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Hi all. As much as I'm sure most of you will be aware YOU MUST NOT USE PAYPAL GIFT FOR ANY TRANSACTION, EVEN AS A SELLER!!!!!
I have been the victim of fraud and it's cost me £835. I was the seller of the bike and thought the risk in using Gift, Friends and Family, or whatever it's called was with the buyer as you didn't have protection. This is not the case, the seller is just as much at risk.
My tale is that I decided to sell my modern Orange P7 as I don't have the time to use both my modern bikes so thought the funds would be better used elsewhere. I had recently joined the Orange Riders group on Facebook so decided to try it there first for ease. I was contacted by someone calling themselves Craig who was asking for a friend (Paul). Long story short, we agreed a deal and the 'friend' paid me so I sent the bike to the address given.
A few days later I was contacted by someone called Paul asking where their bike was. Long/short again, Craig had set up a spoof ad which Paul had responded to. Paul agreed to buy the spoof bike at which point Craig gave him MY PP details. Paul paid me, I sent the bike to Craig, so Paul got no bike.
Paul then contacted his bank provided evidence of the fraud so they refunded him. They then got the money back off PP who took the money back off me. So Craig got the bike, Paul got refunded and I got shafted. :evil: :evil: :evil:
I didn't ask for payment by Gift but Craig offered to pay that way and I didn't disagree as I thought the risk was with him. All part of the plot it seems.
The bike has been up on ebay, using the pictures I took, and has also been posted all over Facebook. I have screen shots of every conversation and every picture along with the full email exchange between Paul and myself (including his screen shots of his conversations).
I contacted ebay when it was listed and they did nothing. I have contacted the Police who directed me to their Action Fraud people who decide if they will progress anything. I gave a full account of what had happened the first time I rang which I was told was being written up in a report. I was on the phone for a good hour or more. I rang back today with more information only to find that the first person I had spoken to hadn't actually bothered to write the report, even though they told me they were typing it as we spoke. You can guess how much faith I have that they will actually do anything about it, even though I had done their job for them and could literally lead them to where my, and plenty of other (probably) stolen bikes were!!! The bike seems to have vanished now so we've missed that boat. :facepalm: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I feel utterly helpless and utterly let down by the people who are meant to catch criminals. As my friend said today, if you walked in to a bank and stole £835 they'd be all over you but the Police seem to be completely behind the curve with online theft and ill equipped to do anything about it.
I've had people say I should go to the address I sent it to but it won't be there. If it pops up again I will go to see it if possible but the scammers are watching me and watching forums so run a mile if they think I am involved. I'd love to go round with a group of mates and some cricket bats but that's probably a bad idea.
That's it for me now with collecting bikes, I have completely lost interest and have no desire to go in to the garage and tinker. When people can take things you work hard for without batting an eyelash it spoils the fun for me. I'm having to sell a decent chunk of my bike stuff just to cover the cost of what was stolen so look out for sale ads. It will not be getting replaced.
Anyway, rant over. Just stay safe out there, trust no one (this mob were very, very convincing) and whatever you do DON'T USE PAYPAL F***ING GIFT!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I have been the victim of fraud and it's cost me £835. I was the seller of the bike and thought the risk in using Gift, Friends and Family, or whatever it's called was with the buyer as you didn't have protection. This is not the case, the seller is just as much at risk.
My tale is that I decided to sell my modern Orange P7 as I don't have the time to use both my modern bikes so thought the funds would be better used elsewhere. I had recently joined the Orange Riders group on Facebook so decided to try it there first for ease. I was contacted by someone calling themselves Craig who was asking for a friend (Paul). Long story short, we agreed a deal and the 'friend' paid me so I sent the bike to the address given.
A few days later I was contacted by someone called Paul asking where their bike was. Long/short again, Craig had set up a spoof ad which Paul had responded to. Paul agreed to buy the spoof bike at which point Craig gave him MY PP details. Paul paid me, I sent the bike to Craig, so Paul got no bike.
Paul then contacted his bank provided evidence of the fraud so they refunded him. They then got the money back off PP who took the money back off me. So Craig got the bike, Paul got refunded and I got shafted. :evil: :evil: :evil:
I didn't ask for payment by Gift but Craig offered to pay that way and I didn't disagree as I thought the risk was with him. All part of the plot it seems.
The bike has been up on ebay, using the pictures I took, and has also been posted all over Facebook. I have screen shots of every conversation and every picture along with the full email exchange between Paul and myself (including his screen shots of his conversations).
I contacted ebay when it was listed and they did nothing. I have contacted the Police who directed me to their Action Fraud people who decide if they will progress anything. I gave a full account of what had happened the first time I rang which I was told was being written up in a report. I was on the phone for a good hour or more. I rang back today with more information only to find that the first person I had spoken to hadn't actually bothered to write the report, even though they told me they were typing it as we spoke. You can guess how much faith I have that they will actually do anything about it, even though I had done their job for them and could literally lead them to where my, and plenty of other (probably) stolen bikes were!!! The bike seems to have vanished now so we've missed that boat. :facepalm: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I feel utterly helpless and utterly let down by the people who are meant to catch criminals. As my friend said today, if you walked in to a bank and stole £835 they'd be all over you but the Police seem to be completely behind the curve with online theft and ill equipped to do anything about it.
I've had people say I should go to the address I sent it to but it won't be there. If it pops up again I will go to see it if possible but the scammers are watching me and watching forums so run a mile if they think I am involved. I'd love to go round with a group of mates and some cricket bats but that's probably a bad idea.
That's it for me now with collecting bikes, I have completely lost interest and have no desire to go in to the garage and tinker. When people can take things you work hard for without batting an eyelash it spoils the fun for me. I'm having to sell a decent chunk of my bike stuff just to cover the cost of what was stolen so look out for sale ads. It will not be getting replaced.
Anyway, rant over. Just stay safe out there, trust no one (this mob were very, very convincing) and whatever you do DON'T USE PAYPAL F***ING GIFT!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
