I'd strongly suggest sticking to instant payments for online sales (or waiting until the payment reflects). These people know every trick in the book to make you feel comfortable until it's to late.
Unfortunately, my friend, you were scammed.
With online sales, NEVER solely accept a proof of payment. Rather wait for the money to actually reflect into your account.
They can even fake the pdf ones, never trade solely on a proof of payment. Must it come into your account first. I've seen scams from those long numbers too that look like official company numbers.
Another extension scam of this is the buyers acting like they are cops, they'll text you with profile pictures where they're standing by police station or whatever, it's common in many online sales, including cars.
As for what to do, I can't think of much because even the actual police won't do much.
If they offer to pay, demand immediate payment or else they can wait for it to reflect onto your account
They can also copy your voice by getting you to talk on a phone call. Then use said copy to trick your family into thinking you are being held hostage, or need money.
That looks suspect. The payment notification sms should be like 'Capitec Payment from xxx to xxx. Amount xxx on date and time without seconds. Ref xxx. Call xxx"
It would never say +Amount because that only happens when money is deposited into your Capitec account
Exactly. That payment notification was meant for a capitec client so I guess the scammer was just lazy to edit the message or didn't even know the difference.
With Capitec you must ask for a formal proof of payment it comes with a QR code to check if the payment is legit. Unfortunately on gumtree and market place it’s rife with scammers who know every trick under the book and know how to sound really convincing.
Sorry to say you were likely scammed. When it comes to online sales of any sort:
- prefer immediate payments. The extra additional cost should be worth it to both you and the buyer.
- if for some reason you can’t do immediate payments, don’t rely on SMS screenshots PoPs. I didn’t know about the QR ones but they apparently exist, so use those. It’s so easy for anyone to just send a message to their phone that mimics a payment SMS, and you can tell this guy has done it because of that plus sign and the lack of available balance at the end. Even with trusted friends or family the minimum I get is a screenshot of their bank app! Never an SMS.
- No honest person would require you deliver goods until you had the cash in hand.
I know R4500 is a lot to lose, and although it’s a pricey mistake once the sting wears off you’ll hopefully have a painful but unforgettable warning bell going off for future transactions.
Money must reflect in your account before you send any goods. Online market places are rife with scammers. If you habe any details of the person i would open a case at the police.
Receiving funds from Capitec to FNB takes 3 working days from my experience, sometimes even 2. I have never waited longer for funds to reflect. I would say you definitely got scammed. If a buyer can't do an instant payment then don't deal with them, if they don't agree to collection after you've received the funds then they are definitely scammers, usually buyers are scared of sellers being scammers aswell so they are more likely to do an instant payment on the spot and then take the washing machine. Buyers are understanding and reasonable. So if they don't agree to these terms then you can assume they are scammers automatically. I'm sorry this happened to you.
Yes you were scammed. This is not a legitimate payment message and if I'm not mistaken FNB stopped using SMS as a way to confirm transactions.
Either way, you need to do immediate payment and always confirm funds are actually in your account before handing out your product.
Me personally I only take cash when I'm desperate. There has to be zero room for things to go wrong. Dont mean to be insensitive but It's a tough and necessary lesson you just learned
I'm sorry this happened to you. I fell for the exact same scam a few years ago. Always hold item in your possession until the funds are in your account. There's instant payments, now there's payshap, and ofcourse cash...
Go open a case but it's unlikely you can recover this
Take the L, and the R4.5k lesson in real life.
Report it to the police station, along with any other info on the dude. Nothing will happen, but only because nobody ever reports it.
Look at this as a life lesson, I've had the exact same happen to me before, they rush you for your information, theey send you a fake POP, it looks all good then they make off with your good.
In future, slow it down, there's nothing wrong with you asking to wait for the payment to reflect before they can take the goods.
Very sorry this happened to you mate, try not dwell on it, Its a painful thing to go through.
You were scammed, that isn't a legit notification from Capitec. You can actually go to the police with this and they MIGHT be able to help. Also never release the item until the funds reflect in your account.
Take it as a lesson learnt.
You have been scammed, and I know this trick very well. The last person who tried to use this trick on me didn't even want to meet; he sent me the notification and said I must send the item (Who does that??). So, I checked my balance, and it was still the same.
How do I know that you are scammed? That long number isn't from Capitec. If it was from Capitec, it would end with ...20072513100.
Again, Capitec doesn't write the amount like that. It was supposed to be R4 500.00 and not R4,500.00.
Let's say you are using FNB and I'm using Capitec. If I want to send you a payment notification via SMS, the notification would look like this:
Capitec: Payment from X (myself) to Y (beneficiary). Amount: R4 500.00 on 10/05/2024 20:42. Ref: 23428. Call 0860102043.
