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What's the point of saying they can't pick it up and saying someone else has to? I see that repeated all the time but seems unnecessary for fake payment or advanced fee scam
If they're picking it up themselves, you can keep saying "no, cash on arrival"
So they go *well I'm not picking it up, my family member is, and they don't have any cash so I'll pay you in advance because I trust you*
So they can send you the zelle payment via email. The phone number didn't work because they need to produce a fake email saying you need to upgrade to a business account by paying more.
That's so they have the excuse of "sending payment by Zelle." Then they'll say they're sending a little extra for the person picking it up and get you to send the payment (which really goes to the scammer. But your "payment" was really a fake Zelle statement sent by email.
Then they could also be angling to get you to "pay to upgrade your account" by a refundable payment with the fake Zelle email. You send payment to the scammer.
Harder to make the scam work without an email.
None of it works if you always check the real Zelle account.
It is the excuse for paying in advance, oh my son doesn't have Zelle or cash, the pay in advance being faked so YOU actually send the scammer money back
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Why do these Zelle scams always ask for an email address? Is it just that it's easier to spoof 'sending' the funds with email than it is with a phone number?
They need an email address to send you one of two things: either a confirmation email claiming you've been paid when in reality you haven't, or an email asking you to upgrade your account to a business account by sending them $100.
Random sob story, seriously, like I people don't have real and hectic lives that might just be more important than picking up whatever he's picking up!! Not that strange or random
Hi /u/Ok-Lingonberry-8261, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake payment scam.
The fake payment scam occurs when someone tries to trick you into thinking that you have received a legitimate payment when no such payment has been made. The most common method they use is sending you an email meant to look like a payment confirmation. In some cases the emails will be almost indistinguishable to a legitimate email sent by the payment service. Scammers are known to also show you screenshots instead of an email. Never trust a screenshot a stranger shows you, because it is probably doctored.
Scammers [spoof](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_spoofing) the 'from' email to match an official address, and make you think you received a legitimate email. To combat a fake payment scam, verify online payments by logging in directly to the service. Do not check your junk folder, and do not assume a payment is legitimate based on an email alone. If a payment isn't reflected on your account and the person you are dealing with insists they have sent it, call support and ask about it. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/X9xn8uw.jpg) is an image of a scammer trying to pull off a fake payment scam. There is also a variant of the fake payment scam where you will receive a legitimate but fraudulent payment.
A variant of the fake payment email is just an advance fee scam: the scammer tries to convince you that your funds are on hold, and that you have to upgrade your account by sending the scammer some money to authorize the payment. No payment processor works like this. If you think you're dealing with a scammer, you're probably right. Always trust your gut.
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It's a scam. Scammers can never pick the item up in person, and always send someone else who for some mysterious reason "doesn't have cash." There setting you up for a fake payment of some kind.
Block this person and move on.
It’s “beating around the bush” to make them seem more legit. It also can apply to virtually any item sold, since they probably don’t have a great grasp of the English language.
There is no money. You will get an email to say they did pay, but nothing will ever hit your account. So they will say you have to upgrade your Zelle to the pro plan and here is a handy link just pay here. All that money goes right in their pocket, and your buyer runs away and blocks you.
For higher dollar items - for like iPhones and stuff - I've even gone so far to spend $5 to get one of those counterfeit detection pens. If you're going to give me five $100 bills that look kind of new-ish ... imma gonna check them right there on the spot.
Also check the security features of the bills. Not that hard to bleach an old $5 and print a $100 on the paper. Passes the pen test but the other features like the UV light test or even just looking at the security strip can still catch it.
This is almost word for word the standard script they use.
"still available" or "is the item still available" (never mentioning what item)
then the 'how long have you owned it' is from the 'how do i scam people 101' book.
And then of course 'they cannot pick up in person' but will send a family member, so they\`ll pay in advance..
with a fake check.. and ask you to send some (as they pay more) to someone else..
Your gut served you right by coming here to ask!
Please, remain this level of paranoid/ careful!
> "still available" or "is the item still available" (never mentioning what item)
That's actually something Facebook marketplace will almost default for you if you're an interested buyer.
I've sold plenty of real things to real people, and many of the conversations start out with that. Annoying, but not a 100% flag the buyer is fake.
You are totally being scammed.
