[Mudshark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver /img/forum/go_quote.gif It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion and there was nothing you could do to stop it.

An apt description if ever there was one. I sure hope eBay and/or PayPal make the victims whole.

 

[wrecked_porsche]

Wow, luckily I did not pull the trigger on that one. Common sense got the better of me. I suspected something was wrong when I saw he had like 60 units of everything he was selling...

 

[Cynefrid]

Sorry to everyone that got scammed. It takes some time for paypal to process the claim. If they have not changed the rules then you get 3 claims a year. I saw that he paid 5 bucks to verify the sellers address which is interesting... I guess that does not bring any reinsurance.

 

[silverrain]

Good old Head-Fi -- just saved me another $201, as I was really ready to click on "Buy It Now" for those new HD600, but decided to wait just a little longer to see how things went, and they sadly went the wrong way.

Yup -- looked too good to be true....
Dang.
Good thing I have my trusty HD580 to fall back on....
Nutz.

 

[ejw2076]

And now he is replying to the feedbacks.

edit- and he refunded the purchase. As I said, I think that it was just one person freaking out that caused a **** storm. I sort of feel bad for the guy as he is going to have a hell of a time creating another paypal account; but I suppose thats what he gets for not communicating with his buyers.

 

[spronkey]

I'm still skeptical. Although this is one of the weirdest and most elaborate scammers i've ever seen... I don't think i've ever heard of a scammer voluntarily refunding money, but hey, if it makes 10 more people spend $1000 then that's money well earned by him really (if he is a scammer).

Still too early to say, methinks. I advise head-fi'ers to let someone else play with their wallet!

 

[channum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spronkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think i've ever heard of a scammer voluntarily refunding money, but hey, if it makes 10 more people spend $1000 then that's money well earned by him really (if he is a scammer).

Scammers refund money all the time for the reasons you surmise, it's how you keep the scam going. If some small group gets suspicious and riled up, you pay them off to either keep the scam going or, in this case since eBay cancelled all other sales, buy enough time to get out of dodge.

I've never been flat out scammed, i.e. got nothing for my money, but I've received my share of counterfeit merchandise. Every time the seller, who swore up and down the stuff was genuine before I bought it, quietly apologised, refunded my money, and told me to keep the bunk goods - basically hush money. As a result, my complaint was not enough to get them shut down, and they always had more time to sell their crap before eBay shut them down after enough people complained.

Now, it might not be a scam, but it certainly has all the hallmarks of one: member of one month who starts off selling a handful of sub-$100 items and suddenly has more than a million dollars worth of inventory. Given that no one has reported receiving their merchandise, all evidence still screams "SCAM!".

 

[braillediver]

Until the hundreds of other people who bought from the Seller report receiving their items- It's A Scam!

I find it amazing the number of people who think this is legitimate this late in the game. It clearly shows how scammers are able to dupe people- because they want to believe it’s real.


Consider this- If the Seller was smart enough, had access to and the resources- to acquire, sell and deliver 10,300 items at more than $1,000,000- they’d be smart enough to set up and use PayPal properly. They’d be smart enough to answer emails or automate the process. They’d be smart enough to know their reputation and future is on the line and they’d deliver.


Mitch

 

[Mudshark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver /img/forum/go_quote.gif Consider this- If the Seller was smart enough, had access to and the resources- to acquire, sell and deliver 10,300 items at more than $1,000,000- they’d be smart enough to set up and use PayPal properly. They’d be smart enough to answer emails or automate the process. They’d be smart enough to know their reputation and future is on the line and they’d deliver.

Well said. In addition, they wouldn't sell 20+ pairs of Senn HD600's for $202 -- that's leaving a lot of money on the table.

 

[Mudshark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver /img/forum/go_quote.gif I find it amazing the number of people who think this is legitimate this late in the game. It clearly shows how scammers are able to dupe people- because they want to believe it’s real.

Agreed. What is even more amazing to me is the fact that eBay and PayPal are still effectively greasing the wheels for these types of operations. I imagine the technology exists to prevent widespread scams from happening with such ease. How many people have to get burned before sufficient roadblocks are implemented?

 

[Burkeman]

EBay yanked all of his listings off as of late last night - again - so maybe this might be getting resolved.

 

[Al4x]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudshark /img/forum/go_quote.gif Agreed. What is even more amazing to me is the fact that eBay and PayPal are still effectively greasing the wheels for these types of operations. I imagine the technology exists to prevent widespread scams from happening with such ease. How many people have to get burned before sufficient roadblocks are implemented?

i cant belive they allow a new member with so few feedbak to post so much, oh, wait, theres an insertion fee...

 

[silverrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudshark /img/forum/go_quote.gif Agreed. What is even more amazing to me is the fact that eBay and PayPal are still effectively greasing the wheels for these types of operations.

How would you change it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudshark /img/forum/go_quote.gif I imagine the technology exists to prevent widespread scams from happening with such ease.

How? In what way, basically?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudshark /img/forum/go_quote.gif How many people have to get burned before sufficient roadblocks are implemented?

What roadblocks would you add to the system to improve this?

As a professional software developer and systems designer, I am very curious about your ideas, since systems security is one of my areas of responsibility.

 

[braillediver]

"oh, wait, theres an insertion fee..."

Yeah Next Month when they recieve the bill they'll be in shock?


Something as simple as charging and collecting the Listing Fees when of before the Auctions are posted would reduce the scams.

The Seller in Question Posted at least 10,300 items- the listing fees were probably $60,000 for the prices they listed for BIN.

If a person had to pay the listing fees up front there'd be less of this happening.


Mitch

 

[silverrain]

When I sold some high-$$$ stuff on there a few years ago, you would not *believe* the insane amounts of money they charged me as a seller.
No wonder their stock is up.