Israeli Police Uncover Widespread Scam Targeting Online Sellers

Israeli police have uncovered a sophisticated scam targeting individuals selling items on the popular online marketplace Yad2, with nearly 200 complaints filed and hundreds of thousands of shekels lost. The scheme primarily targets older sellers, exploiting their trust and urgency to complete transactions.

The scam involves fake buyers, often from distant locations like Eilat, who claim they cannot pick up items themselves and offer to send a courier and pay via the Bit payment app. They then send a WhatsApp message, posing as a payment confirmation, instructing the seller to "confirm" a payment. In reality, the seller is authorizing a payment request, effectively sending money from their own account to the scammer. The urgency is amplified by claims of couriers being en route or the buyer needing to depart soon.

Investigators have identified that the fake buyers were recruited through Telegram groups promising easy money, using their own accounts as conduits for the illicit funds. The Bit app, widely used in Israel for peer-to-peer payments, has a feature allowing users to send payment requests. Scammers exploit this by disguising it as a confirmation of incoming funds, a deception that can be convincing due to the WhatsApp messages overriding the app's actual interface, which clearly distinguishes between incoming funds and outgoing payment requests.

Beyond the payment request scam, other methods include sending fake transfer confirmations to dispatch couriers, tricking sellers into clicking malicious links that mimic shipping company websites to steal credit card details, and the "overpayment" scam where a buyer claims to have sent too much and requests a refund of the difference before the initial payment even arrives.

Authorities are advising sellers to verify funds directly in their Bit balance, as screenshots can be easily faked. They emphasize that a Bit payment request sends money out, and any link asking for card details for a "courier fee" is a phishing attempt. If a credit card is compromised, immediate reporting to the fraud hotline is crucial for potential reimbursement, though a deductible may apply. For Bit payment requests that were mistakenly approved, sellers should contact the fraud hotline immediately to attempt recovery, though legal recourse for such transactions is limited. The police have filed indictments against three suspects in connection with the scheme.