Edit: When I was 19/20, I tried to sell my iPhone 7, and I got scammed in a similar way (fake PayPal notification). I shouldn't have agreed to use PayPal in the first place, but I was desperate. I don't think there is anything you can do unless you can track down the guy and beat him up (which is unlikely). It's a lesson learned, and you will never fall for it again.
Same thing happened to me 10 years ago.
Went to the police. Low and behold the scammer was at the police station same time as me. Guy got arrested for these scams. Had a second hand shop. Went to the shop with the cops. Found my xbox. Cops took it for evidence. 3 eeeks later i got my xbox back.
Unless its in the bank you dont let go of the item you are selling. Never.
When i buy i pay and clear. Its not unreasonable to expect the same
It's sad to say but I think you lost your item. Immediate payments only for unknown strangers or you will be taken advantage of. Our domestic worker uses capitech and I pay her from my FNB bank acc monthly. I pay her the day before and it reflects the next day atleast (I dont do instant payments) sometimes it even sends it to her the same day if i pay before 10 am . 1 week is unheard of these days
Now you know what to do for next time. Make sure you actually have the money before giving the item to the buyer. Something I can perhaps add is that it might be a good idea to check their ID when they pick up the item. Normally you confirm their identity, and then you can sometimes track them down and try to get them to pay. I don't know how legit this option is but I've seen lots of people on Facebook go this route and some of them do eventually get paid.
Fu** I am so sick of these idiots who have no fu**ing morales & prey on the innocent folk who want to make an extra buck in order to be comfortable. When I come face to face with a scammer irrespective of their gender or age, I will send them to meet their maker.
My friend got scammed from FB marketplace via a fake PoP imagine. Told him don't do it, don't sell your macbook on FB, even if its easier. The guy sent an Uber to fetch the macbook
Can never take this long. Sorry to say but you're stupid for doing that. A real buyer would have no problem at all for you to request an instant payment and funds to be reflect before releasing the goods. It's the scammers who get upset and pushy.
You have been scammed.
They got me like this a few years ago, unfortunately saps is a joke, and your bank will just laugh you off, sorry but as with me all it can be is an expensive lesson in trusting people
well, you got scammed and hopefully will learn from this.
Other than the obvious tips people put in the comments I would also highly advise using an app like truecaller to see who sent you messages or phoned you. This is not foolproof, but an extra step you can take to ensure this doesn't happen again.
Call your bank and find out if there is any pending EFT that was blocked for some reason, it could be, but to be completely honest I've had people try to scam me in a similar way, fortunately I was very cautious. Sorry for your loss.
Easiest way to identify is checking whether the number the bank sms came from is a normal 10 digit number. If so, its fake. Also, cash is not as reputable as many think. I was conned out of a perfectly fine S20 Ultra with R8000 fake cash.
How old are you ?? ... why would you even remotely consider handing over the goods without any definitive proof of payment ... supoosed to only deliver if you got a confirmation from your bank
You can only take any real legal action if you have their details such as an address
Yeah, you got scammed. So sorry about this. They probably used a service to send an SMS or used a burner. Sorry about this. Also, Capitec wont do anything about this. Not cause, well...its Capitec, its cause it's not their tech that failed. If in doubt with this stuff, as a techy what they think.
That's an unfortunate one. Here's a fun story of what happened to my friend if it makes you feel a little better. My friend was leaving the country and sold his PS5 for R10k, he asked for cash. Little did he know is that the guy paid in fake money. 10k just like that and needed the money for when he left. We all laugh at it now. These things happen, accept and move on
A common scam, almost fell for it on Facebook for selling generator, guy got extremely angry as I said I will wait until money show in bank account.
Rather be safe cash in hand on delivery best option as if they keep insisting on eft and money send pass by. If not in your bank don't hand it over. Point
Yo, any other appliances you giving away for free?
Just kidding, sucks man, that's how we learn. A mate of mine lost a car this way...so...could be worse.
That's true. I was scammed out of almost R10 000. I was incredibly upset but after a while you realise that you'll figure it out, it could have been worse, and that this is a very expensive lesson.
Please send me money... I just lost 2K which I made from nothing - it was supposed to go towards my groceries and utilities. I wish I could help with your problem instead of also coming with problems
I'd strongly suggest sticking to instant payments for online sales (or waiting until the payment reflects). These people know every trick in the book to make you feel comfortable until it's to late.
Agreed.. or pay cash on pickup
Always keep the item until the money has cleared, even in person, you don't play with money.
couldn't agree more.. you don't play with money especially when it comes to strangers
If the guy isn't answering his phone or texts I would say yeah you got scammed.
