Joaquín Roca Ponz He is a Valencian who loves road cycling. Frequently, go to online platforms to sell and buy bicycles and second-hand cycling material.
Unfortunately, it has been
victim of an alleged scam And he wanted to share his experience with Tuvalum. His case is one among many, but sharing is a way to combat fraud.
[embed] https://youtu.be/oa_8qfyaoei[/embed]
What has been Joaquín's experience? Let's go step by step.
A few weeks ago, he put his road bike on sale. Specifically, a mid-high range model: a
Specialized Tarmac. He published his announcement in Tuvalum, but also in applications "like Milanuncios and Wallapop", says the cyclist.
Shortly after publishing his ad in these applications, a person contacted our protagonist, asking him
Bike details.
"The truth is that he transmitted confidence from the first moment," he says, "and we keep conversations through WhatsApp; I was surprised by her technical knowledge; she asked me questions about electronic change, about the kilometers of the bike, the age of the model , etc.".
The interest and knowledge of the alleged buyer managed to gain the confidence of Joaquín.
Everything ran with
apparent normality.
"He asked me for the ID -Joaquin recalls," photos, videos, invoices, bike serial number ... I even gave her the account number to make the transfer. It didn't surprise me too much because it is usual in this type of exchanges "
[IRP Posts = "297" Name = "How to avoid robberies and scams when buying and selling second -hand bicycles"]
The agreement seemed definitive and the sale was falling.
However, the days without news began to spend: neither from the alleged buyer nor, of course, the purchase transaction. "I was waiting, but calm because the bike was with me," he says. He would not send the bike until he receives the money in his current account.
But Joaquin receives unexpected news.
"I contacted a person via Wallapop and assures me to have seen my duplicate ad, but at half price."
Indeed.
Someone had appropriated his announcement: The same bike, the same photos, but at an almost ridiculous price. "Instead of the € 5,400 that I had set, in the copy were € 2,700. Automatically, I try to address this person. I cross various data and check that it is the same that, supposedly, was interested in my bike."
"I imagine that this person will seek to capture possible buyers with the
hook From a bargain price and then scam them. "Immediately, Joaquin denounced the case to the platform itself, but the announcement was not withdrawn.
The next step was to go to the
police station.
"I have filed a complaint because they are supplanting my identity and, in addition, they are appropriating an article that is my property," he says.
Joaquín uneasy that the alleged scammer had of
sensitive information, such as its DNI or bank account number.
"The police told me that the mafias use this documentation to highlight telephone lines, to ask for loans or, as it happened to me, to try to cheat any user once they win their trust."
The mafias appropriate sensitive information from victims to register telephone lines, ask for loans or cheat in other ways.
Joaquín Roca also decided to give the alarm
Among the users themselves of the application application.
"I published in Wallapop an announcement at the price of 1 euro that detailed fraud and several people have contacted me because they have had the same experience. There are people who are taking advantage of the boom in the second -hand bike sector. They know the product very well , the type of communication to be maintained with the seller, the necessary documentation ... all this ends up giving you a false sense of security. "
Meanwhile, the counterfeit announcement
Continue accessible Two weeks after publication (April 26, 2022) and any cyclist could fall into the trap.
"We have denounced the alleged scammer through the platform, but we have only received automatic responses that say they do not detect any fraud. There is no response from the central or anything similar. I imagine that when the
snowball grow and more people join the complaint the authorities will take measures. "
For now, Joaquín and others affected consider a
Collective complaint.
"I have been practicing cycling for 15 years and every two years or less, change of equipment," says Joaquín. affected ".
