Auto Trader Scam Alert “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com

I had an enquiry from the Auto Trader website. It seemed an obviously a scam but just for the fun and to warn others I thought I would play along.

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Received: 17 August 2013 12:03

Customer Details:
NAME: MR mark gough
TELEPHONE:
EMAIL: mgough06@yahoo.com

Message:
Hello.I will like to know if this vehicle is still available for sale? I am interested in the purchase, and will be interested to buy if still available,I will like you to email me in details the present condition and also few pictures,I am based in Londonderry(N.I) and I can make arrangements for the payment and pickup if a deal can be reached on the vehicle,kindly get back to me ASAP if not sold yet,Thank you..email me to mgough06@yahoo.com

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My Reply

To: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 12:52 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

Thank you for your email.

The vehicle is still available and all the images you should need are on the
Autotrader website. There are no known faults and the entire vehicle is in
good condition apart from normal wear and tear.

Please contact me if you wish to view.

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Received

From: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 12:54 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

Thanks for the response,I am happy with the condition of the car from what is said on the ADS ,I asked for all this as am sure I will not be able to come see in person and so will just need to know everything before buying and I want to be sure there is no more to know about the car?…What is the final price???I will need you to consider the fact that I will be responsible for the collection/pick up(through a shipper)and I will be covering the expenses and so I will need a fair price, Once we agree a deal on the vehicle,I will arrange for the payment to be sent to you and payment will be made via Paypal so when you acknowledge the payment then the shipper can come for the pick up/collection of the car

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My Reply

To: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 1:11 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

OK, £3000 is the final price, but you will need to pay into my PayPal
account by the end of the day and also add £100 to cover my PayPal fees.
That’s a total of £3100. Take it or leave it.

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I guess what I need to do now is sit back and wait for some fake PayPal emails to be sent to me.

It would be funny if it WAS genuine and this person did pay me over the Internet for a car that he has not seen or even knows exists. There again, pigs might fly.

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Received

From: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 3:59 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

£3100 is a fair price and I think that works for me considering the condition of the car and all …one more thing is that I will need you to confirm that all necessary papers will be available along with the car on pick up? The shipper will sign all papers necessary on my behalf when he picks up the vehicle

Meanwhile, I will need you to also email me with the full name and Paypal account(email) so payment can be made ASAP

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My Reply

To: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 4:43 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

Hi Mark,

You can use this email address for PayPal xxxxx@xxxxxx.xx and my full name is Andrew Crawford.

I can provide an invoice, plus V5 registration document etc. just let me know what name and address to put these in before collection.

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Received

From: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 5:01 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

Alright,I will let you know once the Payment is done and so you can confirm that and then pick up can be detailed/scheduled.

Thank you.

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C’mon Mark … I am waiting for those fake PayPal emails.

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Received

From: “service@paypal.co.uk” pp391@mail2world.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 8:03 PM
Subject: Notification of An Instant Merchandise Payment Received from Mark Gough (Transaction ID: 4WR6072127779652U)

Hello Andrew Crawford,

This email confirms that you have received an Instant payment of £4,000.00,GBP. from Mark Gough (mgough06@yahoo.com)
Reversals : This method of payment cannot be reversed.
Status : Pending – Shipper Awaiting Payment.
View the “NOTE” of this pending transaction below

Payment Details

Merchandise Amount: £3,150.00 GBP.
Transport Charges:
Taxes and Insurance:
Total: £850.00. GBP.
——-
£4,000.00 GBP.
Transaction: 4WR6072127779652U
Quantity: 1
MERCHANDISE Title: BMW

NOTE: This is to confirm to you that the said amount has been successfully transferred by the Sender and been deducted from his Account which is ready to be credited into your account, been that this Payment has been subjected to be a Payment for an MERCHANDISE purchased from you, we reserve the right to make sure this transaction is safe and secured also to verify the legitimacy level on this transaction because of the high sum of funds involved.

The above sum has Included the transport charges and taxes as we and the Transport Company quoted for the buyer (as per PayPal MERCHANDISE PAYMENT POLICY). You will receive a Message from the PayPal Customer Verification Department Shortly informing you on how to send the Transport fares and taxes to the transport company with the above details as soon as possible.