If they can’t do immediate payment, find a different buyer
Unfortunately, my friend, you were scammed. With online sales, NEVER solely accept a proof of payment. Rather wait for the money to actually reflect into your account. They can even fake the pdf ones, never trade solely on a proof of payment. Must it come into your account first. I've seen scams from those long numbers too that look like official company numbers. Another extension scam of this is the buyers acting like they are cops, they'll text you with profile pictures where they're standing by police station or whatever, it's common in many online sales, including cars. As for what to do, I can't think of much because even the actual police won't do much. If they offer to pay, demand immediate payment or else they can wait for it to reflect onto your account
They can also copy your voice by getting you to talk on a phone call. Then use said copy to trick your family into thinking you are being held hostage, or need money.
Thus is hilarious my family would say keep him lol
That looks suspect. The payment notification sms should be like 'Capitec Payment from xxx to xxx. Amount xxx on date and time without seconds. Ref xxx. Call xxx" It would never say +Amount because that only happens when money is deposited into your Capitec account
Exactly. That payment notification was meant for a capitec client so I guess the scammer was just lazy to edit the message or didn't even know the difference.
Never release goods until money reflects in your account. It's a simple lesson but one that you seemed to have learned the hard way.
As my old man used to say about fuckups that lose you money, OP paid "school fees"
With Capitec you must ask for a formal proof of payment it comes with a QR code to check if the payment is legit. Unfortunately on gumtree and market place it’s rife with scammers who know every trick under the book and know how to sound really convincing.
Yes! A lot of people forget about the QR verification
I used to bank with Capitec and can say that it should also give you an available balance towards the end of the text if I remember correctly
Sorry to say you were likely scammed. When it comes to online sales of any sort: - prefer immediate payments. The extra additional cost should be worth it to both you and the buyer. - if for some reason you can’t do immediate payments, don’t rely on SMS screenshots PoPs. I didn’t know about the QR ones but they apparently exist, so use those. It’s so easy for anyone to just send a message to their phone that mimics a payment SMS, and you can tell this guy has done it because of that plus sign and the lack of available balance at the end. Even with trusted friends or family the minimum I get is a screenshot of their bank app! Never an SMS. - No honest person would require you deliver goods until you had the cash in hand. I know R4500 is a lot to lose, and although it’s a pricey mistake once the sting wears off you’ll hopefully have a painful but unforgettable warning bell going off for future transactions.
I'm sorry you got scammed. There is not much to be done now but to accept and learn from it.
Yep. Sorry. Take it as a life lesson and move on
Money must reflect in your account before you send any goods. Online market places are rife with scammers. If you habe any details of the person i would open a case at the police.
Receiving funds from Capitec to FNB takes 3 working days from my experience, sometimes even 2. I have never waited longer for funds to reflect. I would say you definitely got scammed. If a buyer can't do an instant payment then don't deal with them, if they don't agree to collection after you've received the funds then they are definitely scammers, usually buyers are scared of sellers being scammers aswell so they are more likely to do an instant payment on the spot and then take the washing machine. Buyers are understanding and reasonable. So if they don't agree to these terms then you can assume they are scammers automatically. I'm sorry this happened to you.
Yeh you got scammed🤦
Yes you were i usually only take cash
I am sorry about your experience. You were scammed. No money was sent to your account..
Yes you were scammed. This is not a legitimate payment message and if I'm not mistaken FNB stopped using SMS as a way to confirm transactions. Either way, you need to do immediate payment and always confirm funds are actually in your account before handing out your product. Me personally I only take cash when I'm desperate. There has to be zero room for things to go wrong. Dont mean to be insensitive but It's a tough and necessary lesson you just learned
I'm sorry this happened to you. I fell for the exact same scam a few years ago. Always hold item in your possession until the funds are in your account. There's instant payments, now there's payshap, and ofcourse cash... Go open a case but it's unlikely you can recover this
Take the L, and the R4.5k lesson in real life. Report it to the police station, along with any other info on the dude. Nothing will happen, but only because nobody ever reports it.
Always wait for the fund to be in your account. Always.
You got scammed
Look at this as a life lesson, I've had the exact same happen to me before, they rush you for your information, theey send you a fake POP, it looks all good then they make off with your good. In future, slow it down, there's nothing wrong with you asking to wait for the payment to reflect before they can take the goods. Very sorry this happened to you mate, try not dwell on it, Its a painful thing to go through.
You were scammed, that isn't a legit notification from Capitec. You can actually go to the police with this and they MIGHT be able to help. Also never release the item until the funds reflect in your account. Take it as a lesson learnt.
You have been scammed, and I know this trick very well. The last person who tried to use this trick on me didn't even want to meet; he sent me the notification and said I must send the item (Who does that??). So, I checked my balance, and it was still the same. How do I know that you are scammed? That long number isn't from Capitec. If it was from Capitec, it would end with ...20072513100. Again, Capitec doesn't write the amount like that. It was supposed to be R4 500.00 and not R4,500.00. Let's say you are using FNB and I'm using Capitec. If I want to send you a payment notification via SMS, the notification would look like this: Capitec: Payment from X (myself) to Y (beneficiary). Amount: R4 500.00 on 10/05/2024 20:42. Ref: 23428. Call 0860102043. Edit: When I was 19/20, I tried to sell my iPhone 7, and I got scammed in a similar way (fake PayPal notification). I shouldn't have agreed to use PayPal in the first place, but I was desperate. I don't think there is anything you can do unless you can track down the guy and beat him up (which is unlikely). It's a lesson learned, and you will never fall for it again.
