Something fishy going on?
Discussion
Hi,
This is probably going to be a long story but I think someone is trying to scam me.
I bought my self a expensive watch online about three weeks (approx 3rd April) a go from a private seller. I done all the checks and even got them to take the back off so I could post various pictures on specialist forums to confirm it was OK. Everything came back OK and I got all the pics I needed. Paid via PayPal and received the watch on time and as described.
However just after I had purchased mine I noticed a duplicated advert on one of the forums, same watch but another location in the country. I emailed the seller and asked if he actually had the watch and if it was for sale. His words were 'sale in progress', next day I emailed again and asked what was happening and he told me it was sold and had just sent it to Canada (4th April). Strange considering I now had the watch. In the end I left it and presumed he was a scam.
Shortly after this I received an email off the same guy saying his watch had been stolen and I was now in possession of it, apparently it was stolen whilst in transit with Parcelforce. Strange..
I asked him for crime number, proof, name/address, Parcelforce number (ref number as I presume they were notified), after numerous attempts he would tell me nothing.
The only was he could prove it was his was by saying there was a scratch on it, well that is useless as I posted lots of high resolution pics which showed everything. PLus it's a vintage model so not new.
I got the admin on the forum involved, they asked me for proof in various ways which I done and then asked the other guy. Again he had nothing and was banned. His last words to me were 'You will never believe this watch is mine so just leave it OK'. Surely if someone had your stolen watch you would have proof, crime numbers and would try a lot harder.
Everything settled down until yesterday when I got a call from the police. Apparently the same guy had been in touch with the same info and the police believe him. This is an old rare vintage watch and this guy did not even know the year of it, It is actually printed in the serial number on the back! He had no knowledge of the watch considering what it was, a real collectors piece.
I REALLY think the guy I bought it from has something to do with this. I think he is working with a friend down south and he had the watch so has some details on it which might seem legit.
It appears the watch was sent on the 31st March (Even though he was selling it on 2/3 April). It was apparently going to Canada so went to a central UK hub with parcel-force and apparently went missing it seems convenient that the parcel-force international depot is in the same city as the guy I bought it from. Maybe he works there and has taken the watch, sold it to me and then his friend is trying to claim it back as stolen.
Nothing makes sense at all. I have quizzed the guy I bought it from and the 'original' owner and both are very vague on the watch.
Sorry if this is confusing to read but it's a real ball ache and I think I am in the process of being scammed. what do you think, any advice?
This is probably going to be a long story but I think someone is trying to scam me.
I bought my self a expensive watch online about three weeks (approx 3rd April) a go from a private seller. I done all the checks and even got them to take the back off so I could post various pictures on specialist forums to confirm it was OK. Everything came back OK and I got all the pics I needed. Paid via PayPal and received the watch on time and as described.
However just after I had purchased mine I noticed a duplicated advert on one of the forums, same watch but another location in the country. I emailed the seller and asked if he actually had the watch and if it was for sale. His words were 'sale in progress', next day I emailed again and asked what was happening and he told me it was sold and had just sent it to Canada (4th April). Strange considering I now had the watch. In the end I left it and presumed he was a scam.
Shortly after this I received an email off the same guy saying his watch had been stolen and I was now in possession of it, apparently it was stolen whilst in transit with Parcelforce. Strange..
I asked him for crime number, proof, name/address, Parcelforce number (ref number as I presume they were notified), after numerous attempts he would tell me nothing.
The only was he could prove it was his was by saying there was a scratch on it, well that is useless as I posted lots of high resolution pics which showed everything. PLus it's a vintage model so not new.
I got the admin on the forum involved, they asked me for proof in various ways which I done and then asked the other guy. Again he had nothing and was banned. His last words to me were 'You will never believe this watch is mine so just leave it OK'. Surely if someone had your stolen watch you would have proof, crime numbers and would try a lot harder.
Everything settled down until yesterday when I got a call from the police. Apparently the same guy had been in touch with the same info and the police believe him. This is an old rare vintage watch and this guy did not even know the year of it, It is actually printed in the serial number on the back! He had no knowledge of the watch considering what it was, a real collectors piece.
I REALLY think the guy I bought it from has something to do with this. I think he is working with a friend down south and he had the watch so has some details on it which might seem legit.
It appears the watch was sent on the 31st March (Even though he was selling it on 2/3 April). It was apparently going to Canada so went to a central UK hub with parcel-force and apparently went missing it seems convenient that the parcel-force international depot is in the same city as the guy I bought it from. Maybe he works there and has taken the watch, sold it to me and then his friend is trying to claim it back as stolen.
Nothing makes sense at all. I have quizzed the guy I bought it from and the 'original' owner and both are very vague on the watch.
Sorry if this is confusing to read but it's a real ball ache and I think I am in the process of being scammed. what do you think, any advice?
