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Is this a Paypal / Gumtree Scam

by phil.wheatley
16 replies
Hey Guys

I advertised a product on Gumtree, I got an enquiry and he then sent a paypal payment. However, the email I got saying I had received payment looked fine but came from via gumtree, rather than directly from paypal. There was a button inside asking to click to claim the money.

I'm guessing this is Phishing for my paypal password. So...to give benefit of the doubt, I went back to the buyer and said he needs to go directly into paypal, choose pay a person and then put my email. So, he cancelled the previous one, I got an email to say so but again was via gumtree. He then made a new payment for the same amount, but was via gumtree again rather than paypal. As far as I know, you can't make payment via gumtree linked to paypal right? He must be just creating what looks like a genuine email and then pasting it into the email to me.

Am I right, or am I actually being very dumb? Both are possible lol

Cheers
Phil
#gumtree #paypal #scam
  • Profile picture of the author onSubie
    Does the button in the email link to PayPal?

    If it was a phishing scam the button would link to a non-PayPal site.

    What is the destination URL displayed when you hover over the button?

    It could be an invoice generated by Gumtree with a pay link to PayPal and that's why the email looks like it's from Gumtree.

    When you process an order, the transaction comes from the place it was processed, not PayPal.
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    • Profile picture of the author phil.wheatley
      Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

      Does the button in the email link to PayPal?

      If it was a phishing scam the button would link to a non-PayPal site.

      What is the destination URL displayed when you hover over the button?

      It could be an invoice generated by Gumtree with a pay link to PayPal and that's why the email looks like it's from Gumtree.

      When you process an order, the transaction comes from the place it was processed, not PayPal.
      The link does actually go to paypal...but what I don't understand is I told him my exactly paypal address, and asked him to go into paypal and pay direct, so if he did that, there should be no reason why the payment confirmation come via gumtree. It doesn't make sense to me???
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  • Profile picture of the author JC Web
    Go directly to your paypal account without clicking any links and see if the money is there or not. Gumtree (which I've never used but looked into for someone else) does not process payments. Paypal is used directly between buyer and seller. So if they paid you, the money would be in your Paypal account. They also discourage anyone from using any electronic processor on gumtree because of scams but it's too late for that for your question.
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    • Profile picture of the author phil.wheatley
      Originally Posted by JC Web View Post

      Go directly to your paypal account without clicking any links and see if the money is there or not. Gumtree (which I've never used but looked into for someone else) does not process payments. Paypal is used directly between buyer and seller. So if they paid you, the money would be in your Paypal account. They also discourage anyone from using any electronic processor on gumtree because of scams but it's too late for that for your question.
      Yeah, exactly, this was what first started me thinking something was up. I went into my PayPal and there is no mention whatsoever of a transaction taking place.

      Hmmm...or do you think the guy is putting in my gumtree email correspondence address??? But I told him my exact email to put in...or could gumtree be somehow blanking it and only showing the gumtree one?

      Cheers
      Phil
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      • Profile picture of the author JC Web
        Originally Posted by phil.wheatley View Post

        Yeah, exactly, this was what first started me thinking something was up. I went into my PayPal and there is no mention whatsoever of a transaction taking place.

        Hmmm...or do you think the guy is putting in my gumtree email correspondence address??? But I told him my exact email to put in...or could gumtree be somehow blanking it and only showing the gumtree one?

        Cheers
        Phil
        I personally would call off the sale and find a new buyer. You've already given him a second chance. The way it works is, you give him your paypal email, he logs into paypal and sends money to that email address, you receive it in your paypal account. If the money isn't showing in your account, he never sent it.

        Now there is sometimes that Paypal message that funds will not show up immediately, so if you want to wait a couple hours or so that's fine. Although you may have already waited awhile at this point. But either way, the money will end up in your paypal account, regardless of gumtree, if he actually paid it. If you really want to give him a third chance, resend your paypal email address to him with clear directions to use it.

        You could, alternatively, send him an invoice from your paypal account.
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        • Profile picture of the author phil.wheatley
          Originally Posted by JC Web View Post

          I personally would call off the sale and find a new buyer. You've already given him a second chance. The way it works is, you give him your paypal email, he logs into paypal and sends money to that email address, you receive it in your paypal account. If the money isn't showing in your account, he never sent it.

