T
Tumbleweed
Guest
Easiest way to explain is to show the email I received;
> > Hello there.
> >
> > Sorry to drop in like this but I have noticed you are interested in
the
> > item matching the auction #XXXXXXX. I was wondering if you would be
> > interested in a similar XXXXXXX bicycle that I am selling for
> > GBP 240.00. I am only selling this because of some personal problems. If
> > this offer seems appealing to you please e-mail me back and I will
>provide
> > you with the rest of the information needed to complete the transaction.
> > My user name on eBay is XXXXXXX - over 130 positive feedback. If you
>want
> > I could ask eBay to contact you and certify I am indeed serious and
> > trustworthy. This transaction will also be covered under eBay's Fraud
> > Protection Program! I will pay shipping & handling fees + any other fees
> > involved.
> > Once again, excuse me if I have bothered you with this message and
>also
> > please accept all my best.
> >
> > Respectfully yours,
> > XXXXXXXXXXXX
I am an ebay virgin, but the idea that ebay would contact me and certify
that someone is 'serious and trustworthy' seems laughable to me, no doubt I
would get a faked message, I'm sure there is no way of contacting ebay and
having them 'verify' a user, how could they do that? And he does say that
*he* will get ebay to contact me. It also seems just too good that he will
pay shipping and handling fees and "any other fees", bearing in mind the
price asked is significantly below what the actual item went for. Why not
just auction it, get 60% more and have the buyer pick up the fees?
Is this a scam (now I've written this it seems it must be) and if so how do
they get their money if I didnt pay until I received the item? Will he
likely be using a fake proxy service which will look like ebays so I'd pay
before receiving the item (maybe that would be his intention?)
I suppose he probably isnt the user to whom he refers on ebay either...and
just to add to the suspicious circumstances, as far as I can see this bike
make (Dawes) isnt sold in the US, which is where he is listed as being
based, though in a second email to me he says he's currently in Italy due to
'family problems' ..all this emphasis on personal problems also makes me
suspicious, maybe preying on people who think they are getting a bargain
because they are buying from a 'distressed' seller?
OK, I've convinced myself its a scam, how does it work? fake proxy service?
And is it common? I've only bid on a few items on ebay so if I've got one
chances are thousands have and this is very common but I've never heard of
it.
--
Tumbleweed
email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com
> > Hello there.
> >
> > Sorry to drop in like this but I have noticed you are interested in
the
> > item matching the auction #XXXXXXX. I was wondering if you would be
> > interested in a similar XXXXXXX bicycle that I am selling for
> > GBP 240.00. I am only selling this because of some personal problems. If
> > this offer seems appealing to you please e-mail me back and I will
>provide
> > you with the rest of the information needed to complete the transaction.
> > My user name on eBay is XXXXXXX - over 130 positive feedback. If you
>want
> > I could ask eBay to contact you and certify I am indeed serious and
> > trustworthy. This transaction will also be covered under eBay's Fraud
> > Protection Program! I will pay shipping & handling fees + any other fees
> > involved.
> > Once again, excuse me if I have bothered you with this message and
>also
> > please accept all my best.
> >
> > Respectfully yours,
> > XXXXXXXXXXXX
I am an ebay virgin, but the idea that ebay would contact me and certify
that someone is 'serious and trustworthy' seems laughable to me, no doubt I
would get a faked message, I'm sure there is no way of contacting ebay and
having them 'verify' a user, how could they do that? And he does say that
*he* will get ebay to contact me. It also seems just too good that he will
pay shipping and handling fees and "any other fees", bearing in mind the
price asked is significantly below what the actual item went for. Why not
just auction it, get 60% more and have the buyer pick up the fees?
Is this a scam (now I've written this it seems it must be) and if so how do
they get their money if I didnt pay until I received the item? Will he
likely be using a fake proxy service which will look like ebays so I'd pay
before receiving the item (maybe that would be his intention?)
I suppose he probably isnt the user to whom he refers on ebay either...and
just to add to the suspicious circumstances, as far as I can see this bike
make (Dawes) isnt sold in the US, which is where he is listed as being
based, though in a second email to me he says he's currently in Italy due to
'family problems' ..all this emphasis on personal problems also makes me
suspicious, maybe preying on people who think they are getting a bargain
because they are buying from a 'distressed' seller?
OK, I've convinced myself its a scam, how does it work? fake proxy service?
And is it common? I've only bid on a few items on ebay so if I've got one
chances are thousands have and this is very common but I've never heard of
it.
--
Tumbleweed
email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com