Anyone else seen this scam using Gumtree?

Anyone else seen this scam using Gumtree?

Didn't find your answer?

I advertise on Gumtree and today I received a short, typical Gumtree style reply saying they had work I might be interested in. Thinking it might be a charity I asked for more details.  The basic reply was that they raise political funds and wanted me to help distribute them for a 10% cut.  Aye, right.

Has anyone else come across this one?

Replies (6)

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By frustratedwithhmrc
21st Jun 2012 21:56

Not on Gumtree, but I've had lots of similar...

You are right to be suspicious, this is not a necessarily a Nigerian 419 scam, but similar and almost certainly fraudulent, whereby a criminal gang recruits a patsy just to get hold of a 'clean' bank account which can be used to channel funds. The patsy is told that they are working on commission for a charity, business or in your example a political fund.

What you have encountered is the first stage of the recruitment process.

One way this used to work with the purchase of motor cars would be to have someone purchase a car for £15,000 with a bankers draft or similar negotiable instrument for £20,000, which is of course a forgery, but usually a very good one.

The buyer would then ask for a cheque for the difference (£5,000) made out in the name of the patsy (who he / she pretends to be). They would then send all of the real cheques to the patsy, saying "Cash these", keep 10% and send the difference to an overseas bank account which is meant to be owned by the charity / business / political fund, but is actually just a front for the fraudsters.

Obviously, they sell the car either for cash (in preference) or alternately for a cheque made out in the name of the patsy.

The fraudsters will tour the country (they tend to be foreigners) with their fake bankers drafts, collecting new ones and sending them onto the patsy, then when they are out of cheques or the police are hot on their trail they return where they came from.

The patsy just thinks they've been doing a very easy job and taking the commission, until the police turn up and arrest them for fraud and money laundering.

I've no idea whether the police actually take legal proceedings against these gullible people or just take the money earned from the scam, details of the actual fraudsters and reserve the right to call the patsy for the prosecution if there is any.

 

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By taylorag
21st Jun 2012 22:35

Thanks

I hadn't come across this before.  I have reported it to Gumtree.

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By Stalytax
22nd Jun 2012 12:23

Visit scamwarners.com for more insight

Usually you get sent a dud cheque, put it in the bank, and until it comes back as stolen/fake, which will take some time, your bank account will show it as a credit and available to spend / send to the scammers. In the meantime, you send the 90% balance to the scammer via Western Union (which can be picked up as cash anywhere in the world) or by transfer to a compromised bank account.

Then the cheque bounces, the credit is reversed, and you are left holding the baby. The scammer doesnt need to leave home, or more likely the internet cafe in West Africa.

For more insight, visit scamwarners.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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By Cantona1
22nd Jun 2012 14:02

Any one can advetise on Gumtree. The people who run the site do not even know if the jobs advetised are real ones

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By dnicholson
22nd Jun 2012 14:32

Money mules

This sounds like a money laundering operation, you should stay well away. For examples, search for money mule, or try http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/09/a-one-stop-money-mule-fraud-shop/.

 

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By taylorag
22nd Jun 2012 14:49

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

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