Someone is trying to scam me

[WhiskyDisco]

Hello all, I am looking for a Mercedes Marco Polo camper van. I was searching Ebay and found one, priced much lower than similarly aged vans. I dropped the seller a message to ask a few questions. He didn't respond on Ebay but instead wrote an email to me. We wrote back and forth - he's looking to sell it quick due to a divorce, blah, blah. Eventually he wrote saying that in order to view the van he would like a deposit paid into a Paypal account - not £500 as I would have imagined, but 1/3 of the sale price!

He says that he can't talk on the phone as he is hard of hearing (BS!).

By now I am convinced that this is a scam and he's trying to steal a stack of cash off me. I'm ghosting him now.

Question, should I go to the police? I haven't been robbed, but if I was gullible I think I would have been.

Here is the Ebay ad.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296762240361

And here is the AT ad.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorhome-details/202...

Edited by WhiskyDisco on Saturday 26th October 22:35

[BlindedByTheLights]

Unless he’s used some hurty words your unlikely to get any response.

[Dingu]

BlindedByTheLights said:

Unless he’s used some hurty words your unlikely to get any response.

Blinded by idiocy perhaps.

[Alex Z]

So they’ve nicked the photos from an autotrader ad and used a stolen eBay account.

I’d report it to action fraud.

[WhiskyDisco]

Here's the latest email

Due to previous experiences with time wasters, I’m afraid I can no longer arrange inspections without some form of assurance. I recently took two days off for a buyer who didn’t show up, and I can't afford for that to happen again. As I work on-site for long periods, I can’t just leave the job whenever I want, so I hope you understand. That said, I’m happy to proceed if we arrange payment through PayPal, or at least a 35% deposit, with the balance paid after the inspection.

I can arrange delivery to Solihull, West Midlands. Let me break down how the process works:

1. I will register the transaction through PayPal for
2. You will receive an invoice with all the transaction details and instructions for making the payment.
3. Once PayPal verifies the deposit, I'll get notified to proceed with the delivery.

After that, I will arrange delivery via Shiply. This service allows you a 3-day period to inspect and test drive the van. During this time, you're welcome to take it to any authorized service center for a thorough check. Alternatively, if you prefer, we can arrange an inspection and pick-up directly from my address. The choice is yours.

If everything checks out, we'll finalise the paperwork, and PayPal will release the payment to me. If not, no worries, you can cancel the deal, and PayPal will refund your payment.

For more information, you can check out the links below:

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/paypal-safet...
https://www.shiply.com/ebay-couriers-delivery-serv...

If you're happy to proceed, please confirm your full name and PayPal email for the invoice. For delivery I'll also need your delivery address to provide a quote and estimated delivery time. There will be an additional £150 for delivery, so please let me know if that's okay with you.

Apologies for the long email, but I just wanted to make sure everything is clear.

[WhiskyDisco]

Alex Z said:

So they’ve nicked the photos from an autotrader ad and used a stolen eBay account.

I’d report it to action fraud.

Yes it seems that way, unless both are him.

I found the AT ad when I became suspicious and looked around.

[Saleen836]

WhiskyDisco said:

Alex Z said:

So they’ve nicked the photos from an autotrader ad and used a stolen eBay account.

I’d report it to action fraud.

Yes it seems that way, unless both are him.

I found the AT ad when I became suspicious and looked around.

When a friend of mine was looking for a transit custom and asked me to help the first thing I did when she sent me a link for one was to do an image search, 9/10 the listing was a scam

[Simpo Two]

He's surprisingly literate for a scammer. But really, 35% deposit up front? Run for the hills.

PS He's selling a Mercedes too: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296762214496

Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 26th October 22:37

[Sheepshanks]

WhiskyDisco said:

Alex Z said:

So they’ve nicked the photos from an autotrader ad and used a stolen eBay account.

I’d report it to action fraud.

Yes it seems that way, unless both are him.

I found the AT ad when I became suspicious and looked around.

Well, big price difference makes it unlikely they're both him.

[WhiskyDisco]

For info, here are the other emails:

First off:
Christopher Byrne <[e-mail]>
25 Oct 2024, 08:53 (1 day ago)
to me

Hi XXXXX,

I hope this message finds you well. I'm following up on your inquiry about my van listed on eBay to see if you're still interested.

If you're still considering it, I'd be happy to provide any additional details or answer any questions you may have.

Feel free to reach out at your convenience. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,
Christopher Byrne

Second:
Thanks for getting in touch!

The location for inspection is in Galloway, Scotland. I’m happy to arrange delivery as well.
The van is in excellent condition, with no issues or faults. It’s been well-maintained, recently serviced, and drives smoothly. There are no scratches, dents, rust, and the interior is spotless with no signs of wear.

It’s never been in an accident, has no finance on it, and comes with a full service history. The HPI is clear with no CAT status, and it passed the MOT with no advisories. There’s nothing that needs fixing or replacing.

All documents are included: V5 logbook, current MOT, service history, receipts, and manuals—everything neatly stored in the original wallet.

Unfortunately, I wear a hearing device, so phone conversations can sometimes be a bit challenging for me. I find it much easier and clearer to communicate via email. Alternatively, if you’re comfortable, you can leave me your WhatsApp number, and we can text there instead. I hope this doesn’t cause any inconvenience, and I appreciate your understanding.

Cheers,
Christopher Byrne

[WhiskyDisco]

The @gmx email address was another red flag.

I'm posting these email as a warning to others.

[Sheepshanks]

WhiskyDisco said:

The @gmx email address was another red flag.

I'm posting these email as a warning to others.

I don't know if it does any good or not but have you reported both the listings to eBay? There's a lot of people watching the van.

[5lab]

Ask him for an image of the current MOT it allegedly has.

[Ruskie]

5lab said:

Ask him for an image of the current MOT it allegedly has.

It’s clearly a scam. Do you still need proof?

[journeymanpro]

Is this real? Quite clearly a scam.

[200Plus Club]

Does anyone actually ever fall for these obvious scams?
The seller would probably make more money legitimately trading than fooking around with all the email sob stories.

OP send him £35 for some new hearing aid batteries lol, he's earned them typing up all that crap.

[Cwomble]

Why not contact the AT seller?
The one in Harrogate not Scotland.

[chunkyjh]

I would report the eBay ad so they can close the account and prevent future victims. Are you IT savvy? you can find his IP address from his email to see if he's even in this country, I very much doubt it, in which case the Police won't do anything. But an action fraud report would help in tying up this scammer with other scams and victims.

[BlackTails]

WhiskyDisco said:

For info, here are the other emails:

First off:
Christopher Byrne <[e-mail]>
25 Oct 2024, 08:53 (1 day ago)
to me

Hi XXXXX,

I hope this message finds you well. I'm following up on your inquiry about my van listed on eBay to see if you're still interested.

If you're still considering it, I'd be happy to provide any additional details or answer any questions you may have.

Feel free to reach out at your convenience. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,
Christopher Byrne

Second:
Thanks for getting in touch!

The location for inspection is in Galloway, Scotland.

Yet the seller’s eBay account says collection from Northern Ireland, and the seller mostly sells women’s clothes.

[thepritch]

Simpo Two said:

He's surprisingly literate for a scammer. But really, 35% deposit up front? Run for the hills.

PS He's selling a Mercedes too: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296762214496

Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 26th October 22:37

And the photos of the EQA are taken at Mercedes Benz Ashford. Which is a bit of a trek from Scotland where he says he’s based. Or Belfast which is where EBay says the cars are located