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Thread: Banned from Watchuseek

  1. #1

    Banned from Watchuseek

    Hi all just to let you all know I have been banned from the WatchUseek forum
    just to give you a brief insight into what’s happened. Someone has hacked my account and sold
    A rolex watch to LEO1790 who I think is also on this forum. I am informed having paid
    the money no watch arrived. Hence I have been banned. I have contacted a moderator
    and suggested the bank and police are contacted as this has absolutely nothing to do with me. I’ve offered to supply my address and phone number, I have nothing to hide. Please check hero’s and villains I have nothing but excellent feedback the links to these have been forwarded to WatchUseek but as yet no reply. I have sent a private message to leo1790 on this forum but have not received a reply. It would seem the bank involved in receiving the payment is monzobank ltd this bank has no branches and appears to be online only the account holders name is Howard jeffwill Ricardo acc no 57835775 sort code 04-00-04 bic MONZGB2L just so you can all watch out for these details I am amazed why anyone would correspond with a jeff wilson then send money to a completely different name.
    Thanks all Jeff.

  2. #2
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    Monzo are pretty damn good - they will get onto this once the details are known.
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  3. #3
    What’s funny is I only go on WatchUseek because it has a Aquadive sub forum.
    The person I was in contact with has now stopped replying to me on WatchUseek it just all seem odd to me.


    Quote Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK View Post
    Monzo are pretty damn good - they will get onto this once the details are known.

  4. #4
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    Why would they ban someone who seems to have conned another member, thereby depriving the parties any chance to communicate?! As you say, very odd.

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  5. #5
    Also what happened to innocent until proven guilty.


    Quote Originally Posted by stefmcd View Post
    Why would they ban someone who seems to have conned another member, thereby depriving the parties any chance to communicate?! As you say, very odd.

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  6. #6
    Craftsman petay993's Avatar
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    Welcome to Watchuseek, your number 1 resource for heavy handed moderation

  7. #7
    PMSL very good.


    Quote Originally Posted by petay993 View Post
    Welcome to Watchuseek, your number 1 resource for heavy handed moderation

  8. #8
    Just to jet you all know Leo1790 has just been on TZ-UK he has read the private message I sent him and I would like to think he has seen my post as well but he has not replied to the post or the private message very odd when I am trying to help him.

  9. #9
    I received this message on WatchUseek yesterday and it was the first one and I did not get email notification of the message.



    Re: Rolex explorer 216570
    Quote Originally Posted by jeff wilson
    Hi Leon,

    I understand your diligent observation, I find emailing faster for me.

    SIZE=5]Here is my bank details for transfer.

    Account Name:Howard Jeffwill Ricardo
    Account Number:57835775
    Sort Code: 04-00-04
    Bic Number:MONZGB2L[/SIZE]

    Thanks

    Hi

    For some reason my gut feeling is that I'm not 100% comfortable with this transaction.

    Has the watch been sent? If so, could you please provide the tracking number. If it hasn’t been sent yet, could you please just keep me updated.

    I've had a read of WUS advice for watch purchases and it says on there to request the sellers home address and a phone number.

    Could you provide these please?

    Also do you have any references on WUS or on any other forums/selling sites?

    Hopefully I'm just being paranoid and I apologise if this is all genuine (which I really hope it is) but I feel like I've let myself get swept away with owning this watch that I haven't taken all necessary precautions. I'm sure you can appreciate that this is a large amount of money.

    I'm not making any accusations and again I apologise if everything is all above board.

    Thanks for your understanding

    Kind Regards

    Leon Moylan

  10. #10
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    Watchuseek is a hotbed for scammers of all kinds. Letting people sign up and immediately interact with sales listings and WTBs is crazy in my opinion. Hope you get things sorted.

  11. #11
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    Sorry to hear this OP , but using your real name as a user name has allowed a scammer to use your real name to open a bank account?
    I appreciate the buyer has been too trusting/ naive but being able to use your name added an air of legitimacy
    Last edited by Suds; 13th February 2020 at 22:03.

  12. #12
    But the bank account is not in my real name.

    Quote Originally Posted by Suds View Post
    Sorry to hear this OP , but using your real name as a user name has allowed a scammer to use your real name to open a bank account?
    I appreciate the buyer has been too trusting/ naive but being able to use your name added an air of legitimacy

  13. #13
    Grand Master wileeeeeey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Suds View Post
    Sorry to hear this OP , but using your real name as a user name has allowed a scammer to use your real name to open a bank account?
    Scammer didn't open an account in OP's name. In the UK you can put anything as the name. It isn't checked. In the future it will be but right now you can send me £1k Tommy sort and account in the name Boris Johnson it would get there no bother.

    If anything I don't know why the scammer didn't fully know that as it looks like they've given their name by doing this.

