beware when placing WTB, scammer fake emails steveny3a@gmail.com

[NY3A]

4/27/2022

Someone or a group has been targeting people posting WTB ads on QTH. They have been using the first name and then callsign at gmail to impersonate someone offering to sell the WTB person the equipment.

The scammer won't take a phone call, using some excuse e.g. they are hard of hearing, and talks the WTB person into paying with Paypal friends and family which takes away protection for your purchase.

Two fake email addresses I'm aware of are:

steveny3a@gmail.com
ronaldb8hnu@gmail.com

Beware, especially when placing WTB ads.

[K9DP]

Thanks, I got an email from steveny3a@gmail.com. They didn't contact me through QTH and instead got my email from QRZ I assume. Seemed fishy and then I found this post luckily.

[N7KR]

3rd SCAM Report - Steve E. Sluz NY3A Call Sign Hijacked by a Michael Henderson
email steveny3a@gmail.com, PayPal address Incrivelmulticoncepts@gmail.com

I didn't read this & was scammed by steveny3a.gmail.com for $365 on May 3rd, 2022. I had an ad on QTH wanting a Telepost LA-100A & he responded saying he had a very nice one & that he wanted paid via PayPay “ Friends & Family.”
NY3A did not have an email address listed in QRZ Call Look-Up so I ask to call him on the phone but he said he was in poor health & could not talk on phone. So I ask him to send a picture of the equipment with his QSL Card. He sent a picture of the LP-100A with NY3A written on sheet of paper.... I only had my cell phone with me but i couldn't see any editing errors of him splicing into call sign on another picture. I supposedly was buying from Steve E. Sluz but when I made payment
PayPal confirmed payment to a “ Michael Henderson “.

I immediately called PayPal & reported the situation. They told me unfortunately since I had used PayPal “ Friends & Family “ there is no insurance for fraudulent claims. Fortunately for me, I had used my Capitol One credit card in this transaction because I didn’t have enough money in my PayPal account. I reported the scam to Capitol One. As I have been a long time Capitol One member & have no prior history of fradulent claims reports, they refunded my payment 3 days later. WHEW!

Take a Ways: Make sure the person’s email address matches QRZ call Look-Up info, check QRZ & here to look for any Scam Reports, check persons IP Address to see if he is emailing from same physical location & Never use PayPal Friends & Family for purchase from strangers as You HAVE NO BUYERS PROTECTION.

[andrewd]

Another scammer using the name "EMMANUEL J MARCEL" and email "joshuawb2bon @ gmail.com" (callsign WB2BON). Their QRZ page now lists the user as being compromised as well. If anyone is interested, here's the email exchange I had with them, slightly edited to remove extra "hello"/"best regards".

Hi
Buddipole PowerMini 2 For sale in a good working condition
73

Hello Emmanuel,

Thank you for your email. I'm interested in purchasing the PowerMini 2 - what sort of price were you thinking about? For shipping costs, I have a freight forwarder in New York; the address is:
<REDACTED>

Thank you,
--Andrew

$150 shipped
73

That works for me; thanks.

I prefer to pay via PayPal, since I'm in Canada and don't have an American bank account. What address should I send it to? I'll add 3% to the total to pay for PayPal's fees.

Sounds good.
I accept PayPal payment via family and friends only
73

Do you mind if I ask why only family & friends? If it's a matter of the extra fees, adding 3% will ensure that a Goods And Services payment will not cost you anything extra and you will receive the correct amount.

I don’t know why but my step son who his in charge of all online transactions in the family request I use family and friends
73

Per the QTH.com rules, they say not to send payments as "Personal" or "Friends and Family" when using PayPal. The next time you talk with your step son, could you please show him this email thread? I am happy to hop on the phone or a video call to prove that I am a real person, if that would be helpful to you or to your step son. However, I don't feel comfortable sending money via PayPal "friends and family" - sorry!

Sure, no problem.

Have you had the chance to talk to your step son yet?

Yes, I did.But same story f&f only

[wx8l]

I've gotten a few of these the last few days.

A K0 callsign at Gmail and a N8 at gmail both reached out to me on a want ad.

The language and fonts were suspect, no phone call due to hearing issues, PP F&F only...

Buyer beware...

FWIW, I have absolutely NO problem with Friends & Family, in fact it's the only way I'll accept PayPal. Having said that, I go out of my way to provide the buyer with plenty of verifiable information and I have a rather prolific internet presence.