I'm SO stupid!!

[designerjosie]

I have a gut feeling that I may have been scammed.

Last week, just for fun, I was looking for cheap PS4 deals (since most of stores are out of stock in Australia) on ebay then I came across a too-good-to-be-true price.

The seller said it was unwanted gift, and it was hardly used. It was $450 and it came with 3 PS4 games and a camera. I couldn't resist. I looked at his feedback which only had 2 positives from sellers both from 2010 and he hasn't been active since. 

I was willing to take the risk.

He preferred using the payment method of Bank Deposit, so I did that.

I emailed him once just to correct him it wasn't 500mb but 500gb, and he responded apologising that he got it wrong.

A couple of days later I got three notifications from ebay saying I might have received a "phishing" email from the seller (which it wasn't) Next thing I found out was that the item listing has been removed. 

I've been contacting the seller ever since and he hasn't been responding.

Estimated delivery arrival was to be 6 days from Coffs Harbour, NSW. I'm only hoping that he has sent the parcel last week around Friday.

I'll let you all know if it does arrive. It's been 4 days already.

Cheers!

Josie

[davewil1964]

it won't arrive.

You have been scammed.

The account was probably hijacked. Even so, eBay deleted the listing (of which the seller probably had many unwanted 'gifts') so there is a fair chance they also deleted the seller. The 'too good to be true' price should also have rung bells, as usually it is.

Never, ever, ever, ever pay for something from a seller you have never met by a means that doesn't afford you a means of restitution if things go awry. Would you give cash to somebody in the street on a promise of something sometime in the future? It's exactly the same. Especially when it's from a low feedback seller who hasn't been active for years.

Paypal/Paymate/Merchant Credit Card protects YOU. A seller has to offer at least one of them. Bank deposit is a gift to the seller. You can try going to the police online fraud site, but it is unlikely you will get your money back. Especially when it is unlikely the 'seller' is in Australia.

[kopenhagen5]

Should always always use PayPal, no matter what the seller states. Especially on higher priced items.

[designerjosie]

Ok! Ok! Ok! I now know that Bank Deposit on Ebay is a BIG NO NO!

Why do they even allow it on Ebay anyway??

*sigh*

[davewil1964]

About 5% of my sales are paid with bank deposit. Usually from relatively new buyers, rarely from repeat customers. I have no idea why, as they don't know me from Adam. The difference is they get their items, and my stuff is fairly low value. I don't mind as I save on Paypal fees, but I also don't understand as they don't know me.

Admittedly my 100% feedback is real and is many hundred more than 2.

eBay tried a few years ago to mandate Paypal, but the ACCC rightly determined that this was illegal. ALL sellers, except for certain categories, have to offer a 'safe' payment method, one of which is Paypal. So use the safe method. If the seller prefers bank deposit, or states they won't accept Paypal when they offer it, or has problems with their 'safe' payment method, do not buy from them. Full Stop. They are a scammer.

I am sorry that you lost what is not an inconsiderable amount of money, but a quick look at the site map for buying would have helped, as would coming to, or reading, the boards before the purchase.

This is not an unusual scenario and there is usually at least one running on the first page

[designerjosie]

I do believe you are a honest seller.

It is just terrible that there are people in this world that would do such things as scamming. 

Anyway thanks for your reply.  

[phorum_junkie*]

You should report the seller to the police on line auction report site, just google it, if they are in Australia and have done this to others the more reports the more chances of the police catching them. The site is co-ordinated by QLD police but has links to all states.

I would also email the seller and tell them that is what you are going to do.

[designerjosie]

Hi there!

I will consider trying that.

Thanks for that great suggestion, mate! 

[phorum_junkie*]

Please don't refer to this old lady as mate!

[designerjosie]

Oh dear! Sorry about that as I did not know.

My apologies!