Classifieds Transactions: Red Flags (4 Viewers)

[PDoyle]

The more cash on the line the more you do your home work

 

[woody]

I am on a few other forums and see the same scam everywhere and they do indeed infiltrate through PMs. BenzWorld makes you have 10+ moderator verified posts before PM is allowed. Painful yes, but if you are committed to contributing to the community, it's only a minor short-term inconvenience.

I always liked the simplicity here, but maybe we all need to button up. Artificial Intelligence is making this even worse because the content can be automated. I just installed an extension called "fakespot" which scans amazon reviews for AI generated reviews; its insane how many there are. It could easily generate posts and content.

The best part about PMs? If they have NO post count, of if you think it's suspension in any way, then report them. Super simple. I can then run thru my admin tools and do my best to vet that they are a real member. There are some super obvious ones I can access on the Admin side.

From the FIRST post in this thread:

If you suspect these types of issues are happening, please REPORT the user/conversation/post and offer a brief description of your suspicions.. Using the forum Reporting system allow better tracking of problem users and can assist in finding patterns that can help block future scammer registrations entirely.

I get about one Report a month of a suspicious member.

 

[jaymar]

Tell 'em you have a friend who can pick it up. He's on patrol at night, but he can swing by during the day. And see what they say.

 

[beanz2]

So, I’ve been a member since the 1990s or 2000s. I’ve been out of Land Cruisers since 2009 and now I’m back. How many posts do I need to be able to post in the Classifieds section? My old post counts I guess has been reset with the new forum software?

 

[PDoyle]

Send a message to Woody.

 

[banieldowen]

They are actively on the forums. I got scammed today for some wheels. Kicking myself for being blind to some signs.

 

[DesertFishing]

First off, let's be clear....99.99% of the members of this site are trustworthy and 99.99% of the transactions occur without issue.

However....there are occasional problems. Some buyer/seller/scammer red flags are:

• little or no post history...any existing posts are usually all the same few words
• joined the forum in recent days
• suddenly posting a bunch of classifieds threads in quick succession
• prices WAY too good to be true
• language/communication oddities
• inbox's you directly, no replies in the thread
• post or inbox message requests further contact via email or phone
• requests payment from a non-standard provider
• requests payments through multiple providers, or to other individuals (ie: "my Paypal is screwed up, can you Venmo my girlfriend?")
• Venmo/Paypal email addy has no resemblance to their name/username/account.
• insists on payment without fees (ie: never pay via Paypal friends/family)

Also, avoid listing or giving your email or phone number. Don't do it when you list an item, try to avoid doing it when you are in a discussion until you are sure the other party isn't a scammer. Nothing worse than putting your private into out into the world for scammers to data-mine.

KEEP the transaction discussion IN the forum. DO NOT move it to email or phone messaging.

The key is to protect yourself and your transaction. Do your due diligence with any buyer/seller....because a transaction that's seems at all strange or suspicious
probably is.



If you suspect these types of issues are happening, please REPORT the user/conversation/post and offer a brief description of your suspicions.. Using the forum Reporting system allow better tracking of problem users and can assist in finding patterns that can help block future scammer registrations entirely.

------

The REPORT button is located immediately below every thread and conversation post. That REPORT button gives me the info I need to investigate quickly. The Conversation REPORT in particular will help me investigate.

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When in doubt, REPORT. Better to be wrong and have the account checked versus not reporting at all.

Really? Ask me questions or send an email.

 

[gothamAlp]

i had not logged into this site for a few years when i saw a part i've been looking for in the classifieds yesterday

this is what happened next:

1. i signed back into mud, and posted on the thread that i would like to purchase the part, and for the seller to reach out to me to arrange payment/shipping
2. within the hour, i got a TEXT from someone claiming to be the seller, offering to finalize the deal
3. i asked them to email me, too, and the conversation continued over both email and text
4. when i asked them how they got my cell #, things started to smell fishy
5. i then googled the email address they had provided and saw that address on a list of known scammers on another forum
6. i no longer engaged with the scammer, but saved all the emails & texts
7. i'm still waiting for the seller on mud to reply to me in the original thread or via DM

p.s. if a mod here would like the email address and phone number of this scammer, please reach out to me via DM

 

[Spike Strip]

@gothamAlp

How did they say they got your phone number?

