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eBay Sale - Does this sound odd to you?

R

RobHague

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 8, 2005
397
0
I put my PowerMac G5 on eBay recentley. I have had some interest (few questions) but one was from someone who claims he lives in Italy.

Item: *NEW* PowerMac G5 2.3Ghz DP / 1.5GB DDR / GeFORCE 6800 (8709116665)
This message was sent while the listing was active.
maxie46 is a potential buyer.

Hi,
I am interested in buying your item.You have my rating to prove that I'm a serious buyer.My user name is:maxie46 Please let me let me know the total buy now price including shipping charges (I prefer something fast like UPS or FedEx with the quickest method of delivery - the next day delivery). I'm from 20063 Milano, Italy.
Thank you
Click to expand...

So i replied...

Hi, if you wanted it next day it would be quite expensive to Italy.
££249.36 - 3 Day Delivery would cost £126.28. If it was shipped
on Tuesday 18th it would arrive by Friday the 21st.

Basically it would cost you £76.28 more on top of the current
£50 P&P. It is quite a lot but then the item is large and bulky and
Italy is a rather long way.
Click to expand...

So i heard nothing but then today i got this back.

Hi,

For shipping I want to use only UPS or FedEx - NEXT DAY DELIVERY.
Please let me know if it is possible for you to accept a secure third party company for this deal.

Â

You have my rating to prove that I'm a serious buyer.

Â

I’m sorry but I had some bad experience with my PayPal account. You can see by yourself visiting http://www.paypalsucks.com or http://www.nopaypal.com I don't want to use this service until I get all my money from them.

I want to use the eBay Secure Payments service for a safe and secure deal for both parts.
I will send the money at eBay Secure Payments office.

I will pay the ebay fees for this.
When they have received the money, ebay will contact you with the transaction info.
After you are assured that the item has been paid, you will send me the package. After the package is sent, you will receive the money from ebay.

Please send me your full name and address for the ebay payment and also please confirm me the total amount to be paid including the shipping charges via next day delivery in order to send the payment.

Thank you.
Click to expand...

I have not heard of this eBay Secure Payments Service? Maybe i should look it up but it seems to me that they keep the money, i send the item then he gives his OK for them to send it to me. Whats to stop him telling them not too or telling me there is some fault with it that isnt true and holding the system to ransom for less money... :confused:
 
grapes911

grapes911

Moderator emeritus
Jul 28, 2003
6,995
10
Citizens Bank Park
DON'T DO IT!!!!!

It's probably a scam. And even if its not, do you really want to risk it? Save yourself some trouble and demand payment before you ship anything.
 
B

Bear

macrumors G3
Jul 23, 2002
8,088
5
Sol III - Terra
RobHague said:
...
I have not heard of this eBay Secure Payments Service? Maybe i should look it up but it seems to me that they keep the money, i send the item then he gives his OK for them to send it to me. Whats to stop him telling them not too or telling me there is some fault with it that isnt true and holding the system to ransom for less money... :confused:
Click to expand...
eBay is a wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Contact eBay and let them know what this user is offering. Do not accept payment in any way you aren't comfortable with it. And as for the "Secure Payment Services", it is not an eBay service. It's some third party and might very well be a scam. I suggets you pass off the email to eBay about what the user is trying to do. They may have a highjacked account (to show off a good rating) for all you know.

Also, as proof of it being a scam, look up user "maxie46" on eBay - they're listed as being in the United States. So, you were very correct to question the emails you received.
 
ipacmm

ipacmm

macrumors 65816
Jun 17, 2003
1,304
0
Cincinnati, OH
I would stay away from that...every time that I post anything related to technology, I always get these emails and a week or so later, I would get an email from eBay telling me that the persons account was shut down.
 
mariahlullaby

mariahlullaby

macrumors 6502a
Jan 19, 2005
852
3
NYC
Scam. Same thing happened to me, luckily I didn't fall for it (though I was tempted). The 'payment' will say its gone through but then bounce and you will have no computer. Be wary of checks too -- make sure they COMPLETELY clear.
 
cr2sh

cr2sh

macrumors 68030
May 28, 2002
2,554
3
downtown
Sending anything, international, overnight... is going to cost more than holy jesus can afford.

It is a clear sign that something is wrong.

