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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Scam

Scam
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ae86_16v
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Oakland, CA
Status: Offline
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Aug 3, 2003, 06:44 PM
 
To member:__ [email protected]
From member: wedely3

--------------------


Dear sir,
Sorry for dropping in like this but i really want to sell my item soon....
I saw you are interested in buying this item(G4 PowerBook).
if you are still interested i can tell you that i have an item like this on
sale(cheaper and in very good condition).I wrote you because i need the money..
That's the reason i didn't make a listing on ebay.The listing takes(3 days at
least plus a few more days until we etablish the payment method) and i don't
have that kind of time.I can tell you that the price for item is $1300(including
all fees,taxes and shipping).
I accept payment only by Western-Union.
Hope its ALL OK for YOU..I think you've understood my intention.
Fell free and send me an email if you are interested....We can discuss more
about this.....
Thanks for understanding me...
I can send you the description of my item below:
1 GHz Power PC G4 processor, 1MB level 3 cache
512 MB PC133 SDRAM, supports up to 1GB
80 GB hard drive
15.2 diagonal active matrix TFT color display
128 MB of DDR-SDRAM video memory
Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW) - DVD and CD burning
PC Card/CardBus slot; FireWire; audio line in; 2 USB ports
Lithium Ion battery
Built-in AirPort Card for wireless networking (802.11b standard)
Mac OS
Size and weight: 1.0 by 13.4 by 9.5 inches, 5.5 pounds
All origional packing documents and accessories
FULL WARRANTY (3 YEARS)
i will also offer you it's original pictures,especially made with my webcam.

--------------------
This email was sent by an eBay member via eBay's email forwarding system.
If you reply to the email, your response will go directly to the member and
not through eBay.

eBay does not tolerate spam (i.e., unsolicited commercial email) and is
taking steps to protect members from this abuse. In addition, solicitations
to buy or sell items outside of eBay violate eBay rules and are not covered
by services that protect members such as feedback, insurance, escrow, and
dispute resolution. If this is an offer to buy/sell items outside of eBay,
please do not participate. Enter the following link into your browser to learn
more. Link: http://pages.ebay.com/help/new/stopping_spam.html
     
ae86_16v  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Oakland, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 3, 2003, 06:52 PM
 
here are the proceeding messages. . .

ae86_16v: Powerbooks never had 128mb video ram nor an 80GB HD.

Reply: This Is A Brand New G4 PowerBook


ae86_16v: Yeah, sure, one that Apple had not manufactured yet right.

Reply: Buy It Or NOT ?!
     
phabfive
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Hell's Kitchen, New York
Status: Offline
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Aug 3, 2003, 07:31 PM
 
Just send Western Union. It's only cash. Besides, he needs the money.
     
iWrite
Professional Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Status: Offline
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Aug 3, 2003, 07:44 PM
 
Turn him into eBay -- send the complete email via the Source and send it to them.

Here's where you do it:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/select-RS.html

What's sad is that people fall for this kind of crap. Remember the guy two months ago who wired money to someone who was in California? We were all trying to help him get it back?

     
coolmacdude
Senior User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Atlanta
Status: Offline
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Aug 3, 2003, 08:24 PM
 
Originally posted by phabfive:
Just send Western Union. It's only cash. Besides, he needs the money.
Yeah, no kidding. Obviously really bad.
     
ae86_16v  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Oakland, CA
Status: Offline
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Aug 3, 2003, 09:46 PM
 
ae86_16v: Is Western Union Okay?

Reply: Send the money order to: Van Ngo, City: Mississuage, State: Ontario, Country: Canada.

After you send 75% ($1300) I'll send you my G4.
     
kbdog
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toronto
Status: Offline
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Aug 3, 2003, 10:19 PM
 
Ask him for a scan of his driver's licence as a sign of trust. You are trusting him to send the computer - he should trust you enough to send the scan.
     
alpha rays max
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Status: Offline
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Aug 3, 2003, 11:00 PM
 
It might be more useful the send the money to Mississauga, since "Mississauge" doesn't exist. Shame the man doesn't even know where he lives.



