I think somebody is trying to scam me.
A few months ago, I bid on a gorgeous Drifter/Velo 700 rig on eBay, and lost the bid. A few weeks later, I receive an email from the "seller" offering me a "second chance", but once again, we couldn't agree on the price. So a few weeks ago, I get another letter from this "seller" (no longer through eBay) saying that the rig was for sale again and he would accept the amount I offered previously. (yippee, I thought!)
Unfortunately, now I don't have the time to travel to Virginia, inspect and make a face-to-face sale. I wrote him, telling him that I want to inspect the rig myself (or someone I trust) BEFORE handing over ANY MONEY. Today, the seller sends me and shipping invoice from GZ Express Freight and they want me to send a bank transfer (the only way they accept $$$$) to Barclay's Bank in England for the full amount. They claim that they will hold the money until I inspect and accept the freight, if I do not agree, they will issue me a check. (yea right)
My hubby google mapped the address of the shipper: the address zooms in on a house in a residential neighborhood in Illinois, not Virginia where the eBay seller was supposed to be located.
LIGHTBULB MOMENT! I did a little digging around on the original eBay seller's profile and found that he sold a Vulcan for that approx price with positive feedback from the buyer.
This smells like a big, ole, stinky scam to me! I believe the original deal was valid.
As much as I'd LOVE to have this rig, I think somebody is trying to mess with me. Grrrrrr.....
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I've sent an email to the original seller and one to ebay, is there anything else I can do?
Ebay complaints will check it out. I'd suggest finding another "deal" though. This one stinks.
Lonnie
I'll def contact eBay complaints tomorrow.
I'm finishing up a nice little rig in my driveway, but I always have my eyes open for the next one!
I agree with Lonnie, lots of opportunties closer to home. From what you stated, my question would be why would the money have to be sent to a bank in ENGLAND?
It sounds like a scam to me. I'd stay away.
Barclay's Bank is kinda what solidified the scam idea.
My hubby and I had an account at our local Barclays when we lived in the US Virgin Islands, but this guy wanted a wire transfer to England!
And this guy will only accept bank wire transfers, no other type of payment. I wonder if I should also inform Barclays about this?
This is a scam for sure, good that you stayed away from it. The Ebay complaint procedure is the best way to go. It probably wouldn't do any good to contact Barclays. I had similar experiences with buying motorcycles both on ebay and Craig's list. Always check them out good and if it sounds too good, it most likely is a scam and never send money up front. Caveat Emptor.
I had a very similar incident involving Ebay. On the surface, the second chance offer sounded legit, but when I e mailed the original seller through EBay, they had no idea what I was talking about and it quickly became apparant that a third party was trying to foist a scam on me.
There are several problems here:
1. Buying a rig from another country - sight unseen....yeah, I know, they have pictures.
2. Issues of Shipping are daunting anf fraught with trouble.
3. Barclay's Bank? Big Money Transfer?
4. Offer to buy without PayPal protection or outside of eBay....you're on your own.
Thre are 1,000 things that can go wrong. It's a non-starter. Beware.
i have been buying stuff on ebay for many years.you have to be on your toes because people send fake second chance offers or are fishing for info.i dont know if reporting it to the police is an option. at least if a pile of complaints pile up it may get the person caught.
onebike2many - 1/10/2012 8:30 AM I had a very similar incident involving Ebay. On the surface, the second chance offer sounded legit, but when I e mailed the original seller through EBay, they had no idea what I was talking about and it quickly became apparant that a third party was trying to foist a scam on me.
Same thing happened when my daughter sold her sidecar rig. About a week after the exchange, she received two different messages from people who had received 2nd chance offers. Complaints to ebay, unfortunately brought only canned responses talking about protecting your password.
Fortunately, both people responded to her through ebay rather than answering the messages outside where they would have been fleeced and she blamed.
These people are making me mad, although I'm enjoying leading them on. Serves 'em right.
Con artists will move in anywhere they think they can pull a scam. Grrrrr.......
MoJoMoto - 1/10/2012 9:47 PM
These people are making me mad, although I'm enjoying leading them on. Serves 'em right.
Con artists will move in anywhere they think they can pull a scam. Grrrrr.......
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If you think it's a scam, then I wouldn't spend much time dealing with them. Lots of these folks will send you a virus if they think you are fooling with them.
For all of the nice things that the internet can do, it also opens up fertile new areas for crooks and tricksters.
Yea, I'm done with these people. I contacted eBay complaints and the original
seller, and my bank (just in case they hacked into any paypal accounts or sent me any kind of tracking virus)
I'm on to happier endeavors! Hopefully, they will be punished, someway somehow. (and not try to get revenge on me!)
Had something similar only in reverse. I sold a bike on Craigslist, (sold it locally, in person to someone). Had another potential buyer ask me "absolute best price", I told him, then gave my postal address. I also told him all moneies in US Postal Money Orders. (my bank can check them for fraud with a phone call). After buyer picked up bike, UPS, (not post office if they use Post Office it becomes mail fraud), delivers an envelope with a check for $4000 more than selling price of bike. "Buyer" had emailed he was in Atlanta, Ga. tracking envelope said package was sent from TX, address on envelope said Oklahoma. "Check" was drawn on a Kentucky bank with an address for an Ohio business. Just for fun I emailed the scammer that I'd sold the bike. He said to just cash check and send funds back Western Union. I told him I didn't know where one was, I'd just mail check bak. He emails back 10 min later with locations for Western Union around my address. Then I told him check has to clear bank, why don't I just wire funds when check clears, he gives me routing # for bank in NYC.
Meanwhile I contacted bank check was drawn on, spoke to them, their fraud division ask if I'd mail them the check so I did.
After stringing the con artist along for about 10 days, I sent him an email that my bank said check was a forgery and I turned over all emails etc to FBI. Never heard another thing from scammer.
Using the internet is wire fraud, unfortunately most of the scammers are outside the US, they must have confederates they work with in the US to go to shipping companies, etc. They also hack into shipping company accts for the labels etc.
