beto

I placed a bid for a 77 vett and was outbid on the last minute. The following day I received this:

________________________________________
From: Best Deal [mailto:best_deal2008@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 8:11 AM
To:
Subject: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette(Item number: 290250542526)

Hi,
You expressed interest on an item. I'm the seller of that item on through the eBay system. The ex winner had some problems and couldn't handle the situation, so following eBay's suggestion, I've contacted you this way. In compliance with eBay policy I'm giving you the chance to buy the item at at very good price....

If you accept this offer the eBay policy automatically proclaims you winner by default. The transaction will go strictly according to eBay's rules and policy and will be supervised by eBay Trust & Safety Department.

Just contact me if you are still interested....


I had contacted the seller prior to bidding so I knew that it was not the seller that send the email. I decided to play along and told him to please provide me with a phone number so I could contact him directly. This is what I got next (in sequence):

________________________________________
From: Best Deal [mailto:best_deal2008@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 9:52 PM
To:
Subject: RE: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette(Item number: 290250542526)

Hi again,
You have the opportunity to purchase this car at $2,500 including shipping taxes.The ex winner had some problems and couldn't handle the situation , so following eBay's suggestion, I've contacted you this way.

Because right now I`m personally business in London, UK I left the car at the shipping company in order to be delivered to the person that will buy it.The car is located right now in United States at the shipping company.The car is inspected and everything is ready to go on it. You will receive all the documents needed in order to register the car under your name.

The car will arrive within 2 days at your home address and you will have another 10 days inspection period. The funds will be secured until the car is delivered to you, with a proper executed title. The payment is fully refundable so if the car isn't as described you will get your money back, no questions asked.

Let me know if you are interested, Thanks

From: Best Deal [mailto:best_deal2008@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 11:28 AM
To:
Subject: RE: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette(Item number: 290250542526)

Hi again,
I contact eBay to start the transaction as soon as possible. Please read eBay instruction very good.
Please email me as soon as you will get the confirmation for the transaction. Thanks in advance !

________________________________________
From: eBay Inc. [mailto:e-bay@checkout-confirmation.com]
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 11:38 AM
To: larend@signal1.net
Subject: Transaction Started - 1978 Chevrolet Corvette #290250542526

(this came in with eBay formatting)






eBay Transaction #290250542526

Current status: Payment pending

Transaction details:
Item name: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette
Item #: 290250542526
Item price: $2,500.00
Postage & Insurance: Included
Payment: Pending



• Complete your eBay transaction in 4 easy steps:
1. eBay accepts the transaction and offers purchase protection to the buyer (if the transaction is declined, no further action is required from either the buyer or the seller);
2. The buyer sends payment and the seller receives it after you will receive the item. After the payment was received, we will notify the seller to send the tracking number of shipping to the buyer . Buyer will send the payment details to eBay at: e-bay@checkout-confirmation.com . If no tracking number is provided, a full refund is immediately sent to the buyer;
3. Buyer receives the merchandise and has five days to inspect it. If it is complete and as described, the buyer should accept the merchandise. If he refuses the merchandise, the buyer must ship the merchandise back to the seller within three business days.
4. After the inspection period is over, the buyer must contact eBay with the result of the inspection. If the buyer refuses the merchandise, the refund will be sent to the buyer after the tracking number for the returned shipment is verified.
• The following item is protected in this eBay transaction:
1978 Chevrolet Corvette - Item number: 290250542526

• Payment must be sent by Western Union Service to:

• Seller's verified payment address:

Seller's name: Rick Lampard
Seller's address: 13-25 Church Street, London, NW8 8DT, United Kingdom




• Date of verification: 11 / 08 / 2008
• Transaction number: 290250542526
• Amount insured: $1,500.00
• Payment must be sent by: Western Union Service
• Next step to be taken: The buyer must send the payment details to us

It is recommended to send the payment as soon as possible, because your purchase protection is valid for 30 days only. Sending the payment by any other method of payment will void this transaction and your right to refund.

• Payment instructions:

To submit the payment with Western Union, you need to do this:

Pay for the transfer with cash at a local Western Union agent. Click here to locate the agents in your area : www.westernunion.com and then click on FIND AN AGENT.
Go to one of them and send the payment to the verified name of the seller.

However, Western Union Money Transfer is designed mainly for sending cash to friends and family in need, so telling them you are sending the money to an eBay seller will prevent your money transfer to go through and you will be unable to complete this transaction.

