eBay Trailer scam

[simes43]

A friend of mine has just returned from Scotland without the trailer he bought for £2,500 off eBay.

Apparently the crooks use dormant ebayers accounts which have great feedback etc and ask for a bank transfer to be made, all from a pay as you go mobile. Because the account used had over 700 positive feed backs and transactions he never gave it a second thought that it was scam.

The individual/crook was still "offering" three other Ifor Williams trailers for sale last Monday. EBay has now closed the account.

[AWRacing]

Please tell me he didn't lose the money.

[Phil Dicky]

AWRacing said:

Please tell me he didn't lose the money.

Yeah hopefully only a small deposit and some wasted time

[simes43]

Nope , £2,500! Hence my warning.

The trailer was a little under market value, so he wanted to secure it before he drove to Scotland to collect it.

[woof]

simes43 said:

Nope , £2,500! Hence my warning.

The trailer was a little under market value, so he wanted to secure it before he drove to Scotland to collect it.

ebay should refund it

[McSam]

eBay will not refund a bank transfer, they have no means of doing so, and that's why they recommend PayPal. Your mate should speak to his bank and explain the situation, maybe he'll get somewhere using a statement from eBay about the seller's fraudulent activities? I hope so, anyway.

Never mind this particular scam - never, ever pay for anything on eBay by anything other than PayPal, or cash when you have seen the item.

[anonymous-user]

McSam said:

eBay will not refund a bank transfer, they have no means of doing so, and that's why they recommend PayPal. Your mate should speak to his bank and explain the situation, maybe he'll get somewhere using a statement from eBay about the seller's fraudulent activities? I hope so, anyway.

Never mind this particular scam - never, ever pay for anything on eBay by anything other than PayPal, or cash when you have seen the item.

This. Also, Paypal is not the be all and end all. Cash on receipt wherever possible, especially for big ticket items.

[Kickstart]

This is fraud plain and simple and your pal needs to report this to the Police and I would hope that the bank that received the cash would freeze the account - unless the account has been closed and the money taken out in cash you should be able to trace the proceeds and get the money back - here's hoping

[simes43]

Everyone has been informed , eBay , Police, the Bank etc.

Other than the selling something that they do not own part,
the main issue is the security breach of a dormant eBayer's
account.

[woof]

McSam said:

eBay will not refund a bank transfer, they have no means of doing so, and that's why they recommend PayPal. Your mate should speak to his bank and explain the situation, maybe he'll get somewhere using a statement from eBay about the seller's fraudulent activities? I hope so, anyway.

Never mind this particular scam - never, ever pay for anything on eBay by anything other than PayPal, or cash when you have seen the item.

ouch - didn't see the bank transfer part.

[Steffan]

McSam said:

eBay will not refund a bank transfer, they have no means of doing so, and that's why they recommend PayPal. Your mate should speak to his bank and explain the situation, maybe he'll get somewhere using a statement from eBay about the seller's fraudulent activities? I hope so, anyway.

Never mind this particular scam - never, ever pay for anything on eBay by anything other than PayPal, or cash when you have seen the item.

Accurate practical advice. There are a small number of utterly dishonest crooks about and caveat emptor is the only defense. I am very sorry for the mans loss and I do hope he gets the money back. Paypal is the best defense on Ebay.

[Al Weyman]

McSam said:

eBay will not refund a bank transfer, they have no means of doing so, and that's why they recommend PayPal. Your mate should speak to his bank and explain the situation, maybe he'll get somewhere using a statement from eBay about the seller's fraudulent activities? I hope so, anyway.

Never mind this particular scam - never, ever pay for anything on eBay by anything other than PayPal, or cash when you have seen the item.

So true, I got conned out of £3800 for a large printer that never existed while on my way to collect the firm went 'broke' but were still operating in a different name when I got there and from the same building. I reported to everyone including the police, trading standards etc etc and no one could or would help, never pay up front with a bank transfer.