eBay

coxengines · ‎08-25-2009

A buyer has been buying merchandise (mostly automobiles) and sending cheques as payment, whereas the cheques are for thousands more than the selling price. The difference is to be sent via Western Union to a "shipper".

Being automobile exporters, we are familiar with the scam but tried to alert eBay's T&T dept. to this scammer.

The rep was quite uninterested even though his buy history showed a dozen vehicles purchased in one day and the buyer was still in communication with us, trying to scam.

Whilst on the phone I noted the buyer got Naru'd and I commented to the rep that at least someone at T&S had clued in. Then came the comment that blew me away:

"Tell the buyer that in order to get back on eBay he would have to go through a verification process and if he contacts us we might be able to help him"

Stunned, I asked the rep why he would want to help a scammer get back on eBay. His response was to ask if there was anything else he could do for me today.

Talk about scripting, together with a total lack of care or understanding. Made me wonder why I even bothered to call.

Bernie

pierrelebel · ‎08-25-2009

I am shocked..... you are surprised.

The quality of "customer service" (an oxymoron at eBay) has been going downhill for years.

There is no point in communicating with any of them, including senior management. It is a waste of time and one more opportunity to increase the blood pressure. 😞

ds2286 · ‎08-25-2009

Sorry if this is hijacking your thread, but you sound like an expert on this so I have to ask.

What is ebay's Vehicle Purchase Protection up to $50,000?

I have a friend looking at a car on ebay. The seller is in the UK and says the car is at a warehouse in Vancouver.

It sounds a little suspicious to me. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dean

zarzuella · ‎08-26-2009

You might want to try your question on the Ebay Motors discussion board

http://forums.ebay.com/db1/forum/Ebay-Motors/20

Probably more auto experts there.

Ann

surplusdealdude · ‎08-26-2009

ds2286,

What is ebay's Vehicle Purchase Protection up to $50,000?

That's a SCAM. Specifically, it's called the "Kubota Tractor" scam.

Tell your friend to run away. -------------------------------------------------------------------

It is our similarities that make us all human - it is our differences that make us all interesting

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. Carl Sagan

coxengines · ‎08-26-2009

Dean,

Here is a link for the protection policy

http://pages.ebay.ca/ebaymotors/help/education/buying/purchase-protection.html

And, no, it does not have to be a scam. Most of those sales are legit but motor vehicles, being big ticket items, do attract scammers.

Recently bought BMW SUV's from a seller in the USA, whereas the vehicles were located in Ramallah/Palestine and from there I sent them to China - all legit.

Get the VIN (have the seller scan and email you a copy of the registration) and run it at carfax.com. Ask the seller for the "story" on the car and see if it matches the Carfax story.

If step 1 pans out have an accredited surveyor in Vancouver inspect the vehicle and run the reggie through the provincial, federal and ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia) databases.

Make sure the vehicle is homologized for the jurisdiction you intend to license it in.

Use common sense and if the seller balks in any way, walk. Legit sellers will go out or their way to prove their legitimacy as they are generally aware of buyer angst.

Good luck!
Bernie

ds2286 · ‎08-26-2009

Thank you for your help Bernie.

Greatly appreciated!!

recped · ‎08-26-2009

Make sure the vehicle is homologized for the jurisdiction you intend to license it in.

Had to look that one up......it's appropriate but certainly a bit of an obscure word in this context.

It's one I'll have to tuck away for some future use.

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.

surplusdealdude · ‎08-27-2009

It still sounds like the Kubota Tractor scam to me, but we'll see.... -------------------------------------------------------------------

It is our similarities that make us all human - it is our differences that make us all interesting

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. Carl Sagan

coxengines · ‎08-27-2009

LOL!

homologized = standard terminology in motor vehicle arbitrage and means bringing the vehicle into compliance, i.e. tires, seatbelts, emissions, etc.

Glad to have enriched your vocabulary 🙂

Bernie