Another Paypal Scam from Randy Stenberg NH

I had a ad in TruckTraders and thought it was odd that someone on an oil rig would say YES they want the truck for 25 grand and want to know nothing about it. I just wanted to figure out what the scam is.
I called paypal and asked how this guy could pull the scam. Paypal didn't know but said that they cover the funds. So basically, the people do deposit the money OR make it look like the money is there. The problem comes in when they want to pick up the item. Instead they tell you to pay the shipping fees via Western Union and they cover the money in the PayPal account. Just know this... If it is too good to be true it probably is. I told the guy I would accept nothing buy Western Union and I had no access to PayPal. He told me he can't Western Union and told me I could easily set up a PayPal account.

By the way, the MAIN reason I knew this was fishy is because of the way these guys speak English.
They are trying hard to speak English, but words they say or don't say let me know they are foreign.
If you pay close attetion to detail, such as If it's condition suit my desire and Can you assure me I will not be disappointed. I wouldn't say anything like that If I were a legit American. When I said Oh, I'm sorry I can't open up a PayPal account he said "How do you mean?". What do you mean How do I mean? That is not something we would have said.

Pay attention to their English, if its too good to be true it probably is and NEVER send anyone money for something they are purchasing !!!

I forgot to list his email: [email protected]
PHONE: 443-379-4655

In this sort of scam, the scammer sends a fake PayPal email for the price of the truck plus the cost of shipping it and tells you to send the shipping cost to the shipper. The fake email says that PayPal holds the funds until you send them evidence that you've sent the money to the shipper. PayPal doesn't do this. The money apparently sent by PayPal doesn't exist, and the shipper is a front company run by the scammer and doesn't actually ship anything.

Could you post the emails? Is there a website for the shipper?

Same guy contacted me via text message today from number 806-853-7861. Says he lives in Springtown, Texas and his number pulls up Lubbock, Texas. He wanted to buy a truck sight unseen off of autotrader and use PayPal. Randy Sten is the name being used. [email protected] is email. Glad I googled it and saw this. Thanks!

Put a caravan on gumtree, got 3 x sms immediately, ...definitely scammers... names were julianna Julie and Craig Steward... same as others, stating he is marine engineer, wants present for son, paying via paypal, needs money put into western union for agent pick up...didn't want to negotiate didn't even want to look at van...mmm.

Welcome to Scamwarners Mumma,

I am glad this site helped you confirm the scam attempt.

Could you please post the email addresses, phone number and the scripts the scammers used with you. It will help other also when they search the internet.

Bryon

Thanks for your reply, I am seriously interested in your listed item,I have been trying to buy this for a very long time but it's been very stressful buying this... I'm really lucky finding this at this time... i have no problem with your asking price as soon as you ve considered it sold to me.


I'm presently offshore we do not have access to phone at the moment and that's why i have to contact you with internet messaging facility.Regarding the payment,I have no problem paying the money upfront into your PayPal account,If you do not have paypal, I can still transfer the funds directly into your bank account using my paypal account account.....However does it have any history i should be aware off and the reason why you re selling it? I have also contacted my courier who will come for pick up and deliver it to my place in Darwin after the whole fund has been cleared into your account, can you email more photos.


Thanks Await your reply



On Sat, May 11, 2013 at 12:34 AM, I wrote:

Hi

Yes the bike and caravan are still for sale
I have now received 3 sms from you. I am happy to supply more photos and discuss this if you would like to ring me tonight after 7pm (After work)
You are welcome to make any offer and it will be considered.

THEM
Hello thanks for reply, i am a marine engineer, i am at sea right now. I
am buying this for my son as a surprise gift. I can only pay through
paypal at the moment as i don't have access to my bank account online(i
dont have internet banking with it), but i have it attached to my
paypal account, and this is why i insisted on using paypal to pay,all
i will need is your paypal email address to make the payment, and if
you dont have a paypal account yet, you can set one it cant take you
less than 3mins to do that, i will be expecting your paypal email so l
can pay. I have a pick up agent that will come for the pick up after
payment has been sorted, l will be waiting for your reply asap..

ME
Which bike are you buying because we have 2 on gumtree?

