Ebay fraud?

[Chicky]

Thanks for the help.

[BOYD1981]

i just did a google search and came across similar situations involving laptops, nigeria and bidpay, it seems as though it is a scam.
here's a link to a post on an ebay forum about it (i googled 'is bidpay safe?')
http://forums.ebay.com.au/thread.jspa?threadID=100072863start=120&mod=1129353318344

edit: i got even more results about it when i searched for +bidpay +nigeria

[Traveler]

If  I were you, I'd promptly report them to eBay. If you really stated that you accept only paypal/check/mney order then you are fine by refusing to accept some unknown company. If they bought your laptop