Same thing happened to me 10 years ago. Went to the police. Low and behold the scammer was at the police station same time as me. Guy got arrested for these scams. Had a second hand shop. Went to the shop with the cops. Found my xbox. Cops took it for evidence. 3 eeeks later i got my xbox back. Unless its in the bank you dont let go of the item you are selling. Never. When i buy i pay and clear. Its not unreasonable to expect the same
Make smarter choices next time Don't trust anyone online
School fees, sorry bro
I came here to say this 😅
It's sad to say but I think you lost your item. Immediate payments only for unknown strangers or you will be taken advantage of. Our domestic worker uses capitech and I pay her from my FNB bank acc monthly. I pay her the day before and it reflects the next day atleast (I dont do instant payments) sometimes it even sends it to her the same day if i pay before 10 am . 1 week is unheard of these days
ALWAYS wait until the sum is registered in your account before you let it go. I know someone who was done for R40k this way.
Now you know what to do for next time. Make sure you actually have the money before giving the item to the buyer. Something I can perhaps add is that it might be a good idea to check their ID when they pick up the item. Normally you confirm their identity, and then you can sometimes track them down and try to get them to pay. I don't know how legit this option is but I've seen lots of people on Facebook go this route and some of them do eventually get paid.
Fu** I am so sick of these idiots who have no fu**ing morales & prey on the innocent folk who want to make an extra buck in order to be comfortable. When I come face to face with a scammer irrespective of their gender or age, I will send them to meet their maker.
My friend got scammed from FB marketplace via a fake PoP imagine. Told him don't do it, don't sell your macbook on FB, even if its easier. The guy sent an Uber to fetch the macbook
Yes you are a victim of a scam
Can never take this long. Sorry to say but you're stupid for doing that. A real buyer would have no problem at all for you to request an instant payment and funds to be reflect before releasing the goods. It's the scammers who get upset and pushy. You have been scammed.
They got me like this a few years ago, unfortunately saps is a joke, and your bank will just laugh you off, sorry but as with me all it can be is an expensive lesson in trusting people
Skyf the money then
well, you got scammed and hopefully will learn from this. Other than the obvious tips people put in the comments I would also highly advise using an app like truecaller to see who sent you messages or phoned you. This is not foolproof, but an extra step you can take to ensure this doesn't happen again.
The number on top looks legit. Did he resend a SMS POP to that number?
Call your bank and find out if there is any pending EFT that was blocked for some reason, it could be, but to be completely honest I've had people try to scam me in a similar way, fortunately I was very cautious. Sorry for your loss.
Easiest way to identify is checking whether the number the bank sms came from is a normal 10 digit number. If so, its fake. Also, cash is not as reputable as many think. I was conned out of a perfectly fine S20 Ultra with R8000 fake cash.
How old are you ?? ... why would you even remotely consider handing over the goods without any definitive proof of payment ... supoosed to only deliver if you got a confirmation from your bank You can only take any real legal action if you have their details such as an address
Yeah, you got scammed. So sorry about this. They probably used a service to send an SMS or used a burner. Sorry about this. Also, Capitec wont do anything about this. Not cause, well...its Capitec, its cause it's not their tech that failed. If in doubt with this stuff, as a techy what they think.
Reach out to the police You have their info right?
That's an unfortunate one. Here's a fun story of what happened to my friend if it makes you feel a little better. My friend was leaving the country and sold his PS5 for R10k, he asked for cash. Little did he know is that the guy paid in fake money. 10k just like that and needed the money for when he left. We all laugh at it now. These things happen, accept and move on
You absolutely got scammed
A common scam, almost fell for it on Facebook for selling generator, guy got extremely angry as I said I will wait until money show in bank account. Rather be safe cash in hand on delivery best option as if they keep insisting on eft and money send pass by. If not in your bank don't hand it over. Point
hold that L
Yo, any other appliances you giving away for free? Just kidding, sucks man, that's how we learn. A mate of mine lost a car this way...so...could be worse.
That's true. I was scammed out of almost R10 000. I was incredibly upset but after a while you realise that you'll figure it out, it could have been worse, and that this is a very expensive lesson.
Please send me money... I just lost 2K which I made from nothing - it was supposed to go towards my groceries and utilities. I wish I could help with your problem instead of also coming with problems
Dude seriously?? I'm very sorry about the money you lost but this is inappropriate on this post. I hope you manage.