Paul Read Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 I am still not 100% certain but I believe there is a new scam out there. As third bidder, I have been sent a second-chance offer on an instrument I bid on. It came direct from the sender, not through ebay and it also asked for the reply to go direct to the seller. I'm checking it out but I'm pretty sure it's a scam so I posted this warning because you can guarantee I'm not the only mug they're after! I'll post later when I have confirmation (or not) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Read Posted May 16, 2005 Author Share Posted May 16, 2005 I just got the confirmation from the original seller - It's a scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whistlerab Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 I just got the confirmation from the original seller - It's a scam. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> On 2 occasions I have lost out in bidding only to receive an email the next day to say that the winning bidder had changed their mind and that the items were still available. This seems to be just a method to bid up the price by the seller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 I am still not 100% certain but I believe there is a new scam out there. As third bidder, I have been sent a second-chance offer on an instrument I bid on. It came direct from the sender, not through ebay and it also asked for the reply to go direct to the seller. I'm checking it out but I'm pretty sure it's a scam so I posted this warning because you can guarantee I'm not the only mug they're after! I'll post later when I have confirmation (or not) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I've just had one the same. The seller has already left feedback for the buyer so its clearly a scam. Theo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 What intrigues me is that these scammers seem able to learn the direct email addresses of bidders and sellers, though the only thing that's available on the eBay site is the eBay login id. A leak in their "security"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Read Posted May 17, 2005 Author Share Posted May 17, 2005 Whistlerab, I don't think it is the sellers. I contacted this seller and he replied by return and told me that the instrument was sold and delivered. It's not the sellers, it's scammers who are piggy-backing legitimate deals. As Jim says, how do the scammers get bidders e-mail addresses? It could be through prior communications on other instrments. I notice that if you contact someone through ebay and they reply, you can then e-mail them direct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Levine Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 This was sent to me yesterday. It came from "band boys." The original seller confirmed it was a scam. I forwarded it to "spoof@ebay.com" but haven't heard back from ebay. Good news! The following eBay item on which you placed a bid is again available for purchase: 30 Button WHEATSTONE Anglo Concertina Item number: 7318636099 Your Price : US $1,007.00 Don't let this get away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Read Posted May 17, 2005 Author Share Posted May 17, 2005 Mine came from band boys too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whistlerab Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 The 2 occasions when it happened to me was when I had emailed the seller through Ebay to ask a question about the item. This is how my email address is known to the seller but how does anyone else get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindizzy Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 The 2 occasions when it happened to me was when I had emailed the seller through Ebay to ask a question about the item. This is how my email address is known to the seller but how does anyone else get it. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> When I got this one, the email came through the e-bay system, though they made sure to say to reply to the address they gave ! The e-bay ids of the bidders are shown unless it's a private auction, and anyone can click on these to contact them. Chris J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 Changing the subject for a moment, but I felt I had to share this one : I have just received my most incompetent scam email ever, which purports to come from "Barclays Bank", and is addressed "Dear First National Bank Member". Whoops ! Very convincing ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Read Posted May 18, 2005 Author Share Posted May 18, 2005 Another issue that seems to be occurring more frequently is that people (or a person) is contacting the seller and asking them to sell it before bidding is finished. The owner then takes the instrument off ebay (for some invented reason) and sells it away from ebay. You'd think ebay would have a way of addressing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 Another issue that seems to be occurring more frequently is that people (or a person) is contacting the seller and asking them to sell it before bidding is finished. The owner then takes the instrument off ebay (for some invented reason) and sells it away from ebay.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> I noticed that seemed to be happening with almost every Lachenal Anglo on eBay a few months back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Viehoff Posted May 19, 2005 Share Posted May 19, 2005 Another issue that seems to be occurring more frequently is that people (or a person) is contacting the seller and asking them to sell it before bidding is finished. The owner then takes the instrument off ebay (for some invented reason) and sells it away from ebay. You'd think ebay would have a way of addressing this. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In what sense is this unethical, he asks, having just bought a bicycle in such fashion, and not feeling in the least guilty about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Read Posted May 19, 2005 Author Share Posted May 19, 2005 Ivan, I may be wrong here, but I believe that it is against the ebay rules. It certainly stops ebay getting their fees. It is irritating when you are following an item with intention to bid and it suddenly disappears. I think buy-it now is supposed to be used for these cicumstances. I guess my main issue is that we should all be playing by the same rules. Maybe the answer is for all of us to try and buy in this manner. I will look into the ebay conditions again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Read Posted May 19, 2005 Author Share Posted May 19, 2005 (edited) Ebay rules Here's what ebay say. My interpretation is that you shouldn't do it. Is that police sirens I hear? minor edit Edited May 19, 2005 by Paul Read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted May 19, 2005 Share Posted May 19, 2005 Another issue that seems to be occurring more frequently is that people (or a person) is contacting the seller and asking them to sell it before bidding is finished. The owner then takes the instrument off ebay (for some invented reason) and sells it away from ebay. You'd think ebay would have a way of addressing this.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> They do, if they find out, but it's not very effective... simply suspending the offenders' eBay priveleges. In what sense is this unethical, he asks, having just bought a bicycle in such fashion, and not feeling in the least guilty about it.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Simply put, it's a violation of an agreement the seller made with eBay when posting the auction. That is one of the things the eBay agreement specifically prohibits. There is a grey area, if the seller decides to sell to someone through a non-eBay connection -- e.g., if they've also listed it on Concertina.net, -- but if the individual's contact was only as a result of the eBay auction, then to sell to them outside eBay is essentially a breach of contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted May 19, 2005 Share Posted May 19, 2005 Is that police sirens I hear? minor edit <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Minor thirds, usually. No? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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