eBay Scam

[SCCutler]

So it was late, and I was headed for bed, but I checked eBay for a potential deal on a Garmin 496... and sure enough, there was a new-in-box 496, Buy it Now for $1,200.00... just listed.

Certainly cheap, but the seller had been on eBay for a while, good feedback (albeit, all buying), and was sited minutes from Olathe, home of Garmin. Maybe a family member works there?

So I clicked "Buy it Now," and went to the "Pay Now" link. Hmmm, seller does not accept PayPal? It says seller wants credit card, that's OK, I still have protections if I use the credit card link, but wait, there isn't one of those either.

So, I got an email this morning saying I'd get an invoice... did not get an invoice, so I emailed back asking for an invoice (but, by now, I am suspicious). They sent one right away, a PayPal invoice (wait, thought "seller does not accept PayPal"...).

Email with the invoice came from "eBay," looked very legit. But... was sent from "ebay@ebav.com"

I looked up the "Seller" in the phone book, called her up, and she was horrified that someone had used her eBay account to perpetrate a fraud... told me that someone had hacked her PayPal account a few weeks back as well, but that PayPal had refunded her money right away (good news, surprising but good).

I advised that she contact eBay ASAP, and she apparently did so, because I got a (legit) email from eBay that the item was no longer available.

Glad I did not send $1,200.00 to some mutt in the Bahamas.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I'm not sure the average ebayer (me) would have picked up on all those clues. None of them really scream to me, even now. Must credit your sharp eyes for this part:

But... was sent from "ebay@ebav.com"

 

[CT Arrow]

Good call Spike!

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is....

 

[flyersfan31]

Ironically, they probably would have made more money and done the deal if they hadn't asked for such a bargain-basement price.

 

[roncachamp]

Certainly cheap, but the seller had been on eBay for a while, good feedback (albeit, all buying), and was sited minutes from Olathe, home of Garmin.

Good feedback is all a buyer can have now. I recently had a buyer refuse to pay for the item he won and wanted to post negative feedback. Negative feedback is no longer an option for buyer feedback, sellers can post positive feedback or nothing. eBay refused to explain the policy change.

 

[wabower]

To the contrary, they explained it in detail--repeatedly. Ebay management thought that sellers were using negative feedback as a hammer to coerce or otherwise threaten buyers.

Good feedback is all a buyer can have now. I recently had a buyer refuse to pay for the item he won and wanted to post negative feedback. Negative feedback is no longer an option for buyer feedback, sellers can post positive feedback or nothing. eBay refused to explain the policy change.

 

[roncachamp]

To the contrary, they explained it in detail--repeatedly. Ebay management thought that sellers were using negative feedback as a hammer to coerce or otherwise threaten buyers.

Here's my message to eBay, sent on 10/15:

"Why are sellers no longer permitted to post negative feedback on buyers that refuse to pay for the items they've won? What's the justification for this change in policy? Could I please get a complete answer?

I received no response. You may feel not receiving an answer to be explanation in detail, I think few would agree with you.

 

[jesse]

To the contrary, they explained it in detail--repeatedly. Ebay management thought that sellers were using negative feedback as a hammer to coerce or otherwise threaten buyers.

I had it happen once. ****ed me off. I bought something and paid 5 minutes later via PayPal. It took them three weeks or so to ship the item (plus another week to receive it). I left them neutral feedback. They left me negative.

 

[buzzard86]

I had it happen once. ****ed me off. I bought something and paid 5 minutes later via PayPal. It took them three weeks or so to ship the item (plus another week to receive it). I left them neutral feedback. They left me negative.

I've been on both side of unpleasant ebay deals. I never wound up lobbing a negative, simply because I knew that I'd get a retaliatory one in return.

I'm saving now for an airplane and have been very, very busy selling stuff on ebay to raise funds. Despite a clear "no international shipping" policy, my last two winning bidders were in Australia and Italy respectively. What a PITA.

eBay has lots of hassles, not to mention that sellers get fleeced by ebay and PayPal fees. Its saving grace, however, is the exposure. I still make more through an ebay sale even after fees that I would likely get if I listed locally.