Report Scam in AH Classifieds

[AfricaHunting.com]

In response to looking for a Benelli this guy (MAG) answered in a pm here ..see below
I actually tried to Zelle him Friday and his number or email wasn't in the Zelle system and small red flag...he replied wirh a different one ..same result...BIG RED FLAG...
Look at some of what he sent me guys..
BE CAREFUL! So frustrating to have to deal with this bs!
Today I tried his cell number..disconnected!!!...BEWARE OF THIS POS!!View attachment 451348View attachment 451349View attachment 451350View attachment 451351

@SAFARIKIDD, Thank you for reporting this scammer @MAG who has been banned.

 

[SAFARIKIDD]

Now a new number from this text!
And more excuses....
Persistent SOB !

 

[Hogpatrol]

@SAFARIKIDD Just curious as to your use of Zelle. From their user agreement:

You agree that you will not use the Service to request, send or receive money related to any of the following:

• Pharmaceuticals and other controlled substances;
• Illegal drugs;
• Drug paraphernalia;
• Firearms, ammunition or other weapons;
• Sexually oriented activities or materials;
• Pornography;
• Obscene or offensive activities or materials;
• Materials or activities that promote intolerance, violence or hate;
• Ponzi or pyramid schemes;
• Illegal gambling, gaming, lotteries or sweepstakes;
• Court-ordered alimony or child support payments;
• Traveler’s checks, money orders, equities, annuities, or currencies, including digital currencies, such as bitcoins;
• Counterfeit materials;
• Infringement on the copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other intellectual property rights of Zelle®, a Network Financial Institution, another User or any other third party;
• Terrorist funding;
• Fraud;
• Scams;
• Money laundering; or
• Any other illegal activity or unlawful purpose.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I'd be pestering you too. Trying to pay a scammer with Zelle tells them you're an easy mark.

 

[sestoppelman]

Some hamhock scammer approached me via PM a week or so ago to sell me something that he had seen me talking about. I forwarded his PM to J. He is gone.

 

[375Fox]

I'd be pestering you too. Trying to pay a scammer with Zelle tells them you're an easy mark.

It seems like scammers like zelle, but I do too. I don’t see how a check or friends and family PayPal offers any additional protections on a scam?

 

[Genesis 1 Hunts]

Beware! - Scammers Preying on Wanted Ads

There are scammers, preying on people with wanted ads. They find your ad, then find a pic of what you want on Google, then photoshop an index card with their name, date and time, making them look legitimate. When you agree to a price, they want you to friends and family paypal them and boom, they got you.

It happened to me but luckily I had my bank do a stop payment to paypal on the money. I also found this person doing the same thing on forums all over the place. They always join with a "Newbie" post about how they like guns, long range shooting, and learning new things. Then they look for In Search Of or Wanted ads, and the thieving begins. Brilliantly wrong what they're doing... stay vigilant!

They also only text you, no calls. It's from a phone number that when you call it back, is a Google internet number.

 

[Genesis 1 Hunts]

The first pic is the one they photoshopped, adding their user name, date, and time, making it look legitimate. The second pic is a screenshot of the same pic I found by googleing Ruger 10/22 Bull Barrel and boom, found the same pic from 2012 on a different forum! They literally saved this pic, added the index card on photo shop or the likeness, and got me! Well, almost. I stopped payment through my bank and PayPal never got the money.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Always always be wary when shopping on the net.

 

[Genesis 1 Hunts]

Always always be wary when shopping on the net.

100%

I was being cautious, but not enough. The pic really fooled me into thinking it was legit. I should have researched the user name and I would have seen it to be suspicious. Freedomb888 should be banned from AH and all other forums. Please someone tag an admin.

 

[Green Chile]

Same person tried to scam me on a WTB ad that I posted. Admins here removed them from the forum and sent me a note, which I appreciated!

 

[Hogpatrol]

Paypal for a gun and they made good on it? Trying to figure out that one.

 

[rookhawk]

There are scammers, preying on people with wanted ads. They find your ad, then find a pic of what you want on Google, then photoshop an index card with their name, date and time, making them look legitimate. When you agree to a price, they want you to friends and family paypal them and boom, they got you.

It happened to me but luckily I had my bank do a stop payment to paypal on the money. I also found this person doing the same thing on forums all over the place. They always join with a "Newbie" post about how they like guns, long range shooting, and learning new things. Then they look for In Search Of or Wanted ads, and the thieving begins. Brilliantly wrong what they're doing... stay vigilant!

They also only text you, no calls. It's from a phone number that when you call it back, is a Google internet number.

True enough. This forum has a very, very low fraud rate compared to most hunting forums on the Internet. People are fairly friendly and want to "talk shop" and provide a way to contact via phone if you'd like to verify more details.

In my opinion, the BIGGEST fraud risk on this forum to be aware of is the "Want to Buy" requests. You really have to vet people that come to you with that "copper plated, 1998, low serial number, spinning widget, 2-screw version, with upside-down gyro adapter". The fraudsters love to scan the Internet for anyone asking the "I want to buy" classifieds because wouldn't you know it, they have EXACTLY what you asked for.

Fraudsters are impatient and they play the numbers game. 1 sucker in every 100 to 1000 attempts. They do not have the time to register for websites, read posts, participate in conversations, and then after months or years of that, pounce with a fraud hustle. It's a pretty good bet they are legit if their user ID on AH shows they've been around a while and are actively participating.

 

[Genesis 1 Hunts]

Paypal for a gun and they made good on it? Trying to figure out that one.

I've sold and purchased many "things" using paypal. There's a friend's and family option that can be used for sending money for anything or any reason.

 

[Genesis 1 Hunts]

Same person tried to scam me on a WTB ad that I posted. Admins here removed them from the forum and sent me a note, which I appreciated!

The freedomb888 guy? Crazy

I believe the account is still active on AH.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

@freedomb888 has been banned.

 

[John Wasmuth]

@freedomb888 has been banned.

Thank you.

 

[WAB]

Thank you Jerome! Would it be possible to also send a high voltage pulse through his keyboard?

 

[rookhawk]

Thank you Jerome! Would it be possible to also send a high voltage pulse through his keyboard?

Not to threadjack, but I wanted to appeal to @AfricaHunting.com once more on a feature enhancement for the forum. If AH was to incorporate known-ID based authentication (e.g. accept login passing of Facebook/Google/Apple identities) it makes this forum more secure and scammers are thwarted. It’s much harder to keep creating these types of UserIDs to use for fraud on the Internet, but not impossible. Once your reputation is soiled and you’ve abused your apple/google ID, it follows you as you try to create identities on other sites on the Internet as they all anchor back to a somewhat vetted “real person”. Obviously not perfect, but much harder for the average scammer.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Another scammer reported who was operating in the PM system. @Pickwar is banned. Thank you to this AH member for being proactive and informing me of this individual.

Once again please report anyone who is soliciting you in the PM system as they are up to no good. The Classified is open for anyone to sell their items so if someone is contacting you through the PM system soliciting you directly they are up to no good period.