  14. #14
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    I’m sure I had to scan my passport and make a video of myself on my phone to open a Monzo account.

  15. #15
    Excellent 😂😂


    Quote Originally Posted by Christian View Post
    I’m sure I had to scan my passport and make a video of myself on my phone to open a Monzo account.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff wilson View Post
    But the bank account is not in my real name.
    But he's used your name as a 'middle' name which should have set alarm bells ringing , but didn't unfortunately

  17. #17
    Just to let everyone know that Leo has contacted me though this forum and he said he now knows it was not me
    I am glad he contacting me because we all know it’s hard when we get scammed I have offered any help I can give
    him.

    And thank you TZUK for the ability to help me with this problem.

    Jeff.

  18. #18
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Suds View Post
    But he's used your name as a 'middle' name which should have set alarm bells ringing , but didn't unfortunately
    Makes absolutely no odds - he could have told the buyer just that his name was Jeff Williams and even if that name had nothing to do with the account the transaction would go through.

    Likely the monzo account will be a man in the middle and not part of the scam.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by wileeeeeey View Post
    Scammer didn't open an account in OP's name. In the UK you can put anything as the name. It isn't checked. In the future it will be but right now you can send me £1k Tommy sort and account in the name Boris Johnson it would get there no bother.

    If anything I don't know why the scammer didn't fully know that as it looks like they've given their name by doing this.
    Are you saying you can open a bank account in any name ?

  20. #20
    Craftsman leo1790's Avatar
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    Hello, I'm the one who's been scammed.

    I feel foolish for allowing this to happen and I'm finding it all a bit bizarre.

    I decided on that particular watch the day before Jeff wilson posted the FS ad on WUS, and I admit I probably allowed myself to get swept away with it all.

    I take user names with a pinch of salt as already stated on here, in the UK the bank account name could be Bugs Bunny and the payment would still go through.

    I checked out Jeff wilson profile on WUS and on here and felt happy that he was genuine (which he is, I wasn't actually dealing with Jeff though!).

    Looking back on it I realise I've been a complete n*b and to say I'm gutted would be an understatement.

    I won't go into sob stories of why I was purchasing the watch and how I got the money together but I will say I feel absoloutly foolish and sick with how much I've lost.

    Hopefully the banks can do something but I've accepted that the money has gone. At the end of the day, I transfered a large amount of money into a strangers bank account. I won't do it again.

    It could be worse. Nobodies died.

    Cheers

    Leon





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  21. #21
    Craftsman Robbo12's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    Watchuseek is a hotbed for scammers of all kinds. Letting people sign up and immediately interact with sales listings and WTBs is crazy in my opinion. Hope you get things sorted.
    I'm a member and a few months back a scammer sent me PM s for a WTB ad I placed.
    A moderator contacted me to tell me that the user was a scammer and not to interact.
    Apparently quite common on the forum they ban lots of people each week!
    I have read a couple of threads on there about people being duped. A Rolex for several thousand was fairly recent.
    Hopefully you get this sorted but I'm afraid it looks like you have been caught up in all of this . It could happen to me or any member by the looks of it !

  22. #22
    Damn I feel bad for the guy who got scammed , I’m on watchuseek and sold and brought lots of watches and been extremely lucky as never had a problem in fact just last week I sent a thousand pounds to a complete stranger by bank transfer for a Aquadive Poseidon the feedback goes along way but before this thread never thought about hacked account

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    Watchuseek is a hotbed for scammers of all kinds. Letting people sign up and immediately interact with sales listings and WTBs is crazy in my opinion. Hope you get things sorted.
    Wholeheartedly agree with that, full of utter tit heads


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  24. #24
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Banned from Watchuseek

    Quote Originally Posted by joe narvey View Post
    Are you saying you can open a bank account in any name ?
    No you can make a *transaction* in any name - if told you that my account was in the name of Alan Smithee and gave you my sort code and account, you would enter that in your bank app and... the app ignores the name.

    Nobody here truthfully has any idea what the real name on that account is.

  25. #25
    Grand Master wileeeeeey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by joe narvey View Post
    Are you saying you can open a bank account in any name ?
    No. I'm saying it doesn't matter what name you put down when transferring money.

    I can give you my sort and account code and you can put Brad Pitt as the name and I'll still get the money.

  26. #26
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    When a hacked account assumes someone’s reputation there is a huge risk.

    In this case I think there was obvious warnings but clearly the victim has already accepted that, sorry for him and lessons for us all. If the world was a nicer place we wouldn’t have to be so suspicious.

    Use unique and long random passwords guys.

  27. #27
    Grand Master wileeeeeey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    Nobody here truthfully has any idea what the real name on that account is.
    Tempting to think the name is Howard Ricardo as there was no reason to give that name with the OP's name as the middle name. Hope it's resolved for everyone.

