UPS UKASH UKCASH Gumtree Scam and scams in general

xcaliber_2

Warning to others - scam still operating on Gumtree ....Pamela Hogan has morphed into Melaine Ward...this is what I got in response to a potential buy of a Brompton Bicycle....I have removed my details from the copy and paste of the email I got today from Melaine Ward (note the text is exactly the same as Pamela Hogan....hope it helps others avoid these robbers:

From: Melanie Ward <melanie75ward@gmail.com>
To:
Sent: Saturday, 6 October 2012, 20:31
Subject: Re: Bicycle

Don't know if it's been long since you've emailed, I've been out so couldn't follow up on my text message. Can't promise anything but visiting my mum shortly, wouldn't mind making a drop off

If you'll send me your postcode I can check out on my satnav the distance to yours.

Reasonable price and accurate description, it's worth the money, no bad surprises. I won't go any lower.
Can be reached on (0797)--342--5052 low signal strength area but check emails regularly.
Ta,
Mel.
P.S. Will let you know before heading out, cash only please.

azz13

pamela75hogan almost had me this weekend for £90 on a set of weights on gumtree manchester. Once again exactly the same emails, luckily I smelt a rat from the start with the number never ringing so once I received the parcel force email I knew it was dodgy.

Looks like a lot of people have fallen for this scam which is very easy to do, it just proves that sometimes things can be too good to be true.

Not only have I been messed around for almost a week but im now gutted that im not going to get these brilliant weights for a great price, very frustrating

farnaz_2

I just found out I have been a victim of this scam, it is so frustrating when I read the exact email from the exact fake person called Pamela Hogan has been sent to so many before and the exact story has happened to many before.

last week my Brompton bike got stolen in front of my workplace, despite security and CCTV cameras all around the place. Searching to find my bike saw this ad for a pink new brompton for just £370.

I reply to the ad :1001518195

in reply a woman who said her name was Pamela Hogan, gave me the email address: [EMAIL="Pamela75hogan&#64;gmail.com"]Pamela75hogan@gmail.com[/EMAIL]

send her an email saying I am interested and happy to buy the bike that night as the address she supposedly left on Gumtree, Alperton, was close enough to my place.

She didn't come back to me that night and the day after I send her and email, asking is the bike gone or she is still interested in selling it.

She came back to me with the same email that tonight I found out is a copy-pasted text, about her mother.

The rest went as you can see in other cases here, she was so convincing with the photos of the unfortunate family attached to her gmail account on google+.

I beat myself up because I thought it might be fraud all the way, but because the bike was cheap and pink! I was scammed.

It is frustrating because all the parties involve, from Parcel-force to Gumtree and Ukash , let this going on for so long and Met Police seem to be so laid back.

The only part of police that I felt that I was talking to a professional help was Action Fraud that told me this person(s) might be out side the UK so I shouldn't wait for my money back.

I called all three companies today and all of them were aware of this, I am wondering how on earth Gumtree does not put the name of this people, or an alert about this scam on its pages and giving people advice about this.

I just put the numbers and emails for anybody who is searching:

07973425052 (perhaps a pay as you go line that never answers, she claims that she is in low signal strength area!)

her email: [EMAIL="pamela75hogan&#64;gmail.com"]pamela75hogan@gmail.com[/EMAIL]
Parcelforce Worldwide: [EMAIL="tracking-notice&#64;post.com"]tracking-notice@post.com[/EMAIL]

PS. Just found out that Pamela Hogan ( the real one) written a book about online scam:
Computer Scams, Shams and Spam: How to Safely Enjoy Your Online Time [For Boomers and Beyond]!

Beware she is Now operating under this name she made the email just yesterday: Magdalena Nowacka

devans33

Hi All

Just to add to the others on this thread - I saw a Yamaha Clavinova electronic piano for sale in Reading on Gumtree and received the 'standard' reply already shown on these pages (see below). Luckily I googled the melanieward75@gmail.com e-mail address and this MoneySavingExpert.com thread came up! Beware - and thanks MoneySavingExpert members!!

From: melanie75ward@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2012 07:40:44 +0000
Subject: Re: Gumtree Clavinova


Hi Daniel,
Don't know if it's been long since you've emailed, I've been out so couldn't follow up on my text message. Can't promise anything but visiting my mum shortly, wouldn't mind making a drop off

If you'll send me your postcode I can check out on my satnav the distance to yours.

Reasonable price and accurate description, it's worth the money, no bad surprises. I won't go any lower.
Can be reached on (0797)--342--5052 low signal strength area but check emails regularly.
Ta,
Mel.
P.S. Will let you know before heading out, cash only please.

Philipi

Hello all I have received the same scam
from Melanie Ward melanie75ward@gmail.com
This scam was for Trolley Window cleaning sistem on Gumtree


Melanie Ward melanie75ward@gmail.com
9 Oct 2012 (2 days ago)

to me Philip

Hi Philip,
Don't know if it's been long since you've emailed, I've been out so couldn't follow up on my text message.
Can't promise anything but visiting my mum shortly, wouldn't mind making a drop off

If you'll send me your postcode I can check out on my satnav the distance to yours.

