Ebay, Gumtree & Autotrader Vehicle / Car Scams

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Yes, do tell the plods.

They might even arrest the fraudster eventually.

[Sammmmy]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

I too nearly got scammed today. I seen a car yesterday on gumtree, I too gave him my email address, house address and phone number and he sent me an invoice from eBay.
I contacted my bank today online to transfer the money across. Only for my bank to tell me that they won't send the money to that account. I was furious at first because I thought I was going to miss out on a good car. The guy told me to go to the bank tomorrow to transfer the money tomorrow.
He isn't getting the money now I know it's a scam. I just want to know is it best I go to the police with the information I have now. And has anybody contacted watchdog yet.

[stevelaw1234]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Meanwhile, here - link - is another "escrow account" fraud that is rather amusing - the fraudster got scammed. :rofl:

that was fantastic, really enjoyed that

[stevelaw1234]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Under the Money Laundering Regulations, the person who opened that account needed to provide the bank with some proof of identity such as a passport or photo driver's licence; whilst those could be faked, it is not a trivial matter.

Have you reported this to Action Fraud?

yes i have contacted them, but what they told me was the get 600 cases a day and do not habe the man power, so it looks like i will have to get a private investigator on it, one way or another i fullying intent to see this through, it seems a shame that the data protection act protects the crimminals

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Meanwhile, here - link - is another "escrow account" fraud that is rather amusing - the fraudster got scammed. :rofl:

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Under the Money Laundering Regulations, the person who opened that account needed to provide the bank with some proof of identity such as a passport or photo driver's licence; whilst those could be faked, it is not a trivial matter.

Have you reported this to Action Fraud?

[stevelaw1234]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

just found out that my scammers bank is in muswell hill, surely there is a way we can find out where they live,

[Wonders]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

I fell victim to the same scam. I reported it to Barclays on the 7th December and have received a 'final response' telling me they've investigated the matter fully and I need to take it to the Financial Ombudsman if I wasnt further action.
Clearly I am not satisfied with this response as there are many of us out there who have been scammed using this Barclays account. I'm trying to compile a log of all who have been scammed by the same guy Mike Preston/Devlin. The account details are below.

Account number - 63463990
Sort code - 20-29-41 (Edgware Road)
Account holder: T Nowak

If this is the same as in your case please E-mail me: vickiwonders@hotmail.com and let me know when you reported this to Barclays as I intend to pursue this for as long as it takes, but the more evidence we have of negligence by Barclays the stronger our case will be.

Yours hopefully

[stevelaw1234]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Hi,

Can anyone help. I have been well and truely scammed. I saw an advert on gumtree for a vehicle and posted my details. I was contacted by email by someone giving me the vehicle details and asking if i was still interested. I said I was and my phone number was requested. I was told by this person he would contact ebay through his account and ebay would contact me with their bank details of an interest free account and they would hold the monies until I said I wanted the car. He said he would ensure I was on a payment protection scheme where if I didnt want the vehicle I could get a full refund. I was given a story that he had been divorced and had moved to Scotland and he would pay the shipping fee as he wantd a fast sale. A congratulations with all the ebay logos on was then received by myself via e-mail. Not being a user of ebay everything seemed legitimate. I then got an invoice via e-mail once again with the ebay logos and all the assurance of payment protection on it with a Barclays bank account number, sort code, reference and a beneficiary name. The invoice had a live chat facility and I indeed used this and questioned if this was a legitimate transaction. The answer came back by live chat this was legitimate. I went on this live chat about 6 times to ensure this was legitimate and all seemed well. I thought with Barclays bank account this was legitimate to. I was wrong!!!!!! When I went back on to the live chat an hour after the vehicle should have been delived it still worked but kept stating we are sorry our operatives are with other customers we will be with you shortly but this never materialised and I was not answered. The next day I phoned ebay direct askng for a full refund to be told this was not their account and had nothing to do with them!!!!!! I phoned Barclays and told them this account should be frozen because it was obviously being used for fraudulent activities. I was fobbed off and told by a Barclays member of the fraud dept it would be passed to the relevant dept which I had, in fact, phoned. I have contacted the police and they are investigating. I'm a bit peeved at Barclays complete lack of interest in this and would like to know if there is anyway I could get my money back from Barclays as I this bank account is obviously some kind of holding account for fraudulent activites. I am quite willing to phone every day if I have to do. Advice please. It was a couple of grand I have lost. If there is any way at all I can try and get my money back I will more than willing to try this.

Yours hopefully

hello my friend i have just experienced the same as you, and it was barclays, i am with you if you want to go and meet the ceo. i have contacted them, but they wont put me through, i lost a lot more than you much more, i wont let this die, i am thinking about getting a private investigator on it, the reason why i fell for it, i was getting the car checked out not the buyer. i went phoned barclays and went into the chaps account, and even told me my name, i was going to create outside barclays, because they are to me aidng and abeiting this, i went into a branch he was very helpful he logged into the account and said there are 4 investigations in his account, i suspect the money is already out the country, i know how you are feeling, i feel so stupid p,m if you want

[Hotname12]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Sadly this is an experience I can share as I too have been a victim of this scam in October. I a novice to purchasing goods on Ebay fell for this scam. I was then given the run around by the Bank, Ebay and would you believe the Police. I have learned so much and I have not given up on getting my money back. I contacted Ebay all over the world before getting the correct details to send my letter of complaint to. You need to start with a Crime Reference Number to get any joy. Once I had it I went on the Chat in Costume Service on Ebay I then learned the day I agreed to purchase the car the fraudster has his id removed from Ebay for Fraud. Ebay did not contact all the other members in his in box. Had I received this information I would not have gone to Barclays and parted with my money. I was equally disappointed with Barclays they were so unhelpful. I now have the Police on the case. I have recently written to all the parties asking for cooperation to recover my money.

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Thx labman and celastine,

Just be honest I thought as much I'm going for Barclays Bank and their CEO, a nuisance can by very annoying and I plan on being that nuisance!!!!!!!

What about Watchdog has anybody you know of tried them to bring this to the fore because ebay and gumtree should have advertised this scam on their sites as well??

Yours thankfully

They may have it somewhere on their sites. Autotrader certainly do.

Unsure about Watchdog as it is quite an old scam. Costs nothing to try though.

[Agerag]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Thx labman and celastine,

Just be honest I thought as much I'm going for Barclays Bank and their CEO, a nuisance can by very annoying and I plan on being that nuisance!!!!!!!

What about Watchdog has anybody you know of tried them to bring this to the fore because ebay and gumtree should have advertised this scam on their sites as well??

Yours thankfully

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

Sadly, as Celestine states, it is a well known scam. I'm afraid you have to put your faith in the police, but it is highly unlikely the money remained in this country.

[Celestine]

Re: Barclays and vehicle scam via ebay and gumtree

This scam has been doing the rounds for a few months.

Vehicle advertised as London but upon contact they say that for work they have moved to Scotland and vehicle not available for viewing (well who from the south east will travel that far for a 2-4 k vehicle?)
They then say that they can accept payment via Paypal/Ebay etc. They also state that you are protected by Ebays Buying Protection, but Ebay dont offer protection for vehicles.

We complained at the time to AutoTrader etc. Not interested.