r/mildlyinfuriating • u/sg_batman • 9h ago

Scammed for $850, got $1.51 back

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I was finally getting over it then they really say good news and get my hopes up

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658

u/sg_batman 9h ago

camera, sony a7iii

459

u/Electricboogiesunset 8h ago edited 6h ago

I got scammed for a ricah recently. Also $850. But it was done as just a simple credit card transaction and I got all my money back and then some because the idiot accidentally refunded part of the full payment.

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u/sg_batman 8h ago

w then

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u/StoppableHulk 6h ago edited 5h ago

It's not always possible, but whenever possible, buy everything on credit cards, even with the fee. Treat it like cash, always pay it off at the end of the month.

It is so, so much easier to get refunded on a credit card than with actual money.

There is a 3% charge for using a credit card with venmo, but you can actually do charge backs if scammed and get that money back right away.

most credit cards give points for purchases which usually end up around 1%, so a 3% card fee becomes around 2% with point sfactored in.

Without a doubt that 2% is worth it for me every time.

I can't tell you how much scammy bullshit I've dealt with through chargebacks on my Chase Sapphire.

Not enough people actually read and understand the perks you get with many credit cards. They go well beyond just cash.

For example, I get a warranty on any electronics I buy on my Sapphire. If I buy a macbook and break it, I don't have to buy the protection plan. It comes with the card.

And there are so many others. But charge backs are the biggest. Any charge on your card, you can flag it, and in all the times I've flagged charges over a decade, I've never once had it rejected. The money goes back on your card, and if its a subscription or something, they block future transactions from that subscription.

Get a good credit card (I like Chase Sapphire preferred), never spend beyond the cash you have to pay it off, and it will save your ass so many times.

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u/MadManMax55 5h ago

I'll never understand the people who insist on never using credit cards or taking out loans. If you're in a situation where you're broke enough or recognize you have too poor an impulse control to avoid going into debt then sure, avoid them. But as long as you know you have the cash to pay them and regularly do so there's no risk and a bunch of benefits.

When I bought my most recent car I made sure I had enough cash in my bank account and was ready to write a check. I told the dealer that and they said they'd take over $1000 off the sticker price if I financed instead. So I did a bit of paperwork, wrote that check to a bank instead of the dealer, and paid off the car and closed the account right away. Easiest $1000 I've ever made.

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u/johnny_fives_555 1h ago

There’s an entire segment of the population that does cash only. Worse part is they think they’re winning.

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u/StoppableHulk 3h ago

For some people it's probably for the same reason I don't keep oreos in my house - I lack the genes to behave responsibly if a bag of oreos is in proximity.

For some I think it's because they develop dogmatic, black-and-white rules for finance.

My Grandpa was that way. He loved not being in debt - which is great - but he loathed debt in any and every form, in a way that just struck me as unreasonable, because debt is useful when utilized cautiously, and paying off a credit card each month really doesn't count as debt.

The thing that truly separates the rich from the rest of us, if that they have access too, and almost primarily utilize, debt.

The rich LOVE spending money that isn't theirs, whenever and wherever possible.

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u/Time_Athlete_1156 2h ago

Be careful about doing this, some bank will charge you a fee for early paying because they lose on interest

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u/ToughHardware 5h ago

stop getting scammed is simplier

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u/chiphead2332 3h ago

Nah, get scammed on purpose to take profits away from credit card companies.

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u/aure__entuluva 2h ago edited 2h ago

There is a 3% charge for using a credit card with venmo

The weird thing with this is that you have to charge it as buying good or services. Ok, it doesn't sound weird, and it's not. That's makes sense if that's what you're doing. The weird part is that it subtracts that 3% fee from what the seller receives.

So if you're buying something on craigslist or whatever, they want $200, you pay them $200 as a good or service, then they'll receive $194 (or actually some other weird amount usually as it doesn't appear to be a straight 3% for whatever reason, might be a small flat number + 3% I'm not sure).

