Is this a scam?

[Sheffield Tony]

Even further - make sure your e-mail client doesn't auto load images. In doing so it confirms the email reached someone, your IP and MAC address, etc etc. Even an invisibly small embedded image can do the trick.

 

[rafezetter]

Well well look what we have here - A firend is selling her bike on gumtree, but has asked me to deal with it as she's gone back home out of the country and this is a reply I got:


Thanks for your response,

I want you to consider this a deal as i am willing to pay your full asking price! i actually want to buy this for a family member who is urgently in need of it, i have checked through your posting and i'm fully satisfied with it kindly email me with pictures of it..

Unfortunately, i would not be able to come personally to view/collect, i work offshore as an instructor on a oil rig so i don't have time at all, but like i said i am 100% OK with the advert.

However, I will pay you via PayPal once you are ready and send my courier agent to collect after you have fully received your money via PayPal as that is the only means of payment available to me at the moment. I would also appreciate if you could remove the advert asap.

I will contact the courier agent now so please get back to me with a suitable collection time. X



Look familiar?

Now question is - should I let them know I'm on to them or not?

TBH even without SammyQ's heads up this looks dodgy as ....

 

[SammyQ]

Phrasing is very similar to the one I had, rafezetter? Another thing struck me: " courier agent "...stilted English. Most of us say one or other, not together as a phrase? Echoes of the Nigerian 9something scam wording from years ago.
"Can't watch them" as we say here, meaning 'bad and persistently so'.
Sam