FREE SCAMMER ALERT! DON'T GET FOOLED! (1 Viewer)

[MrMacdugal]

Location

United States

In February or so, I put up a wanted ad for some wheel spacers. No one responded and has not revived my thread.
Saturday night 1 am or so I get a text from someone offering me used spacers. We get into a conversation and they send me a picture of the spacers. I offer to send them a shipping label and inquire what they want to charge. $70.00/ spacer!!!
I kindly inform him I can get good quality new ones for less, but thanks anyways.
An hour later I get a new offer for some spacers. Same size and same spacers, but from a different telephone number. What are the odds I get two responses from a dead thread in the same day. Highly unlikely. I just stopped responding to the guy about two texts in when I noticed this next guy had the same poor writing skills and identical spacers to offer me.
I highly believe he was just going to take my money and not send me anything.

This was the first time I have had anything like this happen through MUD, which is sad, because we all use a lot of trust in the classifieds... Hoping this guy doesn't ruin it.

 

[pb4ugo]

One thing you can do is click on a members name and find out how long they have been a member along with the number of posts they have and see or follow their posts. This can help in IDing if they are legit. Unfortunately you have to be careful if they are new members. If they joined the same day of the post you described would be a red flag.

 

[MrMacdugal]

One thing you can do is click on a members name and find out how long they have been a member along with the number of posts they have and see or follow their posts. This can help in IDing if they are legit. Unfortunately you have to be careful if they are new members. If they joined the same day of the post you described would be a red flag.

This particular person never even responded to me through MUD so I could not check their profile. They just texted me because I trust too much and just put my phone # in my posts. I try to make it easy to do business w me, but unfortunately it opens me up to be a possible target more than others may be a target.

 

[Bear]

Your warning to members is appreciated. But sounds to me like you already know what NOT to do.

 

[MrMacdugal]

I just dont want to see anyone get burned. Once that happens, all the trust goes away. Some of us definitely put a lot of trust at times in the seller/buyer of an item.
Anyone can send a picture of a part and then request money for it to be sent.
99.9% of this group are absolute stand up gentlemen/women in terms of honesty among cruisers... But they could be complete assbags in their normal life, and that's fine by me. Just dont mess with my parts&money

 

[cwags12]

Thanks for the heads up and almost cautionary tale, super helpful! Spent 25 years in tech/security, only advice for your situation is to not put your phone # in ads. That prevents alot of scam, spam, and bullsh*t. Only give it out to those you trust over DM, PM, etc.

 

[Unimogguy]

Again why you should only purchase thru a payment service using a credit card not directly taken from your bank account. Card card companies cannot hold you responsible for merchandise you never receive. I’ve had several issues in the past and I NEVER file a claim thru the payment service. I only dispute the charges directly thru the credit card company. Every time my money was refunded by the credit card company.

Several years ago there was a issue on EBay that someone would purchase an item and then send it back asking for a refund. They would get the refund (because they had a tracking number showing it returned to the seller) and send trash back to the seller. Yes this did happen and EBay/PayPal sided with the buyers.

 

[doru]

I do not trust sellers no matter if they are on MUD or anywhere else. I got burned on "trusted" forums before even with people with hundred of posts made. It happened even on apparently legit web sites.
Unless I know you personally or I need the item so badly to take the risk I'll never send my money out without "insurance".

For me there are three things to consider. One is the loss of money - obviously. Second is loss of time having to deal with failed transactions and or money recovery. Third is getting my repair/project schedule messed up. All of them create stress that I have enough in my life even without this.

My approach is to first be careful from where I buy. That was already discussed above.

Then be careful what I buy. Some people are just unscrupulous, but most of the time is not that. Different people just have different perception of the quality/state of the parts. For someone from the rust belt some rust may look like great shape, while for someone from Cali it may look poor. Sometimes telling the two is not as easy as rust, think bleeding nipples on used calipers or used diff. Unless the state is well stated and presented with evidence (that always requires private messaging) I'll skip.

