I've got some random stuff that I'm selling on Gumtree, and have had some success with it so far. (none of it seabreeze related anyone want to buy a troweling machine or a jackhammer)
But this week I have had a lot of text messages asking if the item is still available and to send my reply to a email account (3 have been gmail and 2 hotmail)
Thing is they don't say which item, they express no interest in the actual item other than it's availability.
And how the hell do they send a text message without it having a number attached so I can text them back rather than send an email?
Am I just being paranoid about scammers?
Hey kk, expect a long story from the 'buyers' wanting the items but not being able to pick them up... blah blah blah... they will transfer money to your paypal account (along with extra for postage), you pay their 'agent' for postage (western union or the like), then you realise their paypal transfer is a scam but by then it is too late.
The scammers keep the 'postage' money, you get to keep a lesson.
Just my $0.02 worth.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck..... 
Read the warning they give you on the Gumtree site. They say specifically to ignore texts to your phone that can only be replied to via email.
Log in and on the bottom left of the page you will find "Safety Tips". Worth reading.
I use Gumtree quite a bit, buying and selling, and rate it as an excellent service. Better than ebay who own it. Buying or selling, if I haven't gotten to a voice call by the third contact, I give it away.
Select to expand quotekk said...
[br]I've got some random stuff that I'm selling on Gumtree, and have had some success with it so far. (none of it seabreeze related anyone want to buy a troweling machine or a jackhammer)
But this week I have had a lot of text messages asking if the item is still available and to send my reply to a email account (3 have been gmail and 2 hotmail)
Thing is they don't say which item, they express no interest in the actual item other than it's availability.
And how the hell do they send a text message without it having a number attached so I can text them back rather than send an email?
Am I just being paranoid about scammers?
If they're interested, they call. If they don't, they can p1ss off.
Yep most definitely a scam, tried to sell some random stuff for my mum recently on gum tree and got bombarded with PayPal scams!!
Thanks to you all, that was my gut feel but I wasn't sure that I might have missed a reply option.
I like Gumtree for the local feel that it provides, the things I'm selling can't go via Aus. Post and the Sundays times isn't what it once was.
It appears fraud is new occupation, I wonder how it sits on a CV?
The one thing about selling anything on gumtree is that
As much as you say on the add
"if this add is still up the item is still available"
you always get peoples asking in extremely short sentences and little grammar
is it still available...god love'm 
I give LOTS away on gumtree
but will not bother with 3 word emails 
they are not worth my time and effort.
Select to expand quoteGypsyDrifter said..
The one thing about selling anything on gumtree is that
As much as you say on the add
"if this add is still up the item is still available"
you always get peoples asking in extremely short sentences and little grammar
is it still available...god love'm
I give LOTS away on gumtree
but will not bother with 3 word emails
they are not worth my time and effort.
Whats the three words to which you speak?
I had the same thing. I said which item are you interested in and they said the 200 house bricks and he wanted me to post them to him lol.
hi KK
i've only ever had success selling camera gear or audio gear on gumtree. everything else just sat there even at rock bottom prices
as Unhook3d and cisco have indicated - of all the text responses i've had, only one SMS'er ever bought the item - nearly everyone else who bought items has called me on the phone. generally sMS'ers are time wasters and don't seem to be genuinely interested in the item. i suspect they might be out to buy it as cheap as possible just to sell it on and make money
Select to expand quoteHaircut said..
generally sMS'ers are time wasters and don't seem to be genuinely interested in the item. i suspect they might be out to buy it as cheap as possible just to sell it on and make money
Probably more like they are bored office workers (public servants??) and have internet for work, so they triplicate the time wasting by wasting their bosses time, their time and the time of the poor punter on Gumtree who is just trying to sell something.
When they make some ridiculous offer by text or email, I just say "Yeah mate. When are you coming to get it??"
I've had only one legit response on SMS and it was for an item I was all but giving away, so I just texted them back that it was sold.
With selling stuff, most of mine is pretty cheap for what it is, I'm more trying to get rid of it than make a buck, but it's too good to give away.
Anyways looks like the troweling machines are gone, or at least one of them, the guys driving down from Northam (3 hour drive) so I guess he'll be keen..
Anyone for the Jackhammer? 
I use my landline for gumtree. Anybody who is legitimately interested will call..
I had a heap of fish tank gear for sale awhile back from when we used to breed tropicals and natives, I had one guy try to offer me $50 for about $500 worth of excellent condition items including 3x 4ft lights and 2x 2ft lights. I ended up selling to someone who was genuinely interested for $150.
He pestered me for months until I told him to basically ..................
Reply something like:
"The jackhammer still has 6 months registration and comes with a new 23" fin."
