WTB Scammer Alert

[sdupontjr]

Well it appears that I have been hit with a scammer. I posted awhile back that I was looking for a SS 20" CTR 308 barrel and have been contacted by several different folks. Most were blued barrels but JA Outdoors reached out to me and had one in stock. I was about to pull the trigger on it and I recieved an email from Rokslide from Hoj99



The email address listed is [email protected]
The phone number that we texted back and forth from is (678) 465-8473

Here is the string of texts going back and forth.












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Now, I'm trying to do this project on a budget because I don't even know if my grandson will even shoot the darn thing after all. So instead of buyng the one at JA Outdoors, I was going to save some $$$ and go this route. Looks legit enough. So I pulled the trigger on it. So all day yesterday I heard nothing about shipping and tracking numbers. Being the guy I am, I gave him the benefit of the doubt in shipping it. Came in to work this morn and still haven't heard a thing. Now I'm worried. i was on JA's website looking for some other items and decided to go back and look at the one selling on that website. The pics are exactly the same. same flooring and everything. Now I'm really getting concerned. called the number that we had been texting back and forth on, nothing, doesn't even ring and all you hear is a beep.


Below is the pic that showed up on paypal. Funny thing is, when i go to my dashboard, the pic is gone, good thing I took a screenshot of it because there would be no proof of the transaction other than an amount.


Went to facebook and pulled up the name and this is photo listed, however no posts, comments or anything other than the one pic.



I have already contacted Pay-Pal and my credit card for fraudulent activity. I went on just about every site looking for Hoj99, chewebacca1, or any of the information that he gave me and nothing popped up.

At 50 years old, I'm about as honest as they get because I'm getting too old for all the foolishness. But......... there is one thing that I can't stand and that's a thief.

Now if for some reason I get a call back from this guy, who still hasn't replied to my text, explaining his situation, I will retract everything that I have said.

Stephen Dupont Jr

 

[InGodsCountry]

When they say “kindly”, it’s almost always a scammer lol. That’s a red flag for me. Hope you get your $ back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wakedye]

Sorry to hear about this. That is for sure a scam. There are many signs that it was a scammer and I would be happy to point them out in a private message.
Scammers are getting better and posting their tell tale signs is helping them get better.

 

[BachelorJack]

Yes. You got scammed.

Is the way he texted you how an American such as yourself talks?

No it isn't.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Dang, are those barrel pics photoshopped with the handwriting? I keep staring at them trying to see but they look legit.

 

[lak2004]

You agreed on 225 but the amount showing in your screenshot is for 231 or something. Did you use goods and services? If so, try to create a dispute. DO NOT SAY WHAT THE PAYMENT WAS FOR! PayPal will not help with gun parts as it is against their policy.

Poor English is a good indicator of a scammer. Phone call rather than texting also for any WTB ad you put up.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

You agreed on 225 but the amount showing in your screenshot is for 231 or something. Did you use goods and services? If so, try to create a dispute. DO NOT SAY WHAT THE PAYMENT WAS FOR! PayPal will not help with gun parts as it is against their policy.

Poor English is a good indicator of a scammer. Phone call rather than texting also for any WTB ad you put up.

I figured he sent it F&F from a credit card. That CC WILL refund you OP, however PayPal will freak out and lock your account.

 

[sdupontjr]

I figured he sent it F&F from a credit card. That CC WILL refund you OP, however PayPal will freak out and lock your account.

Yes the F&F adds a small fee. But yes the pics look legit. If I wouldn't have been on JA Outdoors website, I would not have caught the similarities.

 

[CorbLand]

Dang, are those barrel pics photoshopped with the handwriting? I keep staring at them trying to see but they look legit.

I would bet 100 bucks that they are. They arent laying flat with the table. Bottom left corner is sticking up.

If they want to take the conversation off Rokslide, that is a big indicator. While its common, its still a red flag.

 

[h2so4]

No way someone with THAT profile pic has that nice of hand writing.

Kindly,
Sulfuric

 

[aftriathlete]

Dang, are those barrel pics photoshopped with the handwriting? I keep staring at them trying to see but they look legit.

Yes. I posted about this last year, this exact thing happened to me. You cannot trust any pics of goods online any more. The only way to buy and sell online now is with "protected" payments (No F&F!) and real-time video calls to talk to the seller and see the item.

Sorry OP, but you fell for same thing I did. The guy that scammed me had good, regular American English though.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I would bet 100 bucks that they are. They arent laying flat with the table. Bottom left corner is sticking up.

If they want to take the conversation off Rokslide, that is a big indicator. While its common, its still a red flag.

So for our reference I guess the only way to combat this would be to request to lay the paper over the item propped up to make it harder to photoshop? Man when AI starts doing this we're screwed.

 

[CorbLand]

So for our reference I guess the only way to combat this would be to request to lay the paper over the item propped up to make it harder to photoshop? Man when AI starts doing this we're screwed.

The bottom line is that a piece of paper with anything written on it isnt safe anymore. Whether we like it or not, the safest thing that you can do anymore is look for someone that has been around for a while and has a good amount of posts that contribute to many different topics.

 

[eddielasvegas]

...Man when AI starts doing this we're screwed.

Not really. Simply use FTF for all transactions. Certainly means you might miss out on a good deal or a hard to find item, but there is literally nothing I need that badly that I want to deal with getting scammed even though the amount is not that great.


Eddie

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I feel like we could compile a scam test from all the documentation people have posted over the years. A lot of companies are running those phishing tests, same thing but you have to complete the test to participate in the classifieds...At minimum it would educate and hopefully prevent some scams.

 

[rclouse79]

When they say “kindly”, it’s almost always a scammer lol. That’s a red flag for me. Hope you get your $ back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It does seem that using the word "kindly" is the first lesson in scammer 101. Whenever I see it, I tell them to kindly go screw off.

 

[sdupontjr]

If anyone has answers to this, let me know. maybe Admins could chime in. I recieved a notification email from Rokslide just as I always do about private messages. I clicked on the link in the email and it brought me straight to Rokslide PM section. I noticed the guy Hoj99 had about 1000 or so post. What is there to consider as far as scam. Seems legit at the time. So there was a conversation within my PM's, didn't think to screen shot at the time. Yesterday was nothing and like I said, got a little worried and went to check. The conversation was gone from my PM's. Like it never happened. The only evidence I have is the notification email screenshot. Went to look him up (I think I did it correctly), hes not even listed on Rokslide.

 

[Macintosh]

Video call is easy. That’d usually border on fun anyway. Can I bring beer? Seriously, Ive bought and sold a few things here and elsewhere, and its often the buyer who doesnt have time for even a quick call. I think maybe some folks are just technophobes or dont do it otherwise and arent sure how to do it?

 

[CorbLand]

If anyone has answers to this, let me know. maybe Admins could chime in. I recieved a notification email from Rokslide just as I always do about private messages. I clicked on the link in the email and it brought me straight to Rokslide PM section. I noticed the guy Hoj99 had about 1000 or so post. What is there to consider as far as scam. Seems legit at the time. So there was a conversation within my PM's, didn't think to screen shot at the time. Yesterday was nothing and like I said, got a little worried and went to check. The conversation was gone from my PM's. Like it never happened. The only evidence I have is the notification email screenshot. Went to look him up (I think I did it correctly), hes not even listed on Rokslide.

Once they ban the person, it bascially deletes everything.

As for the posts being 1000, could have been a hacked account or someone really played the long game.

I will PM you some of the things that would have indicated this is a scam.

 

[sdupontjr]

That would make sense as far as the account being gone.