Discussion
I have fallen victim to a scam, mainly through my own stupidity in not spotting it earlier.
Someone posted an electric guitar on my local freecycle board and I responded to it. I was chuffed to be the first person to respond, but was then advised that the guitar was in Shropshire and that it had been inadvertently posted on the wrong freecycle board. This is the point at which I should have thought something was up, but in my head I was thinking about becoming the next Jimi Hendrix so I ploughed on.
In the end, I sent a £12 postal order to cover postage of the guitar to me. Surprise surprise no guitar turned up and the email address and freecycle account have disappeared too.
I do however have the address I was asked to send the Postal Order to. I have searched online for further details but am drawing a blank, and it is too far for me to go for the sake of £12. The money isn't the issue here, I am just bloody annoyed someone did this to me and is potentially doing it to a lot of other people too.
Freecycle have been made aware but can't do much.
Does anyone here know any other legitimate ways of finding more contact details / information about someone? I have looked on 192.com and paid for their basic search and nothing comes up.
Someone posted an electric guitar on my local freecycle board and I responded to it. I was chuffed to be the first person to respond, but was then advised that the guitar was in Shropshire and that it had been inadvertently posted on the wrong freecycle board. This is the point at which I should have thought something was up, but in my head I was thinking about becoming the next Jimi Hendrix so I ploughed on.
In the end, I sent a £12 postal order to cover postage of the guitar to me. Surprise surprise no guitar turned up and the email address and freecycle account have disappeared too.
I do however have the address I was asked to send the Postal Order to. I have searched online for further details but am drawing a blank, and it is too far for me to go for the sake of £12. The money isn't the issue here, I am just bloody annoyed someone did this to me and is potentially doing it to a lot of other people too.
Freecycle have been made aware but can't do much.
Does anyone here know any other legitimate ways of finding more contact details / information about someone? I have looked on 192.com and paid for their basic search and nothing comes up.
Dogwatch said:
Your £12 is probably a write-off but could your local trading standards contact their counterparts (or contact the local TS yourself)?
To the individual it's a nuisance loss and barely worth reporting but if the perpetrator is doing this regularly the figures start to mount up.
After looking around the net, I reported it via the Polics's ActionFraud website - I assume this will inform trading standards too.To the individual it's a nuisance loss and barely worth reporting but if the perpetrator is doing this regularly the figures start to mount up.
As you say, to me the effect is minimal but he could be doing this to lots of people a day.
It's sheltered housing.
http://www.housingcare.org/housing-care/facility-i...
A quick google suggests that if Simon Knight works at Equity Housing and is utilising an empty flat to run a mail scam, his email address would be simonk@equityhousing.co.uk if you want to try contacting him.
http://www.housingcare.org/housing-care/facility-i...
A quick google suggests that if Simon Knight works at Equity Housing and is utilising an empty flat to run a mail scam, his email address would be simonk@equityhousing.co.uk if you want to try contacting him.
Edited by davepoth on Friday 3rd August 12:23
Edited by davepoth on Friday 3rd August 12:24
I was not aware of freecycle until I read your post.
Looking at it it would seem to require all offers to be cost free. If that is the case would someone looking for payment not ring alarm bells? Postage perhaps?
I consistently suggest never, ever, under any circumstances, sending cash or PO to anywhere for anything, never use Western Union or other such maladies and always pay with Paypal or a credit card. If the seller will not accept this walk away.
Boring it may be, but I think essentially sound commercial advice.
I do hope you get your money back. The PH sleuths are pretty sharp. The miscreant wants stopping before he rips off a pensioner or two, who cannot afford the loss. Scabby Pillock that he is!
Looking at it it would seem to require all offers to be cost free. If that is the case would someone looking for payment not ring alarm bells? Postage perhaps?
I consistently suggest never, ever, under any circumstances, sending cash or PO to anywhere for anything, never use Western Union or other such maladies and always pay with Paypal or a credit card. If the seller will not accept this walk away.
Boring it may be, but I think essentially sound commercial advice.
I do hope you get your money back. The PH sleuths are pretty sharp. The miscreant wants stopping before he rips off a pensioner or two, who cannot afford the loss. Scabby Pillock that he is!
Steffan said:
I was not aware of freecycle until I read your post.
Looking at it it would seem to require all offers to be cost free. If that is the case would someone looking for payment not ring alarm bells? Postage perhaps?
I consistently suggest never, ever, under any circumstances, sending cash or PO to anywhere for anything, never use Western Union or other such maladies and always pay with Paypal or a credit card. If the seller will not accept this walk away.
Boring it may be, but I think essentially sound commercial advice.
I do hope you get your money back. The PH sleuths are pretty sharp. The miscreant wants stopping before he rips off a pensioner or two, who cannot afford the loss. Scabby Pillock that he is!
The idea of Freecycle being free is correct, no charging is allowed. However, I fell for the story that he posted on the wrong board by mistake and as I wanted the guitar I accepted the offer of paying postage rather than driving hundreds of miles to collect it.Looking at it it would seem to require all offers to be cost free. If that is the case would someone looking for payment not ring alarm bells? Postage perhaps?
I consistently suggest never, ever, under any circumstances, sending cash or PO to anywhere for anything, never use Western Union or other such maladies and always pay with Paypal or a credit card. If the seller will not accept this walk away.
Boring it may be, but I think essentially sound commercial advice.
I do hope you get your money back. The PH sleuths are pretty sharp. The miscreant wants stopping before he rips off a pensioner or two, who cannot afford the loss. Scabby Pillock that he is!
http://groups.freecycle.org/ChesterCityWest/admin/...
Here's another freecycle post about Paul's Moss, looks to be a fairly big scam. My guess is that whoever is running the scam is getting mail sent to the addresses of frailer people who live in the sheltered housing under false names so they know which ones are for them.
Here's another freecycle post about Paul's Moss, looks to be a fairly big scam. My guess is that whoever is running the scam is getting mail sent to the addresses of frailer people who live in the sheltered housing under false names so they know which ones are for them.
looks like another item from the same person, maybe you could bait him out of hiding with this one?
http://www.adpost.com/uk/audio_video_electronics/2...
http://www.adpost.com/uk/audio_video_electronics/2...
Crusoe said:
looks like another item from the same person, maybe you could bait him out of hiding with this one?
http://www.adpost.com/uk/audio_video_electronics/2...
It says buyer collect so atleast you could confront him by buying the fruit machine.http://www.adpost.com/uk/audio_video_electronics/2...
Or underpay by £12 and when he asks why tell him/her
A bit more rummaging reveals a different address and email address...
http://www.freeads-chester.co.uk/home-garden/furni...
http://www.freeads-chester.co.uk/home-garden/furni...
link back the registration from december 2011 of his red vauxhall astra GP02 HKG
http://www.usedcar.co.uk/sales/5378-red-vauxhall-a...
http://www.usedcar.co.uk/sales/5378-red-vauxhall-a...
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