Warning: Scammers could be using this sneaky trick to cheat you out of cash when you sell online
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Selling unwanted items online can be a huge source of cash - if it’s done the right way.
It’s no wonder then, that every day, thousands of Australians post ads on classified websites like Gumtree to try and make a quick buck.
And while the rewards can be plenty, there’s also the risk of meeting scammers online who could be lying in wait to take advantage of unsuspecting sellers.
Recently, that’s exactly what happened to 61-year-old Sellicks Beach resident Linda Johnston.
Linda had posted an ad on Gumtree to sell a set of 3 suitcases and was surprised to receive a response within 15 minutes.
The buyer seemed genuine, wasn’t asking for a steep discount, and asked whether she could pay through Australia Post via an e-commerce platform.
Little did Linda know that this apparent dream sale was, in fact, an elaborate scam.
The buyer, who allegedly resided in Forster on the New South Wales Mid-North Coast, said they were willing to arrange the shipping for the items.
The scammer then sent a link to 'confirm order' and 'receive your money', which Linda clicked on.
Little did she know, she’d taken the bait and fallen straight into a trap. The site she was taken to was a fake Australia Post page, asking for her bank card details.
'I realised it was a scam when they were asking for bank card details – not the bank account details,' the 61-year-old said.
'I just felt pretty stupid – this is probably the first time I’ve gotten close to being scammed like this.'
Lucky for Linda, she managed to get out before she had parted with any of her hard-earned cash.
Linda is just one of more than 9,000 Australians who have been the target of these scams in 2022. In a single year, these scams have cost Australians more than $7 million.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has identified a typical scam, dubbed as the 'classifieds scam', that targets sellers in which a fictitious 'customer' promises to pay for shipping or insurance through a third party and then reimburses the seller.
Additionally, these con artists will keep requesting more cash, making it more difficult for the seller to reject them.
Scammers also use overpayment schemes to trick buyers. At that point, con artists create a justification for an overpayment and ask for a refund of the excess money.
Such has been the case for Sally who posted a used portable air conditioner on Facebook Marketplace for $200 and was approached by a buyer with the name 'Mary' just a few minutes after she advertised her item.
The transaction with 'Mary' seemed to be going smoothly, but that’s when Sally started to notice a few subtle warning signs.
First was the price. Instead of asking Sally to negotiate, 'Mary' simply accepted the ad's original listing price right away. It was a sign that something wasn't quite right.
The payments were to be transacted through PayPal, provided Sally gave her email address. With her suspicions rising but determined to see the sale through, Sally complied.
Moments later, Sally received an email from what appeared to be PayPal. Thankfully, she noticed it had landed in her junk instead of her primary mailbox.
The email instructed Sally to transfer the remainder of the balance, $800, back to 'Mary' from the $1,000 payment she had allegedly made.
Instantly, Sally knew what was happening – or at least that a scam was possibly afoot.
'It was very obvious to me it was a scam,' Sally said.
'However, I think some people do get caught out as “Mary” had a proper Facebook profile.'
Seeing that 'Mary' had created an airtight profile, Sally expects the scammer was probably out to chiefly target the elderly.
In response, Sally quickly jumped out of the email, told 'Mary' they were a scammer, then blocked and reported them – a step that all members should consider if they find themselves in a similar situation.
Another scheme that online sellers should be wary of is the 'missing payment' scam — a tactic characterised by false payments that seem to have disappeared upon sending.
Such was the case of retired amateur theatre actress Andrea Lindsay, who was looking to sell a costume collection she had amassed over the years.
She posted them on Gumtree with an asking price of $2,000 for the lot or she would also accept offers for individual pieces.
'I had a prompt reply offering the full price,' Andrea recalled.
At first glance, everything about the transaction seemed normal. However, she did think it was strange that the prospective buyer declined Andrea's offer to demonstrate the costumes in person.
Eventually, she agreed and made a PayPal account, which she was told to do by the buyer.
'Then things started sounding a bit strange,' Andrea said.
The buyer told her that they had put money into her PayPal account, but it had 'disappeared.' Andrea was also informed to transfer $600 to their PayPal account for shipping and that they would 'refund' her.
Following this, she did some research online and came across articles telling her that she might have encountered a scammer stying to swindle her out of her money. That's when things started clicking for her.
'My sense of fraud was probably not as great as it is now,' she added.
The consequences of being caught up in a classified/marketplace scam can be financial and psychological, so members please stay vigilant when buying or selling online!
The ACCC recommends being very cautious of any deals that appear too good to be true, and avoid transferring money or goods until you have received payment in full.
Also, take your time to research the other person, and if you start to doubt the legitimacy of the deal, walk away. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
And of course, if you find yourself in a situation where you think you may have been the victim of a scam, then take action and contact the local police or the ACCC.
You may also want to check out SDC's guide to cyber scams for more additional information on how to protect yourself from falling victim to these tactics.
So please take care online and remember to pass this advice on to friends and family too.
