I have been scammed by the forum user tyer534 / markscott6678@outlook.com

[Johnboy]

Hi All,

A few weeks ago I posted a Wanted To Buy ad for a HP-41C connector strip. I was contacted via PM by a user called tyer534. He suggested I contact someone called Mark Scott (markscott6678@outlook.com).

I contacted Mark (perhaps the same person as tyer534 ???) and he said he could supply the part I wanted. He asked me to transfer US$38 ($13 for the item and $25 for postage) to him via PayPal. Even though I thought the postage was a bit expensive despite posting from US to Australia, I know from recent experiences it can be posted for around $20 for a small item like that. He was very insistent that I transfer the money immediately. The PayPal email address he gave me to use is Amyjasmadi@gmail.com. According to PayPal, the user is Jasmin Walker. Being trusting, I transferred the $38.

Mark then came back to me saying he needs an extra $25 for postage, and should transfer it to he friends account who works at the post office. The PayPal email Mark gave me is lecaos823601@gmail.com. Again he was very insistent that I transfer the extra money immediately.

Based on the postage now being ridiculously expensive ($US50), I said I won't transfer the requested extra $25, and I asked for a refund. I have not heard from "Mark" since....

I can't believe I fell for this scam, as I have a background in Cyber Security !!

A quick google search on markscott6678@outlook.com, I found one website suggesting he was a scammer, but no search hits on Amyjasmadi@gmail.com or lecaos823601@gmail.com.

Take care everyone.

Cheers,
John Robinson

[Garth Wilson]

When they convey a great sense of urgency, it's usually a scam.

[linq2008]

Open a dispute on paypal：goods not received

(01-08-2024 12:54 AM)Johnboy Wrote:  Hi All,

A few weeks ago I posted a Wanted To Buy ad for a HP-41C connector strip. I was contacted via PM by a user called tyer534. He suggested I contact someone called Mark Scott

I can't believe I fell for this scam, as I have a background in Cyber Security !!

Take care everyone.

Cheers,
John Robinson

[JanS]

May I suggest:

https://www.thecalculatorstore.com/epage...a_contacts

or

https://www.thecalculatorstore.com/epage...ed_Battery

depending on which connector exactly is needed.

Not affiliated in any way shape or form.

[Dave Hicks]

Sorry that happened. tyer534 joined on 12/13/2023 and was banned on the 15th. Please be vigilant. Keep in mind that gmail.com and outlook.com addresses are freely and routinely created by scammers and spammers. One thing that probably helps is to check someone’s posting history here and, even then, then use caution. (But beware of posts that seem kind of “generic”. Lots of forums, including this one, are getting posts from chatbots these days. We're filtering out lots of these but some may get through.)

[Jeff_Birt]

I have sometimes asked for photos of a specific part of a device, something they are not likely to find online, to ensure they actually have what they are selling. I once got the reply, "I have no way to take a picture." and figured it was a scam.

[bxparks]

I want like to thank the OP for posting his story. As I understand, victims of scams are often too embarrassed to tell anyone, for fear of being judged. But scammers are so good at what they do, even the most intelligent and vigilant people can let their guard down, just for a moment, and then it's game over. We are bombarded with scams so frequently these days, it is impossible to be 100% safe.

[Albert Chan]

(01-08-2024 08:11 PM)bxparks Wrote:  We are bombarded with scams so frequently these days, it is impossible to be 100% safe.

If you use third party (EBay, PayPal, credit cards ...), does that make it safe?
Almost all of them promoted 100% money back guarantee of some sort.

[Johnboy]

No option to open a dispute if you use Friends and Family option unfortunately.

(01-08-2024 06:47 AM)linq2008 Wrote:  Open a dispute on paypal：goods not received

(01-08-2024 12:54 AM)Johnboy Wrote:  Hi All,

A few weeks ago I posted a Wanted To Buy ad for a HP-41C connector strip. I was contacted via PM by a user called tyer534. He suggested I contact someone called Mark Scott

I can't believe I fell for this scam, as I have a background in Cyber Security !!

