A man contacts you on Skype. He says he’s American, and he saw your Gumtree ad selling your barely-worn pair of branded shoes and wants to purchase it as a present for his daughter, who is studying in Thailand.
Would you be so kind, he asks earnestly, to mail the item directly to his daughter? He would be happy to pay upfront for the shoes and postage costs via bank transfer, no questions asked.
Chances are, if you’re desperate enough to get rid of the shoes (and make a quick buck in the process), you would say yes.
And if so, ‘congratulations!’ You just got scammed.
WHAT? HOW IS IT A SCAM?
After acceding to the request, you will receive an “official” transaction email from the buyer’s “bank” (CitiBank Group), saying that payment has been made but will be withheld until you send proof of postage......