What a Ebay Scam looks like

WANT IT NOW is a place to put requests up for items you want or can not find a current listing for. It is not intended to put you in direct contact with other eBayers to do a deal outside of eBay. I can NOT stress to anyone the dangers of dealing with people outside of eBay...I just baited in a scammer to share with you the dialogue of what they do to try to lure people out of their money for tickets. I will be MORE than happy to take a look at ANY kind of offer you get outside of eBay and give you my opinion on it…

Just wanted to share with everyone a "situation" that arose...

Chris "NASCARCAMPING" posted a listing on the "WANT IT NOW" section on eBay for Pocono tickets...and received the following message back through eBay:

Chris contacted me about it since something didn't feel right about this...so this is where I took over...

THIS IS THE ACTUAL EMAIL CONVERSATION:

I see you are interested in Fence Line for Pocono Race Tickets, I want to tell you that i have 8 tickets for sale,i will wait your mail if you are intersted in making a cheap deal.If you respond do not reply to this message.You can reach me of yahoo messenger(my id scott_mcgee21) or you can contact me directly in the same mail.
Notice how he didn’t put his full email address on it…that is because the eBay filtering system would not have let this message go through if he would have attached @yahoo.com to his message he sent through their system
Thank you and have a nice day

[color=blue][b]ME[/b][/color]
I would like more information on the race tickets you have for Pocono. Thanks.

[color=green][b]Scammer:[/b][/color]
Tell me please for which date are you interesed.Thank you [color=blue][b](Wait didn't he already tell me what date? hmmmmmmmm something is fishy already)[/b][/color]

[color=blue][b]ME[/b][/color]
The June 10th race.

[color=green][b]Scammer:[/b][/color]
I have 8 tickets together in section TERR VISTA SA,row SS.The price is 150$ each. Let me know please haw many do you need.
Pocono 500
Sun, Jun 10 TBD
Pocono Raceway - Long Pond, PA

Thank you

[color=blue][b]ME [/b][/color]
I would need six for sure. Perhaps all eight. Will you post these as a buy it now or how can I pay for them???

[color=green][b] Scammer:[/b][/color]
Ok.We will make this deal through ebay (square trade ) it's safe for both and it's very fast end easy.All i need is your full name and address and your user id from ebay to proceed .
I will forward your info to ebay and they will contact you with the instructions .Thank you [color=blue][b] (Square Trade is NOT a method of dealing outside of eBay…it is a mediator program so that IF your transaction through eBay has a problem, they will mediate and help with resolution…they are in no way shape or form a place to initiate a transaction. Clever too how he wants my full name and address…perhaps so he can make the bogus email he is going to send look “official”.)[/b][/color]
[color=blue][b]ME[/b][/color]
Oh so this will be a private auction of sorts, as I really don't want to let these seats get away! My eBay id is Phil_McCrackenPA ...when will these ship and how much is the shipping...if I want more tickets will they be available??

[color=green][b]Scammer:[/b][/color]
Please let me know if you want to buy them and reply me with your info for i can start the shipping.ebay Square Trade is a new service used by ebay for offer protection to the customers and for theyr money . Customers pay for theyr goods and they keep the payments untill they will receive the tickets and after they have received the tickets Square Trade provide the payment informations to the sellers. I will wait your mail soon if you are agree to proceed . Thanks [color=blue][b](Is it me, or am I picking up on some broken English??)[/b][/color]

[color=blue][b]ME[/b][/color]
Yes, I definitely want the six tickets...if I take all eight will you offer a break on the price. You want 150 per ticket...I would be willing to offer 1000.00 for all eight tickets that would include shipping.

[color=blue][b](I figure I might as well haggle for imaginary seats...WHAT is it going to hurt??)[/b][/color]

[color=green][b]Scammer:[/b][/color]
Ok.The price for all 8 tickets is 1000$ with shipping taxes included.

[color=blue][b](Wooohoooo a scammer you can deal with...REFRESHING!!)[/b][/color]

[color=blue][b]ME [/b][/color]
WOW...what a great deal...I am so happy to get these tickets at such a great price. Thank you so much for working with me on this. Please initiate the process to complete this transaction.

[color=green][b]Scammer:[/b][/color]
All i need for i can start the shipping is your full name and address and your user id from ebay to proceed .I will forward your info to ebay and they will contact you with the instructions .Thank you

[color=blue][b]ME [/b][/color]
Oh sorry I missed that on your previous email..

eBay user Id phil_mccrackenpa

Phil McCracken [color=blue][b](Fill My Crack in...sometimes I kill myself)[/b][/color]
18 Fender
Washington, PA 15301

[color=blue][b](Figure he is using an alias...I might as well too....I apologize profusely IF there is a person at this address by this name...)[/b][/color]

[color=green][b]Scammer:[/b][/color]
Ok.You will receive the an invoice from eBay Square Trade regarding our deal,you will know all details to complete this transaction .Let me know when you receive the invoice and also when you will be able to complete the deal.Thank you

[b]Not too long after this I received a "very official" looking email from "Square Trade".[/b]

[img]http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u138/bigolepig/Scam2.jpg[/img]


I apologize for it being unclear...but notice the Square trade logo AND the tell tale sign it is a classic scam...WESTERN UNION!!! He EVEN has the audacity to put a bogus eBay item number on the notification. (eBay item numbers do not have any letters in them…all numbers) If ANYONE every wants you to pay through Western Union…RUN…Western Union is the ultimate “catch me if you can” payment method. Once you pay through Western Union, you give a name the payment is to go to, and they give you a confirmation number. You then give that information back to the scammer as your proof of payment…and he can show up at ANY location in the world, or even two blocks away from you and get his money. That is what makes it so difficult to catch these kind of people. With the combination of eBay and Paypal the transaction is insured, and secure.
So that is when I decided to let him in on MY little scam....

[color=blue][b]ME[/b][/color]
Scott, Albert...whatever your name is this week...YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION to me!!!! YOU are the reason why I work extra hard to alert people about scams such as yours. Thank you so much for all of your time, and enlightening me to how your little twisted scam works.

When you meet your maker I hope you can look him in the eye...you know it is never too late to get right with yourself.


M.

Needless to say, I have not heard back from him on this transaction and probably won’t. As you can see...he is VERY polite, and attempts to assure me by offering buyer/seller protection. He even gave me a break on the price. It ALMOST makes you want to believe this guy and thinks he has good intentions. Do not fall for it...if it does not go through eBay...you will not be going through the gates at the event. What is funny as a "test" I decided to post TWO want it now listings under my name today, one for Indy 500 tickets and Talladega tickets..and guess what...He wrote to me, identical message stating he has eight tickets, but guess what, in one day his yahoo id had changed to walker_davison46. I apparently didn't repsond in enough time for this screen name, as I have not heard back from him.

[size=18]Find a reputable seller who has a listing posted...
[u][i][b]Don’t let a seller find YOU!! [/b][/i][/u][/size]

With the “want it now” option…the ONLY thing you should get as a response is a notification through your eBay message system that has a link to an auction that is already posted…NEVER a chance for someone to make a deal for you outside of eBay. If you will notice on that first notification it DID come from eBay, but it did state is was being sent anoymously and there is a BIG warning from eBay on the side advising people not to participate in this type of transaction.

Chris is planning on getting a page up on the website about this scam, and hopefully we can get the word out to keep this from happening to other people!

Again, I am always willing to take a look at any auction, or offer you receive. I can smell a rat a mile away... :twisted:



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