Reasonable price and accurate description, it's worth the money, no bad surprises. I won't go any lower.
Can be reached on (0797)--342--5052 low signal strength area but check emails regularly.
Ta,
Mel.
P.S. Will let you know before heading out, cash only please.



Philip
9 Oct 2012 (2 days ago)

to Melanie melanie75ward@gmail.com
Hello,

I am happy to pay in cash if the trolley is as advertised.

I live in ...... so let me know which way you are going so I can come any town nearby.
Otherwise, you can send me your postcode and we can arrange a suitable time for collection.

Regards,
Philip

Melanie Ward melanie75ward@gmail.com
10 Oct 2012 (1 day ago)

to me Philip
Of course, nothing goes according to plan Unfortunately I've just got called into the office so very busy till next week, hectic lifestyle. However, back at work we have some shipments for large items with parcelforce all week long. Just thought it would save you time and hassle if I'll send it along with them free of charge hihi company benefits .

I asked around and it seems you can pay cash upon delivery/inspection. It's quite simple since they're able to wait for you to check it out, if not as described they can just void the shipment with no extra charge.

If that's alright with you I'll need a name, address, contact number and also date&time suitable for the delivery.
Second option - if you want to pop in and collect you'll have to wait till next week or so when hopefully I'll get my head around.
Let me know either way. No need to worry If my reply is delayed since I'm just having fun working long hours ... or not )
Mel.

You can check out Melanie's profile on Google+ here : 103818096317826948793


Philip
10 Oct 2012 (1 day ago)

to Melanie

Hi , Mell
that's great if you can send the trolley via parcelforce and I will
pay cash upon delivery.

My address is:
........
.........

and my full name is Philip .......

Thank you

Kind regards


Melanie Ward melanie75ward@gmail.com
20:14 (14 hours ago)

to me Philip
Great, I've just finished filling out the forms online and scheduled the delivery for Friday am, 9-10am(at your end).
Parcel Force handles payment. If you'll accept and sign for the parcel the driver will then leave you a receipt and bac's me afterwards.
They sent out an email notification on how to proceed.
Did you received it ?
Check your spam or junk folder as well, maybe it got caught in there.

Let me know if you have any queries, I'll be glad to help out!
Mel.


Philip
22:47 10 Oct 2012 (11 hours ago)

to Melanie
Hello Mel, thanks for your email. I have received the e-mail from parcel force with the details how to proceed.
So I am expecting them to come on Friday am 9-10am as agreed.

Regards, Philip


Melanie Ward melanie75ward@gmail.com
02:21 10 Oct 2012 (7 hours ago)

to me Philip
I've also received a copy of the payment instructions.
They do indeed take payments in cash but not directly, it seems you'll need cash to buy an UKASH voucher from a shop,
newsagent or supermarket that has the PAYPOINT sign.
The voucher is the receipt you'll need to show to the driver who will scan the barcode and payment is complete nothing simpler.

You'll need to scan the UKASH voucher or take a close-up picture using your mobile phone and reply with it to the email from parcelforce.
Here paypoint you can find the nearest shop and ask for the voucher.
Hope this helps,

Mel

Enfieldian

If anyone used that many irritating smileys in an email I would refuse to deal with them anyway, scam or not.

On the other hand, I might give this a go. It seems like fairly easy money.

schmacksey

Just nearly fell for this scam on gumtree,ordered a trundle bed,"new half price of shop' it was the same scammer as all the others,i was sent the same parcel force request, and was looking forward to rec it,until the second email from Mel,when she said i need to pay first by ukash,smelt a rat then checked these sites and good i did,reported it to p/force,gumtree,bet she/he has made a fortune from these JUST DONT FALL FOR IT IF YOU CANT SEE TOUCH OR PICK UP THE GOODS.or do as the other guy did send flse ukash numbers lots of times to them and waste their time the scammy scabs.

LesleyCooper

Hi.
I have almost become one of Mel Wards scam victims today but luckily I checked her out when i got the so called parcel force e-mail asking me to pay via UKASH.

I have reported this to the Action Fraud line 0300 123 2040 so if there are any others on here who have't reported this woman please do so.. so hopefully she can be held responsible for all the people she has duped out of their well earned money.

Thank you to everyone who posted their mails on here, without you i would have possibly fallen into the same trap. Seeing the word for word e-mails really makes you snap out of the bargain blindness.

missevie

Just want to thank you for posting the details of this scam on here. very nearly got scammed tonight on gumtree for a clavinova piano, the seller Melanie ward75@gmail.com. Same emails as above. Visiting mum will drop off etc. parcel force was the preferred courier this time. Have reported to gumtree but given the number of complaints on here I don't hold out much hope. won't be buying from gumtree again.

Snozzie

Melanie Ward strikes again I replied to an ad on Gumtree for a Corner Sofa in Swindon and had the exact emails that everyone else seems to have had. Luckily for me today i started to feel something wasn't right so searched the scam sites and found it to be on them before I'd parted with any money. I have reported it to Gumtree and Action Fraud. Thank godness for sites like these that highlight the scumbags who try to make a fast buck out of innocent people. I hope they rot in hell!