Possible Ebay Scam (I'm no dummy, not going to happen to me)

[armysig]

I have my atv on Ebay again. Well I get a few messages that seem to be a little odd. I have never dealt with anyone from Mexico on a business related sales.
I know of a scam that’s going around where someone will win an item on Ebay or other auctions. What they do is send their own delivery truck and the driver will have a money order for the amount or for more.
You turn over the item sold, and then try to cash the check. Well it comes up fake and the driver is long gone with your item.

This string of emails seems to be a bit funny to me. I thought I would share them with you.


Masterofbaja writes (first email to my ebay account)

I'm in Mexico but I have an importer in San Diego and I buy all the time in US, actually I have relatives in Phoenix and can close the deal so it doesn't matter I live in Mexico, maybe I'll just ask to ship to San Diego,
Thanks


(second email to my ebay account)

2nd e-mail, I want to bid on this item and can send money order to US I'm in Mexico ( Los Cabos ) and very interested, please contact or accept bid from me, Thanks



I respond with

No disrespect to you, but I will have to decline on your offer.

There is a growing number of people in the ATV community that are getting scammed like this and they not only lose their ATV but the check they receive is a fake.

Your messages to me have been forwarded to the Ebay legal department so they can investigate this matter.

I'm sorry if this causes any problems but I have known people to lose out on high dollar items.


Masterofbaja writes back with

As I mentioned before my import agent is in San Diego, Ca. I import a lot of merchandise from BIG companies as Westinghouse, Hunter Fan Co, Focus lighting, Fanimation, Kichler Lighting etc, if you are interested, and you accept my bids and I get to win, I can ask the San Diego office to pay directly to you with cash in advance or which ever way you feel confortable with, If still you feel nervous of this you can check with the Companies I mentioned as of the purchases we make every week through our Company - VENTALIO, SA DE CV, if still not interested, is ok, just let me know so I can look up for another option,
Thank you.


Well, this guy is good if you ask me. Yes he may do some business in the country. But his feedback rating on Ebay right now is “0”. I have always been kind of suspicious of people that don’t do a little work on their feedbacks. I was always told to buy small items and work your way up. It just seems odd that a no one on Ebay wants to buy a $4,000.00 quad and lives in Mexico and has a “0” feedback.

[Quad18star]

Tell him you need cash .... no money orders , no checks ... CASH !!!! That way there , you aren't gunna get scammed . You can also do the PayPal route .

I've dealt on Ebay before , yet I still have a "0" rating because people have not left any ratings for me . The guy might be legit even though he has a zero rating .

[onefast400ex]

I had something similar happen to me. A guy from Barbados wanted my quad and said his brother lives in Philadelphia like I do. He said he will have them pick it up with a money order and I said I will only take cash. He clicked the buy it now price on my quad. They gave me cash and I was happy. Quads cost expensive out of the U.S. If he is going to give you cash you have nothing to lose.

[PeeWee21]

Be careful Will!!!!! Damn scammers aree everywhere now days!!!

[honda350r]

Sounds like the guy wants the quad .. Cash his check before you send it ...

[armysig]

I'm not going to deal with it. I have my ebay auctions set up to only accept bids from the lower 48. I'm not sure what kind of taxes I would have to pay to even ship it over the boarder.

[Iliketogofast]

There should be absolutely no exceptions. You should either have cash in your hand or in your bank account before you hand over your quad.

[gbcap]

he seems pretty legit. the ones i am scared of are if they offer to pay with money order, that is a money order that is more then what you want for the parts. they are laundering money thru you. don't do it.

if he offered to pay cash i would accept. make him come to u with the cash. or a USPS money order for the buy it now price. cash the money order, get it in your account and THEN deal with shipping the bike. if he can't deal with that then say no. if he accepts those terms i would go ahead with the deal. but make them deal around YOUR terms.

[Aceman]

Not worth it in my opinion. The only way I would sell to someone from another country is if they physically came to meet me and handed me cash or a postal money order. Then we'd go to the bank together to make sure the money wasn't counterfeit. If everything checks out then he could have the quad. NO CASHIERS CHECKS! Banks will take them because they look legit, then 2 weeks later they figure out they're a forgery. I'd rather sell to a US citizen for a couple hundred dollars less if need be just for the peace of mind.

[250R-Dee]

This is one of the reasons why I have so many problems buying items on Ebay. It seems like you are jumping the gun on calling him a scammer.

If he is the highest bidder I would tell him to send a money prder for 100% payment before the item can be picked up. This will give you time to get the money order verified through your banking establishment. The other choice is to allow his shipper to pay in CASH when they pickup the item (he pays them with a MO and they pay you with cash).

I hate it when I see "lower 48 states only" but I am always able to convince people who use UPS for shipping to ship the item to a friend in Cali so he can re-ship it to my miliary PO box. The main difference is I mainly use paypal that is backed by a credit card since I got burned by the thieves in Pottsville PA.

[Aceman]

If you take cash drag one of those counterfeit money markers across it or take it to a bank so they can do it.

[DieselBoy]

only thing i accept are cash, and certified cheque. but usually only cash.

[honda350r]

Originally posted by DieselBoy
only thing i accept are cash, and certified cheque. but usually only cash.

A certified check is only a peice of paper and holds no guarrantee!!!

[DieselBoy]

they're issued by the bank verifying your account and payment is available, and valid.

[honda350r]

Originally posted by DieselBoy
they're issued by the bank verifying your account and payment is available, and valid.

Ever heard of counterfeit certified checks?? It is a peice of paper untill you turn it into cash !!

[gbcap]

i had a buddy burned for 5100 with a counterfeit certified check. he reported it and it actually went to the FBI cause they were part of an on going investigation. they had cashed over 4 million in counterfeit cashiers checks, money orders, and certifed checks in like 2 years.

[juanki]

have you talked to this guy?

i think the best way to value somebody interest in something that you want to sell its by a phone call, you will be doing a 4000+ operation, and have a 2-3 dls conversation over the phone its no big deal.

i have an importer friend in nogales az, and most of the big things that i have bougth are sent over there.

call the importer company ask for feedback, thats it if you want to sell it to tis guy. at the end its your quad and can do whatever you want with it.

just because he's not from the US means he is a scamer.