Because the fee to send a Western Union Money Transfer is high,compared to other methods of payment, we have arranged with the seller to compensate for half of this fee (i.e. if it costs you $100 to send the payment, take $50 from the amount insured and send the balance)

Therefore, no one else but your seller can pick up the money. Your payments cannot be lost in the mail, like money orders or checks.


• Once the payment is sent, email to us the following information:

1. 10 digit MTCN # (Money Transfer Control Number):
2. Exact sender's name on file with Western Union:
3. Your street address on file with Western Union:
4. City and country where you sent the money from:
5. Amount sent:

ATTENTION: DO NOT SHARE THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO THE SELLER !



Then wait for the confirmation the payment was received. Within 3 business days, you will receive the tracking number for your merchandise.

• Purchase protection and refund:

Currently, this seller has a $20,000.00 deposit in an eBay managed purchase protection account.

Transactions with this eBay seller are covered by purchase protection against fraud and description errors. For your safety, this account was locked today, for 90 days time period. The seller is unable to withdraw any money from it, within this period.
Should you need a refund for this transaction, the insured amount will be taken from the seller's purchase protection account and sent to you. The refund is sent to your bank account, or by check or money order. The way you are refunded is at your choice. You have 90 days from the above verification date to request a refund. Refund requests are processed within 3 days.
The account is managed by eBay's SquareTrade center. This transaction is supervised by eBay's SafeHarbor team.

• Conditions to be met before you may ask for a refund:

Here are the situations suitable for a refund request:
1. If the item doesn't arrive and/or the seller stops communications after the payment was received;
2. If the merchandise you receive has different specifications than the ones you agreed on;
3. If your merchandise arrives in a much longer period than the one you agreed on (more than 15 days from the payment clearance day);
For cases 2. and 3. you have to send back the merchandise to the seller prior to ask for your refund. If you did not pay the seller by payment method required by us, your refund request will be declined.

• Important Usage Guidelines:

1. The contact information should only be used for resolving matters related to eBay. Any other use is strictly prohibited.
2. This transaction is protected by eBay services such as insurance, feedback and dispute resolution.
3. You may buy and sell with confidence in all transactions with this eBay member.
4. Should you need to dispute this transaction, keep the transaction number at hand when contacting eBay. Any complaints must be filed within 90 days from the verification date.

This e-mail message was sent to you from eBay SafeHarbor team, with the full support of the SquareTrade center.



Copyright © 1995-2008 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved.Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners.Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.


Then:

________________________________________
From: Best Deal [mailto:best_deal2008@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 11:50 AM
To:
Subject: RE: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette(Item number: 290250542526)

Hi again,
Did you received the invoice from eBay ? Please let me know...

I`m personally business right now in London, United Kingdom and I need the money here. I have a company in London and I've made businesses on Europe. I already paid all the shipping taxes so you have a free delivery and I'm unable to get my money back !!!

Please follow eBay's steps to complete the payment,and after you will done, send the payment details to eBay not to me and after you receive the car and inspect and let eBay know that all is OK then eBay will give me the payment dates to pick up the money.

From the moment you receive the car you have a 10 days inspection period and you then have the option to accept or to reject the car. After you accept the car eBay will give me the payment dates to pick up the money. If you will not like the car you will send it back on my expense and you will be fully refunded.

I will wait your email and the notification from eBay,Thanks

And finally:

________________________________________
From: Best Deal [mailto:best_deal2008@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 12:03 PM
To:
Subject: RE: 1978 Chevrolet Corvette(Item number: 290250542526)

Hi again,
Like you saw in our invoice the first payment is 1,500 but I will accept $1,000 in less than 48 hours and the rest of the money after 30 days. I expect you complete this transaction because I already payed all the shipping taxes and I'm unable to get my money back !!!

You must go at one Western Union office with your ID or passport, cash money and my name and address you can done the payment .

You can send money easy with your credit card on-line (money transfer limit today is $ 999.99) just click : https://wumt.westernunion.com/WUCOMW...=1218118891047[B@168ff7731857690255924237403;SECURE_KEY =1218118891047[B@181cf7731857690255924237403&nextSecure Page=Y and complete the steps.

Please say you send the money to your friend for personal spendig. Don't tell them that you want to make a transaction so we can save some taxes !!!

Please follow eBay's steps to complete the payment, and after you will done, send the payment details to eBay not to me and after you receive the car and inspect and let eBay know that all is OK then eBay will give me the payment dates to pick up the money.

