Where to go for help if you are being scammed?

G

gnokkybbob

Hi all just want to share and perhaps someone could give me some solutions here.

FYI, BEWARE OF THIS GIRL: RHIANNAH WALTON in Perth, WA

On 7th January 2015 - Rhiannah contacted me regarding my ad on gumtree and offered to sell her sealed Samsung Galaxy phone for AUD 600. She asked me to deposit AUD 200 first on that night and she would express deliver it to me via Post the next morning.

Went to NAB branch on Swanston Street Melbourne at 08th Jan 15 and put on cash deposit to her account of AUD 200.

After I deposited the money, she said she had not received it - and I told her that it's impossible as it was cash deposit straight in the branch hence like what the bank said it would go through her bank account immediately. I tried to call her many times after and she never picked up the phone. On that night I texted to her that I would report this to the police and she replied that she was busy that day and she would send it next day.

On 9th of Jan 15 - I warned her I will go to police on the evening as she still had not sent the item. She denied it - she said she did not receive any monies in her account, the money went to her account for a while but it was 'bounced back' to my account.

-----This was a cash deposit not a bank transfer - so if it's bounced back, where did it bounce to? ridiculous-----

On 10th Jan 15 -- Went back to the NAB bank I deposited the money (open on weekend) ; The customer service said that money indeed had been through to her account on 9th Jan 15.

I asked NAB for any solutions, and NAB said that I needed to go to the police and they could not do anything --- FYI, NAB swanston street has the worst customer service ever. They rudely cut me off when I'm talking and they just walked off to their desk when I'm not even finished talking.

Police station will just recommend to submit this case to ACORN website which I don't think it's helpful at all. No phone lines to discuss the matter and the message I've got after I submitted my case "There is no set time in which an agency may assess or investigate an ACORN report. You may be contacted for further information, if it is required. We appreciate your assistance in limiting enquiries, which greatly assists our crime fighting endeavours."


Anyone ever experience this some sort of things?
 
Gumtree is not ebay - it is buyer beware. There are warnings all over Gumtree that say not to send money for goods that you can't pick up.

Sorry to say but you can kiss your money good bye and be thankful it was only $200 and not the full amount

http://www.gumtree.com.au/scam-security-centre/gumtrees-top-tips/

Staying safe while using Gumtree

When buying or selling, you should always meet in-person to see the item and exchange money. Gumtree encourages face-to-face, local trading.

For personal ease and safety take someone with you, or have someone with you if a buyer is coming to your home or workplace. If this is not possible, arrange to meet in a public place. If you?re answering a home service ad, ask the poster to produce identity and proof of qualification before inviting them into your home.

Always inspect the item before agreeing to a sale. Inspect all items carefully to ensure they match the description in the ad, and any issues are known before you finalise the sale.

Never send or wire money to anyone you don?t know. This includes mailing cheques or using payment services like Bidpay, Western Union or Money Gram to pay. We believe that these forms of funds transfer are favoured by fraudsters.

Gumtree doesn?t offer any sort of buyer protection / payment programs. Please ignore any emails you receive that refer to buyer protection/payment systems, even if they may have the Gumtree logo. If you receive any emails promoting these services, please report it to us.

Gumtree doesn?t offer any sort of live chat support. If you receive any emails containing a live chat link, please report it to us.

Always use common sense. If it looks too good to be true it probably is!
 
Nab should be able to run a trace after 10 working days, it will cost you but you will get some paperwork out if it.

I once paid a plumber the day he sent me the invoice and it took almost 2 weeks for him to see in his account, I actually sent him screen shots Iong my statement to prove it, but he was pretty cool anyways

Last week in our company all of our employees got paid except the nab accounts, took them 48 hrs to sort it out and get the money to the accounts
 
Sorry I agree with West.
You gave $200 to a stranger with 0 way of recovering the money if it was a scam.
Count yourself lucky it was only $200, this could have been way way way worse.
When dealing with the interwebs you should always ask yourself "am I being scammed?"
You also have about 0 chance of getting the money back.
There are ways of tracking people down if you felt the need to unleash your inner crazy, but I would strongly recommend against this as 99% of it is illegal.
 
Probably not even Rhianna Walton. Maybe not even in Perth. Could be someone on your street - who knows?

Chalk that $200 to 'Education'.



pinkboy
 
It is Rhianna Walton. I spoke to her on the phones and got her driving licence too.

Funny how we are one of the most regulated countries for bank safety, state laws and all - but when we really encounter this problem, no banks nor police could help us.

FYI, I spoke to NAB Fraud Department and their response was really bizzare "Mate, don't think police will help you, AUD 200 is very immaterial - but you could try".
 
Last edited:
Got an old chequebook with an account with no $$$ in it?

Just keep heading to the bank to 'deposit' $100 by cheque. Each time it bounces her bank will charge her a fee!


