What's the Scam Here? (Facebook)
Discussion
I just listed an item for sale on Facebook. In the first 30 mins I've had 6 "people" contact me asking me to have a phone call. It is a vehicle so not entirely unexpected I guess...however all have followed basically the same direction.
It's late here and, to be frank, I don't fancy a phone call right now I've said we can have a call tomorrow and at least 3 "people" have asked me 2 more times for my cell phone number.
It feels like a scam/con but I can't see what the con would be in having my phone number. What am I missing?
It's late here and, to be frank, I don't fancy a phone call right now I've said we can have a call tomorrow and at least 3 "people" have asked me 2 more times for my cell phone number.
It feels like a scam/con but I can't see what the con would be in having my phone number. What am I missing?
The Moose said:
I just listed an item for sale on Facebook. In the first 30 mins I've had 6 "people" contact me asking me to have a phone call. It is a vehicle so not entirely unexpected I guess...however all have followed basically the same direction.
It's late here and, to be frank, I don't fancy a phone call right now I've said we can have a call tomorrow and at least 3 "people" have asked me 2 more times for my cell phone number.
It feels like a scam/con but I can't see what the con would be in having my phone number. What am I missing?
Car priced too cheaply?It's late here and, to be frank, I don't fancy a phone call right now I've said we can have a call tomorrow and at least 3 "people" have asked me 2 more times for my cell phone number.
It feels like a scam/con but I can't see what the con would be in having my phone number. What am I missing?
The Moose said:
I just listed an item for sale on Facebook. In the first 30 mins I've had 6 "people" contact me asking me to have a phone call. It is a vehicle so not entirely unexpected I guess...however all have followed basically the same direction.
It's late here and, to be frank, I don't fancy a phone call right now I've said we can have a call tomorrow and at least 3 "people" have asked me 2 more times for my cell phone number.
It feels like a scam/con but I can't see what the con would be in having my phone number. What am I missing?
"I don't use a cell phone, I have hearing difficulties"It's late here and, to be frank, I don't fancy a phone call right now I've said we can have a call tomorrow and at least 3 "people" have asked me 2 more times for my cell phone number.
It feels like a scam/con but I can't see what the con would be in having my phone number. What am I missing?
It's entirely possible that it's someone from an eastern European country, albeit in the UK. When I was selling my old E Class, I had multiple people contact me with thick European accents. Often quite pushy and direct, offering to buy the car for half the advertised price, 'tonight' without having seen the car etc.
I ended up selling to a chap who was planning to take the car back to the Czech republic and had no issues agreeing a price.
In short, it may not entirely be scammers but there are plenty of them about.
I ended up selling to a chap who was planning to take the car back to the Czech republic and had no issues agreeing a price.
In short, it may not entirely be scammers but there are plenty of them about.
Online selling (and buying) is a bit of a double-edged sword in the sense that there are probably as many scam sellers as scam buyers.
I use one of the biggest second-hand sites in Europe (as a buyer, not a seller). It has it's own inbuilt chat system, but you can't get any feeling from a text chat. I always ask the seller for a phone number as it's much easier to form impressions over the seller with a quick call.
I would say that fewer than 50% respond with a phone number, the rest just ignore the message. Unless it's something I really want and can't find elsewhere I'll ignore them as well. At the end of the day if someone wants to sell something they have to make some effort to be contactable.
Having said that, the one time I sold a car online I used a throwaway pre-paid sim card. Not that there was anything wrong with the car - and I'm still regularly in touch with the guy who bought it as he comes and services all our tractors. I just didn't want my private phone number on-line.
P.S. Hope the US is going well for you. I still seriously regret not buying that Manthey GT2!
I use one of the biggest second-hand sites in Europe (as a buyer, not a seller). It has it's own inbuilt chat system, but you can't get any feeling from a text chat. I always ask the seller for a phone number as it's much easier to form impressions over the seller with a quick call.
I would say that fewer than 50% respond with a phone number, the rest just ignore the message. Unless it's something I really want and can't find elsewhere I'll ignore them as well. At the end of the day if someone wants to sell something they have to make some effort to be contactable.
Having said that, the one time I sold a car online I used a throwaway pre-paid sim card. Not that there was anything wrong with the car - and I'm still regularly in touch with the guy who bought it as he comes and services all our tractors. I just didn't want my private phone number on-line.
P.S. Hope the US is going well for you. I still seriously regret not buying that Manthey GT2!
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