Ebay, Gumtree & Autotrader Vehicle / Car Scams

[Amethyst]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scam. Barclays provide Fraudsters Accounts

I actually have a Barclays account number from "Freightlink Transport", if anyone can take any action with that information, I'll gladly forward it. Not sure whether to post it here directly or to send it in a private message (just don't know yet how to send those)

Just click http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...p?do=newpm&u=7 to send Tools a pm.

For anyone else if you click on their username an option should pop up saying 'send a private message' or go to your 'My profile' page and click send new message and type the username in the To box.

If it is a bank account thats been used by the scammers then posting it up here publicly is a good idea to, as it might show up if any future victims happen to google the bank details (long shot but every little helps)

[Jolien]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

I found now how to send messages, guess I couldn't see it before 'cause I was logged out again. I'm used to seeing a "send a PM" button at the bottom.

I'll share the address & bank info here as well then... Also, I must say it was rather hard to find you guys, I only found it after searching for the Gillerats company (and I found that one when I searched their tagline "Professional Logistics made Affordable"...)

Address:	Freightlink Transport Limited Wilbury Hills Farm House Wilbury Hills Road Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 4LB United Kingdom
Company Number:		04886063
Telephone:		(+44) 01442 78 0615
Fax:		(+44) 08715 04 6565

Account Holder: Freightlink Transport
Bank name: Barclays Bank
Bank address: 2 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HP
Account number: 00254622
Sort code: 20-79-29
IBAN: GB09 BARC 2079 2900 2546 22
SWIFT CODE (BIC): BARCGB22 XXX

[Boycie]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

Jolien - it's not that we're hard to find. The scammer changes details all the time to attempt to avoid his activities being easily detected but a number of us devote a lot of time to tracking them down, whether it's the adverts, the fake websites or the 'money mule' bank accounts. Be in no doubt that this is organised crime and they have the resources to devote to this on a massive scale. They cover all major vehicle ad sites, villa rental and apartment rental sites and more besides. They flourish where regulation and enforcement is lax which is why the UK is their natural home.

[Jolien]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

Jolien - it's not that we're hard to find. The scammer changes details all the time to attempt to avoid his activities being easily detected but a number of us devote a lot of time to tracking them down, whether it's the adverts, the fake websites or the 'money mule' bank accounts. Be in no doubt that this is organised crime and they have the resources to devote to this on a massive scale. They cover all major vehicle ad sites, villa rental and apartment rental sites and more besides. They flourish where regulation and enforcement is lax which is why the UK is their natural home.

Not sure if the grass is that much greener at the other side of the Canal... And I wasn't accusing anyone, I can imagine it's a pain to track them down, I'm just surprised that Google didn't spit this forum out much sooner, could be because of country filters... I for one had never heard before that Barclays is a favourite bank for scammers... I did try to find a company registration page that would show company information with their linked bank account (that info is available here in Hungary for free as well, if you can read the language that is and that's something people like to scam with) but I did not find a website like that (or I failed to searched the right way, possible too).

Not talking about you guys, but I must say I find it unbelievable that the exact same website, with the exact same layout and text has been turning up that many times since (as far as I found) 2012 and that nobody is able with the current technology (so to say) to track these things down as soon as they turn up. Come on, how many companies can say they've transported "a particularly innovative research object: the prototype of a hydrogen race engine by air cargo to Austrialia" for "the researchers of FH Birmingham". Which leaves me to wonder if there is one company that actually did do that (or something simular)...

I'm still pissed, wish you guys all the best and I hope someone will find this information just in time. :beagle:

[Boycie]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

I have started a thread

http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...068#post467068

where those who would be willing to join in a complaint to the FCA regarding the Barclays Bank plc money laundering accounts may record their interest. A member was told by the FOS that he would need 20 complainants and, though I am not a victim, I would be happy to provide my extensive records of dealings with these criminals, and also links to relevant news reports.

It won't get anyone's money back but the issue was raised and the possibility ought at least be explored especially as the FOS have opened the door.

[Boycie]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

I've been noticing hacked car dealer pages over the past week or so on AT UK and they have had me puzzled as they didn't have any scammer email addresses included to ensure that buyer enquiries went to them and not the dealer. Some I have posted and some I have left, though they were obviously fraudulent, but now a car dealer victim's website has explained it.

WARNING WARNING WARNING
Fraudsters are targeting dealers websites to advertise spurious cars at very low prices and asking you to contact them usually via an email address, only reply direct to the dealers land line, (in our case XXXXXXXXXXX). Beware of requests to contact other telephone numbers.

The scammer is inserting his own telesales number and relying on that to pick up sales of the fraudulent adverts from victims. The good news is that it possibly indicates that the scammers are struggling with their current tactics, and this tactic isn't likely to be very effective as people can't call at night and the adverts will be removed in the early morning.