  28. #28
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wileeeeeey View Post
    Scammer didn't open an account in OP's name. In the UK you can put anything as the name. It isn't checked. In the future it will be but right now you can send me £1k Tommy sort and account in the name Boris Johnson it would get there no bother.

    If anything I don't know why the scammer didn't fully know that as it looks like they've given their name by doing this.
    Not with Monzo - you need to scan ID and do a video to open an account.
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  29. #29
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK View Post
    Not with Monzo - you need to scan ID and do a video to open an account.
    No, it appears the scammer opened up a genuine Monzo account in his own name and supplied his account number/sort code but with a false name to the buyer. The payment goes through no matter what the name the buyer puta as the payee...it’s solely based on sort code and account number.

  30. #30
    Grand Master wileeeeeey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK View Post
    Not with Monzo - you need to scan ID and do a video to open an account.
    This isn't on about opening an account. I had to do the same with Starling and had to go into my traditional bank to sign with ID after applying o line.

    This is about what name you put when making a transfer. I don't need to know your name to send you money, just account and sort. I can put whatever I like as your name. Even Mr Don't Know.

    A lot of scams happen just like this.

  31. #31
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    I very much doubt the banks will do anything...I’m sorry to say that money is most probably gone.

    In fact, whenever you make a payment on the Monzo app, they specifically warn you about being sure you are happy to send money to a payee.

    It’s a shame that the account name isn’t used as a cross check yet. You read about people accidentally making payments to wrong accounts by getting one digit wrong. I don’t really understand why banks give the recipient so much anonymity in disputed payment cases.

    The reality in this scam is that there is a clear path of that money...the bank know all the scammers details yet I doubt he will be brought to justice.
    Last edited by Christian; 13th February 2020 at 23:36.

  32. #32
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    A sad situation for all concerned, really sorry to read this. I know the feeling of getting carried away with the excitement of pursuing a new piece and can only imagine the gutting feeling of being scammed. An unfortunate reminder to us all to be vigilant and diligent in any dealing with parties unknown.


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  33. #33
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    Shocker and a cautionary tale for everyone.

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  34. #34
    Master davidj54's Avatar
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    Yep real shame for the fella that got scammed. One of the pitfalls of doing business on a trust basis rather than through a regulated platform like eBay - you will get a better deal, no fees - but no protection. TZ has a good system with the 6 month membership and 250 post rule. I know it’s still feasible to scam if so inclined, but at least it makes potential scammers put the leg work in and they’d be more likely to go elsewhere than stick around here playing the long game.

    I only deal in the hundreds on here, money I could afford to lose if the worst happened. The gutting thing is the banks will see this as a personal transaction between two private individuals. There’s no recourse when you’ve sent someone else money by bank transfer as far as I know - I’m with Barclays and when I do it you have to tick a box to say you’re happy you’re not being scammed by the person you’re transferring money to.

  35. #35
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    I feel particularly sorry for the guy who got scammed and sent his money. Sounds as though he had raised it especially to buy a nice watch and lost the lot.
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  36. #36
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    Feel sorry for you sir, it is shame there is people out there that do this kind of thing.

    Really hope he gets punished, and you get your money back, but as already stated, seems unlikely

    Sent from my SM-N976B using TZ-UK mobile app

  37. #37
    Thanks for posting and putting the story straight have you contacted the police that’s what I would do just to see what the police can do I would think the police could make the bank give you his or her details or investigate the person.
    Also can you put WUS straight on what has happened because I do like to check the Aquadive sub forum out.
    Thanks Jeff.



    Quote Originally Posted by leo1790 View Post
    Hello, I'm the one who's been scammed.

    I feel foolish for allowing this to happen and I'm finding it all a bit bizarre.

    I decided on that particular watch the day before Jeff wilson posted the FS ad on WUS, and I admit I probably allowed myself to get swept away with it all.

    I take user names with a pinch of salt as already stated on here, in the UK the bank account name could be Bugs Bunny and the payment would still go through.

    I checked out Jeff wilson profile on WUS and on here and felt happy that he was genuine (which he is, I wasn't actually dealing with Jeff though!).

    Looking back on it I realise I've been a complete n*b and to say I'm gutted would be an understatement.

    I won't go into sob stories of why I was purchasing the watch and how I got the money together but I will say I feel absoloutly foolish and sick with how much I've lost.

    Hopefully the banks can do something but I've accepted that the money has gone. At the end of the day, I transfered a large amount of money into a strangers bank account. I won't do it again.

    It could be worse. Nobodies died.

    Cheers

    Leon





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  38. #38
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by davidj54 View Post
    TZ has a good system with the 6 month membership and 250 post rule. I know it’s still feasible to scam if so inclined, but at least it makes potential scammers put the leg work in and they’d be more likely to go elsewhere than stick around here playing the long game.
    But if you hack an account, like happened here, the 6-months/250 posts offers no protection?

