Scam ads in the Classified section

[tomato]

I just want to thank the SGL members who PM’ed to warn me about the recent scam adverts in the classified section when they saw that I had replied to one.  The ads have now been removed, and I didn’t part with any cash.
I already had my own suspicions but I appreciate it that they took the time to give me a heads up.

Like Grant says, if it looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

[Mr Spock]

Yep, I hid the ads as soon as I heard about it ( a member PM'd me - thank you to that person). Be vigilant everyone, and, if you see anything suspicious, let us know. The last thing we want is to hear a member got scammed.

[Knighty2112]

Glad you didn't get caught out. Curious as to what item it was as I look in the classifieds at least a couple of times a day. Anyhow, my noseyness aside glad the scam got taken out quickly! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[carastro]

Well done.  But how did anyone realise it was a scam? 
 

l never saw the ads. 

Edited February 24 by carastro

[Cornelius Varley]

4 minutes ago, carastro said:

Well done.  But how did anyone realise it was a scam? 

I could tell you, but then........😄

[Cornelius Varley]

24 minutes ago, carastro said:

Well done.  But how did anyone realise it was a scam? 
 

l never saw the ads. 

 

[Mr Spock]

24 minutes ago, carastro said:

But how did anyone realise it was a scam? 

Subtle clues. Supposedly from the UK but with an IP address in St Louis (though could be VPN);  claimed to be English but using US spelling; unable to answer questions about the equipment; not aware of the actual value, repeated ads for similar items, etc. - they all add up and things you should watch for. Plus private behind the scenes stuff I can't reveal. 

 

28 minutes ago, carastro said:

l never saw the ads. 

Good! We got to them in a reasonable amount of time ( we aren't here 24/7 - real life and all that).

[Pete Presland]

Well done to everyone who flagged it up 👏 relief nobody was ripped off. 

[carastro]

I guess one thing members can look out for is low post count and posting history content.  

I have done that before when l looked at an ad of a member unknown to me to see if he had had actual astro discussions and that he was a genuine Astronomer and member  before posting an advert.  
 

 

Edited February 24 by carastro

[WolfieGlos]

1 hour ago, carastro said:

Well done.  But how did anyone realise it was a scam? 

I wondered this, because if it’s who I’m thinking, then I did message about one of the items - including the one Tomato was interested in if he didn’t go ahead.

I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary in the posts themselves, other than a low post count from the seller, and luckily I only sent an enquiry message. Thank you to the SGL staff for dealing with this 👍 

[Simon Pepper]

I saw this and was very tempted not for a minute did I think it was a scam, and the only reason I didn’t bite was because I had my wife (and myself) telling me I dont need any more mounts stop spending money on Astro stuff talking in my ear!!! In all seriousness though glad our community has better spotters than me it keeps us all a little bit safer. Thanks 

Edited February 24 by Simon Pepper

[Saganite]

37 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

I saw this and was very tempted not for a minute did I think it was a scam,

You were not the only one Simon, and this is the worry, it is clearly all too easy to be taken in, during  the period between the ad appearing and it being taken down. Mercifully, on this occasion , it was done fairly quickly.

Edited February 24 by Saganite

[Ags]

2 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

claimed to be English but using US spelling

I am a UK citizen and I use US spelling whenever possible, it is just a little bit more logical. Just saying, in case anyone thinks I am a scam 😀

[tomato]

I don't think this is giving anything away as it was all in the ads, but what made me suspicious (apart from his lack of forum activity) was that he said he was selling the 2600MC because he was moving into mono imaging, and then the next day he posts a 533 for sale because he is quitting AP...🤔

Any astro kit of complexity and high value I buy second hand from someone I don't know either directly or by reputation would be a face to face deal with inspection and testing involved. This has meant a 500 mile round trip in the past but I reckon it's worth the hassle. This policy alone would have protected me from this guy.

[carastro]

I wonder whether we should go back to the minimum 50 posts before having access to the For Sale board.  
 

Or is it possible to buy after a few posts but not sell until 50 posts.
I suspect the latter is impossible.  

Edited February 24 by carastro

[MalcolmP]

28 minutes ago, carastro said:

I wonder whether we should go back to the minimum 50 posts before having access to the For Sale board.  
 

Or is it possible to buy after a few posts but not sell until 50 posts.
I suspect the latter is impossible.  

Unless I am horribly confused,  I dont think that would have helped in this as it was a case of a hacked account. Ie a genuine account with valid astro posts but it got hijacked by a nerdowell ?

EDIT a few moments later ,, from Grant's post QUOTE "we have banned a potential scammer using an old, unused members account to post potentially fake adverts" 

 

Edited February 24 by MalcolmP

[The60mmKid]

I thought there is a minimum post count before one is able to post to the classifieds?! Why, then, did I post all manner of inane fluff before I was able to list my first for-sale ad?

For the record: it wasn't post farming... I'm still posting inane fluff.

Edited February 24 by The60mmKid

[Zermelo]

19 minutes ago, carastro said:

is it possible to buy after a few posts but not sell until 50 posts.

I've also thought that would make sense. You may be right, it could be that it's only possible to control visibility of that forum, and not the type of access.

Another thought: is it possible to reset someone's access to the buy/sell section if their account hasn't been used for, say, a couple of years? Then they would need to meet the newbie criteria from the date of their first post after the hiatus. That might cut out some of the cases where dormant accounts have been hijacked, but it might need changes to count the number of posts starting from the date of "reincarnation".

[Zermelo]

1 hour ago, Ags said:

I am a UK citizen and I use US spelling whenever possible, it is just a little bit more logical

It's sometimes also more historically correct, but we've had that argument before 😊

[MalcolmP]

6 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

It's sometimes also more historically correct, 

also saves having to argue with ones speelchucker,, optional ' not included

Edited February 24 by MalcolmP

[WolfieGlos]

32 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

Another thought: is it possible to reset someone's access to the buy/sell section if their account hasn't been used for, say, a couple of years?

That would be a good idea, and would help weed out some of them. 

On a slightly related topic, this type of thing can only make matters worse going forwards (generally, not just SGL); https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-67703018 . The power of AI, in the wrong hands, I find to be frightening. 

[The60mmKid]

One idea is to ask for a brief phone call if one has any doubt.

[carastro]

1 hour ago, MalcolmP said:

from Grant's post QUOTE "we have banned a potential scammer using an old, unused members account to post potentially fake adverts" 

Hadn’t realised that.  Even worse.  I agree with what Zermelo suggests.  Remove access to lapsed members. 
Hopefully the system can be set up to do that   

 

Edited February 24 by carastro

[Ags]

22 minutes ago, The60mmKid said:

One idea is to ask for a brief phone call if one has any doubt.

Or a Zoom call which would allow remote viewing of the item.

[MalcolmP]

21 hours ago, carastro said:

Hadn’t realised that.  Even worse.  I agree with what Zermelo suggests.  Remove access to lapsed members. 
Hopefully the system can be set up to do that   

Yes, it threw me to begin with "how on earth did he-she appear to do required astro posts yet still make obvious non-astro blunders in the ads. " until I re-read Grant's orig.

In this case it was a lapsed user , but was that an essential part of the hack, or could the nerd have hacked any account.?
 

Edited February 25 by MalcolmP