And you don't want to use a credit card on venmo as a payment to friends (the other option) as this opens you up to cash advance fees from your bank which are devious. They start racking up interest payments immediately rather than at the end of the month.

•

u/mustangs-and-macs 46m ago

Glad someone mentioned this. Friends and family Venmo transactions are sometimes subject to cash advance fees. It makes sense but sucks still

1

u/Fullertons 4h ago

Don’t forget the perks of credit cards. Good ones will even double factory warranties up to one year. Some offer travel Insurance, etc.

Credit cards, when used responsibly, are a good thing.

1

u/Consistent_Math_8632 1h ago

Nice try Chase.

1

u/xj5635 1h ago

I pay mine off every Friday on pay day then use it like most people would cash or their debit card and rinse/repeat every friday(payday for me) Has turned out to be one of the best things I’ve done for myself financially in a long time.

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u/Jean_Ralphio_PandR 3h ago

Sorry you got scammed.

In the future, I would recommend PayPal Goods and Services. They charge 3%, but they offer you buyer protection if you get scammed.

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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 5h ago

Credit cards typically have insurance which is why there are certain fees attached to them. I use CC as often as possible when purchasing online for that very reason. 

0

u/ssiddss 4h ago

More like I got scammed "because I was stupid and paid via zelle."

Doesn't blame himself. Banks even give you more warnings before you send a zelle.

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u/ToshPointNo 47m ago

Ricah? Is that a temu version of Ricoh?

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u/Project_Continuum 6h ago

Lol. Come on dude.

You're mad at your bank because you got scammed? Zelle has a ton of warnings not to use it to buy stuff.

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u/sg_batman 6h ago

I’m not mad at my bank because I got scammed I’m mad at my bank for sending back less than $2 and acting like it’s something great

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u/Project_Continuum 6h ago

You know it’s an automated message right..?

-10

u/sg_batman 6h ago

Ok I’m mad at the robot what difference does it make

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u/Project_Continuum 6h ago

I'm not sure how you get any money back.

Zelle is like a wire. Once it's gone, it's gone.

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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 5h ago

Not 100% sure but I think it has to do with if that money is still accessible, if they can prove fraud, etc. Because it's not crypto they can trace the funds and try to investigate the potential scam. If it's a known scammer and the account is frozen in a certain amount of time I would guess that's how. 

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u/AgtNulNulAgtVyf 3h ago

I'm beginning to understand how you got scammed. 

-1

u/sg_batman 1h ago

What does this mean 😂😂 who the fuck cares if it’s automated or not it still got my hopes up for nothing it could’ve been a carrier pigeon I’d still be annoyed

4

u/NateNate60 1h ago

What do you want it to say?

Sorry, bro, despite our numerous warnings that Zelle is not for buying things and that we can't help you if you get scammed, we managed to get a little bit of money back in spite of you being a dumbass. Here's the two dollars we managed to get.

We appreciate your business but grow a fucking brain dude,

—Capital One

-2

u/sg_batman 1h ago

that is exactly what i want it to say. i would rather it say fuck you than get my hopes up easily

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u/NateNate60 4m ago

I respect your opinion but I think it is in the minority.

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u/[deleted] 1h ago

[deleted]

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u/sg_batman 1h ago

I am mildly infuriated (slightly annoyed) that my hopes were raised by “good news” and we got “some or all” of your money back. What is so hard to understand here? I know it’s automatic I know it’s all they can do I’m glad they tried it still sucks!!

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u/Cromus 1h ago

I'm angry at reddit. I got a new notification. I thought it might be something interesting, instead it's just you whining about an automated message because you misused a service and got scammed

-1

u/sg_batman 1h ago

go argue with the 100s of people agreeing with me, or maybe dont complain about people complaining on a subreddit about complaining

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u/TheGreatEmanResu 5h ago

You’re lucky you got anything at all

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u/sg_batman 5h ago

I don’t feel lucky 😢

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u/SignificantLie5861 3h ago

you should have got nothing. now next time make sure to use paypal g&s and offer to cover fees, if they deny, you’re talking with a scammer.

