Barclays Bank Ebay fraud

maybe i'll look back at this thread in say 18 months and wonder why the authorities/ad sites/BARCLAYS did'nt react sooner?. I have seen the same scam as far back as 2011 and probably earlier, maybe now the authorities have woke up the the situation http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/230 ... e-officers . i just hope the authorities close websites like ebay/gumtree/autotrader/pistonheads down if the owners of them sites cannot assure there users that EVERY ADVERT IS VETTED OR VERIFIED and isn't a phishing fake ad

It is physically impossible to weed out every scam, and even close to 100% is an unrealistic expectation. It's also not realistic to expect for-profit companies to make up for what is lacking in the banking system or law enforcement. It's not fair to attempt to hold them responsible for each and every misuse of their name or site. eBay is no more responsible for phishing sites than Microsoft is for the fake Microsoft lottery email that goes around on a regular basis.

Companies like gumtree and eBay are for-profit companies, and they don't pretend to be otherwise. They provide an opportunity for millions of people to buy, sell, and trade items with a relatively small overhead cost. That is why they appeal to people (myself included.) There is no automated way to weed out all of the fakes. The only way to come close to eliminating every scam would be to hire MANY full-time employees to wade through and verify each and every ad (and again, that would not be 100% because there are human judgement calls involved.) The cost of hiring these people and all of that screening would have to be passed on to users of the sites, in order for the companies to continue to make a profit.

If the fees get too high, the users are just going to walk away to the next site that opens up and offers the same buying and selling services at little to no cost, and the scammers will move along with the people.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that these sites shouldn't be responsible for implementing realistic controls and providing appropriate information to customers. Are there additional controls many of these classified/auction sites can (and should) implement? Absolutely, in most cases. But ultimately, if people want access to these services for an affordable price, even with improved controls, they will have to watch out for themselves, and be prepared to watch for scams.

The scenario is exactly the same with dating sites. There is a lot of room for improvement (and some frankly should be shut down) but it's still unrealistic to think that all scammers can be eliminated. There will still be a large number of people who would rather deal with scammers than lose the opportunity to meet someone.

Hi Dotti,
Thanks for taking the time to reply as above. I wasnt a regular user of ad sites before i got scammed but decided that my next car would be found/located online. If you are looking for a particular vehicle like i was i knew i would have to widen my search and would even search nationwide to get the car i wanted, gumtree pride themselves on local trading of small items to buy and sell but i knew i wouldnt get the car i was after around the corner, so what i am saying is gumtree/ebay is fine if you want to say find a spare part for your washing machine! but ISNT SAFE to buy CARS,PLANT,MACHINERY,MOTORHOMES,CARAVANS,HOLIDAY LETS...
anyone selling anything over the value of £500 should be requested to upload say for instance a random picture of the item to prove they own it,along with full login details including verification say similar to online banking procedures that you and i and millions of others use daily , this would weed out repeat email addresses for the same item/s , surley a MASSIVE GLOBAL COMPANY can implement similar applications to protect there customers?, because there is no financial loss to these companys its not being addressed as it should to stop the counting amount of daily victims of fraud,it will be interesting to see developments in america regarding the fbi looking for romanian car/ebay/fraudsters and what the for profit american (ebay) company's will do or say to re-assure there sites are safe, maybe they'll be prosicuted for not having a duty of care to protect there users/customers

thanks
dogwithabone

There are several issues relating to ad scammers. Whilst accepting that it is difficult to hold ad sites responsible for the fraudulent adverts posted by scammers it is a commercial imperative that they retain credibility in the eyes of their customers, which they lose if they are overwhelmed by scams. It isn't therefore just a matter of them protecting their customers that they should weed out the scams, but it is necessary for them to protect their business. The problem being that customers are seeking out the best offers and the scammer will always undercut genuine offer to secure the most victims. It's the same as expecting your garden to flourish if you don't bother to remove the weeds. All you'll be left with is weeds and no customers.