[Jolien]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

Omg, I thought we were done with our guy, but after we told the man (or woman?) that we don't trust the service anymore and confronted him with the other websites, his reply:

Hello,

I seen the websites but that is crazy. I was at Freightlink office to leave the car. They saw the link and they said that those are indeed fraud companies that are copied from their website and that they made a lot of complains and posts on the internet...

Anyway, I wasn't going to reply, but my husband sent something anyway, that he could deliver the car at one of the places we discussed and that we'd pay then, in cash. We thought we were done, but apparently not.

Hello XXXXX,

I did research after research on Freightlink to see who is right and I trust them more than I trust you. I will not deliver the car to XXXX with payment after. If you want it in another way, you can come to pick it directly from Freightlink and pay in cash. I don't like to do things in vain, I am not a puppet. If a woman cheat and look like my wife doesn't mean that my wife cheats too. Using Freightlink is no risk for any of us. If you want to be the only one protected, then I am sorry, I will sell it to someone else.

All the best,
XXXX

So, in a weekend we suddenly became the scammers... And where did the woman came from?!

[Amethyst]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

lol, they are quite imaginative with their analogies you have to give them that.

[Tools]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

They are also very good at social engineering and psychological tactics. That outburst was designed to "assure you" they have looked into it and that all is well, it also puts you on the defensive in the hope you will think you have offended them and therefore feel obliged to go through with the deal. Many people fail to understand how people fall for these scams but they are very clever and to fall for it does not mean you are any less intelligent.

[Jolien]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

They are also very good at social engineering and psychological tactics. That outburst was designed to "assure you" they have looked into it and that all is well, it also puts you on the defensive in the hope you will think you have offended them and therefore feel obliged to go through with the deal. Many people fail to understand how people fall for these scams but they are very clever and to fall for it does not mean you are any less intelligent.

This exactly. You described the exact feeling it gave me, was it not that I IP searched the site (it's registered in China by some Ge Bing and only since 7/31) and found info about how these scams work on forums. Seriously never considered the whole "I moved to England" to be a general scam, 'cause it does seem a plausible explanation. We also got the VIN number from him, checked it with the local dealer and even the amount of km seemed alright, apart from the last service that the car should have had according to him and which he would check on with his dealer... I assume now that someone bought this car last year and that since then they did not take it to a(n) (official) dealer anymore, so no registration...

We bought our car today locally. Seen it, tried it and the company is trustworthy. I think. We're checking again with the dealer to be sure. And what else can you do than have some trust & faith in people? Apart from hoping that we put our trust & faith in the right people...

[Tools]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

The biggest and best advice anyone here can give you is

Go see the car and touch the metal!!

99.99999% of scams involve vehicles to which the seller does not have in their possession, even if you are told the vehicle is in storage, go and physically see it, do not rely on photographs.

If they come up with excuses why you cannot, walk away. There are thousands of other vehicles and sellers, even if the prices may be higher, spending an extra thousand and actually getting something for it is better than blindly sending several thousands to a scammer and receiving nothing.

[Boycie]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

The organisation behind this fraud is likely to be East European/Russian though it's likely that the leg work is delegated to trusted members of the criminal community mainly based in the UK who must be offered some form of pay off for introducing victims to their system. They well know that websites hosted in China and Russia are much more difficult to get taken down which is the aim of organisations of which I am a member and others. Where they can't be taken down then their involvement in crime is posted online as a warning.

I will take credit for being responsible for the criminals on AT UK removing vehicle registrations from many of their fraudulent adverts since I included details of vehicle registrations in my warnings. The satisfying thing about that is that it confirms that I can influence their behaviour and also impact on their success. I have to be relentless in reporting fraudulent adverts to force them to change tactics. Their latest change to using phone numbers instead of email addresses seems like a loser to me and I can devise methods to make that it more ineffective than it must be already.

[Boycie]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

Posted in error.

[Hannah96]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

Hi Hannah, have sent you a message

I apologise for the delayed response although I can no longer find the message, are you still able to help me, Thanks

[Boycie]

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scams

I've had a few poorly days this week, though even that doesn't stop me contacting the scammers.

Last night AT UK were quick at removing fraudulent adverts on hacked dealer pages. I can't emphasise enough the risk this poses for dealers as well as buyers. When I pose as a buyer the process the scammer puts me through is very clearly intended to 'phish' my mail account, as well as steal my money. It wouldn't be a good idea to spell out how it's done, but unless you can spot what's happening you are at great risk and, for a dealer with a business bank account being a tempting source of money, the scammer can make more money from cleaning out a car dealer's account than he can from a car buying victim.

The scammers are much more wary about my purchase requests, which is nice to see, but I can set up fresh identities (quite legally) until the cows come home and I know a thing or two myself about doing it effectively. Most recently it does appear that the combined efforts of all those working against these criminals is slowing them down. Taking down their fake websites and bank accounts is tedious but, without them, the fraudulent adverts serve no purpose.