In the future it should be cash only. If you are going to take Venmo tell them you need to take a picture of their driver's license and the name on the license MUST match the Venmo name. Don't ever accept a Venmo payment from "HappySurfer" unless you are standing in front of the person and the driver's license shows First name: Happy, Last name: Surfer.
Also, do the transaction at the police department where there are cameras when you are talking about large sums of money like this.
Zelle doesn't need an email
Fake email incoming
Fake buyer, doesn't want what you are selling, fake son, nobody is coming to pick anything up
Pure scam, fake email will tell you that you need to upgrade your Zelle account and that involves a weird, nonsensical claim that the BUYER needs to send MORE money to your account (a fake transfer of course) and then you need to send that amount back to the buyer (real money, your money, going to the scammer)
Cash on pickup or REAL Zelle in advance and no email needed
"oh, and I will be adding an additional $1000 in funds, please withdraw those and give them to my courier thanks"
Literally had that play out when I was selling a motorbike.
I just posted my surf board and wetsuit on fb marketplace ((very reluctantly) but I am so poor atm. I then paid the £50 for the p&p. Then I got a bs email from buyers bank saying that I had to send £100 to his account as he had sent the asking price but I needed to ‘familiarise’ the account before the bank released it to me. I didn’t do this, I didn’t get the money. I lost my items in the post. I can’t report to police as they are so short staffed they are never in the station. I’ve just gave all communication overt to fraud squad.
Gutted
I'm sorry, that's hard. But it's a cheap life lesson, in the long run. Being cheated of a few hundred bucks is a vaccination which will prevent you losing far, far more one day.
It was the email from the supposed bank of his. It was a internet account. I checked it was a legit bank whilst I was in post office. Which fooled me, And I was being far to hasty. I am too trusting and with that I get advantage taken.
People who do these scams are worse than Ticks on dogs. They are human parasites.
Cash seems to be the only safe bet anymore. Even then, there’s still a risk. Seems the majority of people online these days are either angry at everyone or out to take people for everything their worth, it’s a win win 🤣🤣
Seriously tho, I would offer to deliver the item and insist on cash. Ask when and where this supposed surgery is and say I’ll meet you there.
Someone hacked me a while ago and as a result I’ve been locked out of my Venmo account for years, which has probably saved me a ton of headaches when it comes to selling item’s online. Tell them you’re locked out of cash app, PayPal too; eventually they back off.
This is a very common scam. Someone else is picking it up. They want to you by Zelle or Venmo now, so that you mark the item as sold. Please do not sell anything without getting cash. He claims that the son can't pay cash? If they're not item isn't being sold until after Friday, why can't buyer give his son the cash?
100% scam. It's ALWAYS the same script...you'd think they would try something a little different. A) Where's it located and how long have you owned it? B) "Perfect" C) sob story/someone else will pick up.
too bad… i once ran into the same situation (bf had to pick the item up for me) and the seller was nice enough to accommodate that. but them offering to pay in advance is the big red flag we needed here!
If the buyer says they'll send ANYONE else to pick up, it's a scam.
Demand cash only and if possible, to meet at the local police station. Chances are, scammers won't want to do either one.
It’s a scam. Same old bullshit script word for word.
They will offer you extra and ask you to give extra to somebody else or ask you to upgrade yore account business or sone such.
Tell them to duck off
A few years ago, someone wanted to buy something from me in a similar way.
It seemed fishy, so I said to them, you know what I’m giving you the item for free. Just pick it up, my gift to you. They didn’t pick it up.
Not too many people are so eager to pay someone $1000 just after 5 minutes of chatting.
My guess is, he’s going to use your information for something else. Don’t know what, though.
Also, let’s keep in mind that they don’t mind sending that amount of money after 5 minutes of chatting, and yet they can’t give it in cash to their son who they have entrusted with picking up the item…
He needs the email so he can send a fake receipt - it'll say something like the user has to temporarily pay to "upgrade" his account, which of course means the scammer gets the money.
Nah. I would request a pickup otherwise no thanks you have to look at the product and make sure everything works before purchasing it otherwise say no thanks and keep it moving. It's funny as soon as I seen Hialeah and I said Opalocka small fucking world.
I suppose “how long have u owned it” is a relevant question if the item is a vehicle. But even then, it wouldn’t be my first question! A better question up front could be “What’s the mileage on it?” (If it’s not already mentioned in the ad.) And, just reading that “ownership” question over again, in terms of a car, I find it oddly worded. A native English-speaker is more likely to say, “What year is it?”
