Ebay scam

[gotseg]

Looks like someone is fighting ebay segway scammers!
Ebay user: "scam_andorra_im_bored_and_have_all_day"

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3659866242&category=47351

gotseg?
"If you had one shot, or one oppportuinity to seize everything you ever wanted, in one moment, would you capture it, or just let it slip?"
Justin

[scoghill]

But how did the guy know it was a scam? He just started his bidding at $3,500. What did I miss?

[TiVoAussie]

It is not hard to detect this as a scam, the pictures are obviously not his, and have been seen before. He claims to be in France and yet he shows the Segway being upgraded, I didn't know LLC had done an upgrade session there!

More telling though, is the fact that he has only just signed up with eBay, yet is selling all the classic scam items, Rolex's, Classic Fender guitars, hi-end laptops, sewing machines and saddles. The only thing missing is a quad bike or a Harley!

It's all been done before, and is really pretty boring! It's not even a classy scam!

The "buyer" may well not be a Segway-er, there's certainly folk watching the classic guitar and laptop markets for scams. Good on the scambuster! (As we say in Aus!)

Cheers

Ron

There are a little over six thousand Segway owners!
There are a little over six billion people in the world!
I'm one in a million! :)

[Segway City]

Actually, the "scam_andorra_im_bored_and_have_all_day" is someone who has detected the scammer, created a similar fake bidder handle and has overbid every one of the fake listings to prevent the Buy-It-Now from being used by the unwitting.

Actually, this is not the most common scam. More common (and frightening) is the real user whose password is hacked and the scammer uses the good feedback rating of the real seller's handle to snare cash. I had exactly that happen in November, but I found it within 4 hours. That run was by a guy with a yahoo.es email that had to "preconfirm" you to allow a bid, then demanded a wire transfer to Europe. Rolexes, iPods, G7s, Harleys, and a Lexus "in Miami" were under my name for a couple hours. Wish I coulda repo'ed them.....heheh

[TiVoAussie]

I copletely agree with SegwayCity, one of the key indicators of fraud is a request for a Wire Transfer to Europe... Avoid any such request like the Plague!! You will almost certainly lose your money.

This topic is discussed at length (including a reference to Segway Frauds) on eBay Safe Harbor, here:

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jsp?forum=107&thread=214366&modifed=20040208141708

Do be careful, and remember what they say about deals which are too good to be true! :)

Cheers

Ron

There are a little over six thousand Segway owners!
There are a little over six billion people in the world!
I'm one in a million! :)

[Florida Ever-Glides]

An easy way to catch e-bay scammers is to ask them for a serial number. I did this several times, with no response from any of the sellers. It works everytime.

Tom Jacobson

[Cruzan Glider]

I like ebay but I think they should be more agressive in rooting out these scammers. But in the mean time it looks like "scam_andorra_im_bored_and_have_all_day" has the situation well covered.


Mike

[8] Bringing the future of transportation to central Ohio

[Segway City]

Well, it lasted less than a day and has been pulled. Thanks to vigilante bidding, all is well in the west!

[ComradeJosef]

Now I'm scared of buying anything that isn't direct! We were looking at a used ht on amazon but I just dont know about it. It's a shame that people use my favorite websites for scamming!

[Segway City]

Don't let that deter you!

Contact the seller directly, ask what city in Oregon the HT is in. Then make a new post in this forum requesting an Oregon SC member who would do a quality check in person. If the seller is unwilling to allow the in-person check, avoid it like the plague.



Seg-Whey... "Atkins Friendly"

[ElectraGlide]

quote:Originally posted by Florida Ever-Glides

An easy way to catch e-bay scammers is to ask them for a serial number. I did this several times, with no response from any of the sellers. It works everytime.

Tom Jacobson

I dont agree with that a bit...I will explain. Actually I wouldnt have given you a serial number if you asked me when I was selling a "p" model on EBAY back in January. Everyone seems to agree that the sellers should provide a serial number. Well, I think that giving away a serial number to anyone asking about an auction item risks the possibility of giving an authentic serial number to a possible scammer that can later use it in a scam auction, giving them credibility on an item they dont own, the same way they use other peoples photos. I was lucky enough to sell the "p" to a happy buyer from Houston, who wired the money and never asked for a serial number. I told him where I bought it and that he could call there and check if he wished to make sure about my claims. ( I dont know if he ever called ) So, now I'm wondering how many SC members thought my auction was a scam since I refused to give them a serial number or to accept a credit card payment. What I would suggest is that sellers provide a serial number to a buyer AFTER an auction closes before the buyer sends the money, that way both parties can be satisfied. Whats your thoughts out there on this idea ??

Steve

[Segway City]

I bought an i on eBay. A serial number wouldn't have made a difference, I wouldn't have known a fake one from a real one.

Most dog rescue groups have networks of volunteers who will survey the homes of prospective adoptive families to verify fitness for a rescued dog. Why that wouldn't work in a tight-knit nationwide Segway community like this one is beyond me.



Seg-Whey... "Atkins Friendly"

[ElectraGlide]

quote:Originally posted by Segway City

Most dog rescue groups have networks of volunteers who will survey the homes of prospective adoptive families to verify fitness for a rescued dog. Why that wouldn't work in a tight-knit nationwide Segway community like this one is beyond me.


