Metieval

There has always been the scam of people over paying with cashier check, and then sending someone to pick up said item.

No thank you!

But here recently its been heaps of South American countries sending messages. I tell them I won't ship, but then they are like 1 state away, don't have time to come so they will send someone.


Venezuela Brazil, etc... most of them have high dollar stuff, but they are buying used? One guy had a 4x4 adventure posted the previous week in Argentina, yet claims to have been in the states for 1 year. hmm


What is the scam? It's not a just couple guys, but a couple dozen guys with the same story.
I get it mountain biking adventuring is big down there. But why do they mess with a used bike? Especially when the guys buying have money. Or the appearance of. I started telling them the price of the bike for shipping. Non refundable shipping.

dedhed

I tell the send someone guys, have the guy you're sending bring cash.

indyfabz

Wut

Metieval

Yea, it just weird, I mean normally its only a couple, but its been 2 dozen. Over the weekend.

Metieval

Just saying that it appears to be a rework of an old scam.

PDKL45

Living in Korea, we get the Malaysian-Indonesian-Singaporean new bike scammers, which is actually quite amusing at times, because some of them really don't know the first thing about bikes. They will go looking on Google images or somewhere for cool bikes, and come up with a Cannondale Flying V or whatever. That's rare and always fun when you message them. The others, much more effective, steal pictures from actual bike shops of fairly current models being sold used. I don't actually know how the scam works, but I assume it has to do with fake shipping invoices and waybills, before they take the money and run.

Maelochs

When I first tried FB Marketplace, I was amazed that 90 percent of the calls were scammers.

The "I will send someone to pick it up" scam is new to me, but just like every lame email scam, someone dreams it up, or sees it and repeats it, and enough people fall for it for the 99% failure rate not to matter.

Cash is King, and PayPal offers a lot of protection. Venmo or Zwift are pretty safe and secure too, but if I wasn't face to face with someone I wouldn't give them my phone number ... that is another scam. If I was selling a lot of used bikes, I would probably make a separate PayPal account and keep it empty--Zw8ft all the income to myself after the transaction cleared.

Metieval

Interesting.

dedhed

I've been clearing out the family homestead for the last year or two and only sell on FB. I've found very few issues and have had 99% pleasant experiences, meeting some interesting folk. A total of 2 "scam" inquiries. Worst have been the set time up no shows. Almost everyone has not even negotiated price. I never give out phone # and all communication is through FB messenger. I have shipped items paid through PayPal otherwise cash only and I charge for shipping or delivery.

Troul 

there's a huge cartel issue, relating to narcotics & money laundering. Best case for you, they pay full asking price. Any other outcome might cost you something.

indyfabz

I can't make head or tails out of what you are trying to say.

That aside, if you know it's a scam, ignore it. I get plenty of text and phone call scams. Sometimes, if I am bored, I will keep calling the scammer back just to mess with them and waste their time. I had one actually block my number after I called them back probably a half dozen times in succession.

Metieval

I've sold often on Facebook, including 3 bicycles with a lot if other junk, abd bicycle parts.

Never had an issue, this bicycle is different.

Metieval

Ahh thank you.

jadmt

they will ask for your electronic payment info and then send a fake email to you showing that payment was paid. a few hours later they will say they can't get anyone to come over so just send the money back.

Iride01 

All this same stuff has been happening on Craigslist and other places for decades. You people on facebook must lead a sheltered life! <grin>

jadmt

I have gotten the scams on cl forever but only have gotten one on market place and that was just recently. Not sure why. That scam wanted my google id number to proceed with the transaction so they could tell I was not a scammer lol..I told them I did not have a google account and they ask that I make one...I got bored after that so stopped corresponding.

Breadfan

Cash or eBay. That is about the only way I do it. I'll do Venmo face to face. I wouldn't ship anything through Market Place. Keep it simple and keep your money. Scammers wouldn't scam if people would just think.

CrimsonEclipse

You lost me at FB.

Also, cash only.
$20's for smaller.

mstateglfr 

I don't really follow everything you are saying, it seems like multiple examples rolled into one long thought, but if they offer to have someone come pick up the bike in person, then why wouldn't you agree?
Just say 'yes, have your guy bring cash and he can pick it up from me'.
If they don't agree, then move on.

Metieval

The age old scam was that, they'll send someone. that was upfront.
The new scam is that they are one state away. 4-5 hours. And they will come but act like it is an inconvenience. (Insert guilt trip for not shipping) . then a couple hours later, it turns into a they are busy so they will send someone. But they will pay, or over pay. Which yes give them a parking lot, telling them to bring cash, and they ghost.

Same scam, they are just playing it differently. And it seems that there is 20x the amount of scammers we had 3 years ago. They are evolving, getting smarter.

I'll meet anyone in any parking lot and I'm not worried.. For reasons I can't say on bike forums.


Selling my old bikes on marketplace isn't new to me. My most sketch sell was meeting somewhere in Phoenix and needing a translator. Crisp bills straight off the printing press. And Sold out of a van full of bicycles in a parking lot. Good times. He wanted all of my bicycles.... I had to decline. I walked away with fresh money. He walked away with 1 bike.

Herzlos

Scam accounts are searching marketplace for keywords. I've had it on a few completely different items.

They seem to be of 2 main formats:

1. I'll send a courier with cash. I suspect the outcome of that is that you'll then get a fake email from the courier asking for a $50 fee to deliver the cash for $item + $500.
2. I'll send you PayPal now and my (sister/cousin/brother/whatever) will come and pick it up. You'll then get a fake email from PayPal saying you can't receive the funds until you upgrade to a business account for $50.

They at least use the same formula so it's easy to catch them pretty quickly.

TakingMyTime

It's astounding how many people seem to lose all common sense when dealing with someone through the internet.

Black wallnut 

WUT
What in the actual F... has cycling anything to do with a busy container terminal in Tacoma? Oh I get it you're just taking the lazy way of posting what.

indyfabz

You don't get it. It has become slang. It conveys a stronger sense of "What in the world are you talking about?" than does "What?

Black wallnut 

"Jack, you are not put upon this world to get it!" Big Trouble in Little China

NO I do get it. You missed the sarcasm in my post.