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SCAM ALERT! New fairly unsophisticated scam here in B&S

bradhusick

Active member
I recently posted a "want to buy" ad for a lens. I have received two private messages with the following text:

"Email jackson in Texas He has a Leica 90-280 SL lens*for sale. Here's his email [email protected]" from a new user SMIKKY with zero posts,

and

"Contact Richard He has a Leica 90-280 SL lens for sale. Here's his email [email protected]" from a new user ADAM1 also with zero posts.

When I contacted one of the email addresses, the person said they have no feedback on any sites, they have a "private store" in Missouri, and they didn't reply to my request for pictures of the lens with a spoon in the photo, a technique often used to validate sellers.

Be aware of these fairly unsophisticated scam attempts. Never buy or sell to users with no history and no feedback.
 

jaree

Member
Apart from buy/sell on forums I do some local trades on Craigslist. Despite "no shipping, local sale only" I get emails with addresses that a kindergartner would flag as scam. Basically, "I will pay you via PayPal, send me your PayPal email and you ship it to me". The way it works, you will actually get a payment and then a chargeback or a box with bricks if you ask for your gear back.

Recently connected two scammers together, by emailing them their respective emails that they gave me and apparently one of them sent money to the other. They are still fighting over it.
 

Gbealnz

Member
I got contacted by the Smikky half-wit as well, and I wasn't even looking for anything, merely commented on a wanted listing.
 

braver

New member
In this sense, FM Buy/Sell is better protected, as their Upload and Sell requires a payment. The halfwits will not invest a single dollar into their scams and are more rarely present there I think.
 

darr

Well-known member
In this sense, FM Buy/Sell is better protected, as their Upload and Sell requires a payment. The halfwits will not invest a single dollar into their scams and are more rarely present there I think.
+1
FM is the best forum for buying and selling I have found.
 

med

Active member
In this sense, FM Buy/Sell is better protected, as their Upload and Sell requires a payment. The halfwits will not invest a single dollar into their scams and are more rarely present there I think.
The scammers can’t post there, but they can (and do!) reply to WTB ads. Pretty easy to separate the wheat from the chaff there... great feedback system. I think I’ve only purchased from someone with no feedback once, but it was easy to tell they were legit.
 

anyone

Well-known member
I agree with med. The issue is not the postet ads, but the replies to WTB posts. But by asking about their track history either here or elsewhere it's easy to spot scam. But I'm also rather too careful, meaning that I skip the one or the other offer where it's somewhere in between.
 

braver

New member
I recently posted a "want to buy" ad for a lens. I have received two private messages with the following text:

"Email jackson in Texas He has a Leica 90-280 SL lens*for sale. Here's his email [email protected]" from a new user SMIKKY with zero posts,

and

"Contact Richard He has a Leica 90-280 SL lens for sale. Here's his email [email protected]" from a new user ADAM1 also with zero posts.

When I contacted one of the email addresses, the person said they have no feedback on any sites, they have a "private store" in Missouri, and they didn't reply to my request for pictures of the lens with a spoon in the photo, a technique often used to validate sellers.

Be aware of these fairly unsophisticated scam attempts. Never buy or sell to users with no history and no feedback.
The Adam1 nitwit said Robert has it, I emailed "Robert", who replied as "Richard". I asked why, and he's like, What do you mean, Richard is my personal assistant, he answers email when I'm making deliveries.:loco: I asked for references and he sent 3 random gmails and a phone of some guy.:facesmack:
 
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