Too good to be true?

Grumpy Jewel

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This seems too good to be true, but iv found someone selling saddles on good old Facebook. She has a really nice looking Mark Todd saddle in the size that would work, but including postage this saddle is £70! Iv looked online as I didn't realise Nark Todd did saddles, and it looks like a calvari saddle. Looking at her profile there's not much detail, many groups she's liked or any of the stuff that most people have on their profile. £70, not much to loose if its wrong, but a blooming good bargain if its right. She says she's trying to raise money for a new phone as her horse stood on hers, but this saddles retails for £1,295?!! And its in excellent condition as she's only had it 6 months.
 

_GG_

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I would buy it if I could meet her somewhere with a master saddler to give it a thorough check over and my horse to try it on.
 

Grumpy Jewel

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I clarified that it was £70 including postage and she confirmed. She's in Scotland so I can't meet up. I'm really thinking its dodgy as its just too good. She's none of those names, but with such a short profile I can't see much about her, and nothing comes up if I google her name.
 

_GG_

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I clarified that it was £70 including postage and she confirmed. She's in Scotland so I can't meet up. I'm really thinking its dodgy as its just too good. She's none of those names, but with such a short profile I can't see much about her, and nothing comes up if I google her name.

She'll get £70 for it, probably a few dozen times and then she'll be gone no doubt. Never ever pay for anything that involves just a transfer of money. Even paypal won't help you. Ebay will but you'll wait a while to get your money back.

Seriously, don't do it. If she won't trust you enough to pay for it after you have received it, you should not trust her enough to pay for it before you have it in your hands!
 

SusieT

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Can you suggest you are going to meet a friend in scotland and would like to meet up to exchange and see what she says? If she agrees I would be more tempted-if she makes an excuse I'd not go for it!
 

Landcruiser

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Read about a scam where a horsebox is advertised way below market value and is supposed to be "in Scotland" so difficult/impossible to go and view. It's on here, somewhere. This seems like a mini version of the same scam to me.
 

Floxie

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Thanks everyone. I'm going to avoid it as something about it doesn't sit right. Iv seen so many nice saddles going at reasonable prices recently its got to be my turn to get one soon.

What a lovely way to look at things :) Scam or no, I shall remember this when I look at all the ebay saddles I can't have yet :)
 

nix123

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What worries me is surely you would have your phone insured? Especially if its one of the newer ones that cost a bit, or is it only me that thinks of doing that. I know with the amount of mishaps i've had with mine around horses i need insurance. Wouldn't touch with a 20ft bargepole!
 

_GG_

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To confirm my worries, they don't have PayPal so will only do bank transfer. I'm sure I won't be touching it now. I can't remember which group I saw the ad on to warn the admins which is annoying.

Just warn the admins on all of the groups you are on. That is the biggest, slap you in the face red flag there is. If she can have a facebook account and accept a bank transfer, she can have a paypal account, so there is no excuse.

It's a scam!
 

risky business

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this girl (this poppy character) is her real name Sophie blanchett?

I had a Sophie blanchett on my fb although I didn't personally know her she added me due to having horsey mutual friends and I'm sure she lives in the area where 'poppy' apparently operates? But then she could be innocent?
 

_GG_

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Just put messages on my local FB horse pages and someone has replied to say they almost bought a very cheap rug off someone in Scotland who didn't have paypal and could only do bank transfer. She didn't buy but then a couple of others in that page did...and lost their money. It happens, be careful!
 

Grumpy Jewel

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Just to update, it turns out it was a scam and people are starting to post on the group asking if other people who brought stuff have received their bits. So if anyone sees a person called Milly Clowed offering things for sale don't go for it, and remember, if it looks too good to be true, do some homework just in case, but it probably is.
 

HFrancis

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If you had contacted her through phone, what number was used? Also keep all messages between the two of you. Even if you didn't go through with it, it could be this poppy eastwood girl using another name.
 

Embo

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it could be this poppy eastwood girl using another name.

Quite possibly. All of her original scams were in South East/Kent so she is probably just using a different name and claiming she is in Scotland in an attempt to stay out of the radar. She certainly made a name for herself.

If she had said that her uncle runs a courier business and she will send next day after payment via bank transfer, then it would 100% have been her!
 

Grumpy Jewel

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There where no numbers exchanged, but iv got all the messages still. She didn't mention her uncle and next day courier, but asked if 1st class would be ok. There's a big thread about her on saddles for sale on Facebook where she's defending herself, but others have seen through her and called her bluff, and it would appear there's about 4/5 people who have fallen for the scam unfortunately.
 

MagicMelon

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What worries me is surely you would have your phone insured? Especially if its one of the newer ones that cost a bit, or is it only me that thinks of doing that.

Erm, I never got round to insuring my iphone! And my 17 month old son dropped it down the loo! I bought a 2nd hand refurbished one off ebay to replace it, not worth insuring that as it only cost £150. Wish Id insured the original one! We're not all that intelligent though ;)
 
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