QTH.COM Swap Chat

Looks like my little wanted ad for a HX-1681 is attracting flies. The individuals operating on this site as K9SL (Steven Lane) and K8TAF (Timothy A. Fleming) are both scammers. Same MO -- use a profile with no known email address on QRZ, and send you a direct email using outlook.com addresses. Other red flags: the word "ad" in their emails is oddly capitalized. Also, if you reply to them, they respond almost immediately. Real people aren't hanging by the keyboard, anxious to respond within seconds.

73 - Steve, KW4H

Steve - I am the real K8TAF and I want to inform you that I have had no dealings with you. I was recently scammed by someone responding to a want to buy ad I had placed here. In this case they used the callsign of K0VUW to falsely identify themselves. It’s the usual story - after paying the item never arrived. I was eventually able to contact the real K0VUW who knew nothing about the sale. Today I was contacted by another ham, WB5LXZ informing me that he had just been scammed by someone using my callsign and an email address I do not have. I’m speculating that after they scam someone they turn around and make up a fake email address to go after someone else. I am attempting to recover my funds but I’m not sure what can be done to stop this type of unlawful activity. I’ve been a ham for over 40 years and bought and sold lots of ham gear but I think I won’t be anymore. I don’t want to speak for the other ham you mentioned in your posting but I’d be willing to bet he may have someone using his callsign as well without his knowledge.