Video Asylum

Posted by toby2328 on December 05, 2003 at 10:16:16

I hope this helps. If you see 2 or 3 of the points below revealed in any auction, get very wary and cautious.

The scammers don't care if anyone wins the auction, they are only harvesting emails to make their pitch. They have to get to it quickly as they get removed several times a day by Ebay.

Scam Generalities

Unbelievable low price on high end item.
No reserve (did you really think you’d get a Pioneer Pro Plasma for $1000.00? Nobody else bid because they realized the fraud.) Though sometimes they put a reserve on to make it look more legit. Other points below will be revealed as you proceed.

Foreign location overall, despite auction description/ seller registration.
Disconnect between country of registration and item location.
Seller is always out of the US no matter what is said in the item description, product often is too.
Sad tale of woe why seller is “suddenly” out of the US.

Western Union only.
Western Union only, even though other methods offered.
Offers suggestion to make Western Union "secure" for you (all lies, there is no recourse or method to enhance your safety. Money is issued to the holder of the MCTN no matter what.)

Disconnect in the list of past activity and present or in the list of sellers items. (selling books on Half.com and now a Plasama).
Disconnect in the list of past activity or feedback versus the present sale item.
Feedback shows seller had always been a buyer before now.
ZERO feedback.
Zero feedback bidders, they shill sometimes.

Always wants to go outside Ebay.
Poor English.

Watch several low price auctions in you desired category, Watch for similar pictures, descriptions with the above in mind. Watch for same pictures/ descriptions in different seller's auctions.

Beware any "recommendation" or "endorsement" from Ebay. They don't endorse any seller, they don't offer double your loss back on any sale (200 max after a lot of hoop jumping), and they do not have a warehouse. (If you get one of these emails, this will make more sense)
Bidder ID kept private (there are legit reasons to do this).
Way too willing to deal and lower price.

“Contact Us first prior to bidding”
Multiple postings by different sellers of exactly the same item description and pix.
Manufacturer’s site pix only (ask for one with today’s paper, it’s the last you’ll hear of it). Some have removed pix from their auctions as it became too easy to spot the scammers. Same picture in dozens of auctions from purported different sellers.
Total lack of knowledge of the product.
Failure to answer questions about the item and Always pushes the deal in replies to questions.

There is a large group of E posse, vigilantes, patrolling Ebay. If you make a bid, you may get a warning from them. Heed it.

Square Trade only offers $1000.00 per seller, not buyer, in fraud protection! Its really no assurance at all unless they've changed it.

read this guy's observations, an excellent writer and viewpoint. http://truetex.com/ebayfraud.htm