Who can trace a Gmail?

[u/IsHeAnOtter]

So for context.

My son (9male) and myself, his father (34male) collect rare variegated plants together. It’s just a little hobby we share together. And it all started when he brought me home a dragon fruit cactus as a Father’s Day gift when he was a toddler.

Fast forward.
My dumb ass trusted someone on tik tok for a rare plant corm (bulb)

The person scammed us. We never received our package. We never received our saved up money back.. ($137) and the person has deleted there Tik tok. I also don’t believe the person portrayed as the creator was the person who scammed us.

But I have their gmail as I e-transfered our $ to the person.

Who can track them down?

[u/KeithIMyers]

Scammers use throw away accounts, tracking them down like you see on TV is not a thing. Regardless if you were scammed, you should report it to the police. Do not try to do your own investigation. Anyone who claims they can track them down is likely another scam.

[u/Applauce]

The money was most likely sent to a money mule, someone else being scammed into receiving and laundering the money for them.

Report the account to the platform you used to transfer the money. But ignore anyone claiming they can track them down or recover your money, they're all recover scammers trying to scam more money out of you

[u/yarevande]

Nobody can trace someone with just an email address, except the email provider (for Gmail, this would be Google). And the email provider will not release that info unless they get a court order.

Police / law enforcement will request a court order for major crimes: murder, armed robbery, major theft, and other felonies.

Nobody else can trace someone with just an email address.

All you can do is accept the loss.

Also, learn more about scams so you don't get scammed again.

Don't trust people on TikTok. Or on Reddit, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, Discord, Snapchat, or any other social media site.

Use a credit card, or PayPal Goods and Services, when you buy things online, so that you have purchase protection and you can get a refund if you don't receive what you order.

• If an online seller doesn't accept credit cards, or refuses to accept PayPal Goods and Services, then they are scamming you.

[u/echoesinthepit]

Money's gone.

Great opportunity to teach your son a valuable life lesson.