          Now there is sometimes that Paypal message that funds will not show up immediately, so if you want to wait a couple hours or so that's fine. Although you may have already waited awhile at this point. But either way, the money will end up in your paypal account, regardless of gumtree, if he actually paid it. If you really want to give him a third chance, resend your paypal email address to him with clear directions to use it.

          You could, alternatively, send him an invoice from your paypal account.
          That's all good advice mate, it's already been at least 5 or 6 hours. And it's the exact same situation as last time. It could be he's not trying to get my details, but instead trying to get the product for free. I've already wasted quite a lot of time on it so I think you're right, I probably need to forget about it. Man, why are there so many d**kheads in the world.
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          • Profile picture of the author joshj0829
            I would call of the sale, this is a well known scam that has circulated the internet for a while.
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            • Profile picture of the author phil.wheatley
              Originally Posted by joshj0829 View Post

              I would call of the sale, this is a well known scam that has circulated the internet for a while.
              Thanks Josh
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          • Profile picture of the author Regional Warrior
            Originally Posted by phil.wheatley View Post

            That's all good advice mate, it's already been at least 5 or 6 hours. And it's the exact same situation as last time. It could be he's not trying to get my details, but instead trying to get the product for free. I've already wasted quite a lot of time on it so I think you're right, I probably need to forget about it. Man, why are there so many d**kheads in the world.
            So was the seller from England?, but I would say see ya mate and block his email if you can so the Norman does not try again.
            Jason
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  • Profile picture of the author onSubie
    Have you done transactions through Gumtree before? Is this very different than past experiences?



    (Edited because I had misinterpreted the transaction)
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    • Profile picture of the author Sid Hale
      Not the same thing...

      Originally Posted by phil.wheatley View Post

      Hey Guys

      I advertised a product on Gumtree, I got an enquiry and he then sent a paypal payment. However, the email I got saying I had received payment looked fine but came from via gumtree, rather than directly from paypal. There was a button inside asking to click to claim the money. [/b]
      Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

      I have not used Gumtree but when I pay my hosting, my host generates an invoice with a link to PayPal to pay. I click the link and it goes to PayPal where I pay.


      But if I login to PayPal, I do not see the bill because my host has not processed a transaction through PayPal, they have sent me an invoice with a pay link.
      I've never used Gumtree, either - but the OP is trying to receive monies - NOT an invoice.


      Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

      What are Gumree's ToS about paying? It may be a violation of their ToS to do a direct PayPal invoice rather than invoicing through Gumtree. Fiverr and other service sites do not allow people to complete transaction outside of their site.
      ^^^ I think this is probably key. ^^^

      Assuming that Gumtree has some mechanism in place to insure that invoices/payments (i.e. an escrow service) are reconciled between buyer and seller, it would be most logical for the OP to invoice via Gumtree and for the buyer to then pay via Gumtree.
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      • Profile picture of the author onSubie
        Originally Posted by Sid Hale View Post

        Not the same thing...

        I've never used Gumtree, either - but the OP is trying to receive monies - NOT an invoice.

        Oops. Yes, I realized that right after I posted and then re-read the thread.


        But it still sounds like he is getting a valid PayPal link not a Phishing link.
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  • Profile picture of the author agmccall
    Isn't gumtree a service for people who do not have or can not get a paypal account, to use gumtree as a go between. Meaning you are actually using gumtree's paypal account? If so, and you have to log into your paypal account to get the money I see no reason to cancel the payment. Especially if you can access this by directly logging into your paypal account and not using the link in the email.

    Before you write them off, why don't you visit gumtree and do a bit of research and ask them questions. We are only guessing and probably giving you bad advice to boot


    al
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  • Profile picture of the author JC Web
    Gumtree does not process payments, invoice, or have anything to do with payments. It is similar to Craigslist. You post something for sale and the transaction is entirely between the buyer and seller. They strongly encourage everyone to only transact by cash in person.

    If you choose to use PayPal, it can only be a direct transaction between buyer and seller. It's impossible to use Gumtree as a processor or to invoice someone through them. They have no record of transactions and operate like a classifieds site.

    They do allow you to communicate with each other through anonymized email. It is possible the buyer was using the anonymized email instead of the actual paypal email. Like I said, he could send him a paypal invoice instead, which would have made certain that wasn't a factor since the money would show in his account regardless of the email.
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  • Profile picture of the author noble
    Yup, just send him an invoice to pay if he doesn't then move on.
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