30.04.2024 - Classified ad site for buying and selling items have been popular for a number of years – and this makes them interesting to scammers. In fact, classified ad fraud is one of the most commonly reported offences.
When it comes to finding new ways to scam people with classified ads, scammers can be very creative. The NCSC has already reported on a number of scams where the victim is asked to transfer money to the buyer or to a third party company after the sale has been made, for example to arrange transport (Weekly review 2/2024 or Weekly review 8/2024). However, the majority of these cases are classic classifed ad scams, in which the item on offer does not actually exist and the victim is asked to pay upfront. Today, many buyers are wary of this type of scam and are reluctant to simply pay the money. Scammers are therefore constantly trying new tricks to persuade their victims to make advance payments. The NCSC received reports of two examples of this last week.
When you're gifted a piano, you don't look at the transport company
The NCSC repeatedly receives reports of items supposedly being given away in classified ads. What the items have in common is that they are very valuable but also bulky and difficult to transport, e.g. a piano, mobile home or something similar. Victims are either contacted directly at random, or the items are advertised on a classifieds platform. The scammers come up with plausible stories to explain why they are giving the item away for free. For example, that the item had been their deceased husband's, and they no longer have any use for it. They often use photos to add credibility to the story. But what sounds too good to be true usually is. There is a reason why the scammers choose bulky items that are difficult to transport: they cannot simply be sent by post so a transport company needs to be hired. Of course, the scammers have a local, specialised company in mind that they push their victim to use. Many of the victims, not wanting to go against their benefactors' wishes, accept the suggestion.
However, these transport companies and their websites are fake. They are operated by the scammers themselves. As soon as their target hires them, the scammers insist on an advance payment for their services. It is not uncommon for the scammers to say there are problems during transport or clearing customs, and additional fees must be paid. This usually goes on until the victim realises that neither the gift nor the transport company exist.
Photos of parcel labels and fake consignment confirmations
To prove that a consignment has been dispatched and is on its way, many scammers send fake dispatch confirmations from the post office – this is not very difficult to do, and is not proof that a parcel has actually been sent. It also makes no sense to send the recipient a dispatch confirmation in order to persuade them to make an advance payment. Once a parcel is on its way, it cannot be stopped by the sender, regardless of whether the recipient agrees to pay or not. So you might as well wait to pay until the parcel actually arrives.
A scam that was reported to the NCSC several times last week shows that there are even easier ways to do it: the scammers simply put a sticker with the recipient's address on a parcel and sent a picture to the victim as proof that the parcel had been dispatched to convince them to pay in advance. The picture itself, of course, is neither proof that the item exists, nor that the parcel has been dispatched. In the end, the victims did not receive anything and were unable to get their money back.
Recommendations
The following tips can help you spot classified ad scams:
- Have a look at the ratings on the classified ad site. Check sellers' ratings. But bear in mind that reviews can also be bogus.
- Alarm bells should ring if an offer is obviously too cheap.
- For larger amounts, a fiduciary company of your choice should handle the purchase.
- Choose payment/shipping options that are as secure as possible (e.g. cash on delivery).
- Whether you are a buyer or a seller, do not comply with requests to provide a copy of your passport or identity card.
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Last modification 30.04.2024
