What can I do about being scammed?

[bren44]

Hello all,

Firstly I'm new here, but it seems like such a great and friendly forum already! I hoping to get some help together and advice on what I can do to resolve this situation.

I just want to know what my options are to do about this, and I'm hoping (but also not hoping, because its such a degrading situation... ) that possibly others have been through this situation, and managed to come out on top. Right, I don't want to give too much info away as I'm still in contact with the 'scammer' but he doesn't know that I know he's a scammer (long story) but I am 100% certain. Some background to this is that I bought a deact off a well know classifieds in the UK for such things, and stupidly I agreed to pay by bank transfer... the seller keeps telling me it has been posted, then it hasn't because they won't accept it (because of what it is) and I got told it had been successfully deposited at a depot ready for delivery to me, I phoned the company and nothing had been deposited or handed over, only the postage label had been paid for (looks to have been the cheapest service to save this guy some of my money) and was forwarded to me to throw me off but having got in touch with the company directly - they told me that the label was paid for, but the sender (scammer) never dropped it off there.

Right, since I'm still in contact with the scammer (and they don't know that I know... if that makes sense) is there any information that I can get to help me do something about this. What do I have so far?

- name (could be fake, most likely is!)
- email address (easy to set up)
- mobile number - this works and is correct for this 'snake'
- bank details - as I paid via BT
- including their local bank branch address
- rough area and county (although could be bogus)

Also I have pictures and the serial number of the gun I thought I had bought, could those be reported to anyone, or is the gun still rightfully theirs even though I've paid for it??

I have got a bad feeling that just paying the way I did has screwed any hope of my seeing my money again, but any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks guys!


Also sorry if this is in the wrong section...

[Alex W]

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[tailor marc]

what pictures do you have of the gun ( off the add)?
We can search the web to see if they have been used anywhere else. He may have pinched the pics off the net and never had the gun in the first place so please pict pictures of it and i will take a look. There is a function on goodle where you can search the whole net just by uploading the image to google

- - ------- - -

also if he does own it he may have uploaded same pics to a forum somewhere and that may give us more info on him

[tailor marc]

btw welsome to the forum and sorry to hear about being scammed. Dont worry we have all been done at some time

[bigmacglenn]

Contact your bank to put a "Stop Payment" on the transaction and tell them that you are a victim of wire-fraud...This will get the bank involved...
cheers, Glenn

[bren44]

Contact your bank to put a "Stop Payment" on the transaction and tell them that you are a victim of wire-fraud...This will get the bank involved...
cheers, Glenn

Hi Glenn, thanks for the advice. May I ask if this can be done though even if the payment into their account has already cleared a few days ago? Thanks

[bren44]

what pictures do you have of the gun ( off the add)?
We can search the web to see if they have been used anywhere else. He may have pinched the pics off the net and never had the gun in the first place so please pict pictures of it and i will take a look. There is a function on goodle where you can search the whole net just by uploading the image to google

- - ------- - -

also if he does own it he may have uploaded same pics to a forum somewhere and that may give us more info on him

Hello,
Will get those images that I have uploaded for you, and that is a good idea maybe we can see if they came from elsewhere...

Would I be ok to post some details (name + location) I have about this seller up on here - don't want to break forum rules etc

Thanks again guys

[StefanM]

No. Do not post the sellers details here. This is a matter between you and the seller to resolve not for WRF. Be aware that calling and naming someone a scammer or fraudster on a public forum opens you and the forum owners, as publishers, to potential defamation litigation.

[StefanM]

At the moment you haven't been scammed or defrauded the seller simply hasn't sent you the goods you have paid for. Write to them requesting that the goods are sent to you with proof of shipping within 7 days or you will be forced take legal action to recover your money. If they do not respond or send you the goods within the time then you have been defrauded and I would fill out a small claims court action against the seller. This can be done online, there is a fee to pay for doing so. There is also no guarantee that even if the court finds against the seller he will pay up. You might have to then get a court sheriff to enforce the county court judgement but if the guy shows he has no assets you still might not get a penny back and end up throwing good money after bad. Been there and have the T shirt, as they say.

[bren44]

No problem, I didn't think it would be a good idea to do so thinking about it! Thanks again for the help, I guess I will just have to cut my losses on this one as it just seems like it could end up going round in circles etc etc. Cheers