SCAM in Ebay!!

[ajneo]

Just a quick note to share my "believed to be" scam experience.

I am currently in the States, and bidded for a camera for $X. But the winning bid was $150 more, which was about the right price.

A short while after the bid ended, I was contacted by the seller about the 2nd chance bids (that means his winning bidder put his aeroplane).

But he wanted to do the deal through "ebay square trade", and I was supposed to send the money through this 3rd party agency through Western Union.

When I search the net for the company Square Trade, I found that it is indeed a recommend arbitration party by ebay.

The PROBLEM is... when I click through the email sent to me by the seller, it led me to this webpage: http://www.square-trade-ltd.info/index-1.htm

When I click it through ebay, it led me to this page:
http://www.squaretrade.com/cnt/jsp/index.jsp

Seems the same? I think it's not. I tried to locate the address... it seems correct too.

then when I check the official website (through ebay), it said:

"Beware of potential fake "spoof" emails that pretend to be an authentic email from SquareTrade or other trusted companies.
DO NOT SEND MONEY TO WESTERN UNION / MONEYGRAM / WIRE TRANSFER !!!"

http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pop/popup_fraudAlert.html

So... beware... I am not 100% sure that the seller is a fraudster, but I will not trade outside the ebay homepage. (i cant be sure until they take my $$$).

Hope it helps.

 

[triotary]

I'm in the states too. And yes all these scams that always find EXCUSES to request you to send $$$

if you feel shady about the deal, always request for custom pictures to be taken. e.g. ask for a picture of the item be taken with a green apple by xxx location of the item.

They don't only comes through ebay, but also throught many other online shopping or auction sites. e.g. craigslist, autotrader, emails, forums, emails, etc.

So beware when you shop online! generally ebay is safe as along as you win the bid.

 

[gryphon]

just email to Square Trade and ask if the URL is really from their company

 

[ajneo]

just email to Square Trade and ask if the URL is really from their company

just got a confirmation from them. It is not their URL.

Another person claiming to be the seller of the same product just emailed me to "offer" me a "2nd Chance" bid.

Yet another scam... BEWARE!!!!

 

[hongsien]

There are so many email scames these days, I even get it on my email accounts not linked to eBay/paypal. There are scams for eBay, Paypal.....I always forward the whole message including headers to: spoof@ebay.com or spoof@paypal.com but not sure about Square Trade.

HS

 

[sk.images]

Did the offer for a second chance come via the ebay 'My Messages' or directly to your personal email account? Usually you will get both. If however you only got the later, then you can be assured that it is most likely a fraud.

facility

Just a quick note to share my "believed to be" scam experience.

I am currently in the States, and bidded for a camera for $X. But the winning bid was $150 more, which was about the right price.

A short while after the bid ended, I was contacted by the seller about the 2nd chance bids (that means his winning bidder put his aeroplane).

But he wanted to do the deal through "ebay square trade", and I was supposed to send the money through this 3rd party agency through Western Union.

When I search the net for the company Square Trade, I found that it is indeed a recommend arbitration party by ebay.

The PROBLEM is... when I click through the email sent to me by the seller, it led me to this webpage: http://www.square-trade-ltd.info/index-1.htm

When I click it through ebay, it led me to this page:
http://www.squaretrade.com/cnt/jsp/index.jsp

Seems the same? I think it's not. I tried to locate the address... it seems correct too.

then when I check the official website (through ebay), it said:

"Beware of potential fake "spoof" emails that pretend to be an authentic email from SquareTrade or other trusted companies.
DO NOT SEND MONEY TO WESTERN UNION / MONEYGRAM / WIRE TRANSFER !!!"

http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pop/popup_fraudAlert.html

So... beware... I am not 100% sure that the seller is a fraudster, but I will not trade outside the ebay homepage. (i cant be sure until they take my $$$).

Hope it helps.

 

[hongsien]

Did the offer for a second chance come via the ebay 'My Messages' or directly to your personal email account? Usually you will get both. If however you only got the later, then you can be assured that it is most likely a fraud.

facility

BOTH can be scams! There are many scammers on eBay hijacking OR creating new accounts (with zero feedback off course!), and emailing (usually) new ebayers about a second chance. What usually happens is that the winner of the auction is part of the scam......but sometimes not also

HS

 

[Patryk]

That fake site already looked dodgy when I first opened it...the site design seemed so...amateurish.

