can't chat on ebay and wanted me to text him at this number. 

I was really offput by this. I mean, trust your instincts, right? And my instincts were telling me somethings wrong. 

What made it even odder is that even though "he can't chat on ebay" he's sent me the exact same message 6 times, and the date that he joined ebay is today's date. 

Anyway, I googled something like "military ebay scam" and this came up. 

I canceled the sale stating the item was defective because it doesn't give you an option to cancel because the buyer is being scammed. (Get it together ebay, this does happen, obviously) 

[coffeebean832]

@7by_77- It's better to start a new discussion than revive an old one so your issue doesn't get lost. I'm sorry to tell you that you made a big error when you "canceled the sale stating the item was defective"- that puts a big defect on your account. Contact eBay customer service and ask for the appeals team- explain the situation and ask if the defect can be appealed.

Next time file the unpaid item cancellation process.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/resolving-unpaid-items?id=4137

It's great to hear that you didn't fall for the scam! That would have been a much greater hit than the "out of stock" defect.