I don’t have the specifics at this time, DH has been asked to look on something on ebay for a friend, trailer (unknown size at this time) in Nebraska, seller is now asking for $$$ to ensure the trailer…
The buyer is under the impression that people on ebay don’t cheat as to not jeopardize their account…
I’ll update with facts as soon as I get them in a few…
[QUOTE=Alagirl;7734695]
I don’t have the specifics at this time, DH has been asked to look on something on ebay for a friend, trailer (unknown size at this time) in Nebraska, seller is now asking for $$$ to ensure the trailer…
The buyer is under the impression that people on ebay don’t cheat as to not jeopardize their account…
I’ll update with facts as soon as I get them in a few…[/QUOTE]
Huh?
If I’m understanding what you’re asking…
the seller is perfectly within their legal rights to ask for a deposit on the trailer after the bidding has ended, with the rest given in cash/paypal on pick-up.
But everything should be done through Paypal, which will protect both parties.
[QUOTE=GoForAGallop;7734706]
Huh?
If I’m understanding what you’re asking…
the seller is perfectly within their legal rights to ask for a deposit on the trailer after the bidding has ended, with the rest given in cash/paypal on pick-up.
But everything should be done through Paypal, which will protect both parties.[/QUOTE]
No, not a deposit, but for insurance on the delivery.
friend, let’s call him A, found the trailer on ebay. Seller, B is in Nebraska.
According to A, the trailer is loaded to be transported, but the seller B is asking an extra amount (this is 2nd hand so I am not putting numbers down) to ensure the trailer…I suppose I could go on ebay and see if I can find it, but DH is going to give me the details in a few when he gets to work (night shift…)
DH is thinking scam, and the number he threw out at me, I am thinking scam…surely there is something available locally, or, if the price is THAT good, it’s likely too good to be true, IMHO…
Ah, I see. It’s “insure” the trailer.
Was delivery part of the arrangement? Was there anything in the ad about extra insurance being needed? Who is hauling the trailer, and is the trailer going on a trailer, or will it be on the road, behind something?
Person A should call his own auto insurance company and ask them if he can get the trailer added to his policy before it even arrives in his possession. The way you would get a horse insured if you live in MA and bought one that had to be shipped from CA.
If it’s a trailer deal on e-bay, it’s a scam.
I did buy my trailer on e-bay, but it wasn’t a screaming deal (just a divorce sale) and it was literally less than 2 miles from my house. I met the buyer in person, saw the actual trailer before buying it, and paid in person. There was no insurance or she’s-going-to-deliver-it-after-receiving-payment or whatever.
aight, the update.
buyer got scammed.
The trailer was not on ebay but was arranging payment ‘through ebay’ how ever that works, I have no clue, but I would not jump on that without checking.
Again, I did not get all the gory details…
Trailer ‘in a warehouse in Nebraska’ needed the extra money for insurance…buyer paid with credit card (prepaid kind) because seller didn’t want to go through paypal…
What can I say…it’s a firetruck parade through down town with blaring sirens, and we wonder why scammers are still active…
I suppose it’s a PSA now:
don’t pay with ‘green dot’ credit cards for internet purchases…
I kind of feel sorry for the guy, but kind of don’t…for the kind of money he got taken for, I KNOW there is rolling stock available more locally…
There are absolutely trailer (and car, and other big ticket item) scams on eBay. Sometimes scammers will use hacked accounts with good feedback in order to look trustworthy, but I guarantee they aren’t worried about the reputation of the account in that case!
If the price is too good to be true, it’s a scam. If they ask money to be sent outside the eBay system, it’s a scam. If the seller is overseas, in the military, has moved, and the trailer is in storage somewhere else in the US, it’s a scam. The fact that the seller has a shipper already and the buyer does not need to arrange their own pickup or get to choose their own shipper, yep it’s a scam.
OK, here is the deal as far as I understand it.
The trailer was on CL, but seller wanted to get payment through ebay.
the buyer, bless her heart, figured that since the seller had a bunch of other stuff for sale, with pictures, she was legit. Yeah, I know. The magic of right click…
the trailer was ‘in an ebay warehouse’ in Nebraska.
Seller asked for prepaid credit cards “no, not paypal”, DH called it ‘green dot’, you can buy 500 dollars worth on one…
Payment to a person on the other end of an 800 number.
hard luck story: woman getting divorced, moving to Alaska…
(Upon googling the 800 number, with a mile long list of scams, they also found the ‘servive member being shipped out, branch won’t pay for shipment’ deal)
Upon googling the name of the seller, some bikini model popped up…
Trailer was (I didn’t see it, but DH confirmed) nice, for 1500 bucks. Yep, that money has been paid.
Part two of the scam: ebay valued the trailer for much more so they had to buy extra insurance for another 1500…
And I keep wondering how come those scammers still work their spiel…for a few minutes of copy-paste and emails - oh, they are juggling so many scams at one time, they send buyer the info on the wrong item! maybe a day’s work, 1500 bucks, almost a total of 3k…
Like I said…more red flags than a May First parade on the Kremlin…
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/7728e368d2f90d9b825b0f8ec73b62af709c6a1e/c=277-0-4193-2941&r=x513&c=680x510/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2014/04/30//1398900321010-AP375137559758-2.jpg
I kinda feel sorry for them, but kinda don’t. Greed got the best of them…
Oh, to top it all off:
In the midst of the emailing back and forth, buyer divulges all kinds of private information, basically everything except SSN and mother’s maiden name! :eek:
DH said ‘if they have a network’ I am thinking, they need to watch their credit reports closely…if not more…gosh, and I thought I was trusting on the net.
