Gumtree Scam??? FedEx Cash-on-delivery

ZootHornRollo

Hi,

Call me dumb for getting this far but is this a scam?

I emailed someone on gumtree about an item advertised for sale. It is a bulky item but not heavy - it's a bike. Worth around £180

I emailed the seller who emailed back suggesting that he'd handed the bike over to FedEx and that all he had to do was provide them with a shipping addess and phone number and they would delivery said item, Payment would be via Cash-on-Delivery once goods were inspected.

I have never heard of this system where-by FedEx hold an item without a shipping address. But other than that i cannot see where i can get scammed with this.

Fair enough, i might get a phone call asking me to make payment to via card which i will refuse and only pay the agreed cash-on-delivery.

have i missed something?

peter_the_piper

How had he handed it to Fedex without your name and address? I can imagine a bloody big pile of unaddressed parcels and then trying to put the name on the right one.
Have you paid yet?

ZootHornRollo

God no! I haven't even replied to the email. Never heard o of this before.

hermum

I'd buy locally if I were you, inspect the bike & hand over your dosh.
If it's a private seller he may think that you're trying to scam him asking him to post a bike.

annie-c

It is a scam. If you do a search for Fed-Ex on this forum there was another similar post recently. If you agree to the sale you will get another email asking you to pay a certain amount up front for insurance or something.....

annie-c

Sorry,the other scam ddn't specify FedEx but UPS.... but it looks like a similar scam....
the whole idea of handing over a parcel to a courier without having sold it is bizaare!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3029788

soolin

I agree, total scam. The scenario is either as above or you will be told that the item is shipped but to release the shipment you also need to log your money so that as soon as you've checked the bike over the funds can be released 'on delivery'. Then while the non existent bike is in transit your funds are just taken.

ZootHornRollo

Thanks. I told them I wasn't interested without a face to face meeting.