THEM

I'm buying the caravan not bike.. I will be paying your asking price
but what's the total amount am paying including the PayPal fees of
3.4% ??..I can only pay in directly to your PayPal due to my present
location and the payment will be fully made and cleared in your
account before my agent to come there for the pickup.. You can send me
a payment invoice to this email([email protected]) and get back
to me with your registered email with PayPal so i can pay in

ME

I don't have a paypal account....

THEM

Oh i see, you are new to paypal...You don't need to wait for days
before payment can be made to your account since am paying through an
instant payment. All i need from you is your e-mail address registered
with paypal so that i can pay in as i want my agent to be there for
the pick up soon.

ME I told them my paypal a/c was my normal email address and I received an email from paypal (I did not have a paypal a/c)

THEM
I was just about to pay when i had this problem with the pick up, my
pick up agent says i will need to pay for the pick up before they can
schedule a pick up time, they charged me $1,550 for pick up and delivery
and payments for pick up made through them is made to their corporate
international headquarters in China and the payments is made through
western union money transfer, i will add the $1,650 to the money i will
send as soon as i have made the payments,i will need you to help me
send the money to my pick up agent HQ in China through western union
money transfer, this can be done from any post office,there is always
western union money transfer section in most post offices,i would have
done it myself but as i am at sea and didn't bring my credit card
aboard,.I will appreciate your help here

ME I said I would help (nice person that I am)

THEM
Welcome (my email) REMEMBER I DO NOT HAVE A PAYPAL ACCOUNT

Recent Payment Received From Steward Craig Has Been Successfully Confirmed

You have received a PayPal Payment of $**,****.00 AUD from Steward Craig ([email protected])

We've placed a temporary hold on the funds of this transaction

In order to complete this transaction and get the funds approved in your account.We advice you go to nearest Western Union Money Transfer Office and send the excess
sum $1,550.00 AUD to the Transport Agent and send us a Scanned Copy/Photograph of your Western Union Transaction Receipt (in .JPG Format).

As mentioned in the receipt of Payment and as per New PayPal Payment policy, we have fully debited the total amount (above) from the buyer's account which included the Transport/Delivery Charges (INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPANY)

NOTE: This is important as a security measure to ensure safety of this transaction.

Please: Find below the name and address of the Transport Agent where the Funds would be sent via Western Union Money Transfer.

Click Here Locate Nearest Western Union Office



Transport Company : " INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPANY " "


Agent's Info: Name: Li Feng
Address: Chao xin jia yuan
City: Beijing
State: Beijing
Zip Code: 100027
Country: China.


Address Status: http://www.noveltyworksdegrees.com/imag ... d_logo.gif Confirmed https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd= ... ed_address

https://www.paypal.com/us/mrb/pal=KZAL42RVE3MQS

Your Account will be credited accordingly upon the receipt of details requested. Should either be sent in JPG format or send type details as:

(1) Sender's Name:
(2) Receiver's Name:
(3) MTCN:
(4) Amount Sent:
(5) Western Union Receipt:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


You may contact Pay-pal customer service by Click Here or reply to this message directly using the reply button in your email to submit the required information and include either transaction ID or reference number (PP307) quick recognition of this transaction.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sincerely,

The PayPal Team


THEM
I will like to know if you are done with the Western Uion transfer so
we can complete the payment in time and we can schedule the best time
my agent will be coming there for the pick up


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for posting! The best thing to do now is ignore the scammer and not respond. Especially don't point out that he's a scammer or point him to this site.

I have also got something like this from Randy Stenberg except mine says he is from Texas but its the same scam an same m o I have email address phone for this person. address 1261 FM 2966 Quitman TX 75783 email [email protected] phone 1-806-853-7861. He has done the same thing to me I have a bronco for sale an he text me right almost 24 hrs after I just posted it on nextech an he would pay asking price an pay for shipping of the bronco but I had to send the shippers the money an he would pay me threw pay pal. An I have contacted pay pal an waiting on an answear on what to do next.

Welcome to Scamwarners pjleslie,

It is just best to ignore the scammer. He wants to steal your money. He does not want your vehicle. The scammer will send you a fake Paypal payment. Next he will tell you to pay his mover, shipper or agent. He wants them to be paid via Western Union or Money Gram. The fake Paypal emails will tell you that once you paid the mover Paypal will release your funds.

