Ebay AP - be aware of fake items

[Gorr_77]

Guys,

Please be aware of the items like that:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASTRO-PHYSICS-1100GTO-GERMAN-EQUATORIAL-TELESCOPE-MOUNT-PASILL4-NEW/153907899954?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Don't fall for it!!

Stay safe

Greg

Edited April 24, 2020 by Gorr_77

[MarkAR]

Bit of a numpty listing. 

[RayD]

Almost feel like putting a £12 bid in just to annoy him 😂

[R26 oldtimer]

Nah... too much postage! 🤑

[johninderby]

And I’ll bid it up to £12.01. 😁😁😁

[vlaiv]

Why do you think it's fake?

It says that actual price is $1900 and it can only be bought via "buy now" thingy (they don't accept bids and bids will be removed - so they say).

Seller has 99.8% positive feedback and 4000+ transactions

It also says that you have no guarantee - they think it appears to be new.

According to their listing you get 30 money back guarantee.

 

[Gorr_77]

ok.....

1. postage - not enough -  on any of listed :" exclusive" item (speaker set = weight aproxx 1000pounds - value £30-40k)

2. All items in from Cardif UK - but based in France 

3. address: registered to : art shop in Avignion France 

4. Feedback on small value items only

5. No reply from email provided - i am sure i will get it ( i have few ideas how to follow/locate the IP adress as soon as :))

6. No eBay reissurance for your money - outside transaction.

I haven't seen any of that for quite long time, specially that: -  if you have many possitive feedback you will risk it by voileting site polices 

[RayD]

My only concern would be them wanting to take the transaction outside eBay, meaning you lose any buyer protection.  Other than this it could be a reasonable purchase if you're able to see it before buying or, as they say, there is a 30-day money back guarantee.

[Gorr_77]

true, just wonder if they will ask for direct bank transfer...:)

[Astro-Geek]

It's dissapointing that Ebay doesn't take immediate action against listings like that.

I've seen several over the past few months, with ridiculously low start prices and then the obviously bent instructions to "phone this number" or email, rather than bidding.

Just as bad too, they frequently appear on Amazon, from third party sellers selling brand new expensive mounts at under half retail, with the same instructions, to email the seller direct.

I've reported several now, which are then removed, but it's a poor reflection of Ebay & Amazon's procedures that they even get published.  Surely they could flag key phrases in their listing submission code, like "all bids will be removed", so that they can be inspected as soon as they go live....

[Gorr_77]

You are right: it is massive disappointment that eBay isntdoing it right....

I thought that : "email me on: ..." - will be highlightet ASAP 

... it is a shame that good big-hearted people will omit all obvious signs and loose they life savings... 

                    it make me angry!!!!!     .......    but we won't find the HULK in here  

[JamesF]

44 minutes ago, Gorr_77 said:

ok.....

1. postage - not enough -  on any of listed :" exclusive" item (speaker set = weight aproxx 1000pounds - value £30-40k)

2. All items in from Cardif UK - but based in France 

3. address: registered to : art shop in Avignion France 

4. Feedback on small value items only

5. No reply from email provided - i am sure i will get it ( i have few ideas how to follow/locate the IP adress as soon as :))

6. No eBay reissurance for your money - outside transaction.

I haven't seen any of that for quite long time, specially that: -  if you have many possitive feedback you will risk it by voileting site polices 

I'd add "clear attempt to encourage less knowledgeable bidders to think they're going to get something at significantly less than actual value" and that it also appears here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASTRO-PHYSICS-1100GTO-GERMAN-EQUATORIAL-TELESCOPE-MOUNT-PASILL4-NEW/362978549818

but the item location is San Jose rather than Cardiff.

Hacked account, I reckon.

James

[Cornelius Varley]

20 minutes ago, Gorr_77 said:

You are right: it is massive disappointment that eBay isntdoing it right....

I thought that : "email me on: ..." - will be highlightet ASAP 

... it is a shame that good big-hearted people will omit all obvious signs and loose they life savings... 

                    it make me angry!!!!!     .......    but we won't find the HULK in here  

The scammers are a bit cleverer than that. Apart from the info on the item they are "selling" the rest is a jpg image.

[JamesF]

Just now, Cornelius Varley said:

Apart from the info on the item they are "selling" the rest is a jpg image.

Another sign that it's a scam

You'd think that a company such as ebay would be able to OCR images and see if they contain dubious messages though.  It wouldn't be completely reliable, but might at least be a start.

James

[Astro-Geek]

I'd missed that, the incriminating text being an image.

Still bl**dy annoying though,  when you think that ebay goes to such great lengths to prevent genuine honest private sellers from giving an email address in the description, because they're paranoid about sales outside their control (and cut)......

I've tried all sorts of work-arounds in order to communicate with sellers or buyers to send or recieve high res photos etc.., but then Ebay gets nasty and sends a snotty email about "suspicious" activity.....

[vlaiv]

11 minutes ago, Cornelius Varley said:

The scammers are a bit cleverer than that. Apart from the info on the item they are "selling" the rest is a jpg image.

Indeed

Image is hosted here:

https://images345.com

Whois info

Registrar URL: http://www.namecheap.com
Updated Date: 2020-04-11T20:31:49Z
Creation Date: 2020-04-11T20:31:40Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2021-04-11T20:31:40Z
Registrar: NameCheap, Inc.
Registrar IANA ID: 1068
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@namecheap.com
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.6613102107

Registered 13 days ago.

[vlaiv]

pawn-sales.live domain for e-mail inquiry:

Domain Name: pawn-sales.live
Registry Domain ID: 20ecd5b12f94473a85d7f995a572b053-DONUTS
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.namecheap.com
Registrar URL: https://www.namecheap.com/
Updated Date: 2020-04-15T22:10:36Z
Creation Date: 2020-04-10T22:10:20Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2021-04-10T22:10:20Z
Registrar: NameCheap, Inc.
Registrar IANA ID: 1068
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@namecheap.com

Again - just 14 days ago

[Gorr_77]

... just wondering to what extend he will go to make people pay ...

How ebay allow for this seller to have 4k feedback?  maby they hacked(joined) this  shops ebay account - and add fake items...???

[vlaiv]

2 minutes ago, Gorr_77 said:

... just wondering to what extend he will go to make people pay ...

How ebay allow for this seller to have 4k feedback?  maby they hacked(joined) this  shops ebay account - and add fake items...???

Must be hacked account - only sensible explanation.

[RayD]

Still feel like bidding on it repeatedly just to annoy him 👍

[Gorr_77]

same as me ... and few more items.....

[Guest]

Anybody reported their suspicions to ebay? 

[Gorr_77]

yes, i did on 12 items as breaking eBa rules

[Stu]

Clearly a scam, confirmed by the invitation to bypass PayPal with the attached messages.

I quite regularly reported scan items, I believe they are normally hacked accounts and are easy enough to spot when they have low starting prices without reserve on expensive items. I nearly fell for one advertised for a sensible price but again, inviting direct contact outside eBay/PayPal.

[Gorr_77]

I've asked him for a deal, !!!!!! on my work phone... i will share it if he get back to me...

Greg