Warning About EBay Scams

[Kathryn Klos]

"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is..."

Q: What's wrong with the following picture?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110173245229&ssP
ageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=001

A: No pictures!

As others here may have done, I asked the seller for pictures... even though the ad seemed a little fishy. The seller has zero feedback, yet posted an ad for a canoe that looked like he knew what he was doing... except for the part about starting the auction at five cents and having no reserve... is that supposed to make us drool more or something?

It even crossed my mind that the seller might have used a listing by Rob Ross as a template for his ad. Hmmmm....

The fellow didn't send me any pics, but Dave Wermuth passed some on to me. Unfortunately for anyone bidding on the auction, I didn't get the picture showing the Morris seat backs that I bought from Rob Ross a year ago until after the auction ended. Also pictured was a paddle I doubt Rob would have sold for the price the canoe went for in this phony auction!

The crook simply took an old listing, removed the pictures and other tell-tale parts, and hoped to make a fast five hundred bucks. I emailed the buyer, and I hope the canoe wasn't paid for through Paypal.

Look at the canoe that was listed with no reserve, starting at five cents! Yep-- it WAS "too good to be true"!

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Hi Kathy,

I did not bid. I asked 'seller' a question: I requested photos. the question never showed up and he sent me a bunch of photos. I saw his rating, etc.

I emailed the buyer, a member. he also suspects and isn't paying. I hope they catch the scammer. I suspect the canoe is either still owned by Ross Bros or they know who they sold it to.

Maybe someone will see this thread and say, "hey that's my canoe"..And it's in my garage.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

"Maybe someone will see this thread and say, 'hey that's my canoe'..And it's in my garage."

I gather that's how it went with a Rice Lake that was fraudulently listed on eBay a while back. This Robertson listing went the full course of the auction because no pictures were posted that anyone could recognize.

 

[Dan Miller]

This is a common scam on Ebay. The scammer will save the text and (usually) the images), then post the scam auction 90 days or so later, after the legitmate auction has scrolled off the radar.

Usually a very low starting price and 0 feedback are good clues it is a scam. These should be reported to Ebay so they can be pulled. If I happen to know the owner of a particular item (like that Rice Lake Herald canoe that appeared several times) I will let them know as well.

It is always a good idea to ask the seller a legitimate question, such as an additional detail that could only be provided by someone with the object in their possession.

Be careful out there, it is a dangerous world...!

 

[Blue Viking]

CONGRATULATIONS for being such experts. I spent 40 years of my life in Law Enforcement and 30 of those as a criminal investigator and now realize that I didnt know what I didnt know!....... Coincidentally, there was a big thing on TV this morning about checks and money orders that will eventually bounce and the scammer gets a big chunk of cash from you before the bank returns it as no good....had one experience and got my suspicions up and did some follow up and didnt get caught....Like you say-"If its too good to be true, it usually is"

 

[JEM]

Did anyone find our for sure if it was a scam?

 

[Michael Grace]

It had to be a scam. I emailed Robert Ross at the beginning of the auction (as soon as I saw photos), but never heard back from him. That canoe was up for sale by Ross Bros. in the thousands. No way it would be offered at no reserve and $1 starting bid.

I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is a canoe scam on Ebay right now! No doubt at all!... see Ebay #260166801229. I reported this one to Ebay immediately.

 

[Dan Miller]

I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is a canoe scam on Ebay right now! No doubt at all!... see Ebay #260166801229.

Someone is sure getting a lot of mileage out of that one...!

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Scam or no scam, why would anybody place a bid on an auction w/o pics?
Especially from a seller with no feedback!

Dan

 

[Denis M. Kallery]

Odd

Ya know in an odd sort of way it is a real compliment that this canoe keeps coming up this way. Not that anyone needs the hassel. Must be the real eye catching nature of the canoe. Sure glad that there are a number of aware folks watching this catagory! Denis

 

[Dave Wermuth]

good work

the Rice lake scam went away. I emailed the crook and told him I was going to be in his neck o the woods and wanted to stop in a see the canoe. No reply, and now the ad is gone.
I think we may have the ability to provide a security service to protect buyers.