I don't THINK I'm about to be scammed . . .

Paul_C

. . . but I am puzzled.

A few weeks ago someone phoned me (from Scotland) on behalf of a friend of his who is Russian.

This chap had just won an eBay auction for a Burns Bison bass, but the seller didn't want to ship it, so he asked if I could take it, stick it in a box and send it to his friend.

I said I'd take it, put it in a box, but I didn't want to get involved with shipping it, so the Russian would have to arrange shipping his end.

This was agreed and after a small delay (family issues) I received £20 (Paypal) for my assistance/ efforts in boxing it up and being in so it can be collected/ plugging it in before shipping to check it works.

Since then the seller is supposed to have been given my number so the bass can be dropped off, but so far not a peep.

I've had a look on eBay and there is a finished auction for a Burns Bison (collection only) in Northampton.

I've messaged the Russian to say I've heard nothing, but heard  . . . nothing.

Weird.

lustycourtier

I used to buy amps for a well know collector who would literally send me thousands of pounds in cash through the post and forget to get stuff collected from me. Maybe it's something like that? 

Chalky

Maybe you have "patsy" written on your forehead?

paul_c2

Open it up, I bet there's £20000 of cocaine in it.

Paul_C

Chalky said:

Maybe you have "patsy" written on your forehead?

Pasty, but not patsy.

paul_c2 said:

Open it up, I bet there's £20000 of cocaine in it.

I haven't got it, all I've got is £20 in my Paypal acc.

paul_c2

Sounds dodgy as hell though.........and you're now linked to it, via the Paypal payment. Refund and forget about it.

hywelg

The person in Scotland, do you know them? if not it's very dodgy.....

ICBM

I think you ARE about to be scammed… I'm just not sure how yet.

It wasn't me who called you by the way .

Paul_C

hywelg said:

The person in Scotland, do you know them? if not it's very dodgy.....

I was called because the guy who phoned me googled for guitar-related businesses in Northampton, I don't know either of them.

This why I wanted nothing to do with the shipping, I didn't want any responsibility for it if something goes wrong.

Paul_C

I just googled the band name mentioned in his emails and came up with this so it looks like it may well be legit, but weird.

Chalky

The first part of any scam is to get your trust (the payment to your paypal account that they can recover when needed) and the second part is to create tension (the delay in communication). Next comes the misdirection, the believeable change in the story and your role in it that makes you think you see the bigger picture. The scam will most likely having nothing to do with what you've been told so far.

TheBlueWolf

Sounds dodgy as hell. I'd refund the money and walk away

siremoon

What about something like:

Buyer goes to collect it pretending to be you.  He then claims he never received it and lodges claim with ebay.  He gets the item and his money back and all it cost him was the £20 he gave to you

octatonic

TheBlueWolf said:

Sounds dodgy as hell. I'd refund the money and walk away

Absolutely.

DefaultM

Or keep the money and cut off all contact...

Sporky

siremoon said:

What about something like:

Buyer goes to collect it pretending to be you.  He then claims he never received it and lodges claim with ebay.  He gets the item and his money back and all it cost him was the £20 he gave to you

Aye. I was thinking it sounded like a Phoenician Widdershins.

ICBM

siremoon said:

What about something like:

Buyer goes to collect it pretending to be you.  He then claims he never received it and lodges claim with ebay.  He gets the item and his money back and all it cost him was the £20 he gave to you

Meanwhile the seller realises he's been done and comes after you, since he thinks that's who collected it.

In fact, wasn't it something like this - although all done by shipping - that Ross Fingland (who was Scottish, if it matters) pulled on @Drew_TNBD a couple of years back... essentially causing confusion between the buyer and seller, and leaving an innocent third party appearing to be responsible?

Paul_C

Except that as far as I'm aware, the seller is going to call me and then either he'll drop off or I'll collect.

Unless he does so I have no idea who he is, and it will have no connection to me that I'm aware of apart from my email exchanges with the buyer, who seems in no hurry. If I never hear from him then the buyer can have his money back.

Unless it suddenly turns into the classic "I've sent you £500 for the shipping" which I've already said I want nothing to do with, I can't see how I can be blamed or caught up in anything.

I'll update if anything actually happens.

Strat_a_tat_tat

Why would you want to get involved in something that could turn out to be a scam?

ThePrettyDamned

I don't get it. Did you sell the bass? 

octatonic

Paul_C said:

. . . but I am puzzled.

A few weeks ago someone phoned me (from Scotland) 

Do you know this person, or was it someone completely out of the blue?