Gumtree/Ukash Scam or not?

leew · 4 February 2011 at 5:01PM

Hi guys, i'm after some advice about something i'm looking to buy off Gumtree.

I'm very dubious to this having never payed for something in this manner before.

The seller has agreed with me the price etc and i said i can collect asap, cash on collection as they are local but i got this response:

Hi sorry 4 the late reply.. been tied up with a lot of work commitments outside of town so i've put the treadmill in UPS custody this afternoon at my cost incl shipping fees. If u agree with delivery I'll wait ur shipping address & phone no as they will call u before hand.
The treadmill will get to u in approx 1 day. You'll have 30 mins to inspect the pkge's content n void the shipment if something's wrong and the UPS agents will take it back, but everything is like I described so there shouldn't be any problems. For payment you'll need cash in hand.
Msg soon if u have any questions. Thx, Jen

I have now also got a couple of emails from UPS one being this one below

We wish to inform you that in order to release the package and establish an tracking number for your shipment the insured amount for the goods must be backed by a valid payment deposit. Your shipment is currently in pending status and will go in transit after you deposit the above insured amount value in our Package Insurance Program. In this regard we must inform you that we will be making the payment verification in around 1 to 12 hours. Once your payment is confirmed the package will enter transit and will arrive to you in 24 hours depending upon your location in United Kingdom. We will inform the sender that the payment was sent and the package was shipped as soon as we get the payment confirmation.

You need to deposit the insured amount in value of 125 GBP using UKASH voucher. You can purchase a UKASH voucher from any local shop that has the epay, PayPoint or Payzone sign sticker using cash. You can read more at https://www.ukash.com. Once the voucher is purchased please get back to us with the 19 digit voucher number so we can verify it. After payment is confirmed we will approve the package entrance into transit. When replying with the 19 digit voucher number also confirm that the above delivery address is correct to help avoid delay.

Please note that our Privacy Policy restricts us from receiving or implicitly handing over your personal financial details over the phone therefore payments via phone, credit credit or PayPal are not accepted.

If you have any questions or concerns please reply to this email for better correspondence.

UPS Package Inspection Finance Department.

UPS Email ID - [UK67966792SDE21A]

Any ideas??

geo555 · 4 February 2011 at 5:26PM

Sound very dodgy. Why would an international company like UPS insist on some "unusual" payment method.
It is obviously a scam so don't bother following it up.

leew · 4 February 2011 at 5:39PM

geo555 wrote: »

Sound very dodgy. Why would an international company like UPS insist on some "unusual" payment method.
It is obviously a scam so don't bother following it up.

Yeah sounds very fishy to me. I have emailed them back saying cash on pick up face to face or nothing!

soolin · 4 February 2011 at 5:40PM

It's a scam, let Gumtree know as well so they can keep an eye on the 'seller' in case he posts more items.

Azari · 4 February 2011 at 5:42PM

leew wrote: »

You'll have 30 mins to inspect the pkge's content n void the shipment if something's wrong and the UPS agents will take it back,

Are they suggesting that a courier driver will hang around for 30 mins whilst you examine a package? :eek:

The whole thing sounds downright weird.

It looks as if the 'seller' is trying to get you to buy a voucher so he can top up his phone.

Has scam written all over it.

jasons_2 · 4 February 2011 at 5:45PM

Its a 100% scam...

UKCASH is the payment method of choice for scammers- there is no recourse, no contact or address details with it at all..

You'll not see your money again if paying anyone by this.

(speaking from experience from 2 weeks ago..)

J

leew · 4 February 2011 at 5:51PM

soolin wrote: »

It's a scam, let Gumtree know as well so they can keep an eye on the 'seller' in case he posts more items.

Done, reported.

Azari wrote: »

Are they suggesting that a courier driver will hang around for 30 mins whilst you examine a package? :eek:

The whole thing sounds downright weird.

It looks as if the 'seller' is trying to get you to buy a voucher so he can top up his phone.

Has scam written all over it.

It does, luckily i'm very cautious

leew · 4 February 2011 at 6:01PM

I have just got this response back from our 'lovely' jen in response to me saying face to face or not at all.

I thought you'd be paying the delivery man after you inspect it but probably its because of the insurance delivery thing based on the contract I signed with them.... how should we proceed ? I'm currently out of town and I've already paid UPS for special insurance package so I see no point into taking the treadmill back from them. I'm already full with my schedule so please decide if you wish to continue or let me know otherwise. I wouldn't want to waste your time and neither I want someone else wasting mine.. Jen

Hmmmmmmmm!

soolin · 4 February 2011 at 6:07PM

leew wrote: »

I have just got this response back from our 'lovely' jen in response to me saying face to face or not at all.

I thought you'd be paying the delivery man after you inspect it but probably its because of the insurance delivery thing based on the contract I signed with them.... how should we proceed ? I'm currently out of town and I've already paid UPS for special insurance package so I see no point into taking the treadmill back from them. I'm already full with my schedule so please decide if you wish to continue or let me know otherwise. I wouldn't want to waste your time and neither I want someone else wasting mine.. Jen

Hmmmmmmmm!

You could ignore them or you could worry them a little with a rather 'naive' reply. I was thinking of something along the lines of 'As Gumtree have warnings about unusual methods of payment i have been in contact with them to ask if it is oK to go ahead. They were really helpful and wanted all the details of the proposed transaction and have asked for all the emails with headers and have promised to get back to me tomorrow. However they have asked if i have your home address details and I wondered if I could have them as it might hurry up their reponse.'

leew · 4 February 2011 at 6:15PM

soolin wrote: »

You could ignore them or you could worry them a little with a rather 'naive' reply. I was thinking of something along the lines of 'As Gumtree have warnings about unusual methods of payment i have been in contact with them to ask if it is oK to go ahead. They were really helpful and wanted all the details of the proposed transaction and have asked for all the emails with headers and have promised to get back to me tomorrow. However they have asked if i have your home address details and I wondered if I could have them as it might hurry up their reponse.'

Like it

i have done most of that to be honest apart from that bit!

I have sent them another e-mail asking about the availability from another address to see what the response is to that!

custardy · 4 February 2011 at 7:36PM

gumtree is full of scammers
use it as it was intended.for local face to face deals

Gumtree/Ukash Scam or not?

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