The other main issue is the fraudulent bank accounts that scammers use. Either they seek to use the accounts of dupes who believe they are performing a job when actually they are laundering the stolen money for these criminals, or the scammers themselves open up accounts often using fake ID's. In both instances the banks should operate a policy of no tolerance to any bank account used in money laundering and shut it immediately they are notified of its use in criminal activity. With regard to the accounts opened by criminals, the banks have the ability to be much more strict in opening accounts and banks have profiled new customers for a long time for marketing purposes and the same tactic will readily identify those likely to be used in crime. It is both stupid and irresponsible for banks to open accounts for criminals and it also contravenes money laundering legislation and it appears that banks have become incredibly lackadaisical in their procedures, as the ease with which criminals can get access to banking facilities is quite extraordinary.

Aside from the fact that banks have a statutory duty not give criminals banking facilities, such accounts cause nothing but problems and represent a financial risk and, getting a reputation as a bank that is a natural home for criminals will only attract more criminals and scare off the customers whose accounts they actually seek. A reputation is hard gained and quickly lost and a bank's reputation has a tangible worth. Aside from that, what has become a thriving criminal activity is actually a poison to the economy, undermining honest traders and stealing money from the economy and the exchequer. The fact that the government and UK law enforcement are ignoring the problem is quite absurd and irresponsible.

Re: Ebay & Gumtree Vehicle / Car Scam. Barclays provide Fraudsters Accounts



this interesting link http://www.buryfocus.co.uk/news-feat...t-online-crime is from oct 2008 !!

"Greater Manchester Police and Ebay Unite to Combat Online Crime

Date published: 06 October 2008

this link may be better http://www.buryfocus.co.uk/news-feature ... line-crime



GMP Logo



Greater Manchester Police is working with eBay to help keep local residents safe online.

On 9 October 2008, 120 officers will be trained by eBay’s Fraud Investigations Team to improve their understanding of the site.

The training programme includes a detailed look at eBay’s fraud prevention initiatives, including fighting counterfeits and professional fraud, and police will be trained in how to analyse user profiles and trading history to support their investigations.

The comprehensive programme is offered across the UK, and nearly 2,000 officers have been trained by eBay this year alone.

Detective Chief Inspector Dean Fraser of Greater Manchester Police said: “We are committed to tackling all forms of online crime, and need to be as knowledgeable about eBay, and the internet in general, as the criminals who use it to defraud innocent people. This training session will enhance our ability to track down offenders, and we will continue to update our knowledge of new technology in the fight against crime.”

Steve Edwards, Head of Law Enforcement Relations for eBay UK, added: ”Trust is the engine of eBay, and with 15 million people in the UK visiting our site each month we have a duty to make it as safe and secure as possible.

“We do this by working closely with law enforcement agencies like the police and trading standards, and so far this year we have assisted them in nearly 7,000 investigations and with the arrest or conviction of nearly 200 criminals. This collaborative approach has contributed to a 24 per cent reduction in the number of people having a bad experience or being defrauded on eBay in 2008, sending a clear signal to criminals that they won’t get away with illegal activity on our site.”

5 YEARS LATER..........................?? maybe the Bury focus could interview Detective Chief Inspector Dean Fraser of Greater Manchester Police and Steve Edwards Head of Law Enforcement Relations for eBay UK and point them in the direction of this forum!!

thanks
dogwithabone

i was scammed by the email address [email protected] there are ton's of ads relating to this person when you google that email address, i believe its the same person/gang,sofia coles ,eve ,evelyn advertising/phishing ads on gumtree from machinery to motorhomes,cars, 4x4's, If anyone else has been the victim of this email address register on this site and pm me please thanks


dogwithabone

wow, this is crazy. Im in the USA, and here if I saw a bank wire as an option I would generally assume it to be safe (IF all the other things added up to my very very paranoid mind) here if someone has a real bank acct (lets say Bofa is our Barclays) than its for SURE a real trackable person thatthe police can get unless its identity theft but for this type of thing is pretty rare. Lets hope this is one scam thats npt headed this way

Unfortunately coinpuppy paying money in to a bank account in the UK is no guarantee that it's a real person and not a money launderer or thief, and a victim usually has no means to recover their funds.