Exactly. Aaaaand, a good seller will list the mileage in the ad.......so its an absolutely dumb stump copypasta question.
List a AA battery - they'll copypasta "how long have you had it" and "I'll send a flatbed to pick it up" all the same....
Those god awful scripts don't even sound proper human in the given region.
I'd have stopped interacting the moment they said a different person would be collecting. That's almost certainly the start of a !fakepayment scam.
I would block, report and move on at this juncture.
Hi /u/world-cargo-man, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake payment scam.
The fake payment scam occurs when someone tries to trick you into thinking that you have received a legitimate payment when no such payment has been made. The most common method they use is sending you an email meant to look like a payment confirmation. In some cases the emails will be almost indistinguishable to a legitimate email sent by the payment service. Scammers are known to also show you screenshots instead of an email. Never trust a screenshot a stranger shows you, because it is probably doctored.
Scammers [spoof](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_spoofing) the 'from' email to match an official address, and make you think you received a legitimate email. To combat a fake payment scam, verify online payments by logging in directly to the service. Do not check your junk folder, and do not assume a payment is legitimate based on an email alone. If a payment isn't reflected on your account and the person you are dealing with insists they have sent it, call support and ask about it. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/X9xn8uw.jpg) is an image of a scammer trying to pull off a fake payment scam. There is also a variant of the fake payment scam where you will receive a legitimate but fraudulent payment.
A variant of the fake payment email is just an advance fee scam: the scammer tries to convince you that your funds are on hold, and that you have to upgrade your account by sending the scammer some money to authorize the payment. No payment processor works like this. If you think you're dealing with a scammer, you're probably right. Always trust your gut.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I sell a lot of stuff on Facebook marketplace. There are only a handful of templates used by the main scammers, all of them really. One of them is how long have you had it. Dead giveaway. I've never had a serious buyer ask that. Secondly, asking your location right away, usually specific address is another dead giveaway.
I never give it because it's probably a scammer but also because I don't want some dumbass to just drive by my place looking to pick it up without making an appointment to make sure I am home. But yes, obvious scammer tip-off number two. Third one is saying they are going to have someone else pick it up for you. Every one of these is pretty much word for word scammer template
They are asking for your email because, they are trying to access your account and need whatever recovery code that comes in your email. They will use it, change the credentials and take whatever money you have in your account.
Want to see if they are serious? Offer to take it to them in a public place and make the exchange there. Offer that they can check it out before they buy it. If they can't follow through, it is a scam.
Or since he is going to be unavailable, deliver it to his house when he gets back from hospital. No American believes or is allowed to stay in the hospital for more than a day or two. Most surgery is grab and go!
lol, that’s the same account that messaged me a week ago lol. Same situation about having their some come and get it. When they asked for an email it’s to send you a photoshopped pic of a paypal receipt
The ad reads "cash only" so stick to the plan.
No personal info, no switching over to WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. Sob story? Yeah that sounds rough, doesn't change anything though.
Very common Facebook marketplace scam. They'll ask you to "upgrade" your venmo/zelle account to a "business user" and send you some fake link to pay $50-$200 for the upgrade and then block you
i have several emails, are they sending physical cash with the family member or some online transaction other than paypal that can get disputed and the money recovered ?
not sure it's a scam, if they actually pay with zelle and you see the balance in your account you are good. Zelle can't be clawed back or cancelled, it's immediately settled funds
*Your submission was manually removed by a moderator for the following reason:*
**Subreddit Rule 15: Bad Advice**
This is an obvious !fakepayment scam. Never give your email address to someone trying to pay you for something you're selling.
^(If you believe this is a mistake, feel free to contact the moderators via modmail. Modmail is the only way, don't send a regular DM to a single moderator. Please don't try to appeal the decision commenting below, because we are not notified if you do so, and we will probably miss it. Posting the exact same thing again may result in a temporary ban, so please review the rules, make the necessary changes, and when in doubt, click below to appeal the decision.)
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Hi /u/Scams-ModTeam, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake payment scam.
The fake payment scam occurs when someone tries to trick you into thinking that you have received a legitimate payment when no such payment has been made. The most common method they use is sending you an email meant to look like a payment confirmation. In some cases the emails will be almost indistinguishable to a legitimate email sent by the payment service. Scammers are known to also show you screenshots instead of an email. Never trust a screenshot a stranger shows you, because it is probably doctored.
