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[Latest update 11/11/2010: The group of 10 Lichfield (and surrounding area) based people arrested in relation to the large scale scamming of people on Gumtree, AVForums and elsewhere are still out on bail while the CPS builds its case. Despite having been arrested and out on bail, they continue to scam people here and on Gumtree.]
Note : we are referring to them as the Ainsworth scammers as that is the name used more than any other in email addresses and on the phone. Until proven guilty, everyone is presumed innocent.
Recently a particularly nasty group of young individuals have been registering with login names similar to traders with goods for sale in our classified forums.
They have been finding people who had made offers on the goods but had been turned down by the trader.
They have then been sending private messages to these people pretending to be the original trader. In the PMs they stated that they had changed their mind, agreed to the offer and asked for payment.
Five people on AVForums have been taken in by this scam and sent a bank transfer. Several people on other websites including Gumtree have been defrauded also. We are assisting the police in securing a prosecution.
So far we have been able to ban all the existing and new accounts by this scammer.
But we ask that you please *always* follow our trading guidelines and in particular, do not, under any circumstances, negotiate or agree trades by private message.
I will be adding all the information we have about these people in this thread. We will be trying to uncover as much information about them as possible.
Thanks go to the moderators for helping to identify and deal with this scammer
If you believe that you have been the victim of these frauds...take the following action
1 : Inform your bank immediately and ask if there is anything they can do to help you.
2 : Report the matter to your local police who can make some initial enquiries with the bank in question and establish where, geographically the account holder lives. Your force will then pass the complaint directly to the police force that covers that area. It is they that will investigate your complaint.
3 : When you know which force is dealing with your complaint......ring them and get the name of the officer who is dealing with your investigation and also the unique crime reference number for your investigation. They should then keep you updated as regards their actions.
How to recognise this scam. The scammers:
The bank accounts used to defraud people are:
Sort Code Account number Details
53-70-15 32119550 Nat West, 47 Market Street, Lichfield, WS13 6YB
53-70-15 73669733 Nat West, 47 Market Street, Lichfield, WS13 6YB
30-71-98 42624560 Lloyds TSB, 22 Conduit Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire Ws13 6JS
30-71-98 44014960 Lloyds TSB, 22 Conduit Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire Ws13 6JS
11-00-01 07078159 Halifax, PO Box 548, Leeds LS1 1WU
11-00-01 07852314 Halifax, PO Box 548, Leeds LS1 1WU
11-03-24 00260752 Halifax, Lichfield
20-85-13 83826775 Barclays Bank, Tamworth Business Centre, 24 Middle Entry, Tamworth B79 7N
40-39-12 01405284 HSBC, City Office, 49 Corn Street, Bristol, BS99 7PP
60-24-79 73586935 Nat West
05-09-42 57815216 Yorkshire Bank, 3 George St, Tamworth, Staffs., B79 7LA
Note : we are referring to them as the Ainsworth scammers as that is the name used more than any other in email addresses and on the phone. Until proven guilty, everyone is presumed innocent.
Recently a particularly nasty group of young individuals have been registering with login names similar to traders with goods for sale in our classified forums.
They have been finding people who had made offers on the goods but had been turned down by the trader.
They have then been sending private messages to these people pretending to be the original trader. In the PMs they stated that they had changed their mind, agreed to the offer and asked for payment.
Five people on AVForums have been taken in by this scam and sent a bank transfer. Several people on other websites including Gumtree have been defrauded also. We are assisting the police in securing a prosecution.
So far we have been able to ban all the existing and new accounts by this scammer.
But we ask that you please *always* follow our trading guidelines and in particular, do not, under any circumstances, negotiate or agree trades by private message.
I will be adding all the information we have about these people in this thread. We will be trying to uncover as much information about them as possible.
Thanks go to the moderators for helping to identify and deal with this scammer
If you believe that you have been the victim of these frauds...take the following action
1 : Inform your bank immediately and ask if there is anything they can do to help you.
2 : Report the matter to your local police who can make some initial enquiries with the bank in question and establish where, geographically the account holder lives. Your force will then pass the complaint directly to the police force that covers that area. It is they that will investigate your complaint.
3 : When you know which force is dealing with your complaint......ring them and get the name of the officer who is dealing with your investigation and also the unique crime reference number for your investigation. They should then keep you updated as regards their actions.
How to recognise this scam. The scammers:
- Often advertising an iPhone (usually on Gumtree adverts)
- Only want payment by bank transfer - they don't do Paypal
- Are looking for a quick payment
- Invite you to pay on collection but know you live too far to travel
- If you express doubts they offer to take some in advance and the rest on delivery
- Often give Stowe Stree, Lichfield as their address
- Upon request of proof of identity give excuses
The bank accounts used to defraud people are:
53-70-15 32119550 Nat West, 47 Market Street, Lichfield, WS13 6YB
53-70-15 73669733 Nat West, 47 Market Street, Lichfield, WS13 6YB
30-71-98 42624560 Lloyds TSB, 22 Conduit Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire Ws13 6JS
30-71-98 44014960 Lloyds TSB, 22 Conduit Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire Ws13 6JS
11-00-01 07078159 Halifax, PO Box 548, Leeds LS1 1WU
11-00-01 07852314 Halifax, PO Box 548, Leeds LS1 1WU
11-03-24 00260752 Halifax, Lichfield
20-85-13 83826775 Barclays Bank, Tamworth Business Centre, 24 Middle Entry, Tamworth B79 7N
40-39-12 01405284 HSBC, City Office, 49 Corn Street, Bristol, BS99 7PP
60-24-79 73586935 Nat West
05-09-42 57815216 Yorkshire Bank, 3 George St, Tamworth, Staffs., B79 7LA
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