I will wait your email and the notification from eBay,Thanks



Should I send him the money? He said it is refundable....

wmf62

the curious part is; how did they get the info to contact you?
Bill

claysmoker

Can you say scam? I've had things like this happen on Ebay and never been bitten, but I'm overly suspicious anyway.

Send the whole mess to spoof@ebay.com and run the other way

kenmo

Mike Terry

First off you said you were bidding on a 77 Corvette and the reply was for a 78 Corvette, so you gained a year and saved $$$$$ there. OH heck go ahead and buy it the guy is in London and needs the $$$$ to get home on. Then let me sell you ocean front property in Indiana. Can you believe what crooks will try for a buck and what dumb AZZ would fall for it. GREED is a killer.

C2Driver

Bill, that is an excellent question! beto, if I were you, I'd have my computer scanned by an external antivirus program for a Trojan virus. Just a thought.

- Pat

beto

I am sure that this info comes from eBay. How else would they know that I was the second highest bidder?

Yello65

SCAM SCAM!!!
I had the same thing happen to me.Report it asap to spoof at ebay.
You send any money and it's gone forever !!!
yello65

ps any legit e-mail will go only through your ebay account, log on and check your email messages through ebay !!!

gonefishn

Check his grammer as clearly he is not native English as he is portraying in his Ebay add and his email.

If money is sent Western Union it is as good as gone.

Doesn't seem right to me although a pretty good attempt.

JPatrick

Wonder if the third place bidder got the same deal??
For that matter, maybe the fourth, fifth , and sixth..

Yello65

Why not? what does he have to loose? I'm sure he'll e-mail everyone that bidded on it............
yello65

Yello65

Last year I was on ebay bidding on a date correct motor for my 65,it was completly rebuilt( 365 hp ) had all the correct components on it ie:carb,,exhaust maifolds,intake ,valve covers etc. I bid 1500$ and more or less forgot about it thinking I wasn't going to be able to afford it.After the auction ended I got that second chance offer scam! He stated that I could have the motor for 1500$ and he would pay shipping.Suspecting this was a scam I requested more pictures of the motor showing the dates on heads and block.Well of course he could not take a pic of something he didn't have. He kept sending the same pics the real owner had posted on ebay.I.And of course he wanted the money sent western union to UK. I sent the paperwork to spoof@ebay.
yello65

Paul L

This is so true. Don't log-on to these so-called EBay e-mails outside of the Ebay site. I did so about two months ago and it took me four days to recover. They basically stole my EBay and e-mail identity. I had to change all my passwords, etc.

JohnFromVentura

Can't you just send him a forged money order, instead? You can probably have one made on ebay also!

tentuna

Run forest, run, I had a similar one a few weeks ago in CraigsList on LI, NY. As soon as you mentioned let's see the car first and I will bring cash, the seller will not do business that way, or any legitimate way.

C2Driver

beto, Trojan viruses are very common in cyberspace and are one of the most common nuisances. A larger percentage of computers are infected with them without the owners even knowing. If someone planted one on your computer, they can see everything you do, including eBay bids. They could also have your e-Bay and online banking passwords! Worse, they can place bids on your e-Bay account. If you have one, it has already tricked/corrupted your present Anti-Virus program into thinking it is not a virus. That is why I suggested scanning with a remote A/V scanner. To be safe, I'd really recommend you use this free scan at Microsoft. You can do the full scan, but the 'Protection" scan should suffice. Nothing to lose but a great deal of grief to avoid.

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-ca/default.htm



- Pat

C2Driver

Hi Paul! I miss seeing your C2 posts buddy. Like the new wheels! I knew that you'd have another beauty!

That sounds like the Trojan Virus I was just telling beto about. Very common and bad, bad news!



- Pat

Godholio

All they had to do is click on the bid history. It shows everyone who bid on it, in the order they lost.

AVG has a pretty solid free antivirus program. I've used it for a couple of years, ever since it found 3 or 4 problems that Norton couldnt find. It comes pretty highly recommended.

Cruzmeisters

When I check "bid history" on e-bay, it only shows a FIRST letter and LAST letter of the bidder's user-name, with ***** in between...???

62Jeff

Yes, that is a fairly new change. What Godholio described is how e-bay worked until recently.

I'm awfully suspicious as to how they got in touch with Beto

Heck the fact that the car (it is a 78 in fact) sold for $3,800 almost sounds like a scam in itself, but I found the thing on e-bay and there it is - 78 corvette for $3,800