Ebay Spoof

[Guest]

I have been on the receiving end of spoof emails twice this week.

 

I am selling an expensive ring on behalf of a friend who doesn't have internet access.

 

Anyway, it sold, and when the email came through, it said the person was from New York. So my friend went off to the post office to find out the postage cost. In the meantime, another email came through from the buyer, saying that they wanted it posted to Nigeria, as it was a present for their friend. This immediately set off alarm bells in my boyfriend, who said that there are lots of Nigerian scams at the moment.

 

Luckily he was on the ball, as another email cam through from PayPal (it looked exactly like a PayPal email), saying that the buyer had successfully sent me the payment.

This would be the stage at which you would post off the item. However, when I logged into PayPal and checked my balance, there was no payment in there at all.

 

Basically, the person had managed to fake a PayPal email, and add in their own details - it was VERY convincing, and apparently is happening a lot at the moment, and catching a lot of people out.

 

I contacted Ebay, and they investigated, and 'yes' the person was proven guilty, and hence removed from Ebay.

 

I relisted the ring on Thursday, and it sold yesterday - to 'guess what' - yet another spoof buyer.

 

Just wanted to let you all know, so that you make sure that anyone who buys any items from you, has infact sent the payment. Apparently, they usually go for expensive items, and have no feedback next to their name. Often the address that they put down on their account is a fake one, and then they want you to post the item to another address.

 

How awful would I have felt it my friend had sent off her ring and then there had been no payment.

Edited November 4, 2006 by Guest

[Guest DeborahF]

Thanks for that info - I was only thinking yesterday that eBay seem to have tightened up on a lot of the scams that were going around about a year ago.

 

I got an email from them yesterday inviting me to join "eBay Express" or something like that, apparently it helps you sell to a wider audience. I scrutinised the email because I was slightly wary about it but it seems to be real - has anyone else had this email?

[aliamch]

Not about Ebay, but just wanted to let people know about a parcel scam Royal Mail are warning off

 

Karrie

 

Royal Mail Postal Scam

 

This scam has been confirmed by Royal Mail and is especially relevant as

Christmas is fast approaching:

 

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel

Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and

that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a premium rate number). DO

NOT call this number. This is a scam originating from Belize.

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will

already have been billed £15 for the phone call. If you do receive a card

with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 0207 2396655 or

ICSTIS (the premium rate service regulator) at www.icstis.org.uk, or your

local trading standards office.

[JacquieL]

Thanks for the warning. these people are getting more clever all the time.

[Beau]

That scam was circulating before Christmas last year Karrie and that particular number was closed down. However, there is always the possibility that someone will try a new one this Christmas so it's good to be aware of the possibility.

[hali]

thanks

[Guest]

My husband got an e-mail today asking for his banking details to check their records were right!!

Came supposedly from Barclays. He doesn't bank with Barclays!

Good job but I bet some people do and don't hear warning alarm bells ringing with this one.

Dangerous

Liz x