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]

I call anybody whose name I can't remember mate.

Almost - not crochety poms, but.

[designerjosie]

Hi there,

LATEST UPDATE:

First I contacted the bank (Banana Coast Credit Union) and it turns out there is such a bank - sadly due to privacy of their customers, they won't help, no matter how bad the situation is.

I've been to my local Police Station and they gave me the number of the Consumer Affairs.

Here's what I got me angry - because it's a private sale, they won't do anything, which is just...ARRGGHHH 

Seems that scammers can make a living out of this. 

A word of warning to buyers - If you come across an ebay seller doing a private sale, then you paid by direct deposit, and don't receive the item, sadly you can't do anything because the **bleep** Consumers Affairs wants nothing to do with it. JUST TERRIBLE!!

I telephoned his bank and found out his bank branch is in Woolgoolga, NSW.

I've had a chat with the ebay customer service and requested some contact details. Ebay then gave me his number. I rang up and turned out to be a answering machine of a work number from Centrelink. He tricked me again! **bleep**!! It was back at starting point.

*sigh* I've lost $467.95 - something MUST be done.

[lyndal1838]

Surely you did not think Consumer Affairs would have any jurisdiction over a private seller?

For that to occur there would have to be some sort of registration/licencing of everyone who wanted to sell anything.  The system would be unworkable with every Tom, Dick and Harry having to register their garage sale.

Have you reported the incident to the onlineFraud Squad?

You can also report the incorrect contact details to ebay...they definitely frown on that sort of thing.

[cq_tech]

---

@designerjosie wrote:

Hi there,

LATEST UPDATE:

First I contacted the bank (Banana Coast Credit Union) and it turns out there is such a bank - sadly due to privacy of their customers, they won't help, no matter how bad the situation is.

I've been to my local Police Station and they gave me the number of the Consumer Affairs.

Here's what I got me angry - because it's a private sale, they won't do anything, which is just...ARRGGHHH 

---

Josie, your incompetent local Police have given you incorrect and inadequate information. The Queensland Police Service operate a unit dedicated to e-crime and although they are based in Brisbane, they handle complaints from all over Australia.

You can lodge your on-line complaint at http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/cscp/eCrime/internet/report/

[designerjosie]

The Policeman gave me the number to the Consumer Affairs and told me they had a special group dedicated for dealing these sort of situations.

I've filled out the form of the Online Fraud squad and it's ready to be sent but I doubt they would do anything though.

I'll defintely let Ebay know of the wrong contact details.

[cq_tech]

Josie, as you live in NSW and have determined that the offender also lives in NSW, you might be better advised to download and complete the rather comprehensive complaint form which is available in PDF format from http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/152947/P1018_Fraud_Report_Form_290609.pdf and which should then be lodged at your local police station.

Most scammers seem to believe they're untouchable but because it is extremely difficult to open a bank account in an alternate name without specific documentation, the chances are fairly high that the offender has used his real name to open the account, in which case the police will be able to track him down very quickly indeed, and while there's no guarantee that your money will be recovered, when he is ultimately prosecuted for obtaining money by deception, the magistrate will almost certainly order him to pay restitution.

[knine-1]

This scenario is extremely easy for a scammer to get away with legally and is the reason it pays to use a safer payment method than direct deposit and the reason the police don't become enthusiastic over investigation. The scammer need only say they posted the item in a pre-paid satchel and dropped it in the post box......the police have to prove they didn't. What happens after lodgement isn't the sellers responsibility, that is a seller is not responsible for delivery.

[designerjosie]

I actually live in Victoria. The offender is in NSW.

Thanks very much for the suggestion and link though. Really appreciate it!

[davewil1964]

That site is Australia-wide, not just Queensland.

[ratman0100]

People have been warned NOT to do a bank deposit but use PAYPAL. The buyer has enough feedback to know all these traps an scams by now.