UPS UKASH UKCASH Gumtree Scam and scams in general

whatnocanoe

I'm starting to feel a bit for gumtree. I've had several emails from them and they have asked if anyone has suspicions of any add, please report it to them a.s.a.p
Ukash is the problem. Here is their latest response after I managed to find out when and where the code was redeemed from a telephone operative:

"Dear *******
Thank you for your email. I was sorry to hear about the loss of your money to the criminals.

My colleague should not have shared any details with you regarding the redemption of the code stolen from you as this is contrary to our data protection protocols. We will provide this information to the police or other law enforcement agencies and they can then make enquiries."

So in a nutshell they're more concerned about protecting data than your cash.
I was told by them to treat a "UKASH Voucher like cash". So I tried to buy some groceries last night with a photo of of a £20 note. I wasn't successful.:(

Cornwall2000

whatnocanoe wrote: »

I'm starting to feel a bit for gumtree. I've had several emails from them and they have asked if anyone has suspicions of any add, please report it to them a.s.a.p
(

How do they want us to report the ads because I've done it several times via the "report" button but the ad still stands. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
I won't be calling an 0905 number though.

whatnocanoe

Try this, they've been helpful so far.

support.response@gumtree.com

Mindless_Clone

Is there any avenue in reporting her to her email/phone provider? The email might be able to block her IP from setting up future accounts?

1UP_ON_YOU

Had simular experience this week with the same person, you can check this person at whocalledme or type in the telephone number 07973425052 and you will see many more..

IVE REPORTED THIS WITH ACTIONFRAUD WORKING WITH THE POLICE TODAY AND STRONGLY ADVISE YOU TO LOG WITH THEM YOUR EXPERIENCE TOO. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL GET ONTO THE CASE(S)

www dot actionfraud dot police dot uk

Good Luck

jimryan

Look out for [text removed by MSE Team] another Gumtree scam.
I will go through the Ukash fraud procedure and see if anything can be recovered.
The same as [text removed by MSE Team] for contact and payment details.

gnus

whatnocanoe wrote: »

My colleague should not have shared any details with you regarding the redemption of the code stolen from you as this is contrary to our data protection protocols. We will provide this information to the police or other law enforcement agencies and they can then make enquiries."

So in a nutshell they're more concerned about protecting data than your cash.

They have a valid point, as basically they can't disclose that information to you.

Its akin to me asking your bank where you last used a cashpoint. Its absolutely none of my business and they shouldn't tell me.

horntooter wrote: »

I still can't figure out how they're making money off this scam. Is it UKCASH running the scam? If not, how does the money reach the scammer? Why can't this be traced?

Its the same as the 419 scam, just in a different guise. Instead of using western union they use ukash.

Its not entirely ukash problem, and even they recognise its a problem

http://www.ukash.com/uk/en/alerts/security-tips.aspx

• Treat your Ukash voucher code just like cash
• Only use Ukash with merchants listed at the Ukash website
• Never use Ukash to pay for items purchased from classified ads or give the voucher code to anyone else
• Only Combine, Split or Convert your vouchers using Ukash Tools
• Never email your Ukash voucher code or give it to anyone over the telephone

Padstow

vax2002 wrote: »

Even some of the people taken in say "the police should do something "
What can they do, some facts:

Its not a woman at all !
They dont work and are busy
They are a gang of organised criminals working most likely thousands of miles away.
And the last fact, they can only scam fools !

Vax, at times I wish you'd be sucked up by your own hose, you are that blerdy smug.
There are those in the World who have never and would never try to con anyone, so don't see this coming. Have a little empathy for some more trusting than you. They are not fools, nor hormonal. They're just not suspicious of others or may have loads going on in their lives to make them targets.

My life has been so suddenly upturned, that I was caught last week.
I'd asked a scrap dealer to take away huge shop fittings and broken steel chairs, which he did. He wasn't interested in 4 intact chairs.
Knock, knock two days later. "I've come for the chairs." So distracted by my own problems. In and out of court, fighting for my income, I said "take them."
In a more lucid moment, I found they were worth selling. Too bad, my defences were down, but I'm not stupid, just vunerable with so much else occurring, as many others caught in scams are.

That's how scams and sales work. Target enough people and if only a tiny minority bite, success!

Going back on topic, I believe UKash, UK Cash or any other connotation of the name they've covered should be your target.

Have you seen the sort of sites that they service? It's for gamblers.
So having spent the last on their account and desperate to bet, they fumble for a bit of change down the sofa, convert to the UTrash voucher at their corner shop and carry on. They are of course legit, but hardly respectable.

My question is how does the recipient claim their money from UTrash? Surely it needs to be paid into a bank account?

If you want to bring this criminal gang down, and I agree with Vax that it is a highly organised set up, focus on UTrash. Ask them who your money was paid to? If they won't disclose it, a court will force them via a collective number of you seeking advice from a solicitor.
Make it a Sun/Mirror newspaper story and maybe they will help with their own lawyer.

Slightly OT again, but I sold a Concept 2 rower a few weeks ago on Gumtree for £160 less than bidding ended for others on Ebay.
Great guy, drove 200 mile round trip to collect for cash.
He was honest and I was too. So sometimes there is a bargain to be had. We sellers are not all bad.

Padstow

Feisty1UR wrote: »

I have come across one of these scam postings on Gumtree in the last few days, by [text removed by MSE Team], getting the usual messages from her. The reason I initially became suspicious was because I looked for a similar item on Ebay to see if the one on Gumtree was a good deal. What I found was the identical advert with identical photos on Ebay, the item said it had been Sold 2 days before the Gumtree ad appeared. So I contacted the Ebay seller who assured me it was sold, paid for & collected, I gave him the link to the Gumtree ad and he reported it to them, and it was removed for several hours, but then re-appeared, good old Gumtree!

So I checked a couple of other similar "bargains" on Gumtree, to find exactly the same thing had happened, they are Sold on Ebay and a couple of days later the wording & photos were taken from Ebay and used on Gumtree, with a different location, and usually at exactly half the price they went for on Ebay. I believe the Ebay sales are genuine, the seller was surprised that the scammers could copy the photos (of his house with the items in it!) so easily.

So if you do see a bargain on Gumtree it may be worth checking for the same item in the "Completed Listings" on Ebay, I certainly will in future

.... and if you do advertise on Ebay, watermark your pictures. Makes it more irritating to copy them if not impossible.

Padstow

ebzdes wrote: »

I fell for this just now!

It was a bed room suite for £50 got all the above in form of emails.

Went and got a Ukash voucher code...passed on the code as instructed in email.

Within minutes felt misplaced... So did a google search..and found this post....

thought ...oh no...too late...

But then I thought if I could transfer the money somewhere else...frantically went about looking to move the money before the scamster got hold of it.
came across neteller.com on Ukash site..
I was panicking...but managed to open an account in minutes...and used the code on the Ukash voucher...transferred my £50 ...Phew.
Cost me 50 pence....but saved a lot more.
Hope this helps anybody.
These scamsters need to go.
Ps....I am very net savvy ...but this one almost got me.

Liar, liar pants on fire.