eBay fraudster conned pair out of £500 ring
SCAMMER FOOLED COUPLE INTO SENDING PARCEL BUT DIDN’T SEND PAYMENT FOR IT
A SINGLE mother selling a ring says she was conned by a fake bank account and was then left devastated after she said the Post Office ‘refused to return it.’
Joanne Mullaney, from Esh Winning, County Durham, said once she realised she had been scammed, she rushed to the Post Office to retrieve her parcel but she said she was told it had already been logged for delivery and there was nothing they could do.
Post Office policy is that once an item is handed over the counter it is accepted into the Royal Mail network and staff are not allowed to intercept it at that stage.
Joanne and her girlfriend, Hollie Farrow, were planning their first holiday together as a couple and were raising funds for a trip to Mexico.
Although Joanne is a selfemployed childminder and retailer, 29-year-old Hollie is a teaching assistant and so the only possible time to go abroad would be in the school holidays, when travel prices rocket.
In addition to a few other items, Hollie suggested that they sell an engagement ring from her previous relationship, which was worth about £2,000.
Joanne said she advertised the ring on eBay and said she soon received an email from a man who offered to buy it for £500, which she accepted.
However, she said the man asked if the sale could be done through PayPal, rather than eBay, which she also agreed to.
“I know it was a stupid thing to do but it seemed legitimate and looked genuine,” Joanne said.
She said she was told by the supposed PayPal account that she would be paid for the ring via bank transfer once she provided them with the Royal Mail tracking number to prove the parcel had been sent.
At about 4pm on Friday, December 7, she took the wrapped-up ring to the Post Office and handed it over the counter for delivery.
“Something just didn’t feel right,” she said.
“I’ve never heard of only being paid after getting the tracking code before so I decided to ring PayPal.”
PayPal confirmed to Joanne that no such process existed and that she had been conned.
Immediately she rushed back to the Post Office and explained what had happened, but she said the staff refused to give it back.
“The whole thing was very frustrating and I’m not happy at all,” she said.
“I could see my parcel right in front of me on the counter. “I should have just grabbed it. I could kick myself.”
Joanne contacted Northumbria Police in the hope of getting her package back.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Police were called on December 7 to an address on Newhouse Road, Durham after reports of fraudulent activity. Following enquires, the victim was referred to Action Fraud.”
Joanne has had to put her holiday planning on hold as she can no longer afford her dream Latin American trip.
“We’re not looking at any places at the moment, it’s a real shame.
“We both work really hard and need a holiday.
“I certainly won’t do sales outside of eBay in the future for valuable things.”
Joanne has an eight-year-old daughter called Faith and Hollie has a four-year-old daughter called Darcy, who they were hoping to take to Mexico with them.
A Post Office spokesperson said: “While we have every sympathy for anyone who finds themselves the victim of a scam, once an item has been handed across the counter, it is accepted into the Royal Mail network for delivery to the addressee. “Post Office employees are not allowed to intercept it at this stage. We would always encourage anyone who believes they have sent an item of value in the post as a result of fraud to contact the police as soon as possible.”
I know it was a stupid thing to do but it seemed legitimate and looked genuine Joanne Mullaney