SCAM Warning

nighthog

A bit of a bike hacker
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I hope this is the right place to post this.

To my shame, I just fell for this. A short while ago I put a Wanted post on FB for an SR500 airbox, and Wolfgang Obermair contacted me on Messenger offering me one. To cut a long story short, we agreed a price which I paid via PayPal and then he asked for more money. I said let's call it off, too expensive, please return my payment at which point he suddenly became unavailable. I now know there are at least three Wolfgang Obermairs, all the same person judging by the photos, living in different countries. The PayPay gmail address was to a Jepkemei Chepkwony and that email is suddenly defunct. That person appears to be Nigerian. I've been had. So, beware and don't be as trusting as I was. This has cost me $80.
 
I hope this is the right place to post this.

To my shame, I just fell for this. A short while ago I put a Wanted post on FB for an SR500 airbox, and Wolfgang Obermair contacted me on Messenger offering me one. To cut a long story short, we agreed a price which I paid via PayPal and then he asked for more money. I said let's call it off, too expensive, please return my payment at which point he suddenly became unavailable. I now know there are at least three Wolfgang Obermairs, all the same person judging by the photos, living in different countries. The PayPay gmail address was to a Jepkemei Chepkwony and that email is suddenly defunct. That person appears to be Nigerian. I've been had. So, beware and don't be as trusting as I was. This has cost me $80.

There can at times be possibilities getting the Money back .I don't know exactly how PayPal has it but i assume there is a credit card + a bank involved and those are powerful players that can make things happen.
I once was close to get fooled on e-bay . Seller not deliver .. but there was a routine and e -bay gave the seller a kick in the backside and I got the refund
 
When you read his post it looks like the PP email was a scam also. If so no chance of a refund.
 
There can at times be possibilities getting the Money back .I don't know exactly how PayPal has it but i assume there is a credit card + a bank involved and those are powerful players that can make things happen.
I once was close to get fooled on e-bay . Seller not deliver .. but there was a routine and e -bay gave the seller a kick in the backside and I got the refund
I got scammed too got ahold of PayPal and my credit card company and they got my money back it takes awhile to file a dispute etc. but do it now don't wait
 
I was always a beleiver that you ring the company direct if you suspect something is wrong in (say) an email. Well, that golden rule is now bullshit.
This is what happened to me : I rang Microsoft to get help with a Word problem - I gave them control of my computer like I have done many times before - he said he needs $7.50 to fix the problem - I was sick of the problem and gave him my credit card details (like you do) - the next minute my wife got a call from our bank who asked if we were in India and spending $750 - they cancelled the credit card immediately but the fucking pricks got $750 - I rang Microsoft on another number and they said "oh yeah that happens on that number" - I rang the bank and they refused to refund our money because I had given out my credit card details.
So, the golden rule (ring the company direct) is fucked.
When someone takes over somebody elses phone number its called "porting" and its not unusual.
It knocks your trust of things around and never did like curry.
 
I was always a beleiver that you ring the company direct if you suspect something is wrong in (say) an email. Well, that golden rule is now bullshit.
This is what happened to me : I rang Microsoft to get help with a Word problem - I gave them control of my computer like I have done many times before - he said he needs $7.50 to fix the problem - I was sick of the problem and gave him my credit card details (like you do) - the next minute my wife got a call from our bank who asked if we were in India and spending $750 - they cancelled the credit card immediately but the fucking pricks got $750 - I rang Microsoft on another number and they said "oh yeah that happens on that number" - I rang the bank and they refused to refund our money because I had given out my credit card details.
So, the golden rule (ring the company direct) is fucked.
When someone takes over somebody elses phone number its called "porting" and its not unusual.
It knocks your trust of things around and never did like curry.

I have had the bad luck constantly non stop been in trouble with tricksters and crooks .The good side on that is that I have gotten good at dealing with crooks
Now Firstly I have no Extensive Legal Education or Exam
Secondly Rules may be different in other countries
Third this is a Quick first shot on short info

Now you have contacted a service supplier to getting help with a problem -- Normal actions Well known company.
might even be the best known in the world.
You are asked for information Normal actions ask and leave such information.cooperation In the solution process.
You are not doing anything wrong ..IN that moment perhaps does wrong but here it is fraud as it seems.
It is not a normal behavior to leave out credit card numbers it is he asking for them.. But for 7.50 nothing else.
You are acting in a normal manner Leaving the Facts to the person asking for facts ----Where these facts later end up is dependent on his Fraud or his systems functionality.

