UPS UKASH UKCASH Gumtree Scam and scams in general

zzman

"She's" also selling a Fender Telecaster in Southampton on Gumtree for £200. I've had the same emails as above, see below: (I have had to edit the links as this sire won't allow me to post otherwise)
From: Alexa Brown <alexa75brown At gmail com>
Date: 16 June 2012 17:42:05 GMT+01:00
To: <>
Subject: Re: Important Shipping Information and Payment Instructions

You'll need cash to buy the voucher. Here <link to www paypoint . co . uk> you can find the nearest shop and ask for the ukash voucher.
Alexa.


On Sat, Jun 16, 2012 at 5:38 PM, <> wrote:
Is this correct Alexa?, it is asking me to pay the £200 at a newsagent before delivery. I thought I paid on delivery?

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: Parcelforce Worldwide <Royal-Mail-Group At consultant . com>
Date: 16 June 2012 16:15:51 GMT+01:00
To:
Subject: Important Shipping Information and Payment Instructions
Reply-To: <alexa75brown At gmail com>

(Parcelforce logo deleted)
Parcel Tracking details
==================
At the request of Alexa Brown, this notice is to confirm that the following shipment is in transit.

Important delivery information

---

Temporary parcel number: PBIE5569536882 *Pending-Not valid to track online*
Status: In progress(Arrived at delivery depot)
Ships to: deleted

Payment required within 24 hours: Instructions:
1. Find a corner shop, newsagent, convenience store, supermarket or outlet that has the PayPoint sign as you can see bellow:
(link deleted)
2. Ask the shopkeeper for a £200.00 UKASH voucher.
3. Reply to this invoice directly with a readable scan or a photo of the UKASH receipt.
4. Our department will automatically validate your voucher and release the parcel out for delivery.
5. The delivery agent will call you on *nnnnnnnn* 1 hour prior to delivery. You are able to inspect the contents and if satisfied you will need to sign for it. If not, our agent will do a bank transfer and return the parcel as rejected.


Parcel Force Package Inspection Department
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in and accompanying this communication may be confidential and is intended solely for the use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient of this communication please delete and destroy all copies immediately.
Parcelforce Worldwide is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd.
Parcelforce Worldwide's principal office is Lytham House, 25 Caldecotte Lake Drive, Milton Keynes, MK7 8LE.
Royal Mail Group VAT registration number: GB243170002
==================



Have reported to Gumtree, but I find it disgraceful that the same scammer can keep going with this & hurting ordinary people

lucyjoy

Hi all,

I'm so so upset I didn't see this thread before, I also fell for Alexa Brown and her scam and have lost £120 using UKASH as some of the others did, on a Herman Miller Aeron Chair. She's already spent the voucher. It was to be my husbands 30th birthday present today, which I stupidly was expecting to be delivered by Parcel Force. I can't believe I fell for it I'm gutted! I can't believe someone has done this over and over, what a complete rotter. I have reported it today and apparently someone else had already reported a scam by her already today on gumtree so lets hope they find Alexa Brown / Alexa Connel

I had the exact same email as others did, even the same reason why 'she' hadn't emailed me back - the phone number she gave me always went to answer phone - in hindsight how obvious!


"Unfortunately I got called into the office so very busy till next week. 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 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.

If that's alright with you I'll need a name, address, contact number and time frame when someone's home, can book a specific time slot if it helps.
Working long hours so If you want to pop in and pick it up you'll just have to wait till next week when hopefully I'll get my head around .
Let me know either way.
Alexa. "

Then this email once she had 'filled out all the online papers at parcel force'...

Payment required within 24 hours:
Instructions:
1. Find a corner shop, newsagent, convenience store, supermarket or outlet that has the PayPoint sign as you can see bellow:

2. Ask the shopkeeper for a £120.00 UKASH voucher.
3. Reply to this invoice directly with a readable scan or a photo of the UKASH receipt.
4. Our department will automatically validate your voucher and release the parcel out for delivery.
5. The delivery agent will call you on *xxxxxx* 1 hour prior to delivery. You are able to inspect the contents and if satisfied you will need to sign for it. If not, our agent will do a bank transfer and return the parcel as rejected.

