'Scams don't work on me': Marketplace scammer gets called out, apologizes, asks the target for money

Brad Dickson • Managing Editor

Jun 8, 2023 6:00 PM EDT

If, at first, you don't succeed… tell a sob story and beg your target for cash instead. This is the scammer's creed—at the first sign of their scam going sideways, they'll crumple like paper and resort to tearful begging instead. That, or get overwhelmingly aggressive. The begging is really just the continuation of the same initial scam, and just because you were wary and caught them out on the initial attempt doesn't mean you won't be suckered in by the crocodile tears that follow.

Commenters explained this on this Reddit thread where the intended target of the scam shared screenshots. The target shared images of the exchange, explaining that they had been trying to sell their elliptical on Marketplace when the scammer messaged them. The scammer attempted to feign a payment by saying that they had received an email that the payment had been sent, but the target wasn't having any of it. After replying that they weren't falling for it the scammer broke down and tried a second, more tearful, approach.

Read on to see the original screenshots, along with screenshots of the reactions in the Reddit thread where they were originally posted. Next, check out this scamming mechanic who was shut down by a knowledgeable customer.

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"Trying to sell my elliptical on Facebook marketplace and met my first honest scammer"

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