Even then I have to be careful as some people are more careful when they package and some are more disciplined than others when it comes to meeting commitments - actually shipping and on time.

So after being careful where and what I buy, I always use PayPal services. I chose to pay the PayPal fee to have peace of mind that I would not have to spend too much time to get out of a bad deal. My PayPal is backed by my bank credit card for additional insurance. I do not link my PayPal to my checking account.

Caveat: sometimes you can't get out of a bad deal even when you use PayPal or credit card. This is why you should not skip on any of the steps, or be willing to take the risk.

P.S. listing your phone number is a bad idea. You'll get a lot of spam. Give the phone out when you get in private with the seller, and only if you think the seller is legit, not on the first message.

 

[MrMacdugal]

I do not trust sellers no matter if they are on MUD or anywhere else. I got burned on "trusted" forums before even with people with hundred of posts made. It happened even on apparently legit web sites.
Unless I know you personally or I need the item so badly to take the risk I'll never send my money out without "insurance".

For me there are three things to consider. One is the loss of money - obviously. Second is loss of time having to deal with failed transactions and or money recovery. Third is getting my repair/project schedule messed up. All of them create stress that I have enough in my life even without this.

My approach is to first be careful from where I buy. That was already discussed above.

Then be careful what I buy. Some people are just unscrupulous, but most of the time is not that. Different people just have different perception of the quality/state of the parts. For someone from the rust belt some rust may look like great shape, while for someone from Cali it may look poor. Sometimes telling the two is not as easy as rust, think bleeding nipples on used calipers or used diff. Unless the state is well stated and presented with evidence (that always requires private messaging) I'll skip.

Even then I have to be careful as some people are more careful when they package and some are more disciplined than others when it comes to meeting commitments - actually shipping and on time.

So after being careful where and what I buy, I always use PayPal services. I chose to pay the PayPal fee to have peace of mind that I would not have to spend too much time to get out of a bad deal. My PayPal is backed by my bank credit card for additional insurance. I do not link my PayPal to my checking account.

Caveat: sometimes you can't get out of a bad deal even when you use PayPal or credit card. This is why you should not skip on any of the steps, or be willing to take the risk.

P.S. listing your phone number is a bad idea. You'll get a lot of spam. Give the phone out when you get in private with the seller, and only if you think the seller is legit, not on the first message.

I definitely agree with every point you made. However, for me, the phone # thing is a non issue. My private phone # is shared with thousands of people through my primary work already, so I feel (i've done the math) theres little additional risk for me to leave my number publicly on mud threads. Only the loneliest of souls search mud forums for people to scam. Additionally, I feel like the mud crowd is generally pretty rough around the edges and don't take kindly to being tricked.
Ask the guy who flicked a cigarette into my hood grill at home depot today... He skeedaddled quickly into the store hoping I wouldn't notice. I circled around then punched off his side view mirror off and all over the parking lot... If your gonna be scummy, you get scummed back.... It was a gross black ford cavalier with tape all over it. So I felt fine about what I did. I doubt hes going to go in and tell them what happened

 

[Kernal]

"I circled around then punched off his side view mirror off"

 

[MrMacdugal]

"I circled around then punched off his side view mirror off"

You need not make that face. I’m a good guy. The victim was not. It’s time the good guys get away w something

 

[Living in the Past]

I am wondering why you posted a phone number in the ad? After a PM I might give out a number but not in an open forum.

 

[MrMacdugal]

The following is not meant to be rude, pompous or arrogant..
My phone number is already public info. It's been given to thousands of people through my day job of vehicle parts sales, where I frequently text and share parts photos. I personally feel I am vigilant enough to not get scammed, a point in which i proved when creating this post to warn others. Phone number, PM or email, anyone can bait you to buy something based on a photo and a tracking number.
its 978-500-3911. My name is Mac. I sell limo parts for MKT and Town Car limos. Call or text anytime. Thanks