Anyone with a FB account able to help with a scammer?

[MHB]

Vulnerable relative got scammed through a FB Marketplace advert last night when buying a phone and is currently £550 out of pocket. They checked the IMEI number on the phone via one of the websites to see it wasn't stolen, that it matched the number on the box, phone turned one etc. and all seemed ok. However when she got home the phone won't charge (tried 4 different cables), won't accept an Apple ID or update iOS beyond 17.0.2. location services etc - so once the current charge runs out it's just a useless paperweight! The seller won't respond to calls / messages as expected. Unfortunately they paid via bank transfer rather than Paypal, so no route of recovery that way - so need a friendly face to face discussion to resolve.

Would anyone with a FB account in East Anglia be able to enquire about the item on Marketplace and maybe arrange to meet and collect? I'll take things from there, and can't do it myself as live in the same town as my relative and think they'd spot it straight away.

If you're able to assist please message me and I'll send the link to the advert across.

[Tony1963]

And if it all goes very wrong, someone here will be be helping police with their enquiries. Sorry, I won’t help here.

[OverSteery]

If it's fully charged and works OK, then possibly worth getting repaired?

[mgtony]

Am I missing something. If she has bought it, what is someone else hoping to arrange to meet up and buy?

[Lopey]

Get in touch with the bank. If the money is still in the scammers account, a bank transfer can be reversed

[VSKeith]

mgtony said:

Am I missing something. If she has bought it, what is someone else hoping to arrange to meet up and buy?

The scammer is likely to still be selling dodgy phones with the same/similar ad.

A confrontation is hoped for

[Countdown]

mgtony said:

Am I missing something. If she has bought it, what is someone else hoping to arrange to meet up and buy?

My guess is that they were hoping to strike down the scammer with great vengeance and furious anger and the scammer would know that they had messed with a PHer when he lays his vengeance upon them.



Basically I suspect Op was going to dmand the money back with menaces.

[bitchstewie]

So how does this work?

HelpfulPete from East Anglia contacts the scammer and arranges to meet them and instead MHB turns up with his very particular set of skills.

If it ends up with the Police who's name is the scammer going to give them

[Wacky Racer]

I can't understand why anyone would pay £550 for a second hand phone. You can buy a perfectly good new one for £250.


Same thing with watches, my £20 one tells the time perfectly and if I get mugged I'll buy another one.

[119]

Wacky Racer said:

I can't understand why anyone would pay £550 for a second hand phone. You can buy a perfectly good new one for £250.


Same thing with watches, my £20 one tells the time perfectly and if I get mugged I'll buy another one.

Brilliant.

[Durzel]

Wacky Racer said:

I can't understand why anyone would pay £550 for a second hand phone. You can buy a perfectly good new one for £250.


Same thing with watches, my £20 one tells the time perfectly and if I get mugged I'll buy another one.

Not everyone wants to walk around with a Aliexpress phone and Casio watch

OP have they tried charging it wirelessly?

[Ham_and_Jam]

Durzel said:

OP have they tried charging it wirelessly?

Or removed the fluff from the charging port with a toothpick?

[scorcher]

Unless I’m missing something, just set up another Facebook account

[Tye Green]

the phone obviously charged up fine before sale so more likely that the fault has developed between collection and getting it home .

what a bizarre thread

[Griffith4ever]

Lopey said:

Get in touch with the bank. If the money is still in the scammers account, a bank transfer can be reversed

No, it can't. Not unless the scammers account is also fraudulent/not his.

Edited by Griffith4ever on Monday 15th January 08:54

[Lopey]

Griffith4ever said:

No, it can't. Not unless the scammers account is also fraudulent/not his.

Edited by Griffith4ever on Monday 15th January 08:54

You might want to tell Natwest that then, as obviously they made a mistake when they managed to reverse a bank transfer for me.

[VSKeith]

Lopey said:

Griffith4ever said:

No, it can't. Not unless the scammers account is also fraudulent/not his.

Edited by Griffith4ever on Monday 15th January 08:54

You might want to tell Natwest that then, as obviously they made a mistake when they managed to reverse a bank transfer for me.

Might be complicated by the fact they were given a phone. Otherwise we could just reverse transactions by saying goods received were faulty

[Braveheart300]

Depending on type of phone (Iphone maybe?) there are lots of fakes around now.

Look and feel and operates almost identical to a normal iphone until updates etc are required and can't connect to apple. Fakes are amazing nowadays and would bet a lot of money hardly anyone would notice the difference!

[GreatGranny]

OP, can't you get a family member/mate etc. to help rather than randoms on the web?

It's asking a lot for them to put themselves in that situation.

What will you do when/if you meet?

[Yellow Lizud]

Wacky Racer said:

I can't understand why anyone would pay £550 for a second hand phone. You can buy a perfectly good new one for £250.


Same thing with watches, my £20 one tells the time perfectly and if I get mugged I'll buy another one.

Exactly this.
Personally I can't think of anything more ludicrous than paying £550 for a phone.
Oh hang on. I lied, I can think of something more ludicrous than paying £550 for a phone ............
........paying £550 for a second hand phone from FaceCon Market Place.