Reply: Send the money order to: Van Ngo, City: Mississuage, State: Ontario, Country: Canada.[/B]
     
Uisce
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Status: Offline
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Aug 3, 2003, 11:23 PM
 
Originally posted by alpha rays max:
It might be more useful the send the money to Mississauga, since "Mississauge" doesn't exist. Shame the man doesn't even know where he lives.

It must be a small town if he doesn't even need a numerical address!

"A fool and his money are soon parted"
...but this is a great deal!

Uisce
     
alpha rays max
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Status: Offline
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Aug 4, 2003, 12:05 AM
 
Haha! Scamville, population: 1.

Actually it's a rather large suburb of Toronto. Also last I checked, Ontario wasn't a state but a province, so this guy is seriously confused about his whereabouts!



Originally posted by Uisce:
It must be a small town if he doesn't even need a numerical address!

"A fool and his money are soon parted"
...but this is a great deal!
     
direktor
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Status: Offline
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Aug 4, 2003, 01:18 AM
 
To send via Western Union, you only have to specify a general area (city or town) for the money to be picked up.

The scam quotient for powerbooks on Ebay is insanely high these days. Even though once you do a few days of looking it becomes easy to spot them, I've still reached the point where I'm paranoid enough that I'm only going to be purchasing my new 17" here in Los Angeles, in person.

Beware out there.
     
Crusoe
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Globetrotting
Status: Offline
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Aug 4, 2003, 03:07 AM
 
Tell this guy you live nearby and you can do it in person. Let us know when and where and us faithful Mac folks that live nearby will beat his ass (with ergonomic, glow in the dark, neat looking clubs, with apple logo shaped studs).
For an extra bonus we can sew his ass to his face.
     
ae86_16v  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Oakland, CA
Status: Offline
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Aug 4, 2003, 03:38 AM
 
Yeah, I mean that is some messed up stuff. Think about it, I mean people that don't really know about Powerbooks, would probably buy it since it is such a steal.

iWrite, I shot an email to [email protected] and they sent me back that link. So I went through already.

I am hoping he'll get caught or something.
     
ae86_16v  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Oakland, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 6, 2003, 02:05 PM
 
Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to write in today.

The recent email sent from this account was the result of an
unauthorized account takeover. The password was guessed or discovered
and then used to send email like the message you received.
Unfortunately, we were not made aware of this activity until after the
email had been sent. We are now in the process of getting the account
restored to its true owner.

Let me suggest a few ways this takeover could have occurred.

First, if the user had a relatively simple password or password hint
question it is possible that a third party was able to gain access to
the account by guessing the password.

It is also possible that the user could have unknowingly provided his or
her password to another party. Some eBay members have reported receiving
messages asking for User IDs and passwords. These messages appear to
come from eBay Support, but in fact are not. eBay will never ask for
sensitive information of this nature through email.

Last, there are a number of computer viruses in circulation that log and
record keystrokes. It's recommended that computer users keep their virus
alert software up-to-date, and check their system often for problems. A
firewall for high-speed Internet users is also highly recommended.

eBay urges caution when purchasing high-priced items, especially if the
price seems too good to be true.

We do not recommend the use of instant cash wire transfer services such
as Western Union and MoneyGram, and we ask that users decline sending
payment in cases where these are the only methods of payment offered by
the seller. Generally, if payment is sent using an instant cash wire
transfer service and the item is not delivered as promised, no recourse
is available for recovering funds. In most cases, an escrow service
should be used when purchasing high dollar value items. More information
on the benefits and risks of individual payment methods can be found at:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/payment.html

Please be aware that eBay discourages all transactions that are
initiated by parties other than the seller and the winning buyer in a
completed eBay listing. Sales that take place outside of eBay carry a
potential fraud risk and are not eligible for eBay services, including
feedback, contact information requests, and the eBay Fraud Protection
Program. You can review the services provided through the eBay Fraud
Protection Program at:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidenc...ems-fraud.html

Thank you for choosing eBay, and I wish you the best of luck with your
trading!


Regards,

Cort
eBay SafeHarbor
Investigations Team
______________________________
eBay
Your Personal Trading Community (tm)
     
   
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