JCKST1 said:
Hi,
This is probably going to be a long story but I think someone is trying to scam me.
I bought my self a expensive watch online about three weeks (approx 3rd April) a go from a private seller. I done all the checks and even got them to take the back off so I could post various pictures on specialist forums to confirm it was OK. Everything came back OK and I got all the pics I needed. Paid via PayPal and received the watch on time and as described.
However just after I had purchased mine I noticed a duplicated advert on one of the forums, same watch but another location in the country. I emailed the seller and asked if he actually had the watch and if it was for sale. His words were 'sale in progress', next day I emailed again and asked what was happening and he told me it was sold and had just sent it to Canada (4th April). Strange considering I now had the watch. In the end I left it and presumed he was a scam.
Shortly after this I received an email off the same guy saying his watch had been stolen and I was now in possession of it, apparently it was stolen whilst in transit with Parcelforce. Strange..
I asked him for crime number, proof, name/address, Parcelforce number (ref number as I presume they were notified), after numerous attempts he would tell me nothing.
The only was he could prove it was his was by saying there was a scratch on it, well that is useless as I posted lots of high resolution pics which showed everything. PLus it's a vintage model so not new.
I got the admin on the forum involved, they asked me for proof in various ways which I done and then asked the other guy. Again he had nothing and was banned. His last words to me were 'You will never believe this watch is mine so just leave it OK'. Surely if someone had your stolen watch you would have proof, crime numbers and would try a lot harder.
Everything settled down until yesterday when I got a call from the police. Apparently the same guy had been in touch with the same info and the police believe him. This is an old rare vintage watch and this guy did not even know the year of it, It is actually printed in the serial number on the back! He had no knowledge of the watch considering what it was, a real collectors piece.
I REALLY think the guy I bought it from has something to do with this. I think he is working with a friend down south and he had the watch so has some details on it which might seem legit.
It appears the watch was sent on the 31st March (Even though he was selling it on 2/3 April). It was apparently going to Canada so went to a central UK hub with parcel-force and apparently went missing it seems convenient that the parcel-force international depot is in the same city as the guy I bought it from. Maybe he works there and has taken the watch, sold it to me and then his friend is trying to claim it back as stolen.
Nothing makes sense at all. I have quizzed the guy I bought it from and the 'original' owner and both are very vague on the watch.
Sorry if this is confusing to read but it's a real ball ache and I think I am in the process of being scammed. what do you think, any advice?
If you have the watch (I think that is what you said) and paid by Paypal then I cannot see how you are scammed currently. The watch may be a copy? Is it genuine and have you got it? This is probably going to be a long story but I think someone is trying to scam me.
I bought my self a expensive watch online about three weeks (approx 3rd April) a go from a private seller. I done all the checks and even got them to take the back off so I could post various pictures on specialist forums to confirm it was OK. Everything came back OK and I got all the pics I needed. Paid via PayPal and received the watch on time and as described.
However just after I had purchased mine I noticed a duplicated advert on one of the forums, same watch but another location in the country. I emailed the seller and asked if he actually had the watch and if it was for sale. His words were 'sale in progress', next day I emailed again and asked what was happening and he told me it was sold and had just sent it to Canada (4th April). Strange considering I now had the watch. In the end I left it and presumed he was a scam.
Shortly after this I received an email off the same guy saying his watch had been stolen and I was now in possession of it, apparently it was stolen whilst in transit with Parcelforce. Strange..
I asked him for crime number, proof, name/address, Parcelforce number (ref number as I presume they were notified), after numerous attempts he would tell me nothing.
The only was he could prove it was his was by saying there was a scratch on it, well that is useless as I posted lots of high resolution pics which showed everything. PLus it's a vintage model so not new.
I got the admin on the forum involved, they asked me for proof in various ways which I done and then asked the other guy. Again he had nothing and was banned. His last words to me were 'You will never believe this watch is mine so just leave it OK'. Surely if someone had your stolen watch you would have proof, crime numbers and would try a lot harder.
Everything settled down until yesterday when I got a call from the police. Apparently the same guy had been in touch with the same info and the police believe him. This is an old rare vintage watch and this guy did not even know the year of it, It is actually printed in the serial number on the back! He had no knowledge of the watch considering what it was, a real collectors piece.
I REALLY think the guy I bought it from has something to do with this. I think he is working with a friend down south and he had the watch so has some details on it which might seem legit.
It appears the watch was sent on the 31st March (Even though he was selling it on 2/3 April). It was apparently going to Canada so went to a central UK hub with parcel-force and apparently went missing it seems convenient that the parcel-force international depot is in the same city as the guy I bought it from. Maybe he works there and has taken the watch, sold it to me and then his friend is trying to claim it back as stolen.
Nothing makes sense at all. I have quizzed the guy I bought it from and the 'original' owner and both are very vague on the watch.