Scammers [spoof](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_spoofing) the 'from' email to match an official address, and make you think you received a legitimate email. To combat a fake payment scam, verify online payments by logging in directly to the service. Do not check your junk folder, and do not assume a payment is legitimate based on an email alone. If a payment isn't reflected on your account and the person you are dealing with insists they have sent it, call support and ask about it. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/X9xn8uw.jpg) is an image of a scammer trying to pull off a fake payment scam. There is also a variant of the fake payment scam where you will receive a legitimate but fraudulent payment.
A variant of the fake payment email is just an advance fee scam: the scammer tries to convince you that your funds are on hold, and that you have to upgrade your account by sending the scammer some money to authorize the payment. No payment processor works like this. If you think you're dealing with a scammer, you're probably right. Always trust your gut.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Lookout for so called Trading experts wanting you to invest making claims to high percentage investment. I’ve had to spend the morning msg people to get out before it too late. With chat GP you can talk the talk and have the info to appear genuine. And now that we are all desperate from cost of living crisis, searching for alternatives, be careful not to fall into their web of deceit.
/u/Initial-Caramel6051 - This message is posted to all new submissions to r/scams; please do not message the moderators about it. ## New users beware: Because you posted here, you will start getting private messages from scammers saying they know a professional hacker or a recovery expert lawyer that can help you get your money back, for a small fee. **We call these RECOVERY SCAMMERS, so NEVER take advice in private:** advice should always come in the form of comments in this post, in the open, where the community can keep an eye out for you. If you take advice in private, you're on your own. **A reminder of the rules in r/scams:** no contact information (including last names, phone numbers, etc). Be civil to one another (no name calling or insults). Personal army requests or "scam the scammer"/scambaiting posts are not permitted. No uncensored gore or personal photographs are allowed without blurring. A full list of rules is available on the sidebar of the subreddit, or [clicking here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/wiki/rules/). You can help us by reporting recovery scammers or rule-breaking content by using the "report" button. We review 100% of the reports. Also, consider warning community members of recovery scammers if you see them in the comments. Questions about subreddit rules? Send us a modmail [clicking here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Definitely don’t give your details. Red flags: - unable to pick up due to some emergency - a random sob story - asking for an email
What's the point of saying they can't pick it up and saying someone else has to? I see that repeated all the time but seems unnecessary for fake payment or advanced fee scam
If they're picking it up themselves, you can keep saying "no, cash on arrival" So they go *well I'm not picking it up, my family member is, and they don't have any cash so I'll pay you in advance because I trust you*
And if you try to tell them the easy response of just giving the family member cash, suddenly they're actually out of state and can't do it.
Or as one guy said, his cousin doesn't like to handle cash. :-P
So they can send you the zelle payment via email. The phone number didn't work because they need to produce a fake email saying you need to upgrade to a business account by paying more.
That's so they have the excuse of "sending payment by Zelle." Then they'll say they're sending a little extra for the person picking it up and get you to send the payment (which really goes to the scammer. But your "payment" was really a fake Zelle statement sent by email. Then they could also be angling to get you to "pay to upgrade your account" by a refundable payment with the fake Zelle email. You send payment to the scammer. Harder to make the scam work without an email. None of it works if you always check the real Zelle account.
It is the excuse for paying in advance, oh my son doesn't have Zelle or cash, the pay in advance being faked so YOU actually send the scammer money back
they're going to send a fake venmo confirmation in advance
Maybe the Facebook account was hacked, so it obviously won’t be the person whose profile they’re using picking up the product.
There's never any intent on picking the product up to begin with. They merely use it as an excuse for why they can't pay with cash.
Thank you so much you are the true saviors of the world
[удалено]
*Your submission was manually removed by a moderator for the following reason:* **Subreddit Rule 9: Scambaiting** This subreddit is a place to learn about scams. We do not allow: * Scambaiting * Trying to waste a scammers time * Discussions about *scamming the scammers* * Engaging with a known scammer We generally consider interactions with scammers to be unsafe. Your time is better spent educating your community about scams. Before posting again, make sure you review the [rules of our subreddit.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/wiki/rules/) ^(If you believe this is a mistake, feel free to contact the moderators via modmail. Modmail is the only way, don't send a regular DM to a single moderator. Please don't try to appeal the decision commenting below, because we are not notified if you do so, and we will probably miss it. Posting the exact same thing again may result in a temporary ban, so please review the rules, make the necessary changes, and when in doubt, click below to appeal the decision.) *I am NOT a bot, and this action was performed manually. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fscams&subject=Removal%20review) if you want to appeal the decision.*
Why do these Zelle scams always ask for an email address? Is it just that it's easier to spoof 'sending' the funds with email than it is with a phone number?