I don't know whether the law or attitudes and circumstances are different in the USA but the situation in the UK is untenable. The opening if fraudulent bank accounts has become a separate criminal business as each account has a great value and potential to launder stolen funds. I can post many links, most of which I've posted before, where up to 750 fraudulent accounts have been opened and controlled by one person. That was an extreme case but it's not unusual for over 100 accounts to be used in organised frauds. Most recently the UK taxman was defrauded of £500,000 with a fraud that had a maximum potential of £2m.

Law enforcement and banks have shown little interest as long as victims have been private individuals. It's hoped that as the criminals turn their attention to defrauding the government and banks themselves, because the rewards are so much higher and it's easier and requires less effort, something will be done.

The response is always that the UK has the most strict laws in the world. Unfortunately very few of the laws are ever enforced.

I have just been duped by:
FLORIN LUCESCU
20-29-41
00509582
Barclays Bank

Via an apartment renting company airbnb.com

Anyone else been hit?

Interesting to note in this post that the same sort code has been used by:
Account Name: E.Tractor
Bank sort code: 20-29-41
Bank Account : 63275949
Bank Name: Barclays
Bank address: London, United Kingdom

Beneficiary: I. Bunea
Bank Name: Barclays
Account no: 13831965
Sort Code: 20-29-41
City: London

Just heard from a scam victim.

He sent £8700 for a Jaguar XF.

Bank details :-

---------------------------------------
ACCOUNT NAME : C I Florea
SORT CODE : 20-29-41
ACCOUNT NUMBER : 33593827
IBAN : GB58BARC20294133593827
SWIFTBIC : BARCGB22
BANK NAME : BARCLAYS

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

Car was listed on 12th January, money sent on 14th January

It's a 'clone' scam, one that isn't actually on eBay at all.

http://www.baseinstitute.org/images/stories/2013-JAGUAR-XF.htm

Various people/agencies have already been notified - Barclays Bank, ActionFraud, Legal Beagles, some contacts of mine who get mule accounts shut down. It will all be too late, of course.

I regret to state that the combination of buying a car online, a Romanian name and a Barclays Bank account are a toxic combination that makes the likelihood of being scammed almost inevitable.

I have nothing against any one of them individually, though knowing what I do now, I would never ever purchase a car or much anything else online. I've posted over 150 scam adverts appearing this evening on one major UK vehicle website and I have no reason to believe that others are any better. That being the case, even though I am well able to avoid scams from what I have learned, I simply see no reason to bother paging through lists of scams to find a car when it's so much easier to look at a garage forecourt where I know that all the cars are real.

A UK bank account has been found to be the criminals passport to riches and 750 remains the record from my research as to the maximum controlled by any one criminal. The potential for fraud and money laundering using that number of accounts is in the millions of pounds. This case, with others' is a matter of public record and hints at the laxity of UK banking procedures/money laundering regulation. I suspect that the problem is probably beyond redemption.

If a person comes to the UK, opens a bank account and then goes home, the UK authorities will never take any action against them if it's involved in fraud, even if the account was opened legitimately. As many of these cases involve people travelling in bulk and opening accounts in bulk against fake ID's, it has become a criminal industry in which the risks of being caught simply don't exist. The accounts can then be operated remotely online by one person.