You may contact PayPal customer service by replying directly to this email by using the reply button in your Mail Box and Quote the Above Transaction ID for quick recognition of this transaction.

Due to the fact that PayPal processes thousands of orders daily,PayPal recommends you contact the Customer Support Representative that has been assigned to this particular order directly at (PP391@mail2world.com).

Sincerely,

The PayPal Team

Copyright © 2013 PayPal. All rights reserved.

PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A.
Société en Commandite par Actions
Registered office: 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxemburg
RCS Luxemburg B 118 349

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Nope, not a very good fake Mark.

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Received

From: “service@paypal.co.uk” pp391@mail2world.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 8:05 PM
Subject: Important Information on how to complete your recent transaction (Transaction ID: 4WR6072127779652U)

Hello Andrew Crawford,

You have received a PayPal Payment of £4,000.00 GBP. from Mark Gough (mgough06@yahoo.com).

We’ve placed a temporary hold on the funds of this transaction

As mentioned in the receipt of Payment and as per New PayPal Payment policy, we have fully debited the total amount (above) from the buyer’s account which included the Transport/Delivery Charges (Courier Exchange Logistics).

In order to complete this transaction and get the funds approved and paid into your PayPal account. You will have to be sending the shippers funds to him upfront to confirm the pick up/collection and We advice you go to nearest Western Union Office and send the excess sum of £850.00 GBP. to the Transport Agent and send us a Confirmation of the transfer with details requested below.

NOTE: This is important as a security measure to ensure safety of this transaction whereby all involved is protected.

Please, find below the name and address of the Agent where the Funds has been requested by the shipper to be sent to via Western Union Money Transfer. The buyer have confirmed that the shipper is currently Abroad on a Business and had requested the Payment Upfront and below is the information for the shippers funds to be sent to

Click Here Locate Nearest Western Union Agent
Office

Name : ANDRE FOESTER

City : Berlin

Country: Germany

Your Account will be credited accordingly upon the receipt of the scanned receipt of Transfer or email details of the transfer below:

(1) Sender’s Name:
(2) Sender’s Address:
(3) Money Transfer Control Number:(MTCN)
(4) Amount Sent:

You may contact PayPal customer service by replying directly to this email by using the reply button in your Mail Box and Quote the Above Transaction ID for quick recognition of this transaction.

Due to the fact that PayPal processes thousands of orders daily,PayPal recommends you contact the Customer Support Representative that has been assigned to this particular order directly at (PP391@mail2world.com)

Sincerely,

The PayPal Team

Copyright © 2013 PayPal. All rights reserved.

PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A.
Société en Commandite par Actions
Registered office: 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxemburg
RCS Luxemburg B 118 349

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Neither was that one “Mark”

(does anyone actually fall for this sh*t?)

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My Reply

To: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 8:35 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

Hi Mark

I have paid £850 to:

Name : ANDRE FOESTER
City : Berlin
Country: Germany

But please note that I will *not* release the vehicle until I have the
cleared funds in my PayPal account.

Andrew

[OK I am lying now :-)]

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Received

From: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 8:37 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

That you should contact Paypal to confirm

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My Reply

To: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 9:12 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

The funds from PayPal are £50 in excess of what was agreed. Can I refund you this amount? Also, where should I refund it to?

Please advise

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Received

From: “Mark Gough” mgough06 @yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 9:17 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

Like I said,You contact Paypal.

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My Reply

To: “Mark Gough” mgough06 @yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 9:26 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

But Mark,…

You have paid me too much, and that is not right!

Can I just make a PayPal payment to you at:
mgough06@yahoo.com ?

Please advise

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Received

From: “Mark Gough” mgough06@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 9:27 PM
Subject: Re: Enquiry

When you contact Paypal,You will know what to do

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Ah well there we have it. After sending off £850 by Western Union to some unknown Agent for the Shipper, I am referred back to PayPal who will of course know nothing about the PayPal transfer and tell me that they do not operate this way and that I have probably been a victim of a scam.

Watch out! There are plenty of other ‘Mark Gough’s out there.