[WTB] SCAM ALERT - scammers selling camera packages/offering cash for items

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ericyoung

Well-known member
SCAM ALERT

Confirmed scammer:
A Reduser with a probably fake name tried to scam me. He gave me his eBay member name (US based) as a good buyer positive feedback reference, and offered to have a local friend pay cash on collection in London, UK. I messaged the eBay account he had given me and emailed him to message me back on it to prove it was his account. No answer. Then the real eBay account holder messaged me to say he'd had 3 similar enquiries and to report the Reduser as a crook!

I decided to remove the Reduser's name and email address for the moment, as I don't have absolute proof, although the lying about the eBay account is pretty damning.


There are a few high value camera packages (Red, Canon, Sony & other kit) for sale on Reduser & DVXuser from recently joined members with low post count, and fake positive feedback scores (from other members also with low post count).


Do your homework - Google & forum Member Profile “latest post” search is your friend in these situations. Legitimate sellers/buyers will be happy to provide further evidence of their identity, online contact details & trustworthiness. Red flags (although none are absolute proof, and may have legitimate explanations) that merit further investigation:


- Low/non-existent/non-filmmaker or non-camera related online presence.
- Email address with no online presence [Edit: although there are obviously legitimate privacy reasons for not having that email address online]


- Low post count with sparse/generic content
- Recent joining date
- Positive feedback scores from other forum members with questionable/sparse history


- eBay member name with high positive feedback given as a reference for good buying history, but they don't respond to a request to message something recognisable to you from that account to prove they own that eBay account.


- Same person contacts you wanting to BUY the same stuff they are SELLING elsewhere (although Greg below suggested they might be trying to complete other camera packages to sell as complete sets).

- Offering cash on collection for items you are selling - normally a GOOD sign, and not so much a red flag, except that this Reduser offered me cash, but gave me someone else's unrelated eBay member name as a good buyer feedback reference. The actual eBay member messaged me that he wasn't him! So was the dodgy Reduser planning to give me counterfeit money or to rob me of the items?
 
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My email address has no online presence, not something I would hold against people. It is backed up as my paypal account and of course you could send me a message through ebay to that same account.

But all the rest of your points are good suggestions to buyers and sellers.

One thing I wish was easier to determine is if an item up for sale has been stolen. Since I'm a bottom feeder, most of the stuff I buy is of little value, but it would still be nice to check out higher price items when I need to move up to that level.
 
Good point Greg. As I said, they are red flags, not absolute proof, as some of them are legitimate privacy concerns. But the more red flags, the more cautious we should be.
 
I should also mention that when Paypal is an excepted method of payment NO ONE should ever send that money as a gift! If you send it as a gift you lose all protections from scammers, Paypal's point of view is that you should never need a refund from a gift. Normally when people request this, I add the 3% to my payment to cover there loss and cover my backside if things go wrong. When I sell things the 3% will ALWAYS be included in my selling price, ALWAYS. This is another way to help sort the wheat from the chaff. Requesting payment as gift cheats the very facility that allows the sale, they need to stay in business too (as much as I hate losing the 3%).

You can check with my recent purchases to prove that I do add the 3% if anyone needs proof that I am a real upstanding user and live by my words, there are only three of them on this forum. GH2 with non-functional LCD, cheap 21 inch slider, box of Canon FD lenses. The user that sold me the slider actually returned $2 because he said I over paid, that was a classy touch from him.
 
This is an e-mail response to an eBay seller who was selling a Red One MX camera. In the listing this person wanted you, the bidder, to contact her BEFORE placing your bid. This person had no feedback and I called eBay by phone to report this.
Hi,

If you want to buy it now for the price of $3000 with shipping and handling included, i will need your full name, address(shipping address) and username so i can contact the eBay team to let them know about our transaction, and after your invoice is approved, you will receive an email containing all the steps that you need to follow for this to be a safe and fast transaction. Also a phone number is required where you can be found at any hour(cell phone). My auction is 14 days money back guarantee (if it's not like we agreed, or broken you will receive the money back). I can ship in 3 days , and please let me know if we can arrange a deal.

Thank you

It has since been taken down. This also occurs on Amazon where I was looking at a Canon XLH1s. These are obvious scams and would like [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]everyone to be careful.
Dr. Joe[/FONT]
 
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