Scam on e-bay - don't bid!!

[tim atherton]

Butch Welch posted this on photo.net - I thought it worth posting here (I am presuming the photo.net post geniune..):

"Someone in Malaysia is currently running an auction on e-bay for the 12x20 camera that I built. It is a complete scam! The camera is currently owned by my friend Douglas So in Hong Kong and he is not selling it. The auctioner has no feedback and will only accept wire transfers in GBP currency. Be aware, this is totally bogus. This is the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2968087877.

[Bruce M. Herman]

If this is the case, why hasn't he contacted eBay and pointed this out? In my experience, they are fairly sensitive to scams, especially when the items are relatively expensive.

[Terry Roth]

I made a bid on a 12x20 last August, which did not make reserve. I got an email from some person offering a "new, in the original box, still unwrapped" 12x20 for $2200, I was to wire the $$ to a bank in the UK. I sent the offending email to the ebay fraud dep't. (They had some fishy story about their hardwarte store closing, or some such, and needed the $$ fast) I now make it a practice to NEVER bid on an item listed by someone with zero feedback. I'm getting pretty fussy about neg feedback, too---if a seller has 1500 pos and only 1 or 2 negs or neutrals, they're OK. But smoke=fire IMO.

[Ernest Purdum]

I just checked the item number on eBay and had mixed feelings when I got an "invalid item" message. I am glad that a scam item has been taken off, but I would have liked to have seen the camera which Butch Welch built for Douglas So.

[Bob._3483]

Nope - it's still there....

In my experience, it seems to take a small thermonuclear device to move eBay's focus away from the big fees they hoping to get...

Cheers,

[Ernest Purdum]

Weird, I sure couldn't get it last night. I'm glad to have had a look at it (not a very good look, if I were going to try for that much for a camera, I'd sure provide more views.) I hope, though, that nobody bids, or perhaps better, lots bid, but nobody pays.

[Andre Noble]

...and don't you just love this @#!hole's Rolex for sale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3852&item=2675466577

[j.e.simmons]

Just for fun, I sent him this email: Some people are saying your "0" feedback rating, your demand for wire transfer only, and your refusal to accept escrow all combine to indicate you are a crook. What do you say before I consider making a bid? juan

Within an hour, I received this reply: Dear Buyer,

???Crook! I am a new buyer,my feedback star 0,if you want made a deal with high feedback you can waiting me in 2 month ,i will get much feedback If you want made a deal and can made a payment using wire transfer you can bid it

Thanks

Alex F

At least we've given him a chance to give his side. I, for one, will not be bidding.

[Bob._3483]

8 hours to go and still there - hopefully, no one is going to snipe it!

So much for eBay's commitment to fighting scams. They really are an incredibly fourth rate, low life outfit - no better than the criminals that they allow free reign on their auctions.

[tim atherton]

Well, supposedly it "sold" - looks pretty bogus

"If this is the case, why hasn't he contacted eBay and pointed this out? In my experience, they are fairly sensitive to scams, especially when the items are relatively expensive."

He did - ebay just ignored it - as they so often do.