[DAPpower]

Worst part is, this user had *recent* Classifieds transactions. From 2023. Positive feedback for years and years and years. Hacked, scammed, and now I get to go chase down a botched F&F (or just eat a $500 loss, if nothing works to recoup). Sigh.

I'm sorry friend.

I'm hopeful that you will get a charge back approved, credit cards are much easier in that situation.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Today I finally reported the whole thing to the moderation team who confirmed that around the dates of the transaction there had been third-party access to the account, and I'm screwed.

So they can tell there was unauthorized "third-party access" to that account but can't do nothing to prevent it?
I got burned myself but luckily used G&S and while it took some sweet time, PayPal eventually resolved it in my favor. Still far from pleasant experience dealing with the whole thing.
There is a good reason Classified has this warning at the very top, little saving not worth the drama.

"Do not offer, request, or send money via unprotected methods like PayPal Friends & Family."

And while there were some reports that scammers can even circumvent G&S, at least it provides some assurance, with F&F PP will do nothing for you.

 

[DAPpower]

Worst part is, this user had *recent* Classifieds transactions. From 2023. Positive feedback for years and years and years. Hacked, scammed, and now I get to go chase down a botched F&F (or just eat a $500 loss, if nothing works to recoup). Sigh.

What I should have done, is rather than asking for "a picture" of the device (which I've since gone and reverse image searched, and found that the "seller" copied the picture from another forum where a Bifrost was sold earlier this summer), is to ask for a usernamed and timestamped picture of the device - just like many trustworthy sellers already do, and some other forums mandate. I'll be doing that going forward.

So any updates on your claim?

 

[klardotsh]

So any updates on your claim?

So far PayPal closed my original ticket; I intend to continue pestering them to reopen the investigation, especially since I've now received a DM from another Head-Fi user who was scammed by the same sack of <redacted> and can show that this was a pattern of abuse by that PayPal account, and not just a one-off botched F&F ordeal.

So... no good news yet, and I'm still broadly assuming this $500 is lost, but we'll see.

 

[DAPpower]

So far PayPal closed my original ticket; I intend to continue pestering them to reopen the investigation, especially since I've now received a DM from another Head-Fi user who was scammed by the same sack of <redacted> and can show that this was a pattern of abuse by that PayPal account, and not just a one-off botched F&F ordeal.

So... no good news yet, and I'm still broadly assuming this $500 is lost, but we'll see.

No, forget Paypal. They absolutely will not help with botched F&F disputes. You must open a dispute with your credit card company/issuer!

 

[klardotsh]

No, forget Paypal. They absolutely will not help with botched F&F disputes. You must open a dispute with your credit card company/issuer!

My impression, from reading around the web, is that a F&F chargeback has high potential to just set my own PayPal account into the negatives (and owe them the money again), is this not the case?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

My impression, from reading around the web, is that a F&F chargeback has high potential to just set my own PayPal account into the negatives (and owe them the money again), is this not the case?

See if this helps
Good luck, hopefully you get this solved.

 

[newToAudio100]

Just a warning to everyone here I've had two scammers reach out to me recently. One well known account was hacked and tried to sell me a Wells Audio headtrip II and the same account messaged me the next day warning his account was hacked and not to proceed with the transaction.

Also another account with no history reached out to sell me an amp and was very persistent about using f&f for a high priced payment. He had no classified feedback and his only activity was recently. I told him I would pay via goods and services and cover the fee because I do not do f&f. He said it's okay you can send the total including the fee through f&f.. he was clearly a scammer. F&f does not have a fee. I think head-fi somehow has been picking up on some of these accounts because I can no longer message that guy. I hope one day people won't have to worry about scammers but I fear it will get worse in the future with AI voice emulated scams.

 

[DAPpower]

Just a warning to everyone here I've had two scammers reach out to me recently. One well known account was hacked and tried to sell me a Wells Audio headtrip II and the same account messaged me the next day warning his account was hacked and not to proceed with the transaction.

Also another account with no history reached out to sell me an amp and was very persistent about using f&f for a high priced payment. He had no classified feedback and his only activity was recently. I told him I would pay via goods and services and cover the fee because I do not do f&f. He said it's okay you can send the total including the fee through f&f.. he was clearly a scammer. F&f does not have a fee. I think head-fi somehow has been picking up on some of these accounts because I can no longer message that guy. I hope one day people won't have to worry about scammers but I fear it will get worse in the future with AI voice emulated scams.

How sad. I'm glad you were aware of everything and didn't get bit.

It's insanity that you can't even trust long time high feedback accounts because there's no way to tell if the account has been hacked recently or not.

I guess the best thing to do is too include a paper with your Headfi name on it in listing photos if you're reselling used audio gear and to keep an eye out for that detail when your browsing/buying items on Classified Fields.

 

[DAPpower]

It is my honor to include @Stewart5G to the scammer's hole.

Fresh account with 0 posts and 0 feedback and reaches out to me regarding my Want To Buy thread.

Some digging on Google and I come accross a fake quickly put together website that has his/her same contact information email and a bunch of copied bogus random items for sale on the website.

https://tillyougo.com/


As always, double check the person you are dealing with.


EDIT: Hilarious, looks like the Headfi user's account has been deleted and the fake website I found on Google has been removed or deleted as well LOL

 

[DAPpower]

Looks like another hacked account making a bogus listing.
Do not get burned people!

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/64-audio-u12t-pelican-g40-case-extra-fir-module.62910/

The images attached also looked to be "copies" that the person copied and downloaded from the original photos (most likely from the original listing as well).

 

[fidgeraldo]

The images attached also looked to be "copies" that the person copied and downloaded from the original photos (most likely from the original listing as well).

Hmm, that dude below, "Premetec," who apparently bought this 64; a while ago, was selling a fake IE900.
I saw that in Classifieds, don't remember the date, but it's closed now.
And this Premetec is still on the forum as I can see chatting with people.
The thing might be as well that one guy has multiple accounts and pretends to buy and sell stuff so he can have a positive history.
This is really alarming; I bought in the past month two items, but fortunately from safe members.
But it didn't cross my mind that the real profiles of trustworthy members could be hacked. Hmm...

This is a good thread..and it's good to keep it alive so we can post here if someone notices a suspicious profile.

Cheers!

 

[kmhaynes]

I will never make a F&F PayPal payment ever again. I lost $100 about a year ago and even that was painful to me. I will gladly pay the extra small 3% G&S fee when I pay with PayPal, and I encourage people who send me $$ to use that as well JUST IN CASE anything happens.

 

[Hypops]

I will never make a F&F PayPal payment ever again. I lost $100 about a year ago and even that was painful to me. I will gladly pay the extra small 3% G&S fee when I pay with PayPal, and I encourage people who send me $$ to use that as well JUST IN CASE anything happens.

Another lesson: if a seller ever pressures you to use F&F (even if you offer to cover the added G&S fee), run.

 

[DAPpower]

Another lesson: if a seller ever pressures you to use F&F (even if you offer to cover the added G&S fee), run.

It's a bit complicated because a lot of Headfiers (myself included) have worked to build up feedback so we can easily resell our used gear to buy new ones. A lot of times, I don't like the idea of having to pay taxes on sales that are basically me just trying to resell old gear (usually at a loss too) with G&S.
But I do understand that scammers are more frequent than before and all it takes is for someone with little experience in noticing something fishy and then someone gets bit by the scammer once again.