A new scam to beware of

[springyzone]

A friend's son just had a bad experience selling on ebay.

(Not that this is ebay's fault)

The man is in his mid 20s and has this new phone worth $1500 but soon after buying it, he decided he wanted a swisher model (I know, it seems ridiculous to me too but then again i still have a flip phone, so I'm hardly up with trends).

Anyway, he has sold a few things on ebay in the past with good results & decided to list his phone.

Got a message from a man who said he was very interested but would he be able to look at it first.

Man called around, luckily was on the front porch, had a look and said yes, just what I am after, I will take it, but can you give me a receipt. The seller looked to the side just for a second and the man took off, ran away. Seller is young and brawny, took off after him.

Man jumped in a car down the street where a driver was already at the wheel and car roared off.

Seller got number plate.

Went to police station. Number plate doesn't check out-stolen.

But here is the rub. The police said this is happening a fair bit, people turn up to 'have a look' and then do a runner.

The phone has been blocked but police said because it is new, some other buyer will buy first, find that out later.

My friend wanted people to just know to beware of people who come to your home, especially if it is something small & valuable you are selling.

[*tippy*toes*]

Gee, they're getting more brazen aren't they? I won't allow anyone to come to my house, regardless of whether it's an eBay sale, buy swap and sell, or even the Freecycle site. I either offer to deliver to their home if they're comfortable, or meet in a mutual "safe" area like Bunnings or McDonald's. Maccas is usually the preferred spot because they have CCTV all over the place. I also offer to post if that's their preference. That said, I don't sell high priced high risk items.

Hopefully the cops come up with something from the plates. Hang the dirtbags.

[springyzone]

We've never had a problem with pick ups but then again, have never sold small, expensive items.

I suppose the moral of the story could be if someone comes to pick up, don't be in the house alone or seen to be alone.

[scubadiver00]

A relation of mine had both number plates stolen from a car park in Melbourne south east suburbs. wonder whay they used them for!!! 

[clarry100]

There was another scam I read about somewhere just yesterday... It goes like this...

You get a phone call from someone claiming to be from a courier company saying they have a delivery for you and asking if you will be home to receive it today.

They turn up at your door later on looking like a real delivery company driver with a bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine.

You say you are not expecting this and ask who its from. They say its from someone anonymous and they don't know who.

They request that you have to pay a small delivery fee because the delivery includes alcohol.
They explain that they also need to confirm the age & identity of the recipient to ensure they are over 18.

You offer to pay the small sum in cash but they explain that their drivers cannot accept cash.
And that payment will have to be made via a credit card.

You agree and they produce a mobile card reader device where you enter your details to make payment in the usual way.

All looks good, you have lovely flowers and a bottle of wine from some anonymous person.

Then you later find out that your credit card has been cleaned out to the max limit.

The details you left behind on their reader has given them all the info they need to create a fake credit card.

The moral is... don't pay at the door for something you are not expecting to receive.

[springyzone]

A few years back, we had a plate stolen from our car too, most likely from Fountain gate shopping centre.

Problem was they only stole the front plate & we didn't notice it missing when we parked in the garage.

Apparently it happens a fair bit. The thieves often use them to do a runner when they buy petrol. Or so we were told.

[imastawka]

My daughter has had her plates stolen twice.

Once was for a petrol runner, the second time who knows?

Even the police don't know why they were stolen - they haven't been used

for anything yet.

Worst part is, you are the one that has to pay for the replacements

They are not replaced for free

You can get anti-theft screws from the Police station for free

[ooak3]

springyzone and clarry

thank you for telling us about these low lives 

scairy !!!

it's getting worse and worse with the con artists and thieves 

[*tippy*toes*]

My sister had her plates stolen quite a few years back. They did several drive offs at petrol stations in multiple different cars, then did 2 ram raids. One on an ATM, the other on a bottle shop. My guess with the petrol thing, they were giving the plates to their mates to fill their cars up before they were caught (which they eventually were as the CCTV in the bottle shop gave a clear view of their faces and they were well known to police).

[saarzi]

That just sounds silly. Why go to all that trouble and show your face etc, when you can skim CC numbers from an ATM with a few bits  you can buy from Dick Smiths, or buy a simple kids toy and turn it into a scanner, and just walk past someone without them knowing and scan the cards in their bag?

I bet they thought they were really bright. lol