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kick52 · Sep 19, 2006, 02:47 AM

Hi.

I bought an iPod Mini 4GB Silver ( http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=230030111495 ) and I tried to pay, by Paypal but it said that he couldn't receive payments. I sent him a message asking about it and he hasn't replied. I decided not to try and pay until he got back to me. It is 24 hours after I bought it and he hasnt replied. I sent him an email telling him to send an email back or i wouldnt try to pay. I then saw an auction, from him that is exactly the same listing as mine. ( http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Apple-Ipod-Min...QQcmdZViewItem ) He is not allowed to do that.

His member name is benjaminjmarsh. He has 100% feedback, but this looks fishy. There was also a neutral comment for him saying "Hmm... Dunno. Suspicious character"

What should I do? Is there any way I can check his PayPal status?

Tim

Lateralus · Sep 19, 2006, 03:08 AM

I'd never trust anybody selling more iPods than they have feedback.

mac128k-1984 · Sep 19, 2006, 06:59 AM

Originally Posted by kick52

What should I do?

Count your lucky stars you didn't send him any money because you'd probably not see the ipod. if its too good to be true then it generally is.

houstonmacbro · Sep 19, 2006, 07:22 AM

this is a related topic to something i was interested in ... are the people selling machines on macnn.com legit? i was contacted by someone after posting a thread on macbooks and they said they had the machines, etc. ... but when i asked them about having it on ebay, they did not.

i guess i like the security blanket of ebay (at least there is a middle man sort of in the transaction), but not just sending $1500 to someone on a board in hopes that i will get a machine in return.

thoughts?

design219 · Sep 19, 2006, 07:30 AM

I noticed most of his feedback, all but two, were sellers. The best way to get positive feedback on ebay right off the bat is to buy small stuff and pay quickly. When buying, I think it would hold more weight if he had a lot of positive feedback from people who had bought from him. Of course, everone needs to start somewhere.

Good luck.

Cody Dawg · Sep 19, 2006, 08:43 AM

Bid on his "new" item, even .25, go to this link and request his contact information:

eBay Search: Find Contact Information

Call him.

Then go to this link and first put in his name for the city and state he's supposedly from and see if his address comes up with matching telephone number, secondly put in his telephone number under "reverse telephone search" and see if it matches his address also:

White Pages Phone Directory with Free People Search

Somehow I think that the real owner of that eBay UserID has been phished and his account hijacked and he called Paypal at 402-935-7733 and told them about it and they shut down his account until eBay can straighten out.

Call him and tell us all what you find out.

P.S., Before you call him remember to *69 so that your number is not provided through CallerID - or if you cannot call from a cell number so that you don't give out your home telephone number which he can then use to look up YOUR home address.

kick52 · Sep 19, 2006, 09:02 AM

ok, i'd like to not buy this now.

how can I cancel without him giving me bad feedback?

Gossamer · Sep 19, 2006, 09:10 AM

I think it's actually *67 to block caller ID, *69 calls the last person that called you, right?

Landos Mustache · Sep 19, 2006, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

I think it's actually *67 to block caller ID, *69 calls the last person that called you, right?

Yes.

Anywho, if you use paypal NEVER pay them with a bank transfer but with a Credit card payment through paypal. If you don't get what you paid for don't bother with paypal and just call your credit card company as they will refund 100% of the cost.

turtle777 · Sep 19, 2006, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Lateralus

I'd never trust anybody selling more iPods than they have feedback.

Haha, so true.

-t

kick52 · Sep 19, 2006, 11:14 AM

guys, i want out with this buy. he is probably a con artist.

i havent paid him anything yet, because PayPal wouldnt work.

How do i get out of this safely?

Landos Mustache · Sep 19, 2006, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by kick52

guys, i want out with this buy. he is probably a con artist.

i havent paid him anything yet, because PayPal wouldnt work.

How do i get out of this safely?

What do you mean? Just don't pay him and put in his feedback that he doesn't get back to you so give him a negative and let that be the end of it.

Also report it to ebay though.

turtle777 · Sep 19, 2006, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by kick52

guys, i want out with this buy. he is probably a con artist.
i havent paid him anything yet, because PayPal wouldnt work.
How do i get out of this safely?

Contact eBay and report a scam.

-t

kick52 · Sep 19, 2006, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

Contact eBay and report a scam.

-t

done.

...and left negative feedback.

Cody Dawg · Sep 19, 2006, 01:40 PM

You do realize that he may leave you a negative feedback also?

And that even if eBay suspends him the feedback remains? I've complained to eBay that suspended users who have left negatives for others should have those negative comments erased.

If I leave negative feedback I leave it 89 days and about 20 hours later. At the 90-day mark they can't retaliate because you can only leave feedback for 90 days.

Gossamer · Sep 19, 2006, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

You do realize that he may leave you a negative feedback also?

And that even if eBay suspends him the feedback remains? I've complained to eBay that suspended users who have left negatives for others should have those negative comments erased.

If I leave negative feedback I leave it 89 days and about 20 hours later. At the 90-day mark they can't retaliate because you can only leave feedback for 90 days.

Are you sure? I got a message from eBay saying that someone that left me feedback was suspended, so the feedback they left me (even though it's positive) was taken down.