Sorry if this is confusing to read but it's a real ball ache and I think I am in the process of being scammed. what do you think, any advice?
Well I would have thought that if you wanted to claim something was yours you would have to have solid proof. as I said this watch is rare and old. There is many signs on this watch that are unique. Even the bloody serial numbers.
I also quizzed the guy about courier insurance. It has been stolen apparently. surely he can claim this back from Parcel-force or was he stupid enough to send it to Canada uninsured. He just wont answer anything. Now he was verified as a scammer on the forums I can not message him any more.
I also quizzed the guy about courier insurance. It has been stolen apparently. surely he can claim this back from Parcel-force or was he stupid enough to send it to Canada uninsured. He just wont answer anything. Now he was verified as a scammer on the forums I can not message him any more.
JCKST1 said:
Paid via PayPal and received the watch on time and as described.
So you paid the guy, he received your money, (assume) he checked the funds were in his account and then despatched the genuine watch to you. Which you have checked to be authentic.That sounds like one of those…er…..um…..transactions. That's it, a transaction.
If I were you, I'd be s
tting myself.
Yes.
Correct, all transactions are like that. However I have to backtrack and find out were the seller got it.
It just doesn't seem right. The guy down south gave up on the watch after about five emails and he knew nothing about it.
Maybe the guy I bought it from works at said depot and has taken it when it was coming through?
I have heard of this scam before..
I will have to see what the officer says on Saturday.
Correct, all transactions are like that. However I have to backtrack and find out were the seller got it.
It just doesn't seem right. The guy down south gave up on the watch after about five emails and he knew nothing about it.
Maybe the guy I bought it from works at said depot and has taken it when it was coming through?
I have heard of this scam before..
I will have to see what the officer says on Saturday.
You need to be very specific about the timeline. When does the potential scammer reckon he sent his watch, and when did you start talking to your vendor about the one you bought. From what you've posted it doesn't look like there's enough time for an email exchange with pics to take place between the time the watch allegedly went missing and you received it.
However, AIUI if you paid PayPal it should be fairly straightforward to get your money back if it was stolen.
However, AIUI if you paid PayPal it should be fairly straightforward to get your money back if it was stolen.
So you bought a watch from person A. Saw person B selling the same watch. For some bizarre reason you got in touch with person B and now Person B is accusing you of stealing the watch that you bought from person A, but actually belongs to Person B?
Remind me, why did you get in touch with person B in the first place?
Remind me, why did you get in touch with person B in the first place?
Curiosity. Cat.abbotsmike said:
Remind me, why did you get in touch with person B in the first place?
I read it that he was trying to weed out a scammer, and/or wonder if his seller was involved in a scam.It does sound strange, but if the details the OP has for the buyer are legit then at least the police have the pieces to try and put together.
Regardless, I'd be contacting PayPal ASAP to check exactly what you need to do, since there are various time limits to comply with. I think their rules are more lenient these days, but in the past you could easily end up out of pocket as a victim of a scam through PP.
Should not have contacted the other person...
So it's possible you bought a stolen watch that was taken from the depot OR someone is pulling a fast one.
Sounds a bit odd that the other seller is saying he sent it 3 days before you bought it, in the same city as the depot....but without proof who knows?
Fairly elaborate scam as someone will end up in trouble for the theft surely?
So it's possible you bought a stolen watch that was taken from the depot OR someone is pulling a fast one.
Sounds a bit odd that the other seller is saying he sent it 3 days before you bought it, in the same city as the depot....but without proof who knows?
Fairly elaborate scam as someone will end up in trouble for the theft surely?
Wait a minute - Are we talking about the same rare, vintage watch?
This sounds like my watch that was stolen from my wrist as I slept on the train pissed up one night.
OP - I hope you get to the bottom of this, but whilst you are digging around please try and remember not to say stuff like 'I done this and I done that' as it makes you sound a bit common
This sounds like my watch that was stolen from my wrist as I slept on the train pissed up one night.
OP - I hope you get to the bottom of this, but whilst you are digging around please try and remember not to say stuff like 'I done this and I done that' as it makes you sound a bit common
Edited by lord trumpton on Wednesday 23 April 19:49
Pixel Pusher said:
JCKST1 said:
Paid via PayPal and received the watch on time and as described.
So you paid the guy, he received your money, (assume) he checked the funds were in his account and then despatched the genuine watch to you. Which you have checked to be authentic.That sounds like one of those…er…..um…..transactions. That's it, a transaction.
If I were you, I'd be s
tting myself.Why do you think this transaction with a watch would be any different?
imo he's right to be worried - nobody has any idea what sort of proof B is going to conjure up - whether genuine or not. If he can come up with an old (faked) receipt and then a (genuine) crime report then the OP could easily lose the watch here.
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