This is happening a lot. I saw a Cimarron 4 horse with living quarters for 3500. I emailed bc I was curious. Guy responds, he was posting for a friend in Washington. email her for more info just bc I was curious what the tale would be. Story is recently widowed, doesnt need the money for the trailer, but wants it gone because it reminds her and kids of dead husband. It was A LONG STORY with a ton of details. 3500 for the trailer includes shipping. YEAH RIGHT. She wants payment through ebay so I would feel better about the deal. I never responded after that.
Few weeks later another add. Similar trailer, similar too good to be true price. emailed and got same story about person in my area posting add for friend. I never emailed the friend, but i am pretty sure this is just the newest scam.
I knew it was bs but the fact that they kept providing their life story was a red flag, not a comfort to me. Also if they don’t need the money I am sure there is SOMEONE in Washington that would be willing to take a 35,000 dollar trailer off her hands…
[QUOTE=kaitsmom;7736223]
Also if they don’t need the money I am sure there is SOMEONE in Washington that would be willing to take a 35,000 dollar trailer off her hands…[/QUOTE]
That’s what DH told the buyer…
If person is afraid they might have further credit damage they can go online to www.Equifax.com under Fraud Alert and for FREE for 90 days they make it so that no one can open up new credit in your name (including yourself) UNLESS they “call” a specific phone number and get approval.
I do NOT use my cell phone - I use my land line ONLY.
It can be a pain if you’re trying to buy something new (like a car) but it’s really NOT that bad.
We also do things like open accounts ONLY used for automatic deposits so that if our personal info gets compromised (has happened) they can’t clean out our bank account, except for the account listed for direct deposit. (I periodically extract money from that account so they could never get much).
And I NEVER use a cell phone to perform financial transactions - it’s much too easy to obtain data from a cell phone.
[QUOTE=Valentina_32926;7737629]
And I NEVER use a cell phone to perform financial transactions - it’s much too easy to obtain data from a cell phone.[/QUOTE]
I think you might have cranked your tinfoil hat up a little tight today, but even if that were true what good does it do if the car dealer you are talking to is using their cell phone?
good point Tangledweb
well, too many cellphone users neglect basic safety measures they would never omit on their PC/Laptop…everything that makes it easier for the average user makes it 10 times easier for the crook…
But yeah, one does not need to go paranoid…
While I don’t understand the story 100%, I do understand prepaid products.
You said that this person put $500 on a green dot card. I am willing to put my money on the fact that the scammed person bought a money pak card (or several) and loaded $500. He/She then gave the pin number to the scammer who then took the funds and ran. Money pak is basically a cheap way to wire money (google money pak scams for some fun Saturday night reading). While I understand how much that sucks for the scammed party, it states on the back of that card to treat the card like cash and to not give out the pin to anyone other than a green dot authorized partner.
Please understand that money paks are very different from any other prepaid card and to say ‘don’t use green dot for internet purchases’ is not fair statement.
Off soap box. Sorry for your friend.
[QUOTE=fatappy;7738469]
While I don’t understand the story 100%, I do understand prepaid products.
You said that this person put $500 on a green dot card. I am willing to put my money on the fact that the scammed person bought a money pak card (or several) and loaded $500. He/She then gave the pin number to the scammer who then took the funds and ran. Money pak is basically a cheap way to wire money (google money pak scams for some fun Saturday night reading). While I understand how much that sucks for the scammed party, it states on the back of that card to treat the card like cash and to not give out the pin to anyone other than a green dot authorized partner.
Please understand that money paks are very different from any other prepaid card and to say ‘don’t use green dot for internet purchases’ is not fair statement.
Off soap box. Sorry for your friend.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for clarifying this.
My point was, since it’s this type of ‘prepaid’ card, they have essentially no way of getting the money back.
Unfortunately, I also think they are not going to report it to LE, just eating the loss.
So the trailer wasn’t listed on ebay, just CL? So isn’t a trailer scam on ebay, but just using ebay name for the scan?
In this day why do people still fall for these scams and why do they continue to give out personal information when it isn’t necessary?
There is no paying thru ebay, whether paypal or not. Either it is being sold on ebay or it isn’t, you can’t use ebay for the purposes the seller was stating, that should have been red flag #1. There are so many red flags the buyer should have thought something wasn’t right from the start.
Buyer needs to put a fraud alert/freeze on all credit reporting sites and also require password verification on her bank accounts if she gave out too much information that they could get bank access, same for her credit cards, needs to alert them also.
[QUOTE=Alagirl;7738489]
Unfortunately, I also think they are not going to report it to LE, just eating the loss.[/QUOTE]
Then they deserve what they got.
Why not report it-- especially on online sites made for the purpose-- so as to save someone else from the same mistake?
[QUOTE=mvp;7738832]
Then they deserve what they got.
Why not report it-- especially on online sites made for the purpose-- so as to save someone else from the same mistake?[/QUOTE]
I know…there’s egg on their faces already…and we keep wondering why these scammers keep at it…virtually risk free business.
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