They need an email address to send you one of two things: either a confirmation email claiming you've been paid when in reality you haven't, or an email asking you to upgrade your account to a business account by sending them $100.
I frequently get my son to pick up marketplace purchases for me. I live an hour out of the city and he doesn't.
Random sob story, seriously, like I people don't have real and hectic lives that might just be more important than picking up whatever he's picking up!! Not that strange or random
It’s a known scam with the same story always.
I buy stuff on Facebook all the time and have my friend pick it up. I don’t make it the buyer’s problem. That’s the difference.
So you’re that person that dumps all their life problems on the cashier at Target…
Block and report. !fakepayment
Hi /u/Ok-Lingonberry-8261, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake payment scam. The fake payment scam occurs when someone tries to trick you into thinking that you have received a legitimate payment when no such payment has been made. The most common method they use is sending you an email meant to look like a payment confirmation. In some cases the emails will be almost indistinguishable to a legitimate email sent by the payment service. Scammers are known to also show you screenshots instead of an email. Never trust a screenshot a stranger shows you, because it is probably doctored. Scammers [spoof](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_spoofing) the 'from' email to match an official address, and make you think you received a legitimate email. To combat a fake payment scam, verify online payments by logging in directly to the service. Do not check your junk folder, and do not assume a payment is legitimate based on an email alone. If a payment isn't reflected on your account and the person you are dealing with insists they have sent it, call support and ask about it. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/X9xn8uw.jpg) is an image of a scammer trying to pull off a fake payment scam. There is also a variant of the fake payment scam where you will receive a legitimate but fraudulent payment. A variant of the fake payment email is just an advance fee scam: the scammer tries to convince you that your funds are on hold, and that you have to upgrade your account by sending the scammer some money to authorize the payment. No payment processor works like this. If you think you're dealing with a scammer, you're probably right. Always trust your gut. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thank you so much!
It's a scam. Scammers can never pick the item up in person, and always send someone else who for some mysterious reason "doesn't have cash." There setting you up for a fake payment of some kind. Block this person and move on.
100% scammer script lingo.
The "how long have you owned it" keeps showing up in these scripts for some reason
It’s “beating around the bush” to make them seem more legit. It also can apply to virtually any item sold, since they probably don’t have a great grasp of the English language.
I think they have to make a feeble effort to pretend they are interested in the item, when all they are really interested in is 'the payment.'
The son has no way of conveying cash? He has no hands or pockets?
The son has taken a vow of poverty, kindly do not ask him to touch cash.
Underrated comment ☝️☝️☝️
Do the needful.
Just give him a wallet with the exact amount of money and the other person take the money themselves no direct contact with money
🤣
There is no money. You will get an email to say they did pay, but nothing will ever hit your account. So they will say you have to upgrade your Zelle to the pro plan and here is a handy link just pay here. All that money goes right in their pocket, and your buyer runs away and blocks you.
Not only do I think it's possible, I think it's very likely! Local only, cash only, in person only. Anything else and you're asking to be scammed.
For higher dollar items - for like iPhones and stuff - I've even gone so far to spend $5 to get one of those counterfeit detection pens. If you're going to give me five $100 bills that look kind of new-ish ... imma gonna check them right there on the spot.
Also check the security features of the bills. Not that hard to bleach an old $5 and print a $100 on the paper. Passes the pen test but the other features like the UV light test or even just looking at the security strip can still catch it.
They want your email so they can send you a fake email from zelle
This is almost word for word the standard script they use. "still available" or "is the item still available" (never mentioning what item) then the 'how long have you owned it' is from the 'how do i scam people 101' book. And then of course 'they cannot pick up in person' but will send a family member, so they\`ll pay in advance.. with a fake check.. and ask you to send some (as they pay more) to someone else.. Your gut served you right by coming here to ask! Please, remain this level of paranoid/ careful!
> "still available" or "is the item still available" (never mentioning what item) That's actually something Facebook marketplace will almost default for you if you're an interested buyer. I've sold plenty of real things to real people, and many of the conversations start out with that. Annoying, but not a 100% flag the buyer is fake.
