how can you tell if its a scam they just keep asking questions

As a buyer its easy. Tell them youll come pick it up locally. They will either then say its sold or make an exscuse like they dont meet in person. You can further suggest meeting at a police station so that there is no risk. Then they go away.

If you get through that...ask them to call you when they have the item present. Then ask them to write a message on paper, place it next to the item and send you that pic in real time.

Some sellers think they are soo well established they are above all this. In that case...ask around. I didnt know well established sellers until i did my homework and looked up past ads here.

If u do know someone local to the seller. Have them go see it. And if its a 6k stelling being sold for 2k....walk unless it is local.

been a hard month trees down shingles off then i have an mri tomorrow thanks

Here's a scammer trying to buy banjos:

"Your payment has been sent but there is something I think I must bring to your notice. I just found out that my Assistant overpaid you. The payment meant for another item was made out in your name and sent to you.

However I want to believe I wont have a problem with you on this. Once you receive the payment, Please proceed to the bank and cash the payment,

deduct your money and I will let you know what to do with the balance. I hope I can fully trust you with this? I will await your response on this so my mind can be at ease."

On Tue, May 30, 2023 at 5:36?PM Mark Sheng <shengmark041@gmail.com> wrote:
For better communication or how often do you check your email ?

He was also using another email address:  from zaria90: summer.vacationrentals0479@gmail.com)

Not always that easy as buyer or seller... there are pretty darn clever scams.

@ NotABanjoYoda - Not that those are bad suggestions but point out not everyone buys/sells locally. Doesn't mean scam or not, but maybe need to take different cautions. Having someone local check it out is a good idea... if that's possible; but point out that one flag is simply suggesting to seller you might have someone local to do that, and they still make excuses. Another flag, they often keep making changes, excuses to not meet on your terms.

Meeting local, as buyer or seller; doesn't prevent how some scams work. (should also be aware could be stolen).

Not all are established sellers. Not everyone selling has a history to check; just private party selling their one item. Could be legitimate. Clever scammers can of course just make new profile; and on someplace like BHO, or FB Marketplace... can check that newness. Doesn't mean is scam, but raises bit flag.

Keep in mind; while there are concerns about buyer stiffing seller to get a free banjo; or seller not delivering banjo as promised (or it's stolen); but as Claude example; that a lot of scams are not about the item itself, but something to do with the transaction of money. Some flags to that, is how they might describe the item, (esp when doesn't seem fit with their back story of why want to buy or sell this item) Descriptions, question they ask, or replies; vague, make little odd errors; might sound like reciting off a product specs off website; or might be omissions of what should expect legitimate buyer or seller to ask or mention. 

banjohangout.org/classified/99648
how about this one ?

banjohangout.org/classified/99990

This seller/trader is advertising an early 018 Martin parlor guitar (correct size 13.5" width) .
Obviously that is not what is shown so I asked him what is the ID is on the neck block but rec'd no ans ? I wouldn't deal w/ this seller .

Ad looked legit to me. Nothing about “early.”

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill Rogers

Ad looked legit to me. Nothing about “early.”

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Thks Bill , what he is advertising is not what is pictured 

quote:

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Originally posted by bill53

how can you tell if its a scam they just keep asking questions

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I had someone try to scam me just yesterday on a 1930s Recording King M5 (not here). The "seller" showed me pictures and I was very interested. Then the red flags appeared.

First, he was in a hurry—always a bad sign—wanted me to pay via Zelle. This is a transfer direct from a person's bank account and, once the money is gone, there's no way to trace it or get it back. I said, No, since I didn't know him.

Next, he was insisting on PayPal Friends and Family to skirt the 2.9%. Uh... Friends and Family also is a way to send money without any buyer protections at all. Again, not knowing the guy, I said Hell No! I still wanted the instrument if it existed but told him that regular PayPal was the only option since I am protected. When he whined and asked for 50% Friends and Family, there was no doubt in my mind.

All the while, I am researching the guitar and found the exact pictures I was shown on reverb.com in an active listing from a Seattle guitar dealer. This guy claimed to be in Phoenix. Because of the way he did it, I know who this crook is and am filing reports with a couple online services and Phoenix PD.

Not my first trip to this rodeo. Awhile back, someone offered to sell me a Neumann TLM193 microphone in a rare (for this model) nickel finish—black is normal. Though I wasn't in the market, the pictures got me very interested. I knew they were real including the SO (special order) following the serial number on the wooden box. The reason I knew this was because they were the same pictures from reverb.com that I had seen before I had bought that microphone. Yea, some idiot tried to sell me my own microphone.

think i just got one his gmail doesnt exist i was using craigslist

I bought 4 shoe brackets through the hangout by asking for them. After I paid(only $36) the seller stopped communication. It’s been a month.

I had a member trying to sell me a Stealth copy, pics were awesome, but wouldn’t do PayPal, would give no address, wouldn’t talk on the phone, checked his rating, he’d scammed another member on a flange sell, steer clear of him!!

Beware of RB 800 listed here for $2000 this is another scammer

Yup, I got scammed by the RB800 for $2000 but fortunately for me PayPal refunded the entire amount. It took about a month.

Beware of the RB250 listed https://www.banjohangout.org/classified/106324
The communication with the seller was weird. he send me a couple of unserious mail addresses for PayPal wich luckily did not work.

Unfortunately this Banjo seems to be offered by following page as well: https://www.maharsvintageguitars.com/products/gibson-rb-250-mastertone-banjo-549-made-in-1978

I'm a broken record on this but, everyone who owns any kind of device (computer, phone, tablet) should read these two websites:

fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/sc...and-scams

consumer.ftc.gov/scams

There are basically two kinds of scams, advance payment or phishing. These are usually combined.

A common mistake is to think that a "buyer" scammer wants your banjo-- they could care less what the "item" is. The goal is to a) accidently overpay you and get you to refund the money. b) have you pay their "shipper". c) send you a paypal payment notification (or other) with a sign in link to phish.

You may not know it, but you end up giving them the info they need to trick you. These scammers work much like "fortune tellers" or various other mediums (also all scammers). Scammers basically "cold read" and get you to fill in the blanks. They earn your confidence with some story about complications-- they are away on a trip, working in an area with poor internet, on a boat, overseas, in the military, on and on and on.

I am fascinated by scams and how people fall for them. For a short time I was watching youtube videos on romance scams but after a handful of these I just started feeling bad for the sad people that fall victim. The very sad part is that many of these victims, after learning that the woman they were "in love" with was a male scammer in Gambia, still valued the company they got.


Read the FBI and FTC websites.

just relisted my 27 think I got another scam

Watch out for the demented person who wanted to sell me an original Stelling banjo bridge. I asked him to take a picture of the bridge...and he sent a picture from the internet...so I asked him again to take a picture from the bottom because of the inscriptions on the footings...and he didn't hear back...
Address: fallzachy@email.com
Wanted to pay via paypal - family and friends

Sorry, I wrote the wrong email address...
The correct one is fallzachy@gmail.com

quote:

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Wanted to pay via paypal - family and friends

Someone wanting to pay by friends & family is not uncommon across many different buy-and-sell communities, so that in itself is not necessarily a red flag.  An alternative would be  for the buyer to add 3% on a regular Paypal transfer so the seller doesn't have to suck up the fee on his/her end, then the protection kicks in.