Watch out for the Zelle scam, happened to me twice today (I caught it before…).

V

VanMalmsteen

Banned
Active member
Today I was contacted twice, not via RT, about some guitars I am selling. Happened in a different forum. Basically, the “buyer” contacts you (typically if you try to view their profile it will go to a new Instagram account, flag #1). to buy the item. Zelle has a transfer limit, which they will exceed as a lump sum payment. Then you get an email from Zelle with instructions on how to accept the money, flag #2. Zelle will not do that. If you are to click the link and login they are now in your bank.

Also…they are local and can have their sister/wife/both pick it up. Me being naive offered to bring my wife and kids and meet in a public area for their comfort. It was about that time that I started not feeling right about it.

If I am allowed I can post screenshots of BOTH encounters.

Be careful, use a 3rd, 4th, 5th party if needed, or make the agreement public, get references, etc…

That’s all.
 
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Here is one of them;
 

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Here is the other
 

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Happened to my wife yesterday on a measly $200, luckily she caught it and will not be accepting anything but PP and Venmo from now on. Only using Zelle to send $ to friends and family.

Good on you for posting this man, looks really easy to scam someone this way.

Also love how the scammer is talking about being a god fearing Christian lolol

EDIT: YOU DONT NEED TO CALL ANYONE THIS IS TOTALLY LEGIT
 
FourT6and2 said:
lol he's "local" and yet wants to know where you are. i.e. how does he know you're local if he doesn't know where "local" is...

Love the bible verse thing. Nice touch.
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Yea, once he started immediately defending himself I thought “huh…I would imagine a genuine Christian would not need to use that right up front. Sucks that it’s such a target of manipulation to seem trustful.
 
Steinmetzify said:
Happened to my wife yesterday on a measly $200, luckily she caught it and will not be accepting anything but PP and Venmo from now on. Only using Zelle to send $ to friends and family.

Good on you for posting this man, looks really easy to scam someone this way.

Also love how the scammer is talking about being a god fearing Christian lolol

EDIT: YOU DONT NEED TO CALL ANYONE THIS IS TOTALLY LEGIT
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Yea, my wife was actually the one that caught it…I was trying to be accommodating to the scammer at first
 
japetus said:
I can spot the Indian scammer syntax from a mile away now. It's so easy.
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This….. words put together in that funny syntax as non English speaking person! Stay away. One word out of place really does it for me. I learned this on Gun sales. Scam city! Seems to be rabid with instruments as well.
 
The couple of times I had a local buyer or seller who wanted to use Zelle, I still insisted that we meet in person so everything could be checked over if need be.

On principal, I don't think I'd sell a higher end guitar like that to a local person who couldn't be bothered to see it for himself. Something about that just seems off.
 
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