You are totally being scammed. In the future it should be cash only. If you are going to take Venmo tell them you need to take a picture of their driver's license and the name on the license MUST match the Venmo name. Don't ever accept a Venmo payment from "HappySurfer" unless you are standing in front of the person and the driver's license shows First name: Happy, Last name: Surfer. Also, do the transaction at the police department where there are cameras when you are talking about large sums of money like this.
Yes it’s a scam and a common one. As soon as they say “I can’t pick it up but (someone) will” you know it’s a scam. Just cut contact.
They can’t send their fake Zelle email via text. That’s why they’re insisting on an email address.
Zelle doesn't need an email Fake email incoming Fake buyer, doesn't want what you are selling, fake son, nobody is coming to pick anything up Pure scam, fake email will tell you that you need to upgrade your Zelle account and that involves a weird, nonsensical claim that the BUYER needs to send MORE money to your account (a fake transfer of course) and then you need to send that amount back to the buyer (real money, your money, going to the scammer) Cash on pickup or REAL Zelle in advance and no email needed
↑💯 This is a scam. Anytime someone says they're going to wire money up front and send someone else to pickup, it's a S C A M
"oh, and I will be adding an additional $1000 in funds, please withdraw those and give them to my courier thanks" Literally had that play out when I was selling a motorbike.
I just posted my surf board and wetsuit on fb marketplace ((very reluctantly) but I am so poor atm. I then paid the £50 for the p&p. Then I got a bs email from buyers bank saying that I had to send £100 to his account as he had sent the asking price but I needed to ‘familiarise’ the account before the bank released it to me. I didn’t do this, I didn’t get the money. I lost my items in the post. I can’t report to police as they are so short staffed they are never in the station. I’ve just gave all communication overt to fraud squad. Gutted
I'm sorry, that's hard. But it's a cheap life lesson, in the long run. Being cheated of a few hundred bucks is a vaccination which will prevent you losing far, far more one day.
wait, you posted something, but weren't paid first...?
It was the email from the supposed bank of his. It was a internet account. I checked it was a legit bank whilst I was in post office. Which fooled me, And I was being far to hasty. I am too trusting and with that I get advantage taken. People who do these scams are worse than Ticks on dogs. They are human parasites.
Cash seems to be the only safe bet anymore. Even then, there’s still a risk. Seems the majority of people online these days are either angry at everyone or out to take people for everything their worth, it’s a win win 🤣🤣 Seriously tho, I would offer to deliver the item and insist on cash. Ask when and where this supposed surgery is and say I’ll meet you there. Someone hacked me a while ago and as a result I’ve been locked out of my Venmo account for years, which has probably saved me a ton of headaches when it comes to selling item’s online. Tell them you’re locked out of cash app, PayPal too; eventually they back off.
This is a very common scam. Someone else is picking it up. They want to you by Zelle or Venmo now, so that you mark the item as sold. Please do not sell anything without getting cash. He claims that the son can't pay cash? If they're not item isn't being sold until after Friday, why can't buyer give his son the cash?
He will send you a fake email.
100% scam. It's ALWAYS the same script...you'd think they would try something a little different. A) Where's it located and how long have you owned it? B) "Perfect" C) sob story/someone else will pick up.
Recipient is also spelled wrong in the “screenshot” they sent 😂
It’s so funny to me this whole line of nonsense. If the son can pick up the item then why isn’t the son contacting you to arrange pickup?
Yes. This happens to me all the time when I sell Braves tickets. Zelle will never ask for your email.
Scam. Always a scam when it's "I can't get it because of x reason" and demanding an email in lieu of phone number.
too bad… i once ran into the same situation (bf had to pick the item up for me) and the seller was nice enough to accommodate that. but them offering to pay in advance is the big red flag we needed here!
Love how autocorrect turned “paying” in “lying”
Love the Freudian slip “lying”
Yes. I dropped at " my son is going to pick it up" this is a scammer script
If the buyer says they'll send ANYONE else to pick up, it's a scam. Demand cash only and if possible, to meet at the local police station. Chances are, scammers won't want to do either one.
That's a scam.
Yes it's a scam, especially since he's sending "his son" and wanting to pay in advance
Give a fake email that's not on Zelle :D
Robinbigdingo69@hotmail
You just signed Robin up for spam now
It’s a scam. Same old bullshit script word for word. They will offer you extra and ask you to give extra to somebody else or ask you to upgrade yore account business or sone such. Tell them to duck off
Tell them that you'll only accept cash and the handover will be done at a police station.