Rules differ and I don't know how it is in other parts of the world but here telephone conversations are recorded .with fex the bank so should problems arise the tape can be played .And it is also so with videotapes.
So if there is such a tape I would ask to get that .
And I would say I have done according to Your Instructions ( Best case with the recording )
I have never admitted to any actions in India that is your outsourced or whatnot BS department in Bangalore or BongoBongo land that is transactions you have the Responsibility for. Our agreement was 7.50 nothing else.

Now again depending on what you have accepted But here I would call back asking for such an Tape ..Going past the " Dumb ass " they have as first defense line Teenager with a paper instruction..
Then with the senior person at the other end explain that the talk was on 7.50 never 750
And this being an Big company there is a fair chance that he looks into it which is Normal .. Shit happens and with cooperation they gets solved.
He should have a day or halt week on him.
He can be in the position having criminals in his staff which is something he wants to know.

He has the possibility to file a Police report and you can tell him that you are thinking about contact the Police.
Here the Police would not fix it but I have heard of Stricter enforcement in the US can it be Mail Fraud
And Australian police does have the reputation kicking ass should there be need for that Right or Wrong. Heavy handed..

When that is under way I would contact the bank saying ..
I am a victim of fraud here and there can be Police reports filed Please have another look at the situation there can be a need for your cooperation.

It should not be possible to hack out 750 from someones credit card without ..some consent with verification. And calling your wife if it is your credit card
Is also Questionable

I give this a fair chance getting the money back --- ( of what I have seen so far ) reason being again the credit card company ..being powerful and able to act.
They sometimes pay out without investigation ..because if the word gets out fex You file a Police report. and the word gets out.
Their damage in terms of lost customers and legal hassles Police investigation --That is something tricksters and perhaps even more Banks
are very very very afraid of These days Many banks if not all have dealings with Black or Grey Money Drug money Laundering or Oligarch .. Want to continue Flying under the radar ..750 is peanuts in that context. A quick refund and move on can as I see it happen.here
Business is Business
But again take this with caution ..because Things can differ
 
My wife got scammed last year. $3 -$5 k in a "buy gift cards and send us the #s" charity or debt or some such thing. She realized her error after she sent the acct numbers of each $500 card. I was very gentle with her, she is a "soft touch" sometimes. We managed to cancel most or all of the "gift cards" that day. Ya gotta be really loving and understanding with the women that put up with us.
 
My wife got scammed last year. $3 -$5 k in a "buy gift cards and send us the #s" charity or debt or some such thing. She realized her error after she sent the acct numbers of each $500 card. I was very gentle with her, she is a "soft touch" sometimes. We managed to cancel most or all of the "gift cards" that day. Ya gotta be really loving and understanding with the women that put up with us.

I've never understood how people don't have instant red flags when asked to buy gift cards to pay a debt, especially if it's for the "IRS" or whatever. But, if people didn't fall for it once in a while they would find another way. Scammers are the worst kind.
 
Scammers are getting more sophisticated.

Just a few of the many that have been sent to me include TV Licence reminders, threats of penalty fees from HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs) if I don't pay overdue income tax and a court notice from Northamptonshire Police regarding an unpaid speeding fine. All of these were on realistic looking forms. In the case of the TV Licence authority and HMRC they had the correct background colour, page headers, typeface and a very realistic layout. And fairly convincing text. There might just be subtleties that suggest it's perhaps not official speak. In some cases, looking at the sender's address gives the show away - for example, if the email originates in Japan that's not likely to be HMRC.

The one from Northamptonshire Police related to an unpaid speeding fine dating back a good few years. I was actually racking my brain trying to remember when I was last in that county. The letter purported to be from some Chief Inspector of traffic Police with a female name, let's say it was Dawn Simmonds. I typed 'Chief Inspector Dawn Simmonds' into Google and there was a page full of 'Dawn Simmonds Speeding Fine Scam' results. So that was ok to ignore.

So I stay on my guard with every email. Friends have wasted their money sending me on-line greetings cards because I won't touch any link in an unexpected email even or especially at Christmas time. Sorry about that. Not.
 
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