Fraud: Classifieds platforms in the focus of criminals!

Fraud on classified advertising platforms is in season: The Watchlist Internet receives numerous reports of fraud on eBay, Willhaben, Vinted and other platforms. The scam usually works in a similar way. The alleged buyer contacts you via the platform. Often the person then wants to switch to WhatsApp or contacts you directly via SMS or direct message. The fraud is taking its course - here we have listed the most common fraud schemes for you.

Fraud about having will

In this well-known scam, criminals pose as interested buyers. They express their alleged interest via WhatsApp and suggest making the purchase via a “courier service”. Supposedly this is very safe, and the fraudsters may also send a link that explains the procedure: willhaben-at.shop/help.html. But be careful! It's a fake website designed to trick you into transferring money yourself or handing over your credit card details to the criminals!

Victims are put under great pressure by criminals to reveal their data. The criminals also allegedly make a transfer in the amount of the purchase price of your product and ask you to release it. Don't fall for this scam - transfers from other parties can only be approved by them! In reality, you are being deceived and releasing a payment yourself. In this way, you transfer money to the criminals.

Fraud on eBay

According to a reader's description, the fraud on eBay works as follows: The alleged buyers contact us directly via WhatsApp. The victims should then access an ebay.pay page (ebay.pay|06.online). This is a fake site, eBay does not offer this service! Victims are asked to provide their credit card details. A “test amount” is then allegedly debited, which is subsequently transferred back together with the buyer’s money.

Don't trust these dubious claims! Instead of getting money back, victims are constantly debited. Once you have provided your details, all you have to do is have the card blocked and quickly contact your bank or credit card company.

Fake postal courier scams

The fraudulent website, which appears with different addresses such as post-at.xyz/help.html, post-service.online/html.help or post.at-service.uno/help.html, looks like the real post page ( www .post.at ) is confusingly similar. However, the Austrian Post does not offer a courier service - such suggestions from buyers on classified ad platforms are fraud!

In this scam, criminals pose as buyers and send victims a link to supposedly receive money for the product sold. The criminals lure sellers to the fake postal site and demand that they provide their credit card details and other personal information in order to receive the money. Afterwards, victims are redirected and asked to share the signature on their banking app to receive the money. What the victims don't know is that they are releasing a transfer to the criminals! Instead of receiving money, the victims transfer money to the fraudsters.

This is how you recognize dubious offers

The scams run on different platforms and the criminals act under different aliases. But you can recognize fraudulent offers on classified ad platforms from these points:

• Fraudulent buyers do not communicate via the platform. Sales discussions usually take place on WhatsApp, via SMS or by telephone.
• At first glance, buyers seem uncomplicated; the price is usually accepted without negotiation.
• The buyers are allegedly abroad and cannot pick up the goods themselves.
• The buyers organize the shipping and payment of the product using dubious services. These either don't exist at all, or they are well-replicated fake sites. They usually claim to be courier services from DHL, the post office, an international shipping company or an intermediary and payment service provider.

Be particularly careful of these fraudulent internet addresses:

post-at.xyz/help.html
post.at-service.uno/help.html
post-service.online/html.help
ebay.pay|06.online
willhaben-at.shop
willhaben-at.123456.space

Have you fallen into the trap? This is what needs to be done

• Have you not paid anything yet and have not entered any credit card details?
  Cut off contact with the criminals.
  Expect the criminals to be very persistent. Don't let yourself be put under pressure. It's best to block the scammers' phone number. Report the person to the classifieds platform. Make sure you don't release any unauthorized payments in the following days!
  The criminals may still be trying to get your money for some time.
• Have you provided credit card details and approved payments?
  Contact your credit card company.
  Ask if the payment can be stopped or recovered. Clarify whether it makes sense to have the card blocked. Make sure that no further debits are made and check your outgoing payments in the next few weeks. You can also file a free criminal report with the police.

Advice & help:

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Matching: Rip-off on Ebay classifieds with fake page and Ebay courier service

Source: Watchlist Internet