Just called from that same number, name is now Martin Olsson. They're using "TEXT ME" app. I have a motorcycle listed on Craiglist. Want to buy it sight unseen and pay full price via paypal, said he'd arrange for shipping. What a scammer, even has the balls to continue to contact me.
Identified himself as Martens Phelps, wants to buy my motorcycle site unseen through paypal and have a shipper pick it up. This is the four scammer I have been contacted by with this MO.
Same number 901-444-8169, same name Martens Phelps. Wants me to send $1400 out of my own pocket to a "shipper" who will come pick up my car which is for sale on Craigslist, and then according to very fake looking emails from PayPal, I will reimbursed via paypal, along with the asking price for the car.
I posted a vehicle for sale on Craig's list. Within a few hours I got a txt from martens phelps and he said he wanted the veh and would pay the asking price. He wanted to use PayPal and he said that he would hire a shipper but he would send me the money to pay the shipper. All of this sent up red flags. He said I would have to follow his instructions exactly and the shipper would require a money order. Well this is the country and we don't do deals like that. So I google his number and find that there are many complaints for it. So I told the guy that he came up in a security search as a scam and if he was truly interested he would have to explain himself. Haven't heard back.
Here are the rules
1- no one buys a vehicle site unseen. If they do they are either an idiot or scammer.
2- no one pays asking price without at least trying to haggle. If they do they are an idiot or scam
3- I am a seller not a shipping broker. You want someone to haul it, you pay them.
4- If you place an add on Craig's list you will get hundreds of scammers and very few real offers.
I think the scam is in the shipping part but not sure how it works. Didn't stick around to find out. I also don't give my name, real address, or any other info to inquiries on adds. Everyone is a crook until they prove otherwise. Out here deals are done on a handshake. If you can't show up in person then there is no deal. If I haven't met you in person, you are no friend of mine, expect to be treated as such.
PS I've delt with a few scammers and my favorite thing to do is waste their time. I once kept a guy on the phone almost an hour before unleashing my inner jarhead. I think I hurt his feelings. Aww
Selling vending machines on Craigslist and the exact same scenario. I heard from him Martens Phelps, within a couple of hours wanting to purchase all of the machines, site unseen, using Paypal. Very sketchy!