Markunderdown

This is a very good scam!!! Authentic email from parcel force and looked very legit!!! But please don't buy from this person if you receive the following information....
I tried to buy a vango Diablo 9 man tent from gumtree posted in north Yorkshire, still posted now even though I have reported the information to gumtree.

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 07747516575!low signal strength area but check emails regularly.
Ta,
Alexa.
P.S. Will take cash only.

On 11 Jun 2012, at 22:04, "Alexa Brown" <alexa75brown@gmail.com> wrote:

Unfortunately I got called into the office so very busy till next week. 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 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.

If that's alright with you I'll need a name, address, contact number and time frame when someone's home, can book a specific time slot if it helps.
Working long hours so If you want to pop in and pick it up you'll just have to wait till next week when hopefully I'll get my head around .
Let me know either way.
Alexa.
You can check out Alexa's profile on Google+ here :!

I lost out on £100, and have reported this to UKASH, parcel force, gumtree and the police. All agencies said this is a big scam and never pay via UKASH when using gumtree!!! A bit to late for me so have wrote this post to warn others!!! Stay safe and only buy face to face!!!!

philnvicky

hi all, got had on this today, got had over today for £100 for an american fridge. Scamming litlle b!tch.

philnvicky

hi, just a quick update. I have spoken to my local police (west midlands). They have told me that gumtree should repay me the money, although i cant see this happening. I have to contact the police again once i have heard off gumtree. They also advised me to contact trading standards in regards to gumtree. I would advise everyone who has actually paid her and been scammed to follow the same route. My local police hadn't heard off this scam before. I was also advised to put a complaint into ukash in regards to anybody being able to cash in the voucher. In my opinion if you havn't got the voucher in your possesion then you shouldn't be able to cash it in.

I will keep this post updated as i hear more info.

Thanks

Wee_haggis

I've just found out that I have been done for £230 for a set of motorcycle wheels. I'm absolutely gutted. I can't afford to lose that money. I never thought I was a gullible person, but I have been completely taken in by this scam.How can Gumtree still have the advert on their site! I have posted a warning advert, but surely Gumtree cannot allow this alexa brown to continue posting adverts, they must have some responsibility surely.


I have contacted the police, action fraud and trading standards.


I wish I had twigged that something was wrong, about it all. It seems a bit obvious now, but I suppose I was just too keen to get the wheels.

vax2002

I have Genuine Sympathy with people scammed, but on the other hand.
Sending money via a non traceable source to a non traceable person for goods you have never seen.
You would have to be COMPLETELY STUPID !
And if that is the case then learning the hard way is the only way.
Sorry if this is harsh, but there would be no scammers if there was no fools.

philnvicky

i agree vax2002, but on the other hand when you are recieving emails from what is supposed to be parcel force and tbh they look genuine then there would be no reason to question it. As far as i was aware aslong as i had the voucher my money was safe. I have since contacted ukash to inform them of what my plans are and i am awaiting an email back. I personally think that if ukash were to change there terms and conditions in regards to the cashing of the vouchers then this would happen alot less if at all. This is just my opinion.

thanks

vax2002

I think the bit where you hand your money over is the clue...

Wee_haggis

Thanks for that vax2002. You're like the smart !!!! in the computing department that asks if you have done a back- up! Well, if I'd done a back- up I wouldn't be calling you, would I.

I'm 52, Scottish (being a smart !!!!, you've probably worked that out too!), and don't consider myself a fool, naive, or gullible. I have bought a ton of stuff over the years on eBay and Gumtree, and e-transactions are changing all the time. So when an apparently realistic email arrived from Parcelforce, asking what seemed to be reasonable, I was taken in. I also thought that the numbers I provided were simply a confirmation that payment would be made, but that the delivery driver would need the actual voucher for Parcelforce to recieve the payment.


On reflection, I realise the mistakes that I have made, but making a mistake, does not necessarily make someone stupid or a fool. If you disagree and would like to have a chat, I'm sure we can arrange that.