Read the whole thing. Too cool.
This was a pretty cool "scam the scammer" story. I read it last month.
That's the coolest read I've done in ages! Excellent find! I was hoping for a bit more in the video's section, but still nice - heh.
Great post Saturn.
I'll pass that around to some others i know who use ebay regularly.
Any other stories like this you guys have dug over the time? I know I have been ripped of on one transaction on audiogon.com for $350usd
My roommate got scammed for $1600 on eBay. I will explain the whole story when I get back.
I got scamed for a about $700 for a Dell computer on ebay. All sorts of excuses for delays in shipping, would never send a tracking number. He had 4 or 5 positive feedbacks as a seller of items in the $30-$75 range. I was the first big sale. When things started to smell I started following his other auctions that started after mine closed. Three more Dells almost identical to what I bought. Seller finally claimed the computer was destroyed by UPS and that was the latest cause for the delay. When I started checking I found the seller's phone number listed with ebay was bogus.
What I did was watch as each of his auctions closed on ebay and emailed each buyer to beware of what looked like a scam. I filed complaint with ebay and made a claim with paypal. I emailed the seller that I had warned off his other buyers.
I figured he had to be locatable through his paypal account because it requires a bank account, social security number etc.
He refunded my money through paypal very quickly at this point. Two of his other buyers had responded to me and I told them the whole story. Ebay closed his account. The third buyer emailed me sometime later saying he never got his computer or money back wanting to know what had happened to me. I was lucky I caught him at the beginning of his ebay spree where he wanted to keep other fish on the hook. Paypal insurance/satisfaction gaurantee is a good idea in my opinion, pretty cheap.
In reply to:
know I have been ripped of on one transaction on audiogon.com for $350usd
Were you the buyer or the seller? Tell us how it happened so that it may help us to avoid a simular situation.
Alright. My roommate got scammed, but I must say that it was partly, if not completley his own stinkin fault. He was in the market for a Canon GL2 Video Camera. He had the cash saved up to buy a new one from B&H, but against my advice said he was going to save a few bucks and buy one off eBay. He saw one on Ebay and conteacted the seller with some questions he had. The lady answered his quickly, and he decided he would buy a camera from her. This is where it started going downhill. The lady said she was in the EU but that the camera was NTSC. He believed all of the BS she was feeding him. She then wanted him to wire her the money. Most dumb ass move of all time right there. Wire money to some random person in Spain that you have never talked to other than email. Typical scam, wire the money under false name, get person to check money has been sent, then send tracking numbers, then change name on wired money to real name.
So he sent the money under a false name, and emiled the person to verify that he had sent the money. So, he was waiting for tracking numbers when he checked on his money. It was gone and he never heard from the lady again.
Live and learn, never wire money. 1st hint of a scam right there. He filed police reports and all sorts of eBay reports, WesternUnion fraud, all types of stuff. He eventually found out that the lady worked at a bank in BFE Kentucky, but did nothing more after that.
I am a regular troller on audiogon and canuckaudiomart. I like fiding stuff that are rediculously for low prices...for personal use or just finding for friends and family. There is obvious risks when dealing with "when its too good to be true then its mostlikely is"...but I have (like other) gotten stuff that is cheap.
Well saw this Bryston amp that is normally about $3200. Used its about $800-$1200. He had it posted for ***$350***. Just general wear and tear but in fine condition. Under warrentee from Bryston. All Bryston amps have 25 yrs warrantee. I thought I was covered. No pictures because his digital camera was on the fritz. It was just recently posted since it was not there 20 minutes ago. Sent a quick message. Got a quick response ... in a matter of minutes. Said it was a great deal. He said he received 8 other interested parties and I was on top of the list. He would be shipping it from Florida and only accepted "Postal" Money orders because bank money orders need a bank to cash and could possibly be audited my IRS. I said sure make sense I guess. <-- dummy me.
Checked out his profile and it said 4 positive responses. Okey this was great deal.
20 minutes later I get a message saying he is going to let the item go to someone else unless I can provide proof I was really serious.
I said sure..I could get the postal money order that afternoon and take a picture of it and send it to him.