 

[gothamAlp]

@gothamAlp

How did they say they got your phone number?

i still don't know the answer to that question and, as you can imagine, am troubled by it -- but i intend to figure it out!

 

[Spike Strip]

i still don't know the answer to that question and, as you can imagine, am troubled by it -- but i intend to figure it out!

google your email addy and see if it links to a phone # in any of the results.

 

[gothamAlp]

google your email addy and see if it links to a phone # in any of the results.

but he didn't have my email address; somewhere that number is linked to my user name...

 

[TXMeatball]

Basic information security course.
Googled your username, came across a bunch of forum posts. Found your gmail account in one of those posts, tossed that into epieos. Found your name from there. Searched your name with your ih8mud location, found articles about a restaurant you may own. From there I could probably dig down into all the people search websites and find a phone number, etc.
Most scammers aren't really versed enough to do this. Your information is probably in some data dump somewhere that they're referencing. Or they're slightly dedicated and did the above.

 

[gothamAlp]

Basic information security course.
Googled your username, came across a bunch of forum posts. Found your gmail account in one of those posts, tossed that into epieos. Found your name from there. Searched your name with your ih8mud location, found articles about a restaurant you may own. From there I could probably dig down into all the people search websites and find a phone number, etc.
Most scammers aren't really versed enough to do this. Your information is probably in some data dump somewhere that they're referencing. Or they're slightly dedicated and did the above.

boom, there it is

thx, txmeatball

so what does one do to protect oneself, besides not posting any personal information (which i clearly did -- doh) and being alert when contacted outside the norms of the forum (which i also did, thank god)?

 

[TXMeatball]

boom, there it is

thx, txmeatball

so what does one do to protect oneself, besides not posting any personal information (which i clearly did -- doh) and being alert when contacted outside the norms of the forum (which i also did, thank god)?

Don't offer any more information than what's needed. Like specific city, etc. Use a different username between websites (easiest way to protect yourself). Not a bad idea to go and clean what's already out there. I have a friend with a zilvia account from back in the day that straight up has his name/number/address from his old classifieds posts.
One thing I've seen a lot on facebook and once here is kind of what happened to you with someone else reaching out after posting. Just gotta ensure you're talking to the right person, which is easy using the conversation feature on this website.

 

[garrettpsu]

After posting a wanted ad yesterday for an ARB bumper for my 100 series, I got an email from a scammer posing as a regular on this site. He sent me the wrong pics of an ARB, his IP address doesn't match where he said he is and gave me the user name of someone on here that clearly isn't him - based on details/location/etc.

So just a heads up. The persons email address is: alfajayca4@gmail.com

 

[ace10]

After posting a wanted ad yesterday for an ARB bumper for my 100 series, I got an email from a scammer posing as a regular on this site. He sent me the wrong pics of an ARB, his IP address doesn't match where he said he is and gave me the user name of someone on here that clearly isn't him - based on details/location/etc.

So just a heads up. The persons email address is: alfajayca4@gmail.com

How did he send an email to you?

 

[garrettpsu]

How did he send an email to you?

Not quite sure. I don't think I've posted my personal email address on this site. Or maybe he did a search with my name off my website that I have listed.

