Jeesh....what's the world coming to?

[symbolofmylife]

So, I am currently attempting to sell my xbox I bought very recently.

A couple of years ago I successfully wielded off some shady "buyers" on another thing I was selling, but today topped them....within 5 minutes of the ad going live I've had four "interested buyers".

Now, the ad clearly states that the deal is cash only (for a reason)....all of them ask if they can do bank deposits. Dead giveaway....Damn scammers....how stupid do you think I am?

One d**khead even got cocky when firstly, I refused an EFT offer asking for cash, and secondly refusing to deliver in Hillbrow. LOL....are you kidding me man?!

However funny and annoying, the sad part is that still, some people get caught with these things. A guy I know sold audio equipment. Well, actually he gave it away for free...same old EFT story...20 mins after "John" picked up the goods, the EFT (which was a cheque deposit) was reversed...

Anyway, for those that dont know the warning signs yet, 8 things to remember (courtesy of Junkmail.co.za)

1. When a buyer seems almost too keen to purchase items and appears to want to buy whatever you have for sale, without regard for the price or condition of the goods be vigilant and beware.

2. Immediate requests for your bank account details to deposit money even before the items have been seen should be considered suspicious, especially when linked to a demand that the transaction be concluded immediately and goods collected / delivered within a few hours. This is an Modus Operandi used by scammers.

3. The more complicated the deal becomes, the more likely that it is a scam.

4. Sell your item on your terms – do not drive great distances to meet the potential buyer or go to great lengths to enable them to make the purchase – such as buying airtime for them, depositing money into their account for petrol to be able to drive to your designated meeting spot and so on.

5. Make sure that funds paid into your account have cleared! Stolen or fraudulent cheques deposited at the bank will show in your account, but is not available for use. Call your bank. Insist that they make sure that the funds are cleared and available for your use. However, this is not exactly 100% reliable. Be safe: deal in hard cash only.

6. Watch out for SMS messages sent from banking institutions. Make 100% sure the SMS is from the Bank where the deposit is supposedly made from. Scamsters send SMS messages like these from internet based services to make it appear that they’ve deposited money into your account. Make sure the amount indicated is deposited into your account and available for use before you hand over the item to the person. Also see Nr 5 above.

7. Watch out for fake Internet / EFT proof of payment documents. Call your bank to make 100% sure that the money has been deposited into your account and is available for use. Do not hand over the item you have for sale unless you are 100% sure that the money has been deposited into your account and is available for use.
If a buyer deposits too much money into your account for an item that he has purchased from you consider it as a danger sign. Make sure that the amount deposited is available for use in your account before you hand over the item that is for sale. Scamsters fraudulent deposit too much money deliberately and then claim cash back from sellers claiming that they’ve made a mistake.

8. When a deal seems to be too good to be true – beware. A seller who seems almost too keen to rid of the item, even agreeing to a huge drop in asking prices should arouse suspicion.

[matt]

I think the big issue here is, why would you sell your xbox?

[symbolofmylife]

I think the big issue here is, why would you sell your xbox?

Hehe...was waiting for that...no I bought it very recently, but looking back on it it was more of an impulse buy...my PS3 is still my console of choice. So, letting it go...

[Viking]

9. NEVER let them come to your house
10. ALWAYS meet at a public spot
11. If you buying check the parcel before driving off or letting the person leave
12. Take someone with for security
13. If the person has a foreign accent JUST DONT EVEN TAKE THE DEAL FURTHER
14. If you selling items record the serial numbers (last thing you want is selling a item then the person returns it broken) but he just swopped it out when he got home and his dumping his broken device onto you
15. Tell someone where you going

[OmegaFenix]

I think the big issue here is, why would you sell your xbox?

Good question.

This is why I much prefer Amazon Market to anything Gumtree like. You stick the product you want to sell on, set your price and wham, Amazon does the rest. Any issues the buyer has they pass along to the seller, any issues and they handle it. None of this dodge the scammer.

[symbolofmylife]

9. NEVER let them come to your house
10. ALWAYS meet at a public spot
11. If you buying check the parcel before driving off or letting the person leave
12. Take someone with for security
13. If the person has a foreign accent JUST DONT EVEN TAKE THE DEAL FURTHER
14. If you selling items record the serial numbers (last thing you want is selling a item then the person returns it broken) but he just swopped it out when he got home and his dumping his broken device onto you
15. Tell someone where you going

and then seemingly:
16. Never sell your xbox....lol

[Viking]

symbol pay NO attention to these people...........ROTFLOL

Sell the xbox !!!!

Or be like me

Gears 1 = xbox 1 then i sold it
Gears 2 = xbox 2 then sold it
Gears 3 = xbox 3 then sold it

I told the wife that they announced Gears 4 she just said........."Hell no"

LOL

[ViperGTI]

5. Make sure that funds paid into your account have cleared! Stolen or fraudulent cheques deposited at the bank will show in your account, but is not available for use. Call your bank. Insist that they make sure that the funds are cleared and available for your use. However, this is not exactly 100% reliable. Be safe: deal in hard cash only.

I had a case once where I sold a cellphone via junk mail and the guy deposited the money into my account and the funds were cleared. So I sent off the phone but later that week, the cheque (which was obviously not bank guaranteed) bounced, causing my account to go into the negative. It was a whole story with big fights and everything, but I eventually claimed my money back from the bank. In my case though, there was misconduct on the bank's side for clearing the funds immediately without my permission.

[Grimspoon]

Loads of scammers out there. You just have to be street smart and know the signs for a scam. I think you already have this ability leveled. Cash, in person or no deal. Pretty simple. And always place on your add "NO SCAMMERS". Normally that is enough to deter them as they know you are not going to be an easy target.

[Viking]

Loads of scammers out there. You just have to be street smart and know the signs for a scam. I think you already have this ability leveled. Cash, in person or no deal. Pretty simple. And always place on your add "NO SCAMMERS". Normally that is enough to deter them as they know you are not going to be an easy target.

So these guys dont use counterfeit money..........??

YOU not 100% safe

Like I say....trust your gutt feelings about a deal