The Merlin Cielo....?
- Thread starter puma
- Start date
If its a _really_ good deal on eBay, be careful. I was just stung for the first time on eBay in buying a cielo with 2003 D-A triple. It was my mistake as the party was not in the US or Canada, but they did have very good reviews. I reported the whole incident to eBay but never heard a thing in reply.
If you truly know party, or they're local, the bike is great.
Regards, Robert
If you truly know party, or they're local, the bike is great.
Regards, Robert
Robert,
That's interseting because I reported someone trying to run an escrow scam on eBay and they were also selling a Cielo. I never heard anything of it either. They guy I was dealing with was in Maryland and was willing to sell the bike for less than cost. Anyway, if it sounds too good to be true than it likely is.
Hey Robert, this wouldn't happen to be the two auctions posted from the guy in the UK. Because if it is, I saw those two listed when I was doing some research, and then they had become invalid auctions. If this is that case...what happened? I'm interesting in hearing more.
Thanks for all the responses from all of you.
I was trying to avoid details as I'm ashamed of my naivete, but hopefully others will not be tempted.
The auction had a buy-it-now option. I contacted the seller regarding size. He replied that he had several different sizes; closing inventory sort of thing.
He had many + reviews. But here is where I made a mistake: they were mostly as a buyer, not as a seller.
I agreed on a 57cm model Cielo and requested payment via paypal. His auction stated that paypal was ok but preferred money order/transfers; it also stated he was in new york--actually, he was in Berlin, Germany.
Anyhow, after several, very decent email exchanges--including one where he described his problems with PayPal in Europe--I agreed to wire via Western Union the money. As I've said, I've had many buys/sells, probably into the 10 of thousands of dollars by now, over eBay and Audiogon with zero problems until now.
After I wired the money, the ad disappeared. Emails continued to be exchanged until I sent him verification of the transfer, then I heard nothing more.
I've noted other ads that wee similarly constructed (banner at the top, well described bike details, etc), which also all disappeared within a few days, none going the full time of the auction. I'm afraid that these rapid disappearances may mean that others have been stung by these scams.
As I later looked over the email exchanges, I could detect different wordings that probably indicated more than one person was communicating with me. Additionally, I've seen several email handles being used in various ads, some female, some male. My guess is that some sort of group is carrying this out.
Another disturbing possibility that I tried to alert eBay to is that their system is hacked: the ad behavior is suspicious (they were unlocatable after closing, unlike real ads that can be found for several days after an ad closes). Also, maybe the seller feedbacks were fabricated and somehow placed into eBay's system as I find it difficult to believe this group could generate so many + feedbacks for several identities prior to perpetrating scams.
Bottom line. I'd recommend no money transfers and look to see if the feedback on sellers is for sells, not buys.
The auction had a buy-it-now option. I contacted the seller regarding size. He replied that he had several different sizes; closing inventory sort of thing.
He had many + reviews. But here is where I made a mistake: they were mostly as a buyer, not as a seller.
I agreed on a 57cm model Cielo and requested payment via paypal. His auction stated that paypal was ok but preferred money order/transfers; it also stated he was in new york--actually, he was in Berlin, Germany.
Anyhow, after several, very decent email exchanges--including one where he described his problems with PayPal in Europe--I agreed to wire via Western Union the money. As I've said, I've had many buys/sells, probably into the 10 of thousands of dollars by now, over eBay and Audiogon with zero problems until now.
After I wired the money, the ad disappeared. Emails continued to be exchanged until I sent him verification of the transfer, then I heard nothing more.
I've noted other ads that wee similarly constructed (banner at the top, well described bike details, etc), which also all disappeared within a few days, none going the full time of the auction. I'm afraid that these rapid disappearances may mean that others have been stung by these scams.
As I later looked over the email exchanges, I could detect different wordings that probably indicated more than one person was communicating with me. Additionally, I've seen several email handles being used in various ads, some female, some male. My guess is that some sort of group is carrying this out.
Another disturbing possibility that I tried to alert eBay to is that their system is hacked: the ad behavior is suspicious (they were unlocatable after closing, unlike real ads that can be found for several days after an ad closes). Also, maybe the seller feedbacks were fabricated and somehow placed into eBay's system as I find it difficult to believe this group could generate so many + feedbacks for several identities prior to perpetrating scams.
Bottom line. I'd recommend no money transfers and look to see if the feedback on sellers is for sells, not buys.
I'll have to send an email to Ebay as well. There is definitely something suspicious going on. Most of the sellers have good feedback from purchasing minute, inexpensive items, such as $.99 CDs. And when they are sellers, the sells seem out of character, and all over the board (not one is of an expensive item nor pertaining to anything with cycling). I've emailed some of these people potraying a great interest to buy, and they are always so willing to offer to pay all shipping charges through UPS Express (within 48 hours), and require that money orders through Western Union be sent, refusing PayPal. This is probably because they can't get away with the money when recieving funds through paypal. Do you still have you're MTCN (money
transfer control number), which they request. I want to play with them a little. Thanks.
transfer control number), which they request. I want to play with them a little. Thanks.
You've got it EXACTLY (and they did offer UPS Express!!):
"Most of the sellers have good feedback from purchasing minute, inexpensive items, such as $.99 CDs. And when they are sellers, the sells seem out of character, and all over the board (not one is of an expensive item nor pertaining to anything with cycling). "
My Western Union verification was (MTCN): 944-269-2407
Please, play away with them; they are bad guys. I've prayed that I'd be able to warn other people, so through this post my prayers have been answered.
Regards, Robert
"Most of the sellers have good feedback from purchasing minute, inexpensive items, such as $.99 CDs. And when they are sellers, the sells seem out of character, and all over the board (not one is of an expensive item nor pertaining to anything with cycling). "
My Western Union verification was (MTCN): 944-269-2407
Please, play away with them; they are bad guys. I've prayed that I'd be able to warn other people, so through this post my prayers have been answered.
Regards, Robert
One thing that many people don't realize about Western Union transfers is that they can be received by the party at any Western Union site world wide.
Many scams are run this way, with people sending money to what they think are people in one place, when in fact they are often in a place that is going to make recovery difficult or impossible.
How have Ebay been with you? I've never been had yet, but it seems like more of this is happening. The last really organized scam was for big screen tv's.
Many scams are run this way, with people sending money to what they think are people in one place, when in fact they are often in a place that is going to make recovery difficult or impossible.
How have Ebay been with you? I've never been had yet, but it seems like more of this is happening. The last really organized scam was for big screen tv's.
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