This is handy if you dont want to receive nuisance calls. Now I feel much better equipped. When you've agreed a price with the seller, where you can, try to meet them in person to make the transaction. Such that Im a recent convert into using eBay for selling unwanted items! By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Its also part of Gumtrees recommendations on staying safe. For $80 you'd have to be fortunate to even get them to file a police report (it'd be less than most insurance's excess, so hardly worth the effort) if it was a few K or something you'd probably get a report but not much else. I have a potential buyer for an item listed on Gumtree but they're insisting I give my personal email address rather than communicate via the Gumtree messaging system. Oct 3, 2019. 3. i know where he works. i have proof of purchase. But mostly, you dont want to be giving out your mobile number to some disgruntled person, or if you get a weird vibe from the person when you meet up. You are using an out of date browser. Paypal is not safe due to the fact that they don't always make the best decisions. Each to their own, and totally fine with me when Im buying from someone else (though I do let someone know where Im going, if its to someones home). If you want to sell an item on Gumtree, youll need to create an ad. Your email address will not be published. If youre selling an electronic item, arrange to meet at a local shopping centre where power points can be found on the walls. These scammers tend to target high-value items like gaming consoles, tablets, phones, laptops, motorcycles, and cars. Also contact Gumtree and let them know what has happened or, if you are suspicious of any ad or buyer/seller, then double check with Gumtree before committing to buying or selling an item. Gumtree will use your postal code to classify your ad based on location. PayPal is SUPER convenient, and one of the safest ways to pay for just about everything these days. Which is a bit vague, and suggests that that protection applies for Gumtree items that are posted. For help sorting out your debts or credit questions. If you simply stick with some very basic Gumtree rules for selling, you can avoid most of the issues. Just to say this scam is still current as he contacted me Easter Sunday ( 4/4/21), except name changed to advocdodave (signed Wolfe) and now he's not on an oil rig, but 'in a wheelchair' so can't view the car which 'he' wants for daughter Jennifer! I live in the cold now but I miss Brisbane! This is such a big no no! ?? Australian Consumer Law - Gumtree Seller Kept 3 Games from Bulk Order. It looks like you're going to have to wear it. Calls from the UK are free. I have bought and sold on gumtree using bank transfer. I told him I wouldn't send until funds clear. Do not do Friends and Family on PayPal. VAT No. This isnt the case though, when you inspect their page on how to pay for Gumtree items using PayPal. Lost $390 in a transfer, won't ever make that mistake again. The information I provide is not a replacement for legal advice. Getgaff. People dont care what your name is, theyre just interested in the goods youre selling, or that youre going to buy from their listing. Below are three golden rules to using Gumtree without worrying about your safety. There are a few ways you could tackle this. Now that youre clued up on staying safe whilst using Gumtree, dont forget to read up on tips on how to sell successfully on Gumtree. I have seen sale listings with the sellers first and last names on their profile, and even - their home address. (Open 7 days 10:00-6:00) Contact number: Email: *Item NO. Scroll down and click on the red "Contact Us" button. Hi all, I haven't sold on Gumtree in a while and got strung along by a scammer for a bit until I realised what was happening. I confirmed with PayPal and it was confirmed a scam. In rare cases, you may offer to mail the item to the buyer. Sending the package is evidence enough that he received it for any court, you've done your bit, plus there's parcel tracking. 3. You can also access Gumtree on your iPhone or Android phone by downloading the Gumtree app in the Apps store. No, they only charge you if you want to boost your views and put your item on the top ad, highlight, etc. Just go to Gumtree's homepage, scroll to the bottom, and click "Contact Us.". All rights reserved. If this happens, plug in your phone charger and see if it charges your phone if not, then clearly the power point is the culprit. Its a phrase we keep repeating, but if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. About 3 weeks ago i bought an item through Gumtree but paid via Paypal (so i have some protection). Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Take photos of how you pack the box. Do I report the fraud to entities other than Gumtree? I got an offer from a guy who's keen to buy it. But my question is have you recovered the money back from bank transfer. Meet the buyer in a public place. If you've been preyed upon by a scammer on Gumtree, you're probably feeling pretty upset about it. Your title will catch your buyers eye, but a good description will sell your item for you. Have you found something you want to buy secondhand, but worried about online scammers? Enjoy! Click the green "Post an Ad" button at the top of any Gumtree page and follow the steps to create a great ad. It looks like you're going to have to wear it. Why oh why people use bank deposit via Gumtree? The fake site looks real enough but use your intuition. This potential buyer will ask to buy it and for it to be delivered. But depending on where you are, having visitors may not be allowed. Any suggestions, opinions or statements I make should not be taken as such. recommends having someone with you, and asking then to produce some ID. GUMTREE Item Paid for Via Paypal and NEVER recieved. If it doesn't arrive, am I able to have PayPal refund me the money? This covered all the bases.". You can always report it to ACORN as well. Even though Gumtree partners with Parcel2Go, there have been a lot of Gumtree Whatsapp message scams. Which I did not get my money back, Paypal is holding it because of the claim. Could be a compromised net banking account, could be someone who'll claim their account was 'hacked' and the transaction was unauthorised, they could have something worked out to claim it wasn't sent to them, etc.. But that wont work for the buyer. He has over 15 years of experience in law enforcement and specializes in digital forensics. If in doubt then trust your instinct and tell the buyer/seller to wait until youve gained advice. If you are worried about meeting the buyer in person on your own due to safety, bring a friend with you. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Gumtree say they will take down a copycat site as soon as they can, but there will always be people who end up using it before Gumtree can get to it. Im a seller on Gumtree. I politely decline and advise that post is not possible. Login to Reply or Kudo. Ive only sold portable items that are easily transportable to a public meeting place. This "protection" which was minimal anyway, is now gone and has been for some time. Top tip: use as many descriptive words as you can. No reply.Sat came around I filed dispute.Sunday (1st, 11 days after paid, 6 after apparent loss of contact) she posts on this board saying she doesn't have any addresses bc Paypal not working right (she stated she'd known this for 8 months, never once asked for my address in 5 days we had contact), her messenger is broke.and apparently her email too.So her and I had a 'discussion' on a transaction board as it was the only way to get hold of her.I moved my dispute to a claim right after that. They say they were going to turn up and don't, or they are trying to get my personnel information. No do not accept Paypal (unless your buyer will send it as a "Gift Payment), cash sent special delivery is best if not bank transfer. 4. If you're buying something that sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. 1.2K Posts. I'm little bit concerned to buy the item. Take a wide shot of the item as well as a close-up shot. I sell on Gumtree those items I'm NOT prepared to send like big articles - cash on delivery - personal collection. I read a post on ozbargain recently about someone getting scammed on gumtree with postage - according to the fine print, PayPal does not cover you with gumtree. http://www.gumtree.com.au/scam-security-centre/. Date of experience: 23 February 2023. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. This article has been viewed 122,842 times. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 1999-2023 PayPal, Inc. All rights reserved. Oh well have to sell a body part to get that back I guess. There could be any number of ways to be scammed from the info you've given here, but probably one of the first two. Any message stating that you need to make a payment NOW otherwise your ad is going to be deleted or your account is to be closed, needs to cause concern. Its worth making sure photos are clear, in focus and not too far away. Make it easier on yourself and scope out a good potential meeting spot near a power point, the next time youre at the shops. For this reason, there is no processing fee when payment is made with bank or PayPal balance.However as it is a gift payment, there is also no Buyer protection as no goods or services should have been exchanged.If he was not a close mate or family member you should never use that option as it enables the seller to evade his paypal fees and negates your buyer protection at the same time. I get it it is a hassle to arrange a meet-up time. Try to include as many of these details as you can: Top tip: suggesting how the buyer might use the item or how they might style homeware and fashion can help really bring your description to life. You can also use the Tell us what you are posting option on Gumtree. Having said that you can read more about prevention on being scammed. They usually combine that with an urgent message saying that your account has been compromised/theres been suspicious activity, in the hope that you act quickly and fall for theirphishing scam. It is 34 (84 cm) long x 20 (50 cm) wide. From PayPal scams, to getting robbed it never hurts to remain cautious and protect yourself. If that 80 was their life savings, they probably would have been a lot more cautious. Try to give them space and allow them to inspect the item in their own time. Not really worth advertising on here. Title the ad. There's no way refute it, they keep the money.Buyers do similar and keep the money and the item. Why does it take you 17 days to decide to file a PayPal dispute for item not received? Paying for Items on Gumtree. A brilliant article. 6. Safest is direct bank transfer, you have the money no matter what. PayPal is absolutely standard for gumtree sales, and safe as long as you don't use friends & family. It seems simple to just link your PayPal account to Gumtree. Last Updated: July 18, 2022 As purchases are meant to be made in person, we do not have an option to pay directly through Gumtree, unless you are buying a car from a private seller. I emailed them and got no reply after a day and therefore texted them and still got no reply. Yes, learn from your experience and don't do it again. You can upload up to 20 images so the more the better. Youre then left out of pocket as well as car-less. Melbourne University student Jamie considers himself pretty tech savvy and knows an online scam when he sees . Of course it's possible that it's legitimate, or it could be a scam. If you accept one buyers offer over another, send a brief message to the other buyers to let them know the item has sold. Post Tweet. That said, no bad experiences. I have bought a few things (mainly bikes) interstate through Gumtree so I can offer some input as a 'buyer'. And why would they need your home address or phone number? Sep 20th made contact and paid for items.Sep 25th (last contact) asked if item had been shipped yet. Start by creating an account on the site. $370aud. Im in the same boat. Should I send him and invoice? Collect together any extras like power cords, instruction manuals or accessories. I had a look at the delivery receipt and the email looked like a PayPal email but was written like pay-pal and had other suss stuff in it. Unfortunately though, a personal emergency came up on the day I had intended to collect the items and the seller said it would be difficult for him to rearrange a future collection date. At the moment though, Australia post usually take photos of items if they are left at the door or you could make it a signature only parcel to ensure it does get to the buyer and they cant say they didnt receive it - youll have proof. 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