I dont know about you, but I'm too busy to drive across state to check on a Segway that someone here may or may not buy. I think the serial number AFTER the sale is a good means of verification, certainly not perfect but better than nothing. There are 1000's of items for sale on EBAY that cost more than Segways....if I were to spend that much money I would want to talk directly to the seller by phone before I send that kind of money. A reputable seller would not mind receiving a quick phone call. I spoke with both my Segway buyers by phone.....both wired the money and received their Segways.

Steve

[statmed]

I'd have to agree with ElectraGlide on this one.

I have been buying and selling on EBAY since that late 90's and have had really great experiences. I don't think asking and receiving a serial # will close a deal for me. But when I do purchase a high priced item, I usually ask for a phone # so I can speak to the seller. A few months back I bought a guitar at a price that was too good to be true. I just had to use "Buy It Now", even though the seller did not have a high feeback rating.

It turns out the seller was a music store in the South that needed to turn over equipment for his new shipment and was just blowing items out at unreal prices. If I listened to most people here, I would have lost that deal.

With a bit of experience, you can spot a scam. But usually the old saying holds true, "If it's too good to be true, it usually is". Just remember, nobody is going to sell you a Segway far below its value and make unreasonable demands for payment.




H.M. Stern
statmed@optonline.net

I Love It When A Plan Comes Together (Hannibal Smith)

[Segway City]

No, I wouldn't drive across the state to check on a sale for someone, but I would drive across town to do it as a courtesy to others. And that would be after they had made a phone call to the seller to confirm quality, price &ct. That's what people in a community do for one another, at least we do so here in the South.

Most scams deal with greed, usually fed by the buyer wanting something for nothing. Due dilligence has its rewards for those who chose to perform it.

[Florida Ever-Glides]

Actually the safest way I found to buy high ticket items on e-bay is to use one of the escrow companies. If the buyer refuses this safe method to complete the purchase with complete confidence, then that should raise a red flag.

Tom Jacobson

[Segway City]

Escrow doesn't work for everyone. I've bought and sold well over $50K in items over the last 6 months alone and I will not consider escrow except in the most extreme circumstances. Escrow delays payments far too long for avoidable circumstances and is a vehicle for buyer's remorse.

Personal attention to details, research of the seller and their practices and a willingness to be an active part of the process (as opposed to having an escrow service attempt to protect you against yourself) are far better methods of verifying authenticity and quality before the purchase and provide the best method of post-sale satisfaction. Nothing beats a pre-purchase on-site inspection!

[Saul Goode]

I would have the seller e-mail you a picure of the Segway with something specific included in the photo (a piece of paper with my name on it or something.) It would at least prove that they had the item in question.

[smoother]

I am one of the happy purchasers who bought one of Steve’s (Electraglide) machines. Having read all the scam stuff, though, I must admit I took a lot of chances. Yes I got the machine, and it was as advertised, and Steve shipped it sooner than he thought he was going to be able. But these are the mistakes I made:

1. Having read Steve’s feedback on Ebay I was satisfied that he was a safe Ebayer. I know about stolen I.D’s but did nothing to confirm that this seller actually owned that feedback report.
2. I spoke with Steve on the phone and judged that he sounded like a reliable person. I can hear your groans from here. I know you cannot tell a person’s character from the sound of their voice.
3. Steve was on the road and when asked for wire transfer data his bank gave him two different numbers. This threw a red flag but when he got home he asked his local bank and that was the number I used.

With these three processes under my belt I wired, that’s right wired steve the money. I never asked for any serial number or anything. Personally I feel serial numbers are useless, whether typed or photographed. They are simply no evidence the “seller” has even touched the product he is selling. Having said that, refusal to produce one does seem to be an issue. It seems quite routine for Autos,

But as I said Steve was great, and I love my P model I bought from him. Now read on about my “I’ model transaction.

An “I” model came up one Sunday morning with a buy it now for $3500. I thought, “what the hell”, but the seller had ZERO feedback, or maybe he had a few as a buyer (doesn’t cut it as a high dollar seller). SOOOO… I emaied him and asked if I could uses Escrow.com at my cost. He said fine, so I bought it and that transaction worked fine too. Escrow sure put the worry out of it but put another $71 cost on it for me.

Any advise on how I could have confirmed Steve was really Steve and not a scammer?

[ElectraGlide]

quote:Originally posted by smoother

I am one of the happy purchasers who bought one of Steve’s (Electraglide) machines.


Thanks for the kind words John......you got a good machine there...enjoy it ! Yes.....selling and buying on EBAY does have it's challenges at times!

Steve

[Stewbonz]

I use ebay all the time and have had 100% positive experiences. I bought 3 Segways on ebay, had 2 of them personally checked out by friends in those areas. The 3rd was a Segway Chat Member that sounded legit and trustworthy. Saved over $1000 on each one.

Check out my ebaY auction here:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=stewbonz&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25

JEFF JARVIS
ThailandSegwayTours.com

[ZoliHonig]

The item is gone
did someone buy it, or was it taken down?

[8]-Zoli[8]

[gotseg]

taken down

http://www.giguphosting.com/gotseg/gotseg.gif