Take care everyone.

Cheers,
John Robinson

[bxparks]

(01-08-2024 08:59 PM)Albert Chan Wrote:  

(01-08-2024 08:11 PM)bxparks Wrote:  We are bombarded with scams so frequently these days, it is impossible to be 100% safe.

If you use third party (EBay, PayPal, credit cards ...), does that make it safe?
Almost all of them promoted 100% money back guarantee of some sort.

Using a credit card definitely helps, since you can issue a charge-back and the merchant assumes the risk. EBay, PayPal, Amazon are generally known to take the side of the buyer, instead of the seller. But I have read stories that sometimes EBay/Amazon do not side with the buyer. I have also heard of cases where Amazon terminated the account of a buyer who protested too much. But maybe the buyer was a fraudster. Who knows?

Using a credit card will NOT help against monopolies like Google, Apple, or Amazon. If you issue a charge-back against Google, they will terminate your account and all other accounts associated with you.

Additionally, there are things that you cannot buy with a credit card, like a house. You would think that this activity should be completely safe since it involves an escrow company. But scammers are apparently intercepting transactions and sending fake wire instructions to the buyer with the wrong account. So now, you must always call the escrow company first, and verify the account number with a human being, before sending any money. But scammers are known to spam Google Search and get their phone numbers ranked above the legitimate ones. How are we to protect ourselves against that? Every title company is named exactly the same, containing the words "First", "National", "Republic" and "Title" in random combinations.

After your home contract closes, then comes hell. Because you are bombarded with a mountain of scam letters, official-looking letters pretending to be government offices, insurance companies, mortgage companies, title companies, and on and on, luring you in to take the bait. The deluge does not stop for months. Buried in the mountain of letters, are the occasional legit letters, like the local city or county telling you that you owe extra money on the property tax, because the escrow company didn't calculate it properly. A legit letter that you probably threw away, because it looks exactly like a scam letter.

[Johnboy]

(01-08-2024 04:49 PM)Dave Hicks Wrote:  Sorry that happened. tyer534 joined on 12/13/2023 and was banned on the 15th. Please be vigilant. Keep in mind that gmail.com and outlook.com addresses are freely and routinely created by scammers and spammers. One thing that probably helps is to check someone’s posting history here and, even then, then use caution. (But beware of posts that seem kind of “generic”. Lots of forums, including this one, are getting posts from chatbots these days. We're filtering out lots of these but some may get through.)

Thanks Dave, appreciate your vigilance. I only notice after I paid that tyer534 hadn't ever posted, next time I will do some more due diligence.

[Johnboy]

(01-08-2024 08:11 PM)bxparks Wrote:  I want like to thank the OP for posting his story. As I understand, victims of scams are often too embarrassed to tell anyone, for fear of being judged. But scammers are so good at what they do, even the most intelligent and vigilant people can let their guard down, just for a moment, and then it's game over. We are bombarded with scams so frequently these days, it is impossible to be 100% safe.

No problem sharing, I don't find it embarrassing at all. I have an even better story about how my wife's purse was stolen in Paris lead to a fake tax return being lodge in Australia !!! Another time perhaps. That story just goes to show how international these bad dudes are.

[David Hayden]

(01-08-2024 04:49 PM)Dave Hicks Wrote:  Sorry that happened. tyer534 joined on 12/13/2023 and was banned on the 15th. Please be vigilant. Keep in mind that gmail.com and outlook.com addresses are freely and routinely created by scammers and spammers. One thing that probably helps is to check someone’s posting history here and, even then, then use caution. (But beware of posts that seem kind of “generic”. Lots of forums, including this one, are getting posts from chatbots these days. We're filtering out lots of these but some may get through.)

Thank you, Dave, and the other moderators, for all the work you do behind the scenes to keep this site running, useful, spam-free, and generally a great place to visit.

[Albert Chan]

(01-08-2024 04:49 PM)Dave Hicks Wrote:  Sorry that happened. tyer534 joined on 12/13/2023 and was banned on the 15th.

