Potential scammer

Not sure if this is the right section but, I think I have a potential scammer trying to get me on a wanted ad. Is there a moderator here I can email or pm to share all the details.

 

Recently two members at elcaminocentral got scammed by a direct contact from their ‘Parts Wanted’ posts, by a scammer with ‘Mark1200’ as his name. Several other forums have reported the same scam from a similar contact.
Patrick

https://www.elcaminocentral.com/threads/scams.249322/

 

Brad,

I'm sending you an email. New user with two post and referred me to "his buddy" who will not take paypal even if I pay the fees, just his wifes venmo or zelle. The wording in the email is a bit off. Sending everything over your way as this is one of the more sophisticated scammers I've ran into and someone will get burnt as it almost seems legit. I almost got burnt on a wanted ad over on Jalopyjournal a few years ago as well. They seem to cruise the wanted ads exclusively and not all these guys are overseas but, a dead giveaway is if they wont accept paypal for the buyer protection.

 

Good catch Heloman

Just a quick FYI for everyone reading this. As an Admin for a firearms forum similar in size to V8 Buick, this scam (and it is a scam) has been going around a LOT lately. New users will join the forum and search the want ads, contact the individual in need, and send a PM similar to this:

Hi, email (insert name, cousin, uncle, father, buddy) in (insert state) he has one for sale.
_______@___.com

If you don't know/trust the seller, Never send money by Venmo or Zelle.

Unfortunately there have been more than a few that have fallen for this scam. There is nothing the police can do, even in the case of a firearm sale. They use throwaway emails and proxy servers to hide their location.

Caveat emptor. The forum staff may have some ways to tell if someone is who they say they are. Ask them to help before sending any money.

I have to deal with these scammers at least once a week. I hate them...

 

Although it may be difficult to locate and prosecute these people, it is not true that there is "nothing" the police can do. As the funds are transferred via a bank (Zelle and Venmo), there is a definite endpoint for the $ Unfortunately at this time the police are not prepared to pursue such an investigation, so for practical purposes you are correct.

Thanks for the info.

 

I've dealt with the state and local police several times on behalf of those who were scammed. They take all the info I can give them and tell me there's nothing they can really do at that point. I'm not knocking them, I understand.