possible ebay fraud ? MKIIC+ long head

[kiff]

I have pics which he sent me personally of my amp (13397) and you can see the same background as in the picture of the auction you bid on. He also cut and pasted the same description word for word - I am 100% about this.

wow, well that pretty much stomps any doubts I had. Thanks for the info! I'll wait to see how/if he replies. I'll probably be talking to ebay's support soon. But yea, unless he arranges an in person pickup (and pay) situation, I won't be sending a penny...

thanks again

 

[#2121313]

Cool no prob Kiff!

All the best.

 

[kiff]

Ok, this is getting strange....

I received an email from him this evening. Actually 5 emails with the exact same message, a little odd, but not everyone's an email pro...

Hello,
    
    I have managed to complete the shipping . I used a local company , Eplateforme. I used them in the past and i was very pleased with their services. I have packed and insured the item with great care and the shipping company advised me to give you 5 days inspection period.In case the unit is not as advertised or damaged during transportation you can return it and all your money will be refunded. Please check your package with www.eplateforme.net section track and traces. Here are the details:
    
    http://www.eplateforme.net/
    Date : 09292008
    Track: <edited - kiff>
    
    In order to release the package the shipping company require a payment deposit of $1,800.00 for the unit. Please check the tracking page for payment details and deduct the transfer fees from the total amount. please complete the payment as soon as you can as the shipping company is charging me for storage
    
    Thanks

That site's tracking page says this:

Service Type: Eplateforme Express
Description of Goods: MESA BOOGIE MARK II C++ 100 watt head
Additional Services: 3rd Party Service
Status of inspection: Complete
Declared Value Amount: $1,800.00
Insured Value Amount: $1,800.00
Shipping&Service Amount: --Paid by Exporter--
Total amount: $1,800.00
Deposit Amount: $1,800.00

I'm going to call them in the morning and try to see if they'll take pictures...
Anyone seen this site? Seem odd that he didn't reply through ebay, but it's not the first time I've had a seller directly contact me...

sigh...

EDIT:

I just tried the link to pay for the shipment and it takes me to a page that has this guy's address to send a moneygram. This isn't kosher...

 

[#2121313]

Is the seller saying that you can pay for the amp COD? If that's the case you have nothing to loose, just be sure to inspect the amp prior to paying, carefully look at the serial number make sure it's legit, then do the loop test real quick before paying!

Where is the buyer located, U.S.? I just find it strange that, that amp (13530) is back in the U.S. - I mean the original buyer would have had to pay a good buck to ship it to UK. FYI, that auction ended at $3500 USD, so the buyer in May/08 paid $3500 USD plus shipping to UK. To now a few months later have the amp go for $1800 and be back in the U.S. seems VERY strange.

I wish eBay would allow us to look at the auction info but it only goes back 3 months...

My reference to previous eBay transactions of the C+ and C++ (13530/13397) are FACT, now of course now I/we are speculating on the current status of the amp, so I could be wrong this "could" be legit, but based on facts I mean I PERSONALLY think there's a 90% chance this is a scam and 10% that it's legit.

BUT, I mean, push for a COD (cash on delivery) method of payment. Then be cool and shoot the **** with the delivery driver when it arrives so you can take a quick sec and investigate the amp and IF all checks out pay the COD.

That's my advise anyway....lemme know what happens here!

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Man, that is weird!

I wouldn't pay for it until I had played it myself.

 

[jerseydrew]

Kiff, I honestly don't know why you're wasting your time with this. It's a scam. He's looking for gullible people, I guess he found one. He can't give you negative feedback under ebay's new rules, so don't worry about that.

The guy just registered for ebay a couple days before the auction. He's got no feedback. He's has one lousy picture.

I often wonder who actually would bid on this? Now I know.

Hey Kiff, I have a friend, who knows a friend, who's uncle has a MkIIC+ in mint condition that he's selling for $800, are you interested? I don't have any pictures and I don't know the guys real name. And I don't have a phone number. But my friend's friend says he's honest.

Listen Kiff, I'm not trying to bust your balls, I'm just trying to shake you and wake you up. Don't waste your time with this any longer. You're the one who started this thread so I assume you're looking for some replies from us.

Wake up.

I never heard of the shipping company. It sounds French. If it smells like fish... no wait, that's something else. LOL

 

[#2121313]

Here ya go!!!

Here's the original sellers list of feedback where you can see all transactions:

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=dragonlord70&ftab=AllFeedback&myworld=true

DRAGONLORD70 - original seller of C+ (13397) & C++ (13530)

I am MIKE.INC you will see my transaction in JUNE 2008

BRASSSADDLES is the guy who bought my C+ ( a week before I bought it when it was relisted) but there was complications so the transaction was refunded, At the end of the day brasssaddles was still out $75!

LYONIT is the guy who bought C++ 13530 - back in MAY 2008

Click on LYONIT and you will see he's in UK.