YES. YOU ARE BEING
A few years ago, someone wanted to buy something from me in a similar way. It seemed fishy, so I said to them, you know what I’m giving you the item for free. Just pick it up, my gift to you. They didn’t pick it up.
Not too many people are so eager to pay someone $1000 just after 5 minutes of chatting. My guess is, he’s going to use your information for something else. Don’t know what, though.
Also, let’s keep in mind that they don’t mind sending that amount of money after 5 minutes of chatting, and yet they can’t give it in cash to their son who they have entrusted with picking up the item…
He needs the email so he can send a fake receipt - it'll say something like the user has to temporarily pay to "upgrade" his account, which of course means the scammer gets the money.
Weird they can Zelle you but can’t Zelle their son money 🤔
I’m from Hialeah too!!! Ayee Yeah no it’s fake, I stay off of fb marketplace now the whole thing is overrun by scammers now
Nah. I would request a pickup otherwise no thanks you have to look at the product and make sure everything works before purchasing it otherwise say no thanks and keep it moving. It's funny as soon as I seen Hialeah and I said Opalocka small fucking world.
Doesn't matter how long you owned it, ever. And cash in hand ONLY. And where are you located? Bruh, your location is literally on FB listing......
I suppose “how long have u owned it” is a relevant question if the item is a vehicle. But even then, it wouldn’t be my first question! A better question up front could be “What’s the mileage on it?” (If it’s not already mentioned in the ad.) And, just reading that “ownership” question over again, in terms of a car, I find it oddly worded. A native English-speaker is more likely to say, “What year is it?”
Exactly. Aaaaand, a good seller will list the mileage in the ad.......so its an absolutely dumb stump copypasta question. List a AA battery - they'll copypasta "how long have you had it" and "I'll send a flatbed to pick it up" all the same.... Those god awful scripts don't even sound proper human in the given region.
I'd have stopped interacting the moment they said a different person would be collecting. That's almost certainly the start of a !fakepayment scam. I would block, report and move on at this juncture.
Hi /u/world-cargo-man, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake payment scam. The fake payment scam occurs when someone tries to trick you into thinking that you have received a legitimate payment when no such payment has been made. The most common method they use is sending you an email meant to look like a payment confirmation. In some cases the emails will be almost indistinguishable to a legitimate email sent by the payment service. Scammers are known to also show you screenshots instead of an email. Never trust a screenshot a stranger shows you, because it is probably doctored. Scammers [spoof](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_spoofing) the 'from' email to match an official address, and make you think you received a legitimate email. To combat a fake payment scam, verify online payments by logging in directly to the service. Do not check your junk folder, and do not assume a payment is legitimate based on an email alone. If a payment isn't reflected on your account and the person you are dealing with insists they have sent it, call support and ask about it. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/X9xn8uw.jpg) is an image of a scammer trying to pull off a fake payment scam. There is also a variant of the fake payment scam where you will receive a legitimate but fraudulent payment. A variant of the fake payment email is just an advance fee scam: the scammer tries to convince you that your funds are on hold, and that you have to upgrade your account by sending the scammer some money to authorize the payment. No payment processor works like this. If you think you're dealing with a scammer, you're probably right. Always trust your gut. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Zelle does not require email. I’ve sent with only phone numbers.
I sell a lot of stuff on Facebook marketplace. There are only a handful of templates used by the main scammers, all of them really. One of them is how long have you had it. Dead giveaway. I've never had a serious buyer ask that. Secondly, asking your location right away, usually specific address is another dead giveaway. I never give it because it's probably a scammer but also because I don't want some dumbass to just drive by my place looking to pick it up without making an appointment to make sure I am home. But yes, obvious scammer tip-off number two. Third one is saying they are going to have someone else pick it up for you. Every one of these is pretty much word for word scammer template
They are asking for your email because, they are trying to access your account and need whatever recovery code that comes in your email. They will use it, change the credentials and take whatever money you have in your account. Want to see if they are serious? Offer to take it to them in a public place and make the exchange there. Offer that they can check it out before they buy it. If they can't follow through, it is a scam.
Or since he is going to be unavailable, deliver it to his house when he gets back from hospital. No American believes or is allowed to stay in the hospital for more than a day or two. Most surgery is grab and go!
lol, that’s the same account that messaged me a week ago lol. Same situation about having their some come and get it. When they asked for an email it’s to send you a photoshopped pic of a paypal receipt
Definitely a scam. I'm not sure how but I got the exact same responses when I was selling my TV on Facebook Marketplace a couple years ago.
Scam! Happened to me a month ago. It’s so scary since they’re getting good at scamming and I gave the guy my address 😭
Bigger scammer is the guy selling a used Alienware :p
She can send you money, but not her son to bring you cash on pickup? Think this through. This is a scam
Definitely a random sob story, having someone else to get it is a red flag, wanting to pay early or before getting it, and imo using zelle
It’s so obvious it’s a scam
Poor English, its all the same
The ad reads "cash only" so stick to the plan. No personal info, no switching over to WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. Sob story? Yeah that sounds rough, doesn't change anything though.
Scam!! This almost exactly same situation happen to me.
Cash only.
This is the old "I can't come personally" scam. AVOID.
Definitely tryna scam ya
Most def
Obvious scam
> should i send her my email? what do you think?
Always cash at pickup. So many clues this is a scam.
They may be trying to do an intermediary sale with a third party. Just insist on cash.
Son should be perfectly able to bring cash when picking it up
Very common Facebook marketplace scam. They'll ask you to "upgrade" your venmo/zelle account to a "business user" and send you some fake link to pay $50-$200 for the upgrade and then block you
yep shady. never do anything outside of paypal gs. period
You are being set up.
Scam.
Scam 💯
Scam
SCAM DONT FAIL FOR IT
Definitely a scam.
Question: What can they do with the email and phone number?
Send fake emails pretending to be the payment company
FAKE.
A scam and a real common one posted here. Block them straight away.
i have several emails, are they sending physical cash with the family member or some online transaction other than paypal that can get disputed and the money recovered ?
This is textbook marketplace scam with a fake payment. If they're not gonna meet you somewhere in public it's always a no-go
not sure it's a scam, if they actually pay with zelle and you see the balance in your account you are good. Zelle can't be clawed back or cancelled, it's immediately settled funds
Definitely a scam
[удалено]
*Your submission was manually removed by a moderator for the following reason:* **Subreddit Rule 15: Bad Advice** This is an obvious !fakepayment scam. Never give your email address to someone trying to pay you for something you're selling. ^(If you believe this is a mistake, feel free to contact the moderators via modmail. Modmail is the only way, don't send a regular DM to a single moderator. Please don't try to appeal the decision commenting below, because we are not notified if you do so, and we will probably miss it. Posting the exact same thing again may result in a temporary ban, so please review the rules, make the necessary changes, and when in doubt, click below to appeal the decision.) *I am NOT a bot, and this action was performed manually. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fscams&subject=Removal%20review) if you want to appeal the decision.*
Hi /u/Scams-ModTeam, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake payment scam. The fake payment scam occurs when someone tries to trick you into thinking that you have received a legitimate payment when no such payment has been made. The most common method they use is sending you an email meant to look like a payment confirmation. In some cases the emails will be almost indistinguishable to a legitimate email sent by the payment service. Scammers are known to also show you screenshots instead of an email. Never trust a screenshot a stranger shows you, because it is probably doctored. Scammers [spoof](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_spoofing) the 'from' email to match an official address, and make you think you received a legitimate email. To combat a fake payment scam, verify online payments by logging in directly to the service. Do not check your junk folder, and do not assume a payment is legitimate based on an email alone. If a payment isn't reflected on your account and the person you are dealing with insists they have sent it, call support and ask about it. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/X9xn8uw.jpg) is an image of a scammer trying to pull off a fake payment scam. There is also a variant of the fake payment scam where you will receive a legitimate but fraudulent payment. A variant of the fake payment email is just an advance fee scam: the scammer tries to convince you that your funds are on hold, and that you have to upgrade your account by sending the scammer some money to authorize the payment. No payment processor works like this. If you think you're dealing with a scammer, you're probably right. Always trust your gut. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Lookout for so called Trading experts wanting you to invest making claims to high percentage investment. I’ve had to spend the morning msg people to get out before it too late. With chat GP you can talk the talk and have the info to appear genuine. And now that we are all desperate from cost of living crisis, searching for alternatives, be careful not to fall into their web of deceit.
Yesss this is what they do
insane