Paypal would never hold your funds. It is best to sell your vehicle face to face with cash at a public place.

As BW says - a classic scam - no doubt whatsoever.

Look at my siggy line - if a seller finds himself making a payment, he's being scammed.

Amusingly it's the West African advance payment scam updated to the modern internet world. The hook is that they want you to make a payment to receive a larger payment. There is no logical or sane reason why a seller should ever pay a buyer anything. The scammer will bag your money and buy a round of beers.

I had a car listed on Autotrader and got a Tereza Thomas ([email protected]) inquiring about it. It sounded genuine even so she just emailed after I gave her my contact number to arrange viewing. Then she was going to buy the car without even looking at it and pay via Paypal which set a few alarm bells of. Reading up about the Paypal Scam I asked her to pay cash on collection and this is her reply:

Hi there,
Apologies for the late reply. I have now completed the transfer and i expect PayPal to have emailed by now. I sent £2,500.00 including my agent fees to [email protected]. PayPal said they would be holding the funds and it will not be credited into your account because of the excess payments of £350.00 i added meant for pick up and delivery. They said they have emailed you to this effect, so you will need to send the £300.00 to my pick up agent's office via western union money transfer so that PayPal can credit the £2,500.00 into your account as soon as you have emailed the western union details to them. I added extra £50 to cover the western union charges which shouldn't be more than £20 but just to be sure i added £50 and you can keep the remaining change for your running around, Here is the pick up agent's info needed to get the money sent through western union money transfer. Please get in touch asap. Note that they wanted to confirm the payment to there South Africa branch office address.

Name: salako abiola saheed
Address: 45 Kempton Park,
Johannesburg,Gauteng
South Africa.

Best Regards,
Tereza

Welcome to Scamwarners D+M,

You have posted a scam attempt. It is 100% scam. The scammer is not interested in your car.

In this scam the scammer will ask the Seller to take PayPal for more than the price of the car. The fake email from Paypal will look real but it is a fake. He will then ask the Seller to send the OVERPAYMENT to his FAKE SHIPPER / Agent by Western Union or Moneygram to pay for the pickup and shipping. The scammer will tell you that Paypal will release your funds when you send the over payment. PayPal will never hold your funds.

If you send money to anyone via Western Union or Money Gram there is no way of getting it back.

This same scam can be used by the scammer sending fake cheques, money orders and cashier checks.

It is best to deal locally face to face with cash in a public place.

How can it be stated more clearly.

If you're selling goods, and the buyer wants you to make a payment - you're being scammed.

If the buyer isn't going to inspect the goods he's an idiot. If he gets you to make a payment to him - guess what ?

If he can't pay his imaginary pick up guy (not that he exists), how do you expect him to pay you ?

He won't tell you that he expects you to make a payment to him in his early enquiries as he's setting you up, so it's important that you can recognise the signs. The stories about being at sea and unable to make phone contact are enough. If you don't pick up these signs he'll muck and mess you about so much you'll pay up just to get rid of him, and you'll get scammed.

Phone number 443-379-4655 has been trying to convince me to sell him my truck using paypal. I find it interesting that people actually fall for this. The guy wanted to buy the truck without seeing it or driving it and was willing to pay what I was asking without any negotiating. Of course he wanted me give him my e-mail address so he could send the payment through paypal. Like most people on this forum I was not born yesterday and if it sounds to good to be true then it probably is. I use a google voice number when posting anything for sale on line. This allows me to get texts or voice mail regarding anything that I am trying to sell and if it turns out to be some scammer insulting my intelligence, then I can block the number. Thank you scam warners. I am really surprised that this guy is still using the same number since it has been all over the internet for scamming. I guess you can't fix stupid.

Welcome to Scamwarners UTpatriot.

Delighted to hear you didn't get scammed but they'll come at you from a different angle if at first they don't succeed.

In watching out for pot holes you can end up banging your head on a girder. The only answer is vigilance, common sense and not getting carried away over a good deal.

Construction and Agricultural Machinery has become a massive area for fraud in Europe and it doesn't help honest traders do business.