Ebay sales

[paulears]

I am in the middle of what could be a scam on ebay. Brian reports that something similar hapened to him a while ago, so we thought it good to share it.

 

I bid for (and didn't win) an axiom desk on ebay. I was contacted with an official looking ebay second chance offer. The email address was not that used by the original seller. It occured to me, and Brian before me, that this is a good scam - I just paypal the money to somebody not connected with the transaction. The ebay rules are a bit ambiguous. If you get involved with second chance via them, you seem to be protected, however, if it is arranged outside of ebay, then you aren't. The trouble is, few people know to use the system, so it's a gamble. The highest bidder, was still below the reserve, and his details are private, which is a real pain - this bidder may, or may not be legit too?

 

anything similar happen to anyone else?

paul

[bruce]

Contact ebay and ask if it is legit.

 

Bruce.

[Brian]

To follow up, this is the 'second chance' email I received. It was sent through e-bay using the 'Question' feature...

 

Dear brian_fairchild,

 

***Do not reply to this email . Contact the seller at this e-mail address : JAJAGH24@CS.COM ***

You expressed interest in an item titled "Zero 88 FatFrog Moving & Generic Lighting Controller" (Item 7519213581) by bidding, however the auction has ended with another member as the high bidder. In compliance with eBay policy, the seller of that item is making this Offer to you at your bid price of GBP £750.00.

 

The seller has issued this Offer because either the winning bidder was unable to complete the transaction. If you accept this offer, you will be able to exchange Feedback with the seller and will be eligible for eBay services associated with a transaction, such as fraud protection. To purchase this item, don't reply to this mail, just contact the seller at: JAJAGH24@CS.COM

 

Thank you.

eBay, Inc.

 

I've trimmed all the warning from e-bay about buying outside of them.

 

It looks quite convincing - the same text as a proper 'second chance' offer.

 

Except a proper second chance wouldn't come in as a question.

 

Within about 2 hours I received this from e-bay themselves...

Dear brian_fairchild (xxxx@xxxx.com):

 

Our records indicate that you recently sent an email to or received an email from cazaq59 through the eBay email system (for example, you may have sent an email to this member through Ask Seller a Question or received an email from this member through Contact eBay Member).

 

followed by loads of 'what to do if you have been conned'.

 

 

[EDIT]

 

and I know it's a con because I had already exchanged emails with the original seller so I knew his real email address.

[benge]

I've had second chance offers in the past, and they has always been legit. Looking at the Seller profile it seems that it isn't a scam or anything to that nature. I would have thought that it still being one though the ebay system then you should be covered.

 

Ben

[paulears]

guess what. It was a scam.

Si just got in touch to say it wasn't sold as it didn't reach reserve - so scammers jumped in and nearly relieved me of £500

 

cheers all

paul

[PaulDF]

If you are buying something of a high price from a complete stranger is it not worth going to pick it up, cash on collection? If they are not willing to do this it sets alarm bells ringing. If you are going to collect, meet in a public place and take some friends with you (a few of the biggest, angriest, mean looking blokes you know will do.)

[paulears]

He's got a nerve, this bloke. Emailed again to say he really is the seller, and if I don't hurry, he'll sell to somebody else. Apparently he's mailed most of the bidders.

[Andrew C]

Plod involved yet?

[foh_al]

Hi,

 

Yes, this is a scam, and is sadly quite common on eBay. The perpetrators, often in foreign countries, look for high-value auctions which have ended recently, and send one of these second-chance offers to select non-winning bidders using the 'Contact eBay Member' function. This has happened to me on many occasions in connection with audio gear that I didn't win.

 

Real second-chance offers, which are treated in terms of buyer protection as normal eBay sales, are sent through the Second-Chance Offer system, and have an appropriate e-mail subject, not the "Question From eBay Member" subject on these scam messages.

 

Of course, if it is just an inexperienced seller who doesn't know how to send a s-c offer officially, (s)he'll be more than happy for you to explain...

 

Jeez, I'm beginning to sound like I work for their tech. support department - I'll stop now! :P

 

Alex

[paulears]

ebay, and yahoo (who is the email address source) have great automated systems - they'll probably get back to me in 48s to say what is already on their web site.

 

Brian - just got the western union payment instruction email, also apparently from ebay.

[zonino]

good calls guys (I sell about 150 items a month on ebay)

 

unfortunately less experienced ebayers get caught up in them :-(

[Jram]

As a general rule (ebay and paypal), never ask you to reply to an email address, but allow you to hit 'send reply'.

 

Also, Ebay Inc would raise my suspicions. I'm constantly getting spoof emails asking me to confirm my details with ebay or paypal by clicking in-email links. I always forward them to spoof@relevant company.com - then if it's real (none have been so far, must have had 20 by now) they'll let you know.

 

Take no chances and anytime you're entering sensitive info, go to the page direct and start afresh - rather than following email links.

[jamienip]

I believe their official title is "eBay International AB"

[wodp]

I've had something like that, direct from the seller. I've made him invoice me through ebay, though he wants western union payment details (its for a pair of cdj-1000s, for £450 incl flightcase and mixer - he has no negative feedback on his ebay account cos ebay gave me his username in their fraud alert). I've asked for a photo of the goods (theyre coming from germany) but he said he won't be able to get that.

 

 

Dave

[Mush]

I've had something like that, direct from the seller. I've made him invoice me through ebay, though he wants western union payment details (its for a pair of cdj-1000s, for £450 incl flightcase and mixer - he has no negative feedback on his ebay account cos ebay gave me his username in their fraud alert). I've asked for a photo of the goods (theyre coming from germany) but he said he won't be able to get that.

 

 

Dave

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Secondchance offers , real ones, are always through ebay they take you to a ebay page with item description and a buy it now button.

 

Does he have a lot of feedback?

 

Can you ask eBay for his contact details as eBay have them, to check they match the physical and email addresses he is giving you?

 

He has 2 high end DJ CD players and dosen`t have access to any kind of camera, even on his phone?

 

Paypal appears to be virtually unknown in Germany however bank transfer in my experience has been the most common way for German private sellers to accept payment.