Then again... I'm sure he's an honest fellow, you have is feedback after all. :rolleyes:
 
California

California

macrumors 68040
Aug 21, 2004
3,885
90
Yes someone in Europe hijacked my good eBay user name and tried to sell cheap electronics gear and then they also started using my account to send out false after sale offers to the second highest bidder on losing auctions.

Had to revamp all my emails and ebay handles, very laborious. But eBay was right on top of it, before I even knew about, and shut down the 'auctions" i was ostensibly running. Very sneaky scummy Nigerian scammy.

The only problems I have had on eBay came from European countries (where this scammer was apparently located -- not England) and this overnight thing is bs. Dont' be tempted by the idea of easy overnight money. If your machine is worth what you are asking, someone will step up to the plate. Don't let your need overshadow your good common sense.
 
J

joystik

macrumors member
Oct 15, 2005
53
0
from my experience it is a scammer..i have sold many pc's on ebay. Have gotten many side emails..from people who claim to be from italy, england, europe,africa..and so on...they usually want you to cut the deal fast and send the computer... just recenently a guy told me that he is sending wstern union and it will arrive in 3-5 days..i lied to the guy and told him i sent the computer already..next thing i know payment never came..he was a scammer...if its not paypal..dont accept it. always verify payment before sending out the product...
 
fartheststar

fartheststar

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2003
504
2
Toronto
Paypal is an ebay company. Makes no sense as to why he'd want to use ebay instead of paypal.

Scam, but you already know that by now...
 
B

Bear

macrumors G3
Jul 23, 2002
8,088
5
Sol III - Terra
fartheststar said:
Paypal is an ebay company. Makes no sense as to why he'd want to use ebay instead of paypal.

Scam, but you already know that by now...
Click to expand...
"eBay Secure Payments" is not owned or operated by eBay. So the scammer wouldn't be using an eBay service.
 
R

RobHague

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 8, 2005
397
0
Yeah well I just wanted to make sure I was not being over paranoid. :D

I think the system is worth the money, i don't think its overpriced. Im losing almost £500 for owning it for a month. I think thats a reasonable % off considering the amount of time ive had it, use and the condition.

Someone can buy a new one for £500 more, or buy mine and spend £500 on an iPod or something else exciting. :cool:
 
M

moot

macrumors regular
Jun 30, 2004
170
0
in the great Asian wonderland
joystik said:
from my experience it is a scammer..i have sold many pc's on ebay. Have gotten many side emails..from people who claim to be from italy, england, europe,africa..and so on...they usually want you to cut the deal fast and send the computer... just recenently a guy told me that he is sending wstern union and it will arrive in 3-5 days..i lied to the guy and told him i sent the computer already..next thing i know payment never came..he was a scammer...if its not paypal..dont accept it. always verify payment before sending out the product...
Click to expand...

Is that wise to lie to him. By doing that are you not commiting fraud yourself?

I think it is best to ignore all these types of responses and maybe report them to ebay if they are from ebay account memebers.
 
J

joystik

macrumors member
Oct 15, 2005
53
0
well i told the guy that i need to receive and verify the payment before i ship out the computer..he agreed on it..then he had a fed ex guy come to my door and ask for the computer...i waited another two days...the payment still did not come yet...so if i did send my computer i woulda been ripped...this has happend so many times....so now i learn..its either paypal or nothing...it was all for my safety...and he had agreed on it... so it was all his fault. lol .. leave me alone! :D
 
C

csimon2

macrumors member
Sep 2, 2004
72
0
crap freakboy said:
I'd send an empty box. Thats just me though.
Scam, scam, scam. Don't know how these people sleep at night.
Click to expand...
You do put some pet rocks in that box before you ship it out though, don't you? Just an empty box is rather suspicious. :)

Basic rule of thumb for ebay... if you have to go on a forum and ask whether or not something sounds like a scam or not, then there is your answer. Funny that the old adage "if it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is" is lost on this ebay frauding generation.
 
DaftUnion

DaftUnion

macrumors 6502a
Feb 22, 2005
689
0
Wisconsin
hookahco said:
see if he will send you a cashiers check. it would be cheaper than paying ebay fees and paypal fees..
Click to expand...

No, no, and no. These can also be easily forged. I wish I had the link for these but cashiers checks aren't like they used to be. They can as easily be forged as anything else. Take it from me, who got scammed $2000 on one.
 
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