[R-390] auction scams

[scott]

I agree with you Ed that E-bay is NOT a bad place to buy.  Matter of fact it
has been really good to me.  I have certainly had purchases that I was less
than
happy with, but it was usually the result of me being overzealous with my
bidding.
I think the article is pretty crappy as it really is not balanced.  Then
again, the media
in this country never has been balanced.
Where I disagree with you Ed is that the Postal inspectors and the state
Attorney
generals will do something about fraud.  My experience is that they don't
care.
I got screwed out of $900 by a guy in Florida.  He got my e-mail address
from e-bay and contacted me privately to sell tubes.  He said his father
died and had
a large collection to sell.  We agreed on a price and only after he called
me
and I talked to him on the phone I was reassured enough to send the money.
Well, I never got the tubes.  I contacted the sheriff for the town that I
had sent
the money order to, and he actually knew the guy .
He said I was one of many that he had screwed.  The Attorney general
investigated and would NOT press criminal charges against this guy.
Apparently
he was a witness in a murder trial and the State needed him .
My only recourse was to press civil charges which would cost me far more
than
I was ever likely to recover.  I filed a complaint with the Postal Service
(I had
sent the dirtbag a Postal Money Order), and they sent a letter saying they
were
investigating.  That was the end of that.  The Postal Service could care
less.
Well, now that I just told everyone how stupid I am, at least I can say I
learned
a big lesson.   I am a LOT more cautious and only buy off e-bay from good
feedback sellers.  I will certainly overlook a couple of negative feedbacks
if
the seller has a lots of positive feedback.  There will always be a jerk out
there
that will be quick to hit the negative feedback button 'cause it is his time
of the
month.
I think someone told me that e-bay has insurance for bogus sellers and you
can
file a claim with them if the seller takes your money and runs.  They said
you lose
the first $25 to file the claim.  Can anyone confirm this?
If you are a bit nervous about the seller, you can get their phone number
and address
with the click of a button.  If they don't have a phone number or don't
answer the
phone, then stay away.  You can also use a reliable escrow company for
larger purchases.
And last, If it sounds too good to be true, stay away.  Use common sense.

Scott







----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Tanton" <n4xy@earthlink.net>
To: "Kenneth Crips" <w7itc@hotmail.com>; <r-390@mailman.qth.net>;
<Bob.Sullivan@msnbc.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2002 2:14 PM
Subject: Re: [R-390] auction scams


> Ken, the article simply isn't so-at least, not within the electronics
> components, baseball card (#2 son), and ham radio sections. The number
this
> 2nd "vigilante" quotes of "75% scams" is utterly UNTRUE. I have made
> HUNDREDS of purchases over the years through ebay, large and small, and
> have NEVER ONCE been cheated. This includes shipments from Hong Kong,
> Australia, and England. #2 son has made dozens with a similar success
rate.
>
> A "person of probable low character" did just show up as the seller of a
> $30 card for a 'winning' $15 recently. EBAY had, however, just canned the
> guy after too many violations. After some period of time, he can come back
> under another name-but I THINK that's like 6 months. That's ONE person
over
> whatever the number of years ebay has been around. One.
>
> Yes, I have had some "excellent condition"s arrive 1 level lower. But I've
> had some "very good"s arrive as "excellent"s also. Once again, the media
is
> looking to report a story. The fact that I have done well, or all right,
or
> whatever, is not news. Only that everybody is getting cheated left and
> right is "news". Only... if it isn't true... then is it "news" or an
> "outright lie" or just an "exaggeration"? Perhaps it's merely sloppy
> journalism?
>
> I think the truth lies a great deal closer to the occasional cheat, than
> with "75%" of all deals being "scams". Part of may stem from the amounts
> involved, and part of may stem from not using USPS MOs (I'd least rather
> have the Postal Inspectors after me than anybody-including the RCMP!) And
> part stems from not using the guy's feedback rating to decide whether to
> risk the deal (BEFORE bidding-not afterwards.)
>
> There are always going to be scam artists. I wouldn't hesitate to go after
> someone who cheated me. They have departments of Consumer Affairs and
> Attournies General in every state. The USPS Postal Inspectors really don't
> like "Mail Fraud" one bit. But for an MSNBC reporter to throw out numbers
> like this is "75% scams" irresponsible, and lazy journalism at best. To
> advocate what amounts to criminal fraud (in reverse) either is-or should
> be-illegal.
>
> Who are these "Consumer Vigilanties" that they presume to make outrageous
> bids on auctions THEY decide are frauds? The act itself, willfully bidding
> in that manner, to prevent me from using the good sense God gave me, to
> decide for myself what looks suspicious-and what is simply a good 'deal'
is
> FRAUD in itself. I have to wonder if some of them have either an ax to
> grind, or seek to manage an end-around, when auction(s) got to be more
than
> THEY wanted to pay.
>
> EBAY has been finally, begrudgingly accepted by most hams. I don't
> personally care whether anyone buys through it or not. I STILL like to see
> items of interest offered on the various reflectors available to us
> first-but with prices reaching a degree of parity, it doesn't matter
nearly
> as much any more. And I really HATE to see inaccurate reporting-and
whether
> or not the laptop / computer market has more than its share of fraud going
> on within EBAY, that's NOT what was represented here. EBAY as a whole has
> worked just fine for me.
>
> P.S. And for the record... while I have "hundreds" of purchases over the
> years, I have never sold one single thing via EBAY. I think #2 son has-but
> don't really know that for a fact.
>
> 73 Ed Tanton N4XY <n4xy@earthlink.net>
>
> Ed Tanton N4XY
> 189 Pioneer Trail
> Marietta, GA 30068-3466
>
> website: http://www.n4xy.com
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