Gumtree/PayPal Scammer Carlos Janet

I posted a Travel System on Gumtree stating that I will only accept COD or Instant EFT as payment. "Carlos Janet" then initiated a Whatsapp conversation (using +1 (215) 406-4486 as his Whatsapp number) with me as follows:
<[email protected]>
"shipping company" using Parcel2go Shipping Company [email protected]>

7/26/17, 9:29 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Hello,

I saw your Chelino Apache Travel System & carseat base posted at gumtree.Do you still have it for sale?
7/26/17, 9:39 AM - <victim>: Hi, yes I do.
7/26/17, 9:41 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Am interested in buying.How long have you owned it?? what's your actual price for it?
7/26/17, 9:44 AM - <victim>: Ok. I've had it for 8 months now. I bought it new. The carseat was used regularly but the stroller was only used occasionally. I bought it for 4800 and the base was 899 but I am willing to let go of it all for 3800
7/26/17, 9:44 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: i will like to inform you that am buying the items for my Family in Thornton Heath,so i will be the one responsible for the pickup and delivery stuff.kindly get back to me with your full name and address so that i can forward it to the pick up agent to calculate the pick up fees for me.
Thanks.
7/26/17, 9:45 AM - <victim>: <removed>

This is my office address
7/26/17, 9:47 AM - <victim>: Full name: <victim>
7/26/17, 9:51 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Okay i will like you to know and understand that am from USA and my name is Carlos Janet
7/26/17, 9:52 AM - <victim>: Ok no problem. Thank you Carlos.
7/26/17, 9:53 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: I have forwarded the address to the shipping company so they can calculate the pickup and delivery cost for me to make the payment. I'm sure they will contact you soon. I would like you to know that the payment will be made via PayPal because is fast and secured to send and receive money online,All you have to send me is your PayPal email address so I can make the payment immediately.
7/26/17, 9:57 AM - <victim>: Can I rather provide you with a US bank account number instead?
7/26/17, 9:58 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Am sorry , i do PayPal transaction only ,cos have been scammed through money order and bank transfer before .paypal is the best and secure way for me to make the payment.
7/26/17, 9:59 AM - <victim>: Ok I will need to check with my husband as we have experienced the same with regards to PayPal. Please give me an hour to call him
7/26/17, 9:59 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: All you have to do now is to log on to http://www.paypal.com to set up a new PayPal account...Kindly get back to me with your PayPal Account ID once you set up the account so i can send the money into your account quick..Cos PayPal is very secure,safe and easy to receive in an online transaction.Hope to hear from you soon.
7/26/17, 10:30 AM - <victim>: Hi, my PayPal email address is as follows: [email protected]
7/26/17, 10:31 AM - <victim>: To avoid confusion my maiden name is Van der Vyver
7/26/17, 10:36 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Okay the payment will be made shortly and PayPal will notify you with the payment confirmation message.Kindly end the advert immediately since you have decide to sell the items to me.
7/26/17, 10:46 AM - <victim>: Will do.
7/26/17, 11:34 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: I have made the payment now, im sure you must have received the payment notification message from PayPal regarding the payment. The pick up company wanted R3,000 for the pick up and delivery, so i have included it in the payment i made. I have also informed the pick up company, im sure they will contact you regarding the details you will used to send the money. Please make sure you send the money to them on time and arrange pick up time and date.
7/26/17, 11:38 AM - <victim>: Hi, I will need to transfer the funds from my PayPal account to my bank account so it will take 4 banking days to clear. Once the funds clear I will make the necessary payments etc.
7/26/17, 11:42 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Please have you received the payment notification message from PayPal regarding the payment via your PayPal email address <removed>?
7/26/17, 11:42 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Yes or No?
7/26/17, 11:44 AM - <victim>: Yes I have but it is a valid PayPal email address so I have emailed PayPal so assist since the funds are not reflecting in my account. I have also emailed my bank since they will be able to help
7/26/17, 11:46 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: You have to follow PayPal Instruction in the payment confirmation email sent to you from PayPal in order to receive the money into your account and you can also reply the email to know what step to take in order to receive the money into your account.
You will have to go to any Fnb or Standard or bidvest bank money gram post office with cash of R3,000 from your pocket when you get to the money gram office tell them you want to send money abroad using money gram money transfer to the address given to you and after you send the money and send the money gram details to PayPal for the confirmation.
7/26/17, 11:48 AM - <victim>: Ok... I will contact my private banking assistant at FNB to do this for me
7/26/17, 11:49 AM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: So go ahead now and send the money to the shipping company agent so they can come for the pick up and PayPal will activate the
money into your account as soon they receive the money gram information from you.
7/26/17, 12:26 PM - <victim>: I received an email from PayPal stating that it is not part of their policy to ask users to pay for shipping of goods before releasing funds. So I think you might have done something wrong with the transfer. Also the shipping company you said I should send the money to does not seem to have an active website, maybe we should use Fedex or UPS instead?
7/26/17, 12:27 PM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Thanks very much for your concern ,i prefer using my shipping agent to avoid any damages and to make the delivery fast and liable
7/26/17, 12:29 PM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: The payment has been made successfully to your paypal account including the shipping fee,the shipping company request the money through money gram money transfer and i'm not in state now to send the money to them,that is why i added the money to the fund i sent to your paypal account.i've already told you that.so all you need to do now is to go and send the money to the shipping company and forward the money gram receipt to paypal for verification so that they can complete the transaction with you.
7/26/17, 12:31 PM - <victim>: I am very sorry but the PayPal people says they do not know about this method. I am very broke and don't have money so I cannot do a transfer until the money clears
7/26/17, 12:37 PM - ‪+1 (215) 406-4486‬: Ahaa..Right now am very confused,because paypal have already deduct it from my account and demand you make the refund first due to some security reason..Please i suggest you try your possible best to get the R3,000 as soon as possible today to sort this issue,maybe borrow and you can pay back after whole payment is cleared.

I received "payment confirmation" emails from [email protected] <[email protected]> and an email from the "shipping company" using Parcel2go Shipping Company <

[email protected]

> as their contact details. In the email it states that their website is currently offline so you will not be able to search them online.

I forwarded these mails for PayPal, and they confirmed that this is indeed a scam and Gumtree has also been notified. What annoys me most is that the profile picture is of a little girl and that he actually thinks I am that stupid!!!

He tried his luck with me too today, and that with EXACTLY the same texts, so I wonder how many people this guy has scammed in the past. I also sent the mails to PayPal.

Thanks for posting! The scammer is a West African who does not understand how names in America work.