So for all those online buyers, make doubly sure your money as well as your information goes where it needs to go.

 

[ericp]

Beware of accounts with a high number of feedbacks as well ... you will see that many feedbacks are for $0.99 deals, for things like a lightbulb, etc. Unfortunately the item details expire after a while, so a few weeks after the transaction, you may not know what went on behind the "Excellent Seller !!! A+++++ !!!" comment.

 

[ajneo]

Beware of accounts with a high number of feedbacks as well ... you will see that many feedbacks are for $0.99 deals, for things like a lightbulb, etc. Unfortunately the item details expire after a while, so a few weeks after the transaction, you may not know what went on behind the "Excellent Seller !!! A+++++ !!!" comment.

Can agree more with this!

The seller has 300+ positive ratings.

I realised they are all for some cheap items below $20.

Then the camera that he was trying to sell to me was for US$1000!

I am toying with him now by suggesting that I will send the money. :bsmilie:

 

[engowen]

My 2 cents. all (*.info) web site or email are junk/phish/scam mail. I wish there is a way for me to filter it rather than filter by domain (*.blahblahblah.info). I have plenty these kind of email in my hotmail, all from *.info. It is interesting to read their story. But never sympathise and believe their story.

 

[Ecclesiasm]

Can agree more with this!

The seller has 300+ positive ratings.

I realised they are all for some cheap items below $20.

Then the camera that he was trying to sell to me was for US$1000!

I am toying with him now by suggesting that I will send the money. :bsmilie:

If I'm correct, you must have provided your Name and Address as well?

Well, if that is so, you may appear somewhere down the line in another of their scam-mail as the recipient for the Western Union account for another 2ndchanceoffer detailing your name and address.

I conjecture that this is how the scam works.

• you receive offer for 2nd chance, but you are to trade off-ebay via email
• you are asked for Name + Address which seller claims that will be sent to ebay for verifcation
• "ebay" sends you a aw-confirm invoice complete with logos. Very authentic looking. Says you must accept payment mode proposed for deal to go through. WESTERN UNION
• "ebay manager" sends you another email to verify seller and claims that seller has an account with them worth $xxxx.xx and it is frozen until the deal completes. You are guaranteed your refund, should items not be in order, from this $xxxx.xx pool facilitated by ebay
• you're given Y days to pay to SELLER NAME + SELLER ADDRESS via Western Union
• You pay happily
• You have just lost all your money + Western Union fees

I suspect that SELLER NAME + SELLER ADDRESS are the real names and addresses of victims in these scams.

My advise: DO NOT SHARE sensitive information over the internet. If something sounds too good to be true, it really should be.

 

[hongsien]

Can agree more with this!

The seller has 300+ positive ratings.

I realised they are all for some cheap items below $20.

Then the camera that he was trying to sell to me was for US$1000!

I am toying with him now by suggesting that I will send the money. :bsmilie:

This looks more like a REAL seller, OR hijacked eBay ID, no one will first sell 300+ small items just to get a positive rating, too much work.

On the watches items once in a while a hijacked ID will appear: ID not active for months (so not possible to check past sold items), and 'seller' accepts wire transfer only.......

HS

 

[Wai]

I am currently in the States, and bidded for a camera for $X. But the winning bid was $150 more, which was about the right price.

how are u over there? never see u on ICQ...got MSN?

 

[Kesmai]

screw ebay, every other person is a scam lol

 

[ericp]

screw ebay, every other person is a scam lol

And you registered an account here just to post that comment ?

 

[dr34mc4st3r]

screw ebay, every other person is a scam lol

wow. what an unwarranted comment. i guess all the nice sellers i have met in ebay and from where i have gotten my 2nd hand lens from are all scammers too. wow.

 

[freebsd]

the abuse of its 'members' may cause the eventual death of Ebay...

 

[hongsien]

the abuse of its 'members' may cause the eventual death of Ebay...

Don't worry, as long as members are careful enough, these cases are in the minority........slowly enough people are being educated.

HS