Or am I being overly suspicious.... I'm selling my 600 Suzuki on Gumtree. I've had the silly offers of half the price and will you swap for etc.. Then there's this guy Messaged me yesterday morning with a garbled text asking if it was still for sale asking me to reply to freddypatsgt gmail com. So I'm like....is that an email address or what...so I replied, never heard back all day. Till I got an email from Freddy Patrick (Thanks for your reply and i will appreciate more pictures, unfortunately I may not be able to come see it, Because i am presently on deployment but I still want it anyway for my son who come top of his class. Seems tax is no longer transferable. Any previous history from past owners? Where is it located? I will need to contact the Transport Agent to know the cost for pick up from your location. How much are you willing to let it go for?. Thank you Sent from my iPhone) A couple of things in that message get the old scam bells tingling, but I give it the benefit of doubt. So I replied thus (Hi, thanks for the interest, the bike is located in Billingham in Teesside, I've owned the bike for 5 years, it isn't currently taxed as it's on a sorn. The lowest I'd accept is £700. You're on deployment ?? are you in the military ??) Being ex forces. the deployment bit piqued my interest... I awoke this morning to a further email from Mr Freddy Patrick. (I have contacted the transport agent, so I'm waiting for their response..Meanwhile you can send money request or an invoice to my PayPal account "freddypatsgt@gmail.com". I will send the money and choose a good time for collection after payment has been received and my agent will come for the viewing and collection after the payment has been made,what i just want to seek from you is that please make sure it's as describe in the add...) Again, there are a couple of suspicious things in this that says someone is going to try to scam me Been down this road before about 4 years ago with another bike and a very similar setup, buyer not able to come and view but sending agent etc.. Was a scammer in Africa, but I'd sussed them very early on and played along. I'm waiting on the next message that will most like ask me to pay the transport agent his fees and MR Freddy Patrick will refund me the fees via Paypal etc.. So....am I being overly suspicious of this....comments below...
I had my Landrover for sale a little while ago on Gumtree and received similar. It is a scam... Don't send any more replies or disclose any details beyond what you already have.
Yep..so have I....only last time the name was Freddy Williams. I'm just going to wait now and see what messages transpire
Had same as well, sold a few bikes on Gumtree, I always make it clear that they come view, and the bike don't move till it's paid for. Ask for their phone number to talk to them, if it's a scam they usually don't reply.
Wouldn't it be nice if they invented a 'Scam' button to press that would deliver just enough of a shock to crinkle their thieving nuts at the other end
The bad grammar alone is enough to say "Scam" If he/It was genuine they would I am sure tell you more about which regiment they are with and where they are deployed without giving away any secrets. I have never used this Gumtree (or any other online selling site for that matter) but I would suggest you steer well clear, or make it clear that you will only deal with someone face to face and in person. At least that way you can get a photo and you can arrange a Bankers draft or cash. Just my 2p for what its worth
