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EBay fraud. How can you tell?



 
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atom_anderson
Veteran Member


Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Posts: 408
Location: Aurora, Colorado

PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have received multiple emails in the past from members who say they have instruments to sell outside of EBay. I am certain that some of these are fraudulent, just as I'm certain that some aren't. One of my better trumpets came from an EBay auction that didn't go through, so the seller contacted me with an lower offer and I took it. I am curious if anyone else gets these emails and how you tell if it's fraudulent or not. My general rule of thumb has been that if the email comes from someone other than the seller of the instrument, it's probably fraudulent. Here is the latest email:

From member: creachers
--------------------
I would like to present you this offer

*MONETTE TRUMPET B937 buy now ONLY 3000$

I wait your reply asap.
My ebay account is creachers I have positive
feedback 260.
If you are intersted in this offer please reply to
this email.
HURRY UP. DONT MISS THIS CHANCE!!!!!!!

What do you think?

-Atom
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KevinInGeorgia
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 738
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sometimes I do stuff off of Ebay….Auctions that had a high reserve, buyer backed out.. stuff like that ,,

1) Ask for Proof.. Pictures, Phone Number.. Stuff like that .. Talk to the person on the phone makes it tougher..

2 ) Try to buy from someone in the US.. Most people in the US don’t want to commit Postal Fraud.. It's a Federal Offense. ( I’ve bought a few things from Canada & they have all arrived as expected)

3) Pay with Postal Money order or there are some Escrow Services:
Such as: https://www.escrow.com/
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Kevin M.
Sounds of Sawnee Community Band

“Heroes turn into martyrs on this instrument.” ~ William Vacchiano
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livertwist
Veteran Member


Joined: 08 Dec 2001
Posts: 251
Location: Kamloops, BC

PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 9:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Atom,

That looks like salmon to me. (get it? lol.. okay it's late, all right?) I'd steer *real* clear from any offer like that unless you'd previously talked with the seller during the auction. I bought the horn I am currently selling on eBay post-auction. The reserve wasn't met and I emailed him to see if he would sell it direct; he told me his price and I took it. But unsolicited emails give me the willies - $3000 is a lot of bucks to just hang out there. I agree with the comment re: escrow. In that case, I would use it. Good luck.

Oliver
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jophst
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 3139
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 5:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello all. I do a lot of business with Ebay and I have seen some outright fraudulent offers as well as creative ones. One thing to consider is the fact that you have ALOT to lose if you get scammed. You're not buying a pair of shoes, or a radio (just for example), you're buying a $750 - $3000+ horn and if you buy outside of Ebay, Ebay will not protect you in any way if you get scammed.

My advice would be this, any super-specialty horns such as Monette's, gold-plated limited edition "whatever's, New York and Mt. Vernon Bach's, Schilke P5-4's, etc. "the stuff most people go after" ... I would not buy outside of Ebay. Also, make SURE they have a positive rating of at least 30-40 when puirchasing anything outside of Ebay and check the rating to see that they have in fact sold stuff before and music-related at that. And the obvious still holds true, make sure you are dealing with someone from AMERICA!!

My most recent fraudulent offer was as follows: Someone who claimed to play with the Tower of Power noticed I was bidding on a gold-plated Schilke P5-4 and said he would sell me his that he had hardly used for $2000. He had a rating of 4. I asked him if I could call and speak to him and he told me he had just moved in to his apartment in Atlanta, GA and didn't have a phone hooked up yet. Then I told him to send me a pic of the horn he was selling and he said "no prob, I'll send it right away" ... he sent me one alright. It was the same exact picture of the one in the auction I was already bidding on. I told him about that and he said that he did not own a digital camera. I had already decided long ago that I was not going to deal with this individual but I was just seeing how far he would go with it. So I said I would send him the money, but never did of course. I even did a search on Ebay by "bidder" with his user ID and this so-called "Tower of Power member" was bidding on 3 student Bach's and a Yamaha cornet student model. Makes you mad don't it that people can just be so rude?!?!?

All I can say is be careful ... people are getting smarter and smarter every day with frauds ... so stay a step ahead of them and be cautious.
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Horn of Praise
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 12 Nov 2001
Posts: 625
Location: United States

PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. And...anytime someone tries to "rush" you (they won't let you sleep on it), play it safe and pass.

I recently sold my number three horn (Getzen Eterna 700s) here on the classifieds. The buyer and I jumped through hoops to make each other as comfortable and "sure" as possible. Nobody "pushed". And we are both very happy!

Let common sense dictate. There are LOTS of horns out there.

Shop well. Good luck.

_________________
PAUL NELSON
Eclipse White Lightning
Getzen Eterna 900 Classic
Monette B4LD
http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/artist/friedrich/seminar/caruso.html

[ This Message was edited by: Horn of Praise on 2003-09-19 19:00 ]
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