How do you know new member (just joined for 2 days, not a single post) is a scammer?
I'd hate to be in your shoes.

[Thomas Klemm]

(01-10-2024 04:05 PM)Albert Chan Wrote:  How do you know new member (just joined for 2 days, not a single post) is a scammer?

It's called a Network of Trust.
That's how society works.

[rprosperi]

The number and variety of scammers/spammers that attempt to join here every single day (yet very rarely sometimes succeed, as happened briefly here) is truly amazing, I would never have guessed, or even believed it, until seeing it daily, for years now. It's become bad enough that we now check out every single new person that joins, which is why it can take up to a day for a new user's initial post to be approved and released by a mod. The only good news is most of them are lazy, and so unsophisticated in their approach, and can be fairly easily detected. But sheesh, I wish they would go bother the hoards on Facebook, TikTok, IG and the other 'popular' places and leave us alone to geek in peace...

[EdS2]

Yes, I think this is a case of buyer beware - although it's a sad story, and it's a pity it could happen - a "forum user" who has not built up any reputation is much like any online seller with no reputation. They are not necessarily a scammer, but they have not yet shown themselves to be a good trading partner. Reputation is everything, whether it's an informal judgement or some kind of score.

On this forum, it's easy to see how many posts someone has made, and easy to find those posts to see what kinds of interactions someone has. The higher the value of the intended transaction, the more effort is justified in checking out the other party.

[Hiwi]

Hi John,
same here, i think he contacted all people who were looking for parts.
I received this on 13.12.2023:

tyer534 Wrote:
Hi, have you heard about Mark6678 that has VISICALC Module available for sale, kindly check on him if it's still available...Here's his email Markscott6678@outlook.com.

But i did not enter into a deal, because I have a huge experience in detecting fake advertisements on german kleinanzeigen.de.

I am a real hunter :-) In case i find a fake HP i complain it. In most cases they will be deleted within a day or so.

Actually there are less HP fakes, due to my thoroughly work, ok that is my opinion. :-)
I can speak only for HP ads, there are thousands of other fakes.

Ralf

[Diego Diaz]

Hi John,

Also very sorry about your bad experience.

This thread got me jumping from Caribbean to the Canary Islands, including a few days visiting family in Madrid and dealing with jet-lag, hence my late reply.

As the original developer of the Flex-PCB replacement I feel really sad that my project has been used to scam anyone.

Please PM me with your shipping address and I'd gladly send you a new Flex-PCB for your HP-41.

With my best wishes for a scam-free 2024!

Diego.

[Maximilian Hohmann]

Hello!

(01-11-2024 11:53 AM)Diego Diaz Wrote:  Please PM me with your shipping address and I'd gladly send you a new Flex-PCB for your HP-41.

Wow, that is a generous offer! As if my car gets stolen and Citroën puts a new one in my driveway free of charge :-)

Regarding getting scammed, I guess that everybody who buys and sells stuff over the internet (and where else does one find calculators and spare parts these days?) has had a couple of bad experiences. And if he hasn't had them yet, he will sooner or later...

There are the "too good to be true"-offers where you know that sending money is like placing some chips on the green "zero" field in a game of roulette. Most probably you will lose your stake, but if not, you look forward to an incredible fortune, or bargain with regard to old calculators. I have had it both ways already, but, as with roulette, most of the time I lost my money. So be it.

But getting scammed when one is prudent and doesn't gamble really hurts. I once lost 500 Euros to someone who had hacked an eBay account. Everything looked perfectly allright, the price of the camera was average, the seller had been on eBay for a decade. Back then, eBay auctions were usually paid for via direct money transfer from bank account to bank account in my part of the world. Therefore eBay had no obligation to refund the money. A lesson learnt ... now I only use PayPal or some other secure method of payment which reimburses the funds after a scam. No "PayPal for family and frieds" or Western Union or similar one-way payments. Never again.

Regards
Max