E-bay Bidder Scam

[Lakesailor]

I sold a few mobile phone items on e-bay and got knobbled by a scammer on the phone itself. He jumped in at the last moment and took the auction.
Upon looking at his profile he joined e-bay that day, so has no history and is in the USA.
As I specifically said I would not post outside the UK he has wasted my auction.
I contacted him and he replied
"Hello mate,
I would be sending you payments for the auction I won. And I am presently in the UK, so not to worry."
but didn't include an address.
Half an hour later I got an email from UKBidPay (?) which said
[ QUOTE ]
Dear Phil Brown,

This Email confirms that you, Phil Brown, have been paid £120.00 by Mr XXXX XXXX using Ukbidpay Online Payment®.

Your payment has APPROVED; we will send to your name and address immediately after we receive the shipment tracking number from you.Due to the fact that most sellers don't send the item despite the fact that buyers have paid for the item,so we made the policy that sellers must ship out items within 24 hours of payment and send us the tracking number for verification.As soon as this is done,your payment will be sent immediately.

You are not expected in any circumstances to send the tracking number to the buyer.We are going to send to your name and address below at your door step,immediately we recieve the shipment tracking number


[/ QUOTE ]
This despite my terms on the auction being cash, card or cleared cheque.

He must catch a few like this. I'm supposed to send off the phone to an address given which is supposed to be the auction winner's address. There is no address or contact details for UKBidPay, although they have e_bay logos splattered about the e-mail. Oh and the £120 is more than the £88 winning bid. so it's trying to appeal to my greed.

I've reported it to e-bay, but they're as much use as a chocolate fireguard. So my auction and auction fee are wasted, unless I can get the losing bidder to buy it.

Bloody annoying
It's the 1st time in 6 years I've been messed about on e-bay.

If it happens to you; don't send the goods. It's a scam. [/rant]

 

[MYStargazer]

The grammar should be up to scratch. Is that a cut’n’paste? Crooks aren’t normally well educated. Bit of a give away.

 

[Nick_H]

You can get your fees back, you file a non paying bidders report and they refund the fees a few weeks later. I had to do it when a bidder bought a water ski boat off me and asked me to post it to him.

 

[l'escargot]

UKbidpay

Website here

Registered to:

Jonholo Intl
98 canal ave
CapeTown, -- 54748
ZA

Domain name: UKBIDPAY.COM

Administrative Contact:
Jester, John zionsecure@yahoo.com
98 canal ave
CapeTown, -- 54748
ZA
67456785478 Fax: 68554777755#


So it is registered to a John Jester who lives at the same address as "Jonholo International", a company who doesn't exist according to any websearch, nor does "Zion Secure Corporation". He uses a Yahoo e mail address and the only contact number for UKbidpay is a UK mobile number.

If you want an even bigger laugh, look at the registration page here and see what details they want you to give them. You would have to be mad to give them all that information. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole !!!

 

[Lakesailor]

I looked there as well. Many pages open as HTML code, some are 404-Not Found and there is a reference in the FAQs about The nature of the relationship between UKBidPay and Western Union !!!!!!!!!!

I've had another message from the bidder and have told him he sends cash or British Postal Orders or no deal.

 

[aitchw]

Phil, you can make a 'second chance' offer to the runner up if his bid was close enough to interest you. You don't then have to mess around re-listing/claiming your fee back.

 

[Lakesailor]

Thanks. I've done that, but no reply yet.

 

[aitchw]

Of course you have! Silly me. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[oldharry]

File a 'Non paying bidder' report. You can then re-sell without paying a further fee if the 'second chance' offer is not taken up.

 

[Lakesailor]

I've already reported it as a possible scam. I will do the non-paying bidder thing I think.

 

[Jodel]

Have a dig through ebay and there is a link to get the buyers details (phone number etc). Try ringing him. If the number is duff then report him to ebay for incorrect details (which they are hot on) and you will get your fee refunded immediately.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have looked up the address in cape town given by lescargot and there is no canal ave in cape town. The post code 54748 in invalid as all South African post codes are 4 numbers and cape town being 8XXX. The telephone nos are also invalid as cape town area code is 021 or 002721 from UK and are of the format 021 XXX YYYY

I have an office in cape town so if you wish I could check up on the names given but with all the invalid info this must be a scam

If you require any further info pls contact me any time

 

[Lakesailor]

I now have a reply from e-bay who tell me that the buyer is no longer registered with them. (2 day membership?) They have offered a free re-listing.
Bloody annoying all the same. A lot of messing about for a fairly low value item and some scammer somewhere now has my physical address and e-mail address. Doesn't usually worry me except that the bloke is obviously a rogue.

I shall maintain total security on e-bay in future. It's a shame as there is a point in a transaction where you have to know who you are dealing with and it makes me suspicious if people hide their identity.

Thank you all for your ferreting around.