Strange Listings on Ebay

[pbyrne]

Hi all

I was browsing across ebay, not looking for anything in particular, however I came across some really odd listings.

1/http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Celestron-CPC-1100-GPS-XLT-280mm-Catadioptric-Telescope/263529336349?hash=item3d5b928e1d:g:3pUAAOSwURxamqoc

2/http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Questar-Catadioptric-Apochromatic-Telescope-3-5-Aperture/372238251920?hash=item56ab20f790:g:jrwAAOSwj4lamqqP

3/http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Celestron-CPC-1100-11-SCT-telescope-with-tripod-and-extra-lenses/263529336272?hash=item3d5b928dd0:g:dNMAAOSwI39amqpP

4/http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Telescopio-SC-Meade-LX-200-UHC-con-GPS-integrato/263529337964?hash=item3d5b92946c:g:m50AAOSwPyZamqom

Now, to me there is something extremely strange about these listings, a Questar for $51, a Celestron CPC 1100 for 79 cents, and shipping only €12, come on.  They all claim to be from the United States, when you get into the listing it states that they are to be shipped from China/Hong Kong/Taiwan.  They are also for sale by something called ellenmargaret, which claims that they do custom painted signs, what that has to do with telescopes I have no idea.

I would really like to know what this is all about, to me it sounds highly dubious and I would not like to think that someone with little experience in this field getting fleeced.

Any thoughts? 

[Ricochet]

You should notice that they give you a buy it now price and a way to contact them to pay (outside of ebay). This is a common scam. They get access to someone's account, probably by using a fake login page on another item, and then post a load of high quality items for sale using the newly compromised account. Each one wants you to contact them privately and then to pay by some non paypal method where you aren't protected. Of course none of these items exist, they have simply copied and pasted descriptions and photographs from real auctions and anyone who sends them money loses it. All you can do is to report each one of these items to eBay and hope that it is removed quickly. 

[pbyrne]

Yeah, I had an idea this was the case, unfortunately there are those who will be suckered into this scam.  It does not say much about ebay itself that it allows such listings to be posted, is there no one there to check on items that are put up for sale, or is it a case of let the buyer beware?

[Relpet]

Yes, do be careful.  A fake website cost me €1300 a couple of years ago.  The product photographs and details had been stolen from an out of date ebay listing, the shipping company had been replicated from a highly respectable American company and payment had to be made by bank transfer into a private account.  My experience with anyone connected with astronomy up to then had been pretty nigh perfect and the expectation that I was dealing with a person of integrity was based on that experience.  It was a grievous lesson which I feel bound to share, even if it shows me up as rather foolish.

[wxsatuser]

First two removed.

[Stu]

Yes, common scam. Nearly fell for it myself a while back. I now report every one I find.

[Stargazer33]

All removed now!

[pbyrne]

All gone now, hopefully no one was taken in.

[Louis D]

I always pay via Paypal, even when dealing with CN classifieds sellers.  The 3% cost adder is worth it for peace of mind.  The only time I deal in cash is in person at highly trafficked places of business when buying off of Craigslist or from a local CN seller.  It's gotten so bad, our police departments have even started setting up buy/sell trading rooms at the police station to ward off scammers/criminals.

[Cornelius Varley]

There are literately thousands of scam listings on ebay for cars and motorcycles everyday, usually uploaded in blocks of 250.