 

[raisinhell2]

i had not logged into this site for a few years when i saw a part i've been looking for in the classifieds yesterday

this is what happened next:

1. i signed back into mud, and posted on the thread that i would like to purchase the part, and for the seller to reach out to me to arrange payment/shipping
2. within the hour, i got a TEXT from someone claiming to be the seller, offering to finalize the deal
3. i asked them to email me, too, and the conversation continued over both email and text
4. when i asked them how they got my cell #, things started to smell fishy
5. i then googled the email address they had provided and saw that address on a list of known scammers on another forum
6. i no longer engaged with the scammer, but saved all the emails & texts
7. i'm still waiting for the seller on mud to reply to me in the original thread or via DM

p.s. if a mod here would like the email address and phone number of this scammer, please reach out to me via DM

I got the same thing today. Listed a "part wanted" Got a text from a scammer claiming to be the person who responded on here to my ad. They used the phrase "finalize the deal" too. # the text came from was. 786 231 1767 I smelt a scammer right away. So I had fun with it seeing I was waiting on the plumber and had nothing else to do. We talked in text for a few hours . The OG ad I had up was for a side light for a frt fender. The person who responded offered to give it to me for free and I covered 10 bucks for shipping in DM here on mud . So the scammer who texted said our deal was $120 and quickly sent me vemmo info . I said I didn't get the link 4 or 5 times he keep sending . Then I told him why so cheap? You quoted me $450 on MUD he quickly said oh that was a typo so we went back and fourth On what was a typo the 120 or the 450. and finally settled on $450 I needed to send him . He sent me a new payment link which I pretended to not get 4 or 5 more times. Then I told him I was confused. and asked him to send me a picture of the T case we were talking about. I never said it was a side marker light . he sent me 4 pictures of a right frt fender for an 80.. I said that wasn't the t case we talked about. He quickly apologized and said he needed to grab his glasses to send the correct pics. Then sent me 4 pics of the Left frt fender from an 80. I said yes that was it . Please send me a new payment link I erased the old one . Then we playied I didnt get the link game 5 more times. I told Him "I lost my shoes and soon as I can find them I'll send payment." that was about 11am.. He has texted me every hour on the hour asking what the statues of our payment is.


Scammer text #786 231 1767
venmo account name Shannon Weathers

They got my phone # By looking it up on the web My company name is in my tag. I even call the # from my personal phone which has a different state # and it went to voice mail.

ll be honest if you get wacked by one of these guys you kind of deserve it .

 

[jaymar]

I got the same thing today. Listed a "part wanted" Got a text from a scammer claiming to be the person who responded on here to my ad. They used the phrase "finalize the deal" too. # the text came from was. 786 231 1767 I smelt a scammer right away. So I had fun with it seeing I was waiting on the plumber and had nothing else to do. We talked in text for a few hours . The OG ad I had up was for a side light for a frt fender. The person who responded offered to give it to me for free and I covered 10 bucks for shipping in DM here on mud . So the scammer who texted said our deal was $120 and quickly sent me vemmo info . I said I didn't get the link 4 or 5 times he keep sending . Then I told him why so cheap? You quoted me $450 on MUD he quickly said oh that was a typo so we went back and fourth On what was a typo the 120 or the 450. and finally settled on $450 I needed to send him . He sent me a new payment link which I pretended to not get 4 or 5 more times. Then I told him I was confused. and asked him to send me a picture of the T case we were talking about. I never said it was a side marker light . he sent me 4 pictures of a right frt fender for an 80.. I said that wasn't the t case we talked about. He quickly apologized and said he needed to grab his glasses to send the correct pics. Then sent me 4 pics of the Left frt fender from an 80. I said yes that was it . Please send me a new payment link I erased the old one . Then we playied I didnt get the link game 5 more times. I told Him "I lost my shoes and soon as I can find them I'll send payment." that was about 11am.. He has texted me every hour on the hour asking what the statues of our payment is.


Scammer text #786 231 1767
venmo account name Shannon Weathers

They got my phone # By looking it up on the web My company name is in my tag. I even call the # from my personal phone which has a different state # and it went to voice mail.

ll be honest if you get wacked by one of these guys you kind of deserve it .

Ha, there's an outfit now that uses AI to answer scammers, pretending to be grannies and such, and ties them up for hours...