It’s no wonder then, that every day, thousands of Australians post ads on classified websites like Gumtree to try and make a quick buck.
And while the rewards can be plenty, there’s also the risk of meeting scammers online who could be lying in wait to take advantage of unsuspecting sellers.
Recently, that’s exactly what happened to 61-year-old Sellicks Beach resident Linda Johnston.
Linda had posted an ad on Gumtree to sell a set of 3 suitcases and was surprised to receive a response within 15 minutes.
The buyer seemed genuine, wasn’t asking for a steep discount, and asked whether she could pay through Australia Post via an e-commerce platform.
Linda took a screenshot of messages from a con artist that contained a link to an 'Australia Post' website. Credit: WhatsApp/Linda Johnston.
Little did Linda know that this apparent dream sale was, in fact, an elaborate scam.
The buyer, who allegedly resided in Forster on the New South Wales Mid-North Coast, said they were willing to arrange the shipping for the items.
The scammer then sent a link to 'confirm order' and 'receive your money', which Linda clicked on.
Little did she know, she’d taken the bait and fallen straight into a trap. The site she was taken to was a fake Australia Post page, asking for her bank card details.
'I realised it was a scam when they were asking for bank card details – not the bank account details,' the 61-year-old said.
'I just felt pretty stupid – this is probably the first time I’ve gotten close to being scammed like this.'
Lucky for Linda, she managed to get out before she had parted with any of her hard-earned cash.
Linda is just one of more than 9,000 Australians who have been the target of these scams in 2022. In a single year, these scams have cost Australians more than $7 million.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has identified a typical scam, dubbed as the 'classifieds scam', that targets sellers in which a fictitious 'customer' promises to pay for shipping or insurance through a third party and then reimburses the seller.
Additionally, these con artists will keep requesting more cash, making it more difficult for the seller to reject them.
Scammers also use overpayment schemes to trick buyers. At that point, con artists create a justification for an overpayment and ask for a refund of the excess money.
Such has been the case for Sally who posted a used portable air conditioner on Facebook Marketplace for $200 and was approached by a buyer with the name 'Mary' just a few minutes after she advertised her item.
The transaction with 'Mary' seemed to be going smoothly, but that’s when Sally started to notice a few subtle warning signs.
Sally reported and blocked 'Mary' after noticing that the transaction was a scam. Credit: Facebook.
First was the price. Instead of asking Sally to negotiate, 'Mary' simply accepted the ad's original listing price right away. It was a sign that something wasn't quite right.
The payments were to be transacted through PayPal, provided Sally gave her email address. With her suspicions rising but determined to see the sale through, Sally complied.
Moments later, Sally received an email from what appeared to be PayPal. Thankfully, she noticed it had landed in her junk instead of her primary mailbox.
The email instructed Sally to transfer the remainder of the balance, $800, back to 'Mary' from the $1,000 payment she had allegedly made.
Instantly, Sally knew what was happening – or at least that a scam was possibly afoot.
'It was very obvious to me it was a scam,' Sally said.
'However, I think some people do get caught out as “Mary” had a proper Facebook profile.'
Seeing that 'Mary' had created an airtight profile, Sally expects the scammer was probably out to chiefly target the elderly.
In response, Sally quickly jumped out of the email, told 'Mary' they were a scammer, then blocked and reported them – a step that all members should consider if they find themselves in a similar situation.
Another scheme that online sellers should be wary of is the 'missing payment' scam — a tactic characterised by false payments that seem to have disappeared upon sending.
Such was the case of retired amateur theatre actress Andrea Lindsay, who was looking to sell a costume collection she had amassed over the years.
She posted them on Gumtree with an asking price of $2,000 for the lot or she would also accept offers for individual pieces.
'I had a prompt reply offering the full price,' Andrea recalled.
At first glance, everything about the transaction seemed normal. However, she did think it was strange that the prospective buyer declined Andrea's offer to demonstrate the costumes in person.
Eventually, she agreed and made a PayPal account, which she was told to do by the buyer.
'Then things started sounding a bit strange,' Andrea said.
The buyer told her that they had put money into her PayPal account, but it had 'disappeared.' Andrea was also informed to transfer $600 to their PayPal account for shipping and that they would 'refund' her.
Following this, she did some research online and came across articles telling her that she might have encountered a scammer stying to swindle her out of her money. That's when things started clicking for her.
'My sense of fraud was probably not as great as it is now,' she added.
The consequences of being caught up in a classified/marketplace scam can be financial and psychological, so members please stay vigilant when buying or selling online!
The ACCC recommends being very cautious of any deals that appear too good to be true, and avoid transferring money or goods until you have received payment in full.
Also, take your time to research the other person, and if you start to doubt the legitimacy of the deal, walk away. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
And of course, if you find yourself in a situation where you think you may have been the victim of a scam, then take action and contact the local police or the ACCC.
You may also want to check out SDC's guide to cyber scams for more additional information on how to protect yourself from falling victim to these tactics.
So please take care online and remember to pass this advice on to friends and family too.
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