Is this a scam?

[Etoille]

I'm looking for large binoculars at the moment and recently found an item on eBay. The price looks a little too good to be true but not altogether beyond reason. Look for item number 140758529075.

The thing is, I've started asking questions about make model etc (looks like a Quantum 6) but the seller has now said they "cannot accept Paypal at the moment" (despite Payment method showing as Paypal) and they are asking me to contact them via e-mail or on the phone. I asked them (via eBay) to specify what method of payment they required, but got a message back asking me to phone them.

This is the second item I've enquired about in the last few days where I have been led to an 'off eBay' discussion' but this is the first one to have suggested a change to the payment method. Am I getting paranoid or is this looking suspicious?

[sanmatt]

Walk away buddy!

eta- however I just looked at their previous sales - some good money exchanging hands there. And all very good feedback.

[skywatcher250]

totally agree

dont want to not be covered by ebay as you went off record !

[swag72]

I'd not phone them, it may be one of those scams where you phone a number and get charged literally hundreds of pounds for the priviledge.

[Etoille]

All points noted and I haven't given them an e-mail address and haven't phoned them. Just thought I'd check on here first before doing anything I might regret. All my comms with them have been via eBay. The telephone number given was an 01132 number which I AFAIKT is in Leeds.

How do you look at their previous sales? I can only see their current stuff.

[umadog]

Click on the number next to the user name. The number tells you how many comments the person has.

Don't deal off ebay unless you're actually going to pick up and paying cash.

[Etoille]

Thanks umadog. Just looked at the feedback. Even taking aside those comments that don't mention the item or its value, there is a lot of stuff going through here or, as sanmatt says, there is a lot of money exchanging hands. This is obviously not a discrete private seller so you have to ask yourself where all this stuff is coming from!

[sanmatt]

^ yes under their feedback, you can see what others had said about them and you can also see recent things bought and sold.

Just be careful and dont trade outside of ebay, win it via eBay and either have it delivered or pay cash when you pick it up.

[Bizibilder]

If it looks too good to be true......It is! Leave well alone.

[sanmatt]

Good point - has anyone checked the stuff he is selling, in case any of it is from the break in?

[sanmatt]

though he has had the same ebay name since 2001, I think perhaps we can relax a little?

[ikorodu]

Feed back seems genuine. You are right that 01132 in a Leeds number and the listing has Pudsey as its location. Pudsey is the small twon between Leeds and Bradford where I grew up. If the seller is from Pudsey then they must be good

ikorodu

[Zakalwe]

Hmmm I thought that eBay's T+Cs insist that sellers offer Paypal. I know that many want to go "off-piste" but you are losing all the buyers protection when you do that.

[Etoille]

Agree with all the above about buying outside of eBay. I take the advice and won't do that.

The feedback does look Ok, but, given that its a UK landline number and apparently not a private individual, I phoned them from a line that blocks the caller identification, having first set the handset to mute, and listened to see who answered. Was this perhaps a business also trading on eBay?. The phone was answered. An automated voice said 'answer off' and after that all I got was total silence.

Not sure what to make of that.

[Etoille]

Hmmm I thought that eBay's T+Cs insist that sellers offer Paypal. I know that many want to go "off-piste" but you are losing all the buyers protection when you do that.

Yes, that was my concern. They are offering Paypal on their listing, but when I contacted them are saying they can't accept it at the moment. One might reason they might have a glitch with Paypal or something, but on the other hand it is taking the transaction outside of eBay which is against the eBay rules and you loose the protection.

Another thing. They said they would send me a photo of the item via e-mail, but, there is already a good photo in the listing so that didn't exactly make sense either.

[sanmatt]

Does that mean 'answering machine is off'? I've never heard of that before.

[sanmatt]

How far away are you? Can you request to pop along and have a look at the item? For 500 smackers I would insist I went along to have a feel.

[Mr Moff]

Be carefully bud,I'm on a few different car forums and this is happening a lot. They say the cant take PayPal and ask you to call. When you asked what payment they take and the won't say through eBay, they usually want you to send it through PayPal as a gift even though they say they can't accept PayPal through eBay.

This may be all ok, but after all the scams I've seen over the last few months on scoobynet for example, I simply won't buy an item now unless they take PayPal through eBay.

I hate seeing people being scammed.

[Etoille]

How far away are you? Can you request to pop along and have a look at the item? For 500 smackers I would insist I went along to have a feel.

About two and a hald hours drive away. However, just sent them this (via eBay of course) as I thought your suggestion was a good one and it would be interesting to see what the answer is:

"Any chance of coming to have a look at the item? Its quite expensive so want to make sure its in good condition before bidding."

[sanmatt]

Good idea that

[Etoille]

Be carefully bud,I'm on a few different car forums and this is happening a lot. They say the cant take PayPal and ask you to call. When you asked what payment they take and the won't say through eBay, they usually want you to send it through PayPal as a gift even though they say they can't accept PayPal through eBay.

This may be all ok, but after all the scams I've seen over the last few months on scoobynet for example, I simply won't buy an item now unless they take PayPal through eBay.

I hate seeing people being scammed.

Thanks for that one Mr Moff. Presumably by receiving as a 'gift' the 'seller' is not bound by the terms of the auction sale so the victim has no comeback and as its a 'gift' I presume it can't be refunded?

[Mr Moff]

Thanks for that one Mr Moff. Presumably by receiving as a 'gift' the 'seller' is not bound by the terms of the auction sale so the victim has no comeback and as its a 'gift' I presume it can't be refunded?

Yes mate,once a payment is sent via the gift option you have no comeback with them.

If they are fine with letting you see the item first it's gotta be worth checking out.

[swag72]

Personally I'd be looking at reporting them to eBay as they are trying to get trades done outside of Ebay and so circumventing their fee's.

[David JM]

It could be a case of the seller's ID being hijacked. If they have good feedback that could be from their mates, but a long established member should be OK unless their ID is compromised.

[paul schofield]

Just my two pennies worth, I would give them a swerve. Maybe spend a bit more at a reputable seller. As others say, you will not have a leg to stand on when it all goes wrong.