:D:D:D


pinkboy
 
gnokkybbob said:
It is Rhianna Walton. I spoke to her on the phones and bank details she had in NAB is under her name too.

Funny how we are one of the most regulated countries for bank safety, state laws and all - but when we really encounter this problem, no banks nor police could help us.

FYI, I spoke to NAB Fraud Department and their response was really bizzare "Mate, don't think police will help you, AUD 200 is very immaterial - but you could try".
Click to expand...

what exactly would you like the police or bank to do? drop everything to help you out? i empathise with you but ultimately it appears you are not taking any responsibilty for what was a pretty silly decision.

bank cant do anything as it really is your word vs hers
 
If it was me I'd ring her again and warn her that I may taking legal action and subpoena her bank and telephone records.
 
datto said:
If it was me I'd ring her again and warn her that I may taking legal action and subpoena her bank and telephone records.
Click to expand...

Did that already. I've already warned her on 8th Jan that I will report to this police.

She BS me after that, money bounced back from her account and all.

Last text from her was "So I have to send the phone ? Even though I never got the money? Okay mate you kidding ya self"

What a ******. Trying to BS all over when I've got the NAB receipt and NAB record that the money went to her account with no problems.
 
gnokkybbob said:
Did that already. I've already warned her on 8th Jan that I will report to this police.

She BS me after that, money bounced back from her account and all.

Last text from her was "So I have to send the phone ? Even though I never got the money? Okay mate you kidding ya self"

What a ******. Trying to BS all over when I've got the NAB receipt and NAB record that the money went to her account with no problems.
Click to expand...

Yeah it sounds like she's done this before but in all honesty what would you like the banks to do?
 
I'd say she is a junkie and has a criminal past.

I'd contact her and say that I'm going to the court house to commence legal proceedings.
 
sanj said:
Yeah it sounds like she's done this before but in all honesty what would you like the banks to do?
Click to expand...

Not really happy with how the fraud dept at NAB simply responded this was an immaterial amount. -- This might be immaterial to the bank, but it was material to me ( if I've got the money I could just go to department stores to buy - not going to gumtree etc ).

Nowadays police would simply refer us to ACORN website which is simply more like a scam story-sharing website only..
 
gnokkybbob said:
Not really happy with how the fraud dept at NAB simply responded this was an immaterial amount. -- This might be immaterial to the bank, but it was material to me ( if I've got the money I could just go to department stores to buy - not going to gumtree etc ).

Nowadays police would simply refer us to ACORN website which is simply more like a scam story-sharing website only..
Click to expand...

Agreed it sounds like they handled it badly but I ask again, what would you like them to do?
 
gnokkybbob said:
Hi all just want to share and perhaps someone could give me some solutions here.

FYI, BEWARE OF THIS GIRL: RHIANNAH WALTON in Perth, WA

On 7th January 2015 - Rhiannah contacted me regarding my ad on gumtree and offered to sell her sealed Samsung Galaxy phone for AUD 600. She asked me to deposit AUD 200 first on that night and she would express deliver it to me via Post the next morning.

Went to NAB branch on Swanston Street Melbourne at 08th Jan 15 and put on cash deposit to her account of AUD 200.

After I deposited the money, she said she had not received it - and I told her that it's impossible as it was cash deposit straight in the branch hence like what the bank said it would go through her bank account immediately. I tried to call her many times after and she never picked up the phone. On that night I texted to her that I would report this to the police and she replied that she was busy that day and she would send it next day.

On 9th of Jan 15 - I warned her I will go to police on the evening as she still had not sent the item. She denied it - she said she did not receive any monies in her account, the money went to her account for a while but it was 'bounced back' to my account.

-----This was a cash deposit not a bank transfer - so if it's bounced back, where did it bounce to? ridiculous-----

On 10th Jan 15 -- Went back to the NAB bank I deposited the money (open on weekend) ; The customer service said that money indeed had been through to her account on 9th Jan 15.

I asked NAB for any solutions, and NAB said that I needed to go to the police and they could not do anything --- FYI, NAB swanston street has the worst customer service ever. They rudely cut me off when I'm talking and they just walked off to their desk when I'm not even finished talking.

Police station will just recommend to submit this case to ACORN website which I don't think it's helpful at all. No phone lines to discuss the matter and the message I've got after I submitted my case "There is no set time in which an agency may assess or investigate an ACORN report. You may be contacted for further information, if it is required. We appreciate your assistance in limiting enquiries, which greatly assists our crime fighting endeavours."


Anyone ever experience this some sort of things?
Click to expand...

There is a meme in there somewhere.
 
gnokkybbob said:
sort this problem out mate. What is the fraud department for, lol?
Click to expand...

But they can't prove fraud. All they can prove is that you went into the bank and asked to put money in someone else's account. The account was a legitimate bank account and they did as you instructed. They have no authority to take the money back out of her account

The fraud was what happened on Gumtree. She contacted you and said give me money and I will send a phone. She didn't.
 
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