As the matter of fact I got scammed and as I have been investigating as many of us what to do I feel so angry that there is no place where anyone could help in this case. Unbelievable that barklays bank is giving bogus account for a name of an existing ltd that you can check the background on any reasonable site like Companies house and so on and after you wake up and you loose your money just like that with the excuse of the bank “ Sorry sir we cant do anything, you send the money not us.” Yes I did send the money after downloading several background research for a company that is registered in the system and somehow happened to be the account number is exactly the same name of an existing company.
So somebody let me know how it is possible that there is no way to track down an ltd account holder that has been holding account with an institute like a bank.
I had a conversation with my bank about how to open a business account just for curiosity.
My dear friends it was not a surprise what he said to me that you have to prove your identity with several steps and you have to prove your availability in case you do some funny stuff and also you have to do the same with your legal business as well. Probably also in the UK you are not just going in from the street and you say you want to name your account like NIKE and the bank manager said “ of course Sir it is a very fancy name so lets do it. Do you own Nike, Sir? Of course I do! So in this case if you say so there is no doubt we open your NIKE account for you”
It seams like it is working like this. And after all I still have to say there is no one on Earth that you can claim your money back from in case a pro scammer fools you.
So my new scammer friend details.

Steven Paul
Company Registered Address & Contact:

THE SALES DESK LTD (Registered No 07113313)
73 GREEN LANE COOKRIDGE
LEEDS WEST YORKSHIRE
LS167ET
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel:+447822151698
Skype: sales.deskUK
Selling probably anything what ever you ask for but for me he sold a Canon eos 5d mark II. After he sold it somehow they made packaging mistake and the parcel stacked at the costume so I needed to send some more money to buy the extras that they packed in. Of course I woke up. A little late but at least I did not lose more.
Probably we all feel stupid but to comforte anyone by my experience they are not only good in scams they are outstanding smart and ready to answer what ever you want to here about anything and they provide you any kind of paper work what the business requires.
And of course the foam on the top of the cake is Barklays that is assisting them and still we are not able to do even one thing.
Banking detailes
Sales desk ltd
Account number: 40386367
Barclays account
Sort code: 202525
IBAN: GB86BARC20252540386367
Anyone has any ide what to do please help me out.

[AlanJones]

Hello kurtos79,

Please can you post the email and headers (remove any details that identify you) of the header giving the bank account details.

The account that you have given will not actually have been set up in the name of the Ltd company - account names aren't usually checked when transfers are made, so if the account and sort code are correct the transfer will work.

Steven Paul <[email protected]> írta:



Hello Mr x,

Thanks for choosing us.

Kindly find in the mail your Proforma Invoice to reconfirm Packaging and also in the Invoice is our Bank Account Details.
Kindly get back to us with your Receipt when payment is made so we can verify and proceed with payment.

BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS:

ACCOUNT NAME: SALES DESK LTD
ACCOUNT NUMBER : 40386367
BANK NAME: BARCLAYS ACCOUNT
SORT CODE : 202525
SWIFTBIC: BARCGB22
IBAN : GB86 BARC 2025 2540 3863 67

Await a soonest reply,
Kind Regards.

Steven Paul.


Company Registered Address & Contact:

THE SALES DESK LTD (Registered No 07113313)
73 GREEN LANE COOKRIDGE
LEEDS WEST YORKSHIRE
LS167ET
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel:+447822151698
Skype: sales.deskUK

So it means that anyone who opens an account with this bank under any name they can use it as General Motors, or Honda, or what ever they feel like and nobody checks it out? How it is possible to find the account holder by identifying him by his account? I mean the bank knows who is the owner of the account, don’t they? How can we find them? Why bank is not giving out this information to be able to report it to the police as an individual criminal? I don’t even know which police I should report it! I went on Action fraud and reported it. Barklays said to report to Interpol! For what reason? Probably they have to have some kind of identity and address where you can find them. Otherwise this kind of criminalizm is the safest way to make a fantastic living. I saw 1 scam yesterday that the guy sold 11 canon cameras for average 2800 dollar from Ebay and only after 11 scam they closed his account down. What to say?
Do not mention that the cost of a lawyer per hour is somewhere 200 pounds and of course you are trying to sue a company that they have never down anything only name has been used by scammers.
Just bring it to attention my scammer used the name of a company that you can have recent information from Companies house and this company (The sales desk ltd) has been operating for over 4 years with good rating. So watch out guys when you use Companies house as a source to check anyone as a potential seller to you. Good for nothing.( In this case)