[cleanup]

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Apple-PowerBook-G...QQcmdZViewItem

He has several Powerbooks, all at very low starting points, and I think the reserve has been met (it doesn't say that it hasn't been met).

Is this guy daft, or is there some sort of catch?

He has an extremely high feedback score, and he's been with eBay for six years, so I think if he was a scammer, he would've been found out by now.

Opinions?

[Randman]

Looks dodgy.

[cleanup]

Sure does, but look at his feedback. And it's all from different people who have bought or sold items from or to him.

[CrazedVW]

Note the part about not responding to his Ebay registered email address and instead wanting you to email him at a seperately created address. That strikes me as sketchy. Could be the real person has had their account hacked.

[cleanup]

Originally Posted by CrazedVW

Note the part about not responding to his Ebay registered email address and instead wanting you to email him at a seperately created address. That strikes me as sketchy. Could be the real person has had their account hacked.

Very true. I actually emailed him, asking how much RAM and what the reserve price was, and how much shipping would be. No reply yet.

Anyways, I think I'll pass. If it was real though, I'd scoop it up immediately.

[f1000]

Why does location say Grandview, Missouri and then United Kingdom?

[EFFENDI]

I recently came across a guy selling a DP 2.5GHz PM w/ 30" ACD for $1800.00 on eBay. Sound too good to be true??

It seems that more and more of these listings are showing up on eBay. And these members are people who I have reported to eBay's investigation team numerous times, they don't seem to care all that much, they are still making money off the listing fees. If you want a Mac from eBay, BE CAREFUL!

Along with having different adresses which should be a dead giveaway they are a scammer, they send spoofed emails from SquareTrade saying that they (xxxxx - username) are a SquareTrade member with $xx.xx in credit. SquareTrade doesn't have "accounts" with eBay members, and SquareTrade seal members always have the seal inserted in their listings. The way to verify this is to go to the SquareTrade website (www.squaretrade.com) and actually check if they are by searching for their eBay username. It never fails, they are almost always NOT a seal member.

They (scammer) also say that payment should be made through SquareTrade escrow. The only approved escrow service for eBay transactions is www.escrow.com. Another sign that they are a scammer, or someone who has had their account hacked is that they insist upon you sending payment via Western Union Instant Money Transfer (wire transfer).

Be very wary. If it is too good to be true, it usually is.

[CanadaRAM]

Seriously: Why do you even have to ask if this is a scam. It's bogus all the way.

Look at the seller's feedback history. If they have a long term, positive rating selling needlework supplies, and all of a sudden they have three "new" computers, an LCD TV and a DV camcorder on auction, then this account has been hijacked.

Here is my fraud checklist: if you see any three of the below, probably you don't want to take the chance, any 6 or more, call the cops:

• Says not to use the eBay "ask Seller a Question" link because of some problem (sure sign of a hijacked account),
• Preapproved bidders only (so they can harvest emails and sell to multiple suckers off-ebay),
• "New", high end product,
• No reserve or "Buy it now" far below wholesale value on high end product,
• Non-recoverable payment methods only (wire transfer, Western Union, certified cheque or money order),
• Individual selling multiple "new" products, and/or selling new product only available from authorized dealers,
• No feedback history of selling this type of product, or long gap between the last feedback and the sudden appearance of expensive new items for sale (hijacked acct),
• Zero-feedback, cloaked or new account,
• No personalized auction info, Copy and paste graphics and text (as in; the only details were copied from Apple's site),
• Missing or absurd location,
• Free shipping and/or shipping from overseas (typical of "offshore supplier/Western Union" type scams)
• Country of location doesn't match account registration country of seller,
• Selling product that is not shipping yet,
• Short auction (to sell before EBay responds to complaints),
• Solicits direct contact by email outside of eBay (anonymous, throwaway email account),
• Clone of another auction from a different seller (same text, graphics and/or offer)
• Seller refuses local pickup offer, or refuses payment by a secure method like escrow, or suggests a non-mainstream escrow service.
• Seller approaches buyers with the offer of additional items ("you didn't win but I have more just like that one")
• Shipping is promised after a delay of some weeks (often the excuse is so the seller can make a bulk order from the manufacturer). Any delays that cause the buyer to wait until the complaint/refund period from PayPal and eBay have expired.

[EFFENDI]

This information is 'sticky'-worthy.

Too many have been getting screwed these days by scammers, and people need to educate themselves as to the dangers that are out there.

[cleanup]

Originally Posted by CanadaRAM

Look at the seller's feedback history. If they have a long term, positive rating selling needlework supplies, and all of a sudden they have three "new" computers, an LCD TV and a DV camcorder on auction, then this account has been hijacked.

I noticed that. Beforehand he's been buying and selling crafts and things, and then, all of a sudden, he has a bunch of electronics up for grabs. All at incredibly low prices. He has no past feedback for any such products.

I knew the price was too low to be real. A four hundred CAD Powerbook? No chance.

[cleanup]

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Apple-PowerBook-G...QQcmdZViewItem

The winning bidder paid 760 pounds sterling, which is still an amazing price for a 17" Powerbook.

I finally received an email reply from the seller. He says it has 1 GB RAM, the buy one price is 799 pounds sterling, but as for shipping, all he says is that it will ship within 24 hours. Then he tells me to let him know if I'm ready to buy as soon as possible because he only has a few units in stock.

The funny thing is that that account still has a bunch of those craft items for sale. All of the electronic auctions are now over.

[budster101]

That is how they get 100 percent feedback. They buy and sell from EACH OTHER... it's a scam.