So I did. He send me a quick email and gave me a mailing address. Funny...his email never asked me my shipping address...so I replied to him with my mailing address and asked for a phone number because UPS needed one. He replied to me...saying just to send it regular mail. I said I wanted UPS and it was fine that I covered the cost because if I sent it UPS it will get to him faster and then he can send my item out quicker. Luckily I did send it UPS and asked for a phone number....
I called the number just to see if it is legit and I just played the dumb buyer..Are Bryston's good amps?...I have not heard of them? Is it better than my Fisher integrated? (Lets not start a flame amp war here)
He was suprised I called...or it seemed like that. Asked me when was my earliest convenience to send it out. I said it was sent out 2 hours ago. Sent it out to the name "Mandel". Just "Mandel"
Checked UPS ground and it arrived in 3 days I think..I forget...arrival scan showed up.
Called his number again..."The cell number you have reached is not available or not assigned." ...something like that..my heart just did a belly flop!!!!!
Went back the audiogon and checked the listing. "Listing not found!!!!!!"
I quickly sent off an email...asking if he received the money order and asking for a UPS tracking number. A day went by...I resent a 2nd email. Sent emails out to the other people who gave him a good rating. I waited another 2 days and did another email saying I have not receive any info on my package.
Tried the number again..and wait..it started ringing...He picks up..seemed startled. I nicely asked him if he sent out his package. He gave me a run around and said he was busy with his daugther because of a child custody situation. He was going to send it out in a day or two...and was sitting in his basement ready to go. He was going to ship it UPS ground and was going to take 7-10 days because he is in a part of Florida that was expidited.
So I waited 10 days...
Got a letter for one of the positive ratings poster. He said he had issues with this guy and that it took him a long time to send his item out but gave him a positive rating because he did get it and it was in perfect order.
And that his name is really Albert Mandelbaum.
Did a search on the net. Found out some name matching. One happens to be in the same zip code but different address for the name Albert Madelbaum.
On the 12th day after the last contact I called his cell again...the "not available message was there again". Sent out emails again. The next day called the number listed on my search. And guess what..he answers.
He was babbling and said that he totally forgot. I told him it is over a month now since the original email and I have been patiently waiting. He said he is sending it this afternoon. I guess he was startled I got his home number (lucky for that guy that replied to me to provide his real name) and mostlikely thought I had his address too. I got a UPS number that evening. YAY!!!
It arrived 5 days later...paid damn duties on the damn thing...eshhh...a Bryston amp that originally came from Canada.
I opened the box...the mounting holes were all jagged from mounting. The amp smelled like beer. What looked like dried up something liquid on top. One foot missing. Tried the amp and one channel was only working. Sent out the serial numbers to Bryston...told me it was out of warrantee.
^%$^#%&%#&#%$&$%&$%&#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Called the cell number and it said "not available" again. The home number was disconnected. I sent out a rash of emails.
3 months passed by and I called the cell and he answered again!!!!! He said he barely remembers me and said all his product are in working order and it must have been UPS that damaged it.
I said I know some goons in florida (which is kinda true..just little trouble maker antiga boys who serf and snowboard with me) and that I had his address and to watch his back and I then hung up.
I tried his number a month later and his cell was definitely disconnect. Never called my friends in florida. So I still have this amp...maybe I will use its one channel one day to power a unpowered SVS or HSU.
All these stories have a similar theme: the buyer thought he was going to get something for way below the market value. It just doesn't work that way. The old adage, if a deal appears to be too good to be true it probably is, applies in spades to the internet. (OK, Axiom speakers excepted).
This is now of the same proportions as the Nigeria scam, which I still get BTW.
I've also gotten involved in these international scams. Tried to sell a road bike on cragslist in the SF Bay Area. Some doctor in Europe wanted to buy it and send it over. Yeah right, you want to buy a used $300 bike and ship it to Italy? Those scams are everywhere.
Buyer beware. I've never gotten burned on ebay/craiglist yet (knock on wood). I've bought a $700 Tivo, $1100 bike (work $2k), etc on ebay, but I know the risks....