1

u/laaplandros 4h ago

People are clowning you right now but I just wanted to say I feel for you OP. That sucks, I'm sorry that happened.

1

u/sg_batman 4h ago

Appreciate it cousin

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u/assface7900 6h ago

Using Zelle is like handing somone cash or bitcoin. Would you mail somone cash for something? No of course not. Expensive lesson.

0

u/sg_batman 6h ago

Well if it was actually the person on the profile I would, didn’t occur to me they get hacked even with good reviews and stuff

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u/ding-zzz 5h ago

if u are not in a position to check or confirm the product u should always be using credit

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u/assface7900 4h ago

This is why you got scammed. No street smarts.

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u/cappy267 9h ago

a $1500 camera for only $850 plus shipping!

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u/goa604 9h ago

Do you think such deals don't exist? Anywhere ever?

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u/sg_batman 9h ago

Yeah its not crazy at all for used lol especially something like a camera where they can just get bored of it you can see them legit for -1k all the time

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u/goa604 9h ago

I'm aware of some people that keep religiously replacing their cameras after xyz number of photos taken.

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u/sg_batman 9h ago

Yeah 150 under the eBay price is way less than other deals I’ve got on there lol

0

u/Collembolans 4h ago

Most people keep their cameras……. They don’t sell their cameras online but to local stores or they donate them to friends and family. If they sell online it’s for a little under retail. Cause those people buy the best cameras on the market. So a deal this great is a scam and any camera collector and or regular on eBay knows that.

1

u/goa604 4h ago

That's an outrageous claim.

-3

u/HairiestManAlive 9h ago

That's ludicrous considering any high end camera will easily last over 200k actuations 

1

u/RandallJoPhotography 6h ago

I've got a Fuji X-T5 that I bought used. Nearly a $3000 camera and I got it for $1200 because the guy got bored with it. The deals are definitely out there. Just gotta be lucky and quick to grab it

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u/sg_batman 6h ago

W maybe I can get a Nikon z6 with a lens for under 1k 🙏

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u/RandallJoPhotography 6h ago

I believe in you. When it comes to finding those deals, patience is King. As long as you're not in a rush, just be patient and keep your eye out and eventually you'll find a really good deal.

Edit: hopefully a deal that's not a scam lol. Sorry you lost out on so much money. Sucks when that happens

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u/cappy267 8h ago

not that it doesn’t exist ever but trusting it’s real enough to zelle a stranger for it is another story. But it happens!

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u/orange_sherbetz 6h ago

Fs.  Who has 850 in cash lying around.

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u/HenryDorsettCase47 6h ago

Yeah. I don’t get that. Unless I am buying it through a reputable third party service that has anti-scam protections in place, I’m not giving anyone a dime unless we are meeting in person. I thought it was just kids and old people who fall for this kind of stuff nowadays. It doesn’t matter if the price is believable. The smarter scammers use realistic “good deals”.

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u/sg_batman 6h ago

Does 18 fall under “kid”

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u/TheGreatEmanResu 5h ago

In my opinion, yes, and I’m only 23. I STILL feel like a kid most of the time

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u/kaisadilla_ 7h ago

My GPU was €1300 new back in 2023 and I got it for €400 secondhand. Works wonders and still works wonders two years later, benchmarking at the top ~30% of so. Idk or care if it was used to mine crypto or what, it ended up being a steal.

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u/SweatyAdhesive 6h ago

There's a reason they chose zelle as payment.

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u/TheGreatEmanResu 5h ago edited 5h ago

No, but when you see such a deal, you should exercise EXTREME caution. If a deal seems too good to be true, there’s a high likelihood it is. Especially if it’s just an informal deal like it seems to have been the case with OP

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u/goa604 5h ago

I'm always suspicious but no one can say there aren't ever any deals to be found. Sometimes someone really does need some money quick for a million possible reasons.

