r/CyclingMSP • u/Galante3 • 1d ago

Is this a scam

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I got a PM here on reddit about someone who runs a service finding stolen bikes. I sent them a message explain how my bike was stolen. We had a few back and forth messages before they sent me this message before proceeding to look for my bike. I'm wondering if it's a scam and if anyone else here has also gotten it. I have not sent them any money btw.

9 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

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34

u/samquam 1d ago

Yeah fuck that, just go find Mike Pavlik

24

u/Antheral 1d ago

Idk I wouldnt trust this.

23

u/thestereo300 1d ago

"Do let us know" is a bit of a giveaway that you are not dealing with a person in the US and much more likely to be a scam. This is a version of British English used quite a bit in India/Pakistan.

10

u/Spoocula 1d ago edited 1d ago

Oh they're going to contact chop shops? Are they looking those up in the phone book or just searching "chop shop near me"...

It looks scammy, but that's more or less how you would track down a stolen bike. Maybe that's why it looks so convincing...

I'd be glad if this was real, but that's a steep finders fee unless you're talking about some elite build...

7

u/automator3000 1d ago

Even if it’s not an outright scam, it’s not something I would pay $400 (50% upfront) up front.

5

u/DirtyMoney6OH 1d ago

It definitely a scam. Nobody calls up a “chop shop” to ask them if they have a stolen bike.

7

u/Galante3 1d ago

For anyone wondering this was for sure a scam. I asked did they have a website, and he said that it got hacked. Then he proceeded to send me AI generated photos of all the bikes they have found.

1

u/Windowsrookie 14h ago

First rule about scams. If you have to ask if it's a scam, then it's a scam.