  39. #39
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    With regard to the hope the banks can do something, the funds in the account are the proceeds of crime therefore reportable under the money laundering regulations. The faster you report the greater chance the bank will be able to freeze the account. If the funds are still there.

    The Account at Metro may be a mule account and the legitimate owner isn’t aware of the source of the payment, they may have been recruited as a ‘payments manager’ to process inbound payments and forward the money via a service such as western union.

    The bank can screen a reference field ( they do) for sanctions but the reference field is free text narrative not the account name. They can’t screen its legitimacy as they do not have the reference data to compare it with. Conversely if a bank stops a payment they can get into trouble with charges, interest claims, etc.

    Banks now have a statement on a payment to say are you sure this isn’t a scam, etc. This statement transfer the liability to the person making the payment.

    Getting your money back ... only option is Metro bank Money Laundering Officer (Miss Aileen Gillan) and you need to be very quick.

  40. #40
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Christian View Post
    I’m sure I had to scan my passport and make a video of myself on my phone to open a Monzo account.
    Yes same for Starling.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  41. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by number2 View Post
    Yes same for Starling.
    Opening an account you claim an identity using one of the proscribed identity documents and then the bank is obliged to verify the claimed identity.

    The banks you mention use electronic verification therefore can onboard clients faster.

    The issue described above is not the account name but inclusion of the name in the reference field which is optional free text.

  42. #42
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Christian View Post
    No, it appears the scammer opened up a genuine Monzo account in his own name and supplied his account number/sort code but with a false name to the buyer.
    It is equally likely that the monzo account is a dupe - there are a whole range of scams to take advantage of the gullible.

    As Joe points out they might have been recruited as part of a payment scam or the money might have been used to pay the monzo account for an item that the monzo owner has - so it could be that this money has paid for a rolex from the monzo owner...
    Last edited by Alansmithee; 14th February 2020 at 08:57.

  43. #43
    Master Glen Goyne's Avatar
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    Very sad story. Curious about the hack, did you use a proper strong password and only use that password on WUS?




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  44. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff wilson View Post
    Thanks for posting and putting the story straight have you contacted the police that’s what I would do just to see what the police can do I would think the police could make the bank give you his or her details or investigate the person.
    Also can you put WUS straight on what has happened because I do like to check the Aquadive sub forum out.
    Thanks Jeff.
    The mods should be able to see that your account has been hacked (unusual IP addresses used, etc.). Use the 'contact us' link to explain your case and they should be able to let you back in to your account.

    The banning would have been precautionary to stop anyone else getting scammed, in case they still had access to your login.

  45. #45
    Master Tony-GB's Avatar
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    The OP should change the thread title. I was expecting an entirely different read to this shocking story.

  46. #46
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    It is equally likely that the monzo account is a dupe - there are a whole range of scams to take advantage of the gullible.

    As Joe points out they might have been recruited as part of a payment scam or the money might have been used to pay the monzo account for an item that the monzo owner has - so it could be that this money has paid for a rolex from the monzo owner...
    That’s quite complex but I guess plausible. Although, I suspect the scammer knows that banks don’t give out recipients details and is quite happy to use his own account. If ever traced, I bet they’d argue that the money was given to them for something else.

  47. #47
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    Banned from Watchuseek

    For each of the risks there are mitigants to significantly reduce the risk.

    I recently bought a watch on a forum. I sent a random amount of money to account number provided. The account holder had to authenticate themselves to their bank or banking device to tell me the amount.

    They email me the amount and a proof of Address / bill or photo of the bank card. Reconcile the name electrol roll, device ID ( IP and OS version) for the comms, avoid escrow the seller suggests etc.

    Etc etc
    Last edited by joe narvey; 14th February 2020 at 09:34.

  48. #48
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    Probably goes without saying Jeff, but you should assume that your WUS password is compromised and so anywhere else you use the same password is up for grabs.

    Suggest using a password manager like LastPass to make it easier to keep everything unique, and make sure you have two-factor setup on emails and social media accounts at least.

    They probably grabbed your email address and password from breaching another site, have a look at https://haveibeenpwned.com if you're curious to find out how.

  49. #49
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Christian View Post
    That’s quite complex but I guess plausible. Although, I suspect the scammer knows that banks don’t give out recipients details and is quite happy to use his own account. If ever traced, I bet they’d argue that the money was given to them for something else.
    It is not complex at all - can be done with a few emails - it is a very common scam.

  50. #50
    Master Christian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    It is not complex at all - can be done with a few emails - it is a very common scam.
    Unnecessarily complex compared to just using your own account and giving a false name. Occam’s razor, I reckon the scammer owns that Monzo bank account.

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