ebay buyers beware

[the loon]

Not come across this befor so thought would share with everyone.
Been browsing ebay looking at sat nav systems and there seems to be a lot of units for sale from china. Seller(s) all seem to have 100% feedback but if you look closer thay have only been members for a couple of weeks.
One seller had 10 possative feed back but when you look at the items they have sold all the listings show is ?????
Suprisingly the buyers all have 0 feedback and very similar sign up dates  :?:

reported to ebay (not sure what they will do as no actual fraud has taken place)

but for an example look at

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tomtom-Go-700-Sat-Nav-GPS-Receiver_W0QQitemZ190002944448QQihZ009QQcategoryZ4668QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

seems like a con to me  

[Budgie]

This is quite common and has been going on for years.
Sometimes you'll find that they all leave feeback for each other after selling an apple for 1p.

This is one reason I never deal with anyone outside the UK.  

[strapping young lad]

ive heard that people will bid for each other's items to boost the bid count (which means the item is worth having) and make the price go higher)

if i buy items like these i always ask for present day pictures not library pictures (which helps to prove the item exists)

[Edge]

I nearly got stung by a chinese gang selling sat navs just before xmas,


As mentioned above:-
they are working in teams giving each other feedback, bidding on each others items to up the bid.

I reported to ebay that i had my concerns about so much feedback been attained in under 24hrs of joining ebay.....next day not just the seller was removed... but all the people who'd given him feedback went too. And i got a message from ebay saying "Sale/Transaction VOID". :D

[andyhubbard]

Hi guys-i've now got to the point with ebay that i only go for items that i can collect or meet up with,also  that i can pay cash for.Example is:-
currently looking to replace cb for the car,found one that was only 12 miles away and a buy it now price,contacted seller who said he would only post out.I informed him i wasn't interested.

[Frankie-Boy]

Item has now been removed by ebay

[freeagent]

i nearly got caught with those chinese folks selling Satvnavs... but it just didn't seam right, so i looked at their feedback, and it had all been posted by one person!
i do a lot of buying, and selling on ebay, and have never had a problem, but i'm very wary about what i buy or sell... i keep well clear of consumer electronics, mobile phone stuff, CD's and DVD's... you tend to find that the collectables and 'enthusiast' stuff (like Landrovers) is pretty OK....

i don't buy from, or accept bids from overseas, and only do Paypal for small, low value items. anything big, they can come and pick it up... and pay cash........

ebay is fine, but have your wits about you... don't sell 'high risk' stuff, and don't trust Nigerians or chinese people who appear to be doing you a favor...

[rollazuki]

I wouldnt be put off by the fact that its from abroad. Ive bought a fair few items from various countries(many from HongKong and had no problems. Just decent items at good prices, and usually from HK, very quick shipping.

[mr panzy]

I have to say after 600 transactions on ebay even I got caught twice !

Yes they were both foreign...one was a supposed smartphone 3 mths old with
sat nav and supposed full car kit from Ashford KENT

and the more recent one was a Sony CDXR with 2 remotes for the mota,once I had paid I never heard anymore and that was Lanarkshire SCOTLAND.

The majority of transactions I carry out in Germany and the former Eastern block countries.I also deal with USA and Hong Kong in high value Graphic Cards and Memory.I have never had a single problem with these.

Amusingly my virgin ebay transaction was in China without problem!

[mr panzy]

btw we are viewing this in Widescreen because of Looneys link :D

the url is toooooooooooooooooooo long! in fact all ebay urls are too long for
forums...it helps if u can break them down into 2 lines.  :idea:

[Mart]

i've noticed this before while looking at bracelets, chinese people all with 10 positive feedbacks with all the feedback left on the same day which suggests to me they've signed up under loads of names and left the feedback themselves.

[rangerider]

I must admit, almost all electronics I have bought have come from HK/China regardless of where they claim the item is in the listing. Having said that I have only ever bought from established traders with feedback in the tens of thousands, figuring even if they have a 2% failure rate with that quantity of trade im going to have be real unlucky to get a bad un.

Im currently considering in car PC & touch screen from such a trader and will have few qualms about parting with the money. A trader with low feedback numbers who has only ever sold e-books etc I will avoid.

[mr panzy]

I think we tend to look at foreign sellers more closely and just scan over more local ones not expecting problems......

having said that I have happily purchased wivout problem from far flung foreign fields as faraway as Wakefield (sainsburys car park) York and even Leeds.

I bought my Suzuki from Waddy at Leeds and a nicer more helpfull person then Marcus and his partner in the motor trade u couldnt wish to meet.

I look at his site everyweek and he has an ex police Terrano currently.
He even sorted out train and Passport Control@Witherspoons Leeds Station.

A480mile round trip well worth making so I wouldnt judge ebay by the few scammers I have encountered...we just need to be more vigilant.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2001-NISSAN-TERRANO-II-S-TD-7-SEATER-4x4-VALUE-4-MONEY_W0QQitemZ130001169071QQihZ003QQcategoryZ18238QQss
PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Edge]

Another giveaway is LOCATION of item......Usually Ireland



........but seller is registered as being in HONG KONG.

Don't rush into a bid.......its always best to leave bidding til the last 1min or so...... (more chance of getting item cheap). This also gives you plenty of time to check feedback etc 1st.

[the loon]

well as you can see its gone from ebay  :D
got a nice thank you mail from ebay support this morning as follows:

Thank you for writing to eBay with this information. My name is Rachel
and I appreciate the chance to assist you in regard to your report with
seller "rtyi6o33t" for the Tom Tom they listed, item number
190002944529. I understand why this has caused you concern as their
feedback score appears to be fraudulent to you.

While I was investigating you issue, I have found out that in
accordance
with our policies, eBay has already taken appropriate action against
this seller. I can confirm that this seller is no longer a registered
user.

However, due to eBay's Privacy Policy, please understand that I am
unable to provide you with information regarding the details of another
user's account, this is for the protection of all eBay users.

Again, I want to convey my sincerest gratitude for your report and for
the deep concern you have shown us. I appreciate the opportunity to
have
helped you with this information and trust that it answers your query
to
your satisfaction.

Kind regards,

Most impressed with responce
Just goes to show if you report your suspicions ebay will investigate and take required action.

The moral of the story is as always if it seems to good to be true it probably is.