Help I need an adult!

[jage]

Got a PM from an account created today (calianD). Rather specific item description:

hello are you still interested in getting this?.
you can contact christopher he has a Gloss Black Machined MO9516880300 - MO951 17x9(-12) 8 on 6.5 for sale........... PM him @ christopherrichard283@gmail.com

Worst part is I was halfway through the email thinking about how to cancel my mismatched rim order when I realized how dumb I was being.

[marret]

Yep, that is a classic scam method on forums these days. Thanks for posting.

[86Scotty]

There are no adults here. This is a toy forum for toy addicts.

[BroncoHauler]

While I wholeheartedly agree with 86Scotty, I will say that quite a few scammers have been going the Private Message (PM) route, rather than public posts on this forum.

Everyone please be aware and wary.


Herb

[arctictraveller]

I was looking for a set of wheels for my dirt bike and found what I thought was a good deal, complete with photos, but the seller would only quote a price after I gave him all my contact info. It was clearly a scam.

[REF]

Not a forum scam, Craigslist, and I just feel like sharing a story.
Just this past week, there was a CL post for a Warn winch, I’m looking at getting one for our Wrangler 4xe.
Anyway, brand new, was a gift and he already had one, only photo posted up was a file shot from Amazon or from the Warn website. Red Flag
After several emails, I provided my number to text, several texts later we had set up a day/time/location to meet up in the middle from where we both live about an hour apart. I was asked what I drive, I replied I wasn’t sure what I’d be driving that day(too soon and only on the first date!) Red Flag
I then get a text the day before we’re to meet asking for my address, no other context, I tell him I thought we were meeting up the following day at the designated middle spot, replies he was heading into where I live for other reasons and will bring it to my house. Uh….no. Red Flag
I had originally thrown out a price because he was asking over retail, no response. Red Flag
I asked if he would accept Venmo(I don’t like showing up to these things with cash), he doesn’t Venmo/PayPal, cash only. OK, I get it.
I had also initially asked for a pic of at least the box with model number visible, also no response. Red Flag
The morning of, I tried confirming our meet up time and that I was still interested in a pic of the actual product he claimed to have before we meet, he then canceled due to a “family emergency”……Right
Several scenarios have gone through my head, how would this have gone down? Was there ever any intention to meet up in the first place? I doubt it, after all, I’m certain he didn’t have the item I was looking to buy. He’s now got my email and #, was this just the classic CL scam of intel gathering? What I drive, where I live? And to what end? Mortgage scam, CC scam, to send out phishing emails….?
And if the meeting had in fact taken place, he knows that I have cash in hand, and if I had told him what I was driving, he could have had a buddy posted up somewhere to either intercept, cause a minor accident or to just come in and jump me while I was engaged with him.
There were enough flags for me to pick up on a bit of sketchiness going on before giving up more info or showing up and getting myself into a bit of trouble. Yes, I flagged the post.
Be safe, lots of people out there with less than ideal intentions. If you feel something is a bit off, you’re probably right. I usually like to have a conversation with those I’m dealing with from CL, at least that gives another layer to assess the situation and figure out who you’re dealing with, in this particular case we did not have a chat for whatever reason.

[JWA]

Generally when/if I'm dealing with any sort of private sale originating from anywhere online (apart from SMB or FTE) when that first red flag pops up I'm on high alert and ready to trash the purchase---we've seen too many of these lame attempts to grab our cash, worse yet jeopardize our personal safety.

ONE reason I refuse to "text" message with others is over the years I've somewhat learned to feel a person out simply by conversation either in person or over the phone.I'm by far not the smartest guy in the world but even the most well-practiced scammers trip themselves up IF you're LISTENING to them.

FWIW on FTE my PM preferences are set to prevent anyone not in my Contacts & Friends list from sending me anything through the site. IMHO anyone who needs to contact me is free to do so via a recent post I've made---that slows the scammers down quite a bit too.

I hope no one here is subject to any loss via these online misdeeds--some scary stuff going on out there.

[Twoxentrix]

Very useful insight REF; Knowledge isn't necessarily Wisdom (I know a tomato is a fruit, wisdom tells me not to put it in a fruit salad)
I personally miss the "conversation" which ensued between individuals through any type of exchange... Words mean more than what is set down in print (letters, e-mail, text, etc). "It takes the variations in the human voice to infuse words with shades of deeper meaning.” (Maya Angelou).
The tone, level of enthusiasm supporting context, and perceived confidence in the delivery all reveal intent & motivation - all feeding our personal interpretation & judgment.
I'm convinced if all communication was limited more to something like "Face Time" many would be better armed to see through the 'junk' violating us all these days. Each unique experience can guide us to take smarter actions.
I hate I've been forced to become so skeptical.