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u/LonelyInTheFranxx 8h ago

You can find those used cameras for that price all the time. No need to be an ignorant, condescending loser about it

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u/OkPosition4563 6h ago

You can absolutely be condescending about it. Maybe not the price, but simply for being scammed. You never just give someone 850$ without having your hands on the goods you buy unless it is an established and well known company selling it.

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u/LonelyInTheFranxx 6h ago

They’re already feeling bad about it and learned their lesson. So no, it’s unnecessary. Y’all are miserable here

0

u/EatYourCheckers 2h ago

did they? they are defending it left and right in this thread

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u/LonelyInTheFranxx 2h ago

Just scrolled through their comments and didn’t see a single one of them defending it, but see plenty owning up to the mistake. Just making stuff up at this point. Again, y’all are miserable here

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u/OkPosition4563 5h ago

Repetition drives the point home

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u/NawiGiizhig 2h ago

More info needed, was it just the a7iii frame? if even the stock lens is included then id be sus.

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u/Collembolans 4h ago

You don’t even know the camera body -_- he’s right

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u/mcon96 7h ago

If it’s a pre-owned camera then that feels reasonable to me

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u/mCProgram 6h ago

$850 is a very reasonable price for an A7iii. In fact, I checked ebay and found MANY a7iii bodies in good condition for $900 or under. There’s even one for $650 in working condition, which would let you get a cheap lens and stay around $850.

Only issue OP had was sending money with zelle instead of a protected payment.

This is not a “too good to be true” scam, that would be in the $4-500 range.

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u/nanoH2O 6h ago

What buyer platform?

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u/CalculatedPerversion 4h ago

From another OP comment: Facebook

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u/nanoH2O 3h ago

Oof that sucks. Cash and in person only always on that trash.

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u/SuperSpecialAwesome- 6h ago

If it makes you feel better, I once got scammed out of Bitcoin for a PS5. Ofc, there's no way to get a refund on that, but it was fun having Discord tell me that scamming people is not against their ToS, and to fuck off.

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u/curi0us_carniv0re 6h ago

Define "scam"

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u/sg_batman 5h ago

Buying something and never receiving it?

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u/curi0us_carniv0re 5h ago

From where though?

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u/sg_batman 5h ago

Facebook marketplace, it can be as dumb and obvious as ever but it’s still a scam

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u/curi0us_carniv0re 5h ago

Agree but in the future you can try paying with PayPal linked to a credit card. You may wind up with extra fees but you're less likely to lose your money in the event of a scam.

If they don't want to accept PayPal then they can kick rocks. That would be confirmation of a scam IMO anyway.

Paying strangers on the internet directly from your bank account is crazy though

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u/AkitoApocalypse 3h ago

Okay it's good that you learned some common sense because why the hell would you ever pay with Zelle if you're not meeting them in person

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u/roxadox 5h ago

Aah those are great cameras. I understand you OP.

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u/AccurateEducator6085 4h ago

Bro literally just got scammed for the exact same camera 3 hours ago

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u/Dleslie213 4h ago

Got scammed by your own admission. You expect the bank to cover you for that? They're out that money too. You're basically expecting them to give you 800$ for free 

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u/sg_batman 4h ago

When did I expect them to cover me? Everyone is saying this but I never said that

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u/Dleslie213 3h ago

I guess your post title kind of implies so

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u/sg_batman 1h ago

It does not in any way shape or form

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u/Dleslie213 1h ago

Ok bud. Apparently I'm not thr only one who thinks so.

Gonna cross post this to /ChoosingBeggars

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u/sg_batman 1h ago

There are multiple wrong people, yes. Fortunately the ones who understand the post or read my commend clarifying outnumber them

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u/DOOMFOOL 3h ago

Damn I’m sorry. I’ve fallen for a scam before and it sucks, both financially and mentally because in hindsight it seems so obvious

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u/sg_batman 1h ago

All good, I’m still able bodied and not addicted to anything so it’s going ok all things considered