Scammer Alert

Hello Sean. Yes, this is a known scam. Pretty weak one to be running here in New Zealand, a lot of the details of the scam are Americanised on the communications I've seen on these so far. 

The best solution is NOT TO REPLY at all to these things. Replying can open you up to other scam attempts now that the scammer realise they've got a live respondent.

Please forward the email you received to abuse@trademe.co.nz if you haven't already done so. Be careful of any other strange communication you might receive over the next few days/weeks

Hello Sean. My post has gone into pending mode for now. Until it clears, I have attached a screenshot

Kia Ora Sean,

Well Done for following your instinct, 

As you have clicked on the Links it may pay to run a malware check on your device.

After forwarding the email to TradeMe filter it through to your spam/junk folder enabling your Service Provider to block it on that Level also.

Keep a vigilant eye & stay safe - Thanks for the Heads up - Cheers.

Thanks for the advice and quick response, below is the email this clown uses to communicate and the link to the scamming site.

Kind Regards Sean

Edited in line with Community guidelines - removed link to scammer website and email

Kia ora Sean, thanks for posting about this. Great advice here from Callum and S, can you forward the email to us at abuse@trademe.co.nz please and follow the advice from S about checking for malware and viruses. 

I removed the details above so no one else clicks on the site or contacts the scammer. 😊

I have had approx. 6-7 scammers message me about the car we are selling . I had the same thing about getting a report and as soon the person mentioned an o/seas report and that I pay for it  I realised it was B/S .

Although had quite a strong indication before that.

I believe that they ask for these reports , as they own and run that website as well. They then have your credit card details if you do a report . 

I sent the info I had to TM and they assured me that  they would take action ..........  But doubt they could do anything 

Hi Steve. The action they take is to ban the account that emailed you. Sure, they can just set up another, but that takes them time so it all helps. Unless you have your email address or number stated in the description of your ad? (You should never do that)  Then scammers can contact you without a Trade Me account.

As you suspected the whole idea of this scam is to harvest your CC details.

Kia Ora Steve,

TradeMe staff are very active in the background helping to shut these rogue players down which extends beyond the company to appropriate authorities,

Reference:

- Cheers.

Hi there,
Posted a car to sell. Got an email to buy the car but asking for the mhh report. I have never heard of it and that guy gave me a website to get the mhh report.

I take it as this is a scam like your guys’s msgs above?

Thank you, appreciate the feedback.

Edited, removed scammer website

Hello Tanti. Yes, it's a scam. Might be a good idea to remove the website you added.

Thank you, Callum. I have. 

The same happened to me today. 

Has reported to abuse@trademe.co.nz

Edited in line with Community guidelines

Kia Ora fujun,

Sorry to read this happened to you also & well done for reporting it through to the Trust & Safety Team already - Not falling for the tricks players use!

You will want to Delete the Link you have put up - whilst that profile has been closed already it may well be a Hijacked account & identifying other Members/Accounts is prohibited from this Public Community Forum.

Keep Safe & Stay Vigilant - Cheers.

So heres the big question / problem 

Before this place went global and " it was a safe place to buy and sell "( which it no longer is )   

Back then , When people would apply to have a membership on Trademe they have to provide a mass of details including postal address ph numbers etc .  So that verification would take place .

Now it seems that anyone can jump on here with B/S details and get on the scam bandwagon . ( Thanks Trademe for not making it a safe place anymore ) 

I have spoken to three people in the last six months , people who advertise cars etc for sale , being contacted by scammers .

So this means TM is NOT ON TOP OF THIS.

Also ......... a message to the person from TM who replies here . Why put Kiaora at the beginning of messages , when everyone is talking in english . I know its a maori greeting  , but we are not all maori ( apparently only about 18% of the population ) and we talk in english on here  as far as I can see .  

Malo e lelei, Bonjour, Konnichiwa, Gutan tag, Nihao, Namaste, Choum reap suo, Kiaora, Hello Steve. You're not correct there. I have been on here for over 20 years. There was never a requirement that your postal address or phone number were verified. There was an optional Address Verification system that Trade Me stopped a few years ago. Probably simply because it would have cost millions of dollars to send out all those letters in the post.

Still, I have been saying for years it would be nice to bring back some verifications. Would be pretty simple to have a phone number verification via am automated text message. (Easy for people to pass that with a burner phone I guess) But ID verification could be another solid automated cheap option via drivers licence / passport / Age ID. A lot of financial places have this in place.