A familiar Odor: eBay II:

DAP · Mar 12, 2004

When will it ever stop???? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

DAP · Mar 12, 2004

Ooops, this listing had a shelf life of only a few moments. From the time I browsed the listing and went to fetch the URL for posting on this thread, it was yanked.

Attached is a cached image of the ebay listing though. They were BOTH prolly scams.

JayC · Mar 12, 2004

Man, these people are relentless! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Hakim · Mar 12, 2004

Yes, they are relentless. But so are we. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif It is kind of like going to the bank, and every third teller is not actually an employee of the bank, but a crook, who will take your "deposit" and go off to Paris with it. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

It is going to ruin Ebay if they cannot get some handle on this amount of fraud. Yes, it is "buyer beware" and all that. But geez, six or seven of these blatant scams in a few days is really troubling.

The way this actually works for the scammer is that they "help" the bids up until a sucker actually "wins" the bidding. Then, the “winner” is asked to send a "deposit" of about 10% of the total bid price as good faith and to push the shipment forward. The "balance" is due on "delivery (which of course never occurs).

That is why you see the bids go from a $2,500 "opening" bid on a $100,000 tractor to $40,000 within an hour of the auction starting. Likewise, it is why the bidders are hidden. Likewise, it is why you have to be “pre-approved” (need to give your credit card info, etc.). All of these are danger signs.

The scammer is hoping that someone, anyone, will win the bid and send that 10% (maybe as much as $4-5,000) as a "deposit.

This 10% "deposit" is not an Ebay rule, per se, but it has become the de facto standard for auctions on cars, boats, airplanes, etc.

The only good thing that has happened in this current flurry of half-baked frauds, is that they were almost instantly uncovered and closed down. The “TBN Posse” is ever vigilant!. It is “our” resources (80,000 strong) versus one or two idiot scammers. I think it is fair to say that the chance of one of these scams involving a CUT going to completion is about zilch. Nice job TBN’ers! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DAP · Mar 12, 2004

Agreed Hakim. Cept for one thing. I'd bet a jar of homemade blueberry jam that there is more than just a coupla scammers.

I just HAPPEN to be looking at TRACTOR items. Eeek. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Inspector507 · Mar 12, 2004

I'm sure that the "TBN Posse" isn't finding them all either /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif and other items such as jewelry, cars and other high dollar items probably have the same thing going on.

Harv · Mar 12, 2004

E-mail was a good thing.

Fast, easy communication, world wide. Send messages, pictures, documents of all kinds. Available to anyone with a computer.

Then along came the virus, spam, address harvesting, etc.

The internet was a good thing.

A great way to share information, ideas, pictures. A new frontier for legitimate business, education, message boards, Christmas shopping and more.

Then along came online ****, pop-up advertising, electronic scams and so on.

There is an inevitable element of our society that is intent on ruining "good" things for millions of people, for their own amusement or financial gain.

Nothing new here. Just felt like spouting a little. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

frank_f15 · Mar 12, 2004

( There is an inevitable element of our society that is intent on ruining "good" things for millions of people, for their own amusement or financial gain.
)

my thoughts exactly , too bad there is not a way for all of us to spend a few QUALITY minuets with these scammer, virus writers and all around PIA's