Scams Out There

[phrunt]

A lot of the time scammers use "premium" phone numbers, some just ring you and make your phone ring a few times then hang up hoping you'll call them back, then try keep you on the phone as long as they can as you're paying to be on the call to them.

This explains premium phone numbers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premium-rate_telephone_number

These scammers selling the abnormally cheap metal detectors could be doing the same, wanting you to call their number and they'll put you on hold waiting to talk to them to get your cheap detector.

[Joe L]

Wow, I want to sell a Fisher Gold Bug Pro and all this makes me nervous.  I have no PayPal account anymore after I got hacked through that. (Big headache) I guess I’ll just keep it in my stable. Always a good detector if a friend wants to give detecting a try.   Sad world we live in.  

[Desert Dawg]

I find that meeting in person at your home, and expecting payment in cash money works most every time. Other than doing that I would refrain from even postal money orders which can and are faked, as well as bogus checks, etc. Cashiers checks area also faked all the time.  If someone doesn't have access to cash I wouldn't mess with it.

[SwiftSword]

On 1/25/2019 at 3:16 AM, bklein said:

 

If you get the money in your PayPal account I don’t see how it is a scam. I’ve done many deals this way.

 

Are you aware that Paypal payments can bounce? The buyer/seller protections don't always work as advertised.

[F350Platinum]

Early on as a seller I had a couple of "chargebacks", but not many. Most people are honest, and I won't sell anything to low or no feedback people.

As a buyer I check ALL reviews, and generally won't buy unless the seller is 100%.

[BobC]

On 6/9/2022 at 11:52 AM, F350Platinum said:

Early on as a seller I had a couple of "chargebacks", but not many. Most people are honest, and I won't sell anything to low or no feedback people.

As a buyer I check ALL reviews, and generally won't buy unless the seller is 100%.

I sell on ebay, and up until this year I had 100%, but for some reason and without contacting me first 2 people bought items for less that $10 and gave me a neg. Usually if someone is not satisfied I give a refund with out questions and do not ask for the item to be returned.

Its much like buying from Amazon, a product has 4 1/2 stars, if you read the reviews there is always 1 or 2 people who give the product a 1 star, usually for no reason other than having no common sense. A product may state it is water resistant, and the complainer says he dunked it in water and it stopped working.

I've run into more than my share of bumper babies in my lifetime. a bumper baby is someone who was dropped on there head one too many times.

[F350Platinum]

It's a statistical certainty that about 5% of your customers will not be happy with what you do no matter what you do. 😵 All you can strive for is less than that. After about 3,000 sales I can only think of one or two times I got a "bumper baby" 😀

[Champ Ferguson]

On 6/9/2022 at 1:20 PM, Desert Dawg said:

I find that meeting in person at your home, and expecting payment in cash money works most every time. ...

Sadly, i have quit selling anything anywhere except locally. For smaller items (not trucks, etc), i always require that the buyer meet me with cash (no hundreds) in front of the local police station. Amazing how some folks will never bother you again after that.

DD, I'd be a bit wary of telling a possible criminal where your home is.

[Black Crow]

If you like a good of a laugh, take a look at a YouTube channel called "Scammer Payback" or one called "Tech Support Scams". They wage war on these Indian call centre scammers by hacking into their computers and disrupting their scams. At one point, Jim Browning (not his real name for obvious reasons) even gained access to their CCTV security cameras and set them rolling on YouTube so the world could watch as these fools ply their trade in real time. He finds out what their real names are and calls them up pretending to be a potential victim. You should see the look on their faces when he's talking to them and "accidently" drops their real Indian names. These cowards sh!t themselves instantly. These gutless wonders prey on the feeble minded and elderly and think they can hide behind a computer and telephone. We've probably all had a call from some Indian sounding dude claiming to be from Amazon or PayPal trying it on, I personally get one at least once a fortnight. 

Both Jim Browning, "Tech Support Scams" and Perogi from "Scammer Payback" have saved thousands of victims from losing hundreds of thousands of dollars all while disrupting, frustrating and humiliating these scum bags. They've had a few of these call centres shut down but by and large it's nearly impossible to get the Indian authorities to act. Soon enough the same cockroaches pop up again in a new location only days later. My guess is, a fair bit of cash goes under the commissioners desk in brown paper bags. Anyway, take a look at what these guys do to these scamming pigs and have a good laugh at their expense. Well worth a YouTube visit.