I know eBay won't allow you to see the item description as they obly allow up to 3 months back. But compare this feedback list to my original response, you will see ALL the dates line up, TRUST ME, I have a memory like you've never seen!

Like MONSTA TONE said: "I wouldn't pay for it until I had played it myself." I TOTALLY AGREE - better to be safe than SORRY!

 

[kiff]

Is the seller saying that you can pay for the amp COD?

Ha, I wish! If that was the case I wouldn't be worried. That shipping company says, for in order for them to release/ship it to me, I must moneygram the seller using his name/address. It's a total scam and I've reported the whole thing to ebay. He's trying to circumvent paypal and credit card payment.

I wouldn't pay for it until I had played it myself.

After 2 attempts to get a phone number, or even more pics, I was just ignored and he sent that email. There's no way...

He's looking for gullible people, I guess he found one. He can't give you negative feedback under ebay's new rules, so don't worry about that.

Gullible, maybe. Dumb, no... I'm usually really good at checking feedback and pictures. I guess I've had so many smooth sales lately I got complacent and let my guard down. But.. if I don't pay a bid I won, I'm pretty sure I can get a mark against me. maybe not by him, but ebay? If that's the case I'll just have to bite the bullet. But again, I've reported the whole moneygram thing to ebay, so I think I'm in the clear.

Listen Kiff, I'm not trying to bust your balls, I'm just trying to shake you and wake you up. Don't waste your time with this any longer. You're the one who started this thread so I assume you're looking for some replies from us.

Man! I can just imagine if you were trying to give me a hard time I understand your intentions though, so thanks Oh, and actually I didn't start this thread, I bumped it; after winning the auction and went back over the details I was quite shocked and did some googling and this thread came up like 3'rd or something...

At the expense of going into the hall of shame, I think this thread should be stickied...

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I had something similar happen to me with a PRS McCarty.

I bought the guitar for $1,450 in mint condition on ebay.
I paid by wire transfer. I did not notice that the name on the emails was different from the name on the bank account information.
I received several angry emails from the seller wondering why the payment had not been received.
I scanned the receipt from my bank (of course I blacked out the account info).
He then emailed me with a different account # and name.
I checked his feedback again and it was good, so I paid. I was skeptical, but like you said, several good transactions later, I grew complacent.
I never heard from the guy again.

I gave it 2 weeks and was in the process of filing a complaint with ebay when my phone rang.
It was my bank, great bank by the way.
They asked if I was sure I wanted to complete the transaction (I start to smile with relief).

Apparently, the guy's bank had called my bank and asked if I really wanted to do this because he was being investigated by the FBI for fraud.


It only cost me $50 for the transfer fees and I got my money back.


Lesson learned. I only buy high dollar items from people that I can talk to on the phone. If I don't like them, I won't buy it, especially from ebay sellers.

There was a guy on ebay selling a really sweet LSC combo in flamed maple. I tried to talk to him, emailed my phone number and he left a message on my phone saying that he would prefer to have all communications go through ebay.

This guy was on the up & up, but since I couldn't talk to him, I didn't pull the trigger. He ended up being a BB member and sold it here to another member (I think).


I guess I'm just shell shocked, but money is too hard to come by these days.



Extremely long story short, I filed all of the claims through ebay and they removed the negative feedback the guy had left and deleted the non-paying bidder complaint that he had filed.

I think you'll be fine.

At least you didn't give this douchebag any money.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Sorry, double post! :lol:

 

[jerseydrew]

At the expense of going into the hall of shame, I think this thread should be stickied...

No shame, don't sweat it. We're here to help. I've made some bonehead deals too, I just try to learn from mistakes. Both mine and other peoples.

 

[kiff]

Thanks guys, it's nice to know not everyone's like this "seller" on ebay... I'll post what happens when I get more info..

 

[#2121313]

For the record, I emailed the eBay buyer of the C++ 13530 (who bought the C++ back in May 2008) and here's what he said:

Dear mike.inc,

hi there
thank you for your message, yes i do have the amp so theres no need for your friend to worry, thanks again

Tom


- lyonit

SO NOW WE KNOW FOR SURE, he still has C++ #13530 so the current auction on eBay is a SCAM!

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Is that the guy in Europe?

 

[#2121313]

Yes, UK

 

[Monsta-Tone]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: This guy is a piece of work!

 

[#2121313]

YUP, molina_joe322( 0 ) - SCAMMER!

 

[kiff]

For the record, I emailed the eBay buyer of the C++ 13530 (who bought the C++ back in May 2008) and here's what he said:
....SO NOW WE KNOW FOR SURE, he still has C++ #13530 so the current auction on eBay is a SCAM!

Thanks for taking the time to looking into this! Hopefully it won't make a difference, but if they (ebay) need any evidence, I think this should suffice. I definitely owe ya one!

 

[#2121313]

NO PROB BROTHER!

 

[blacklight_uk]

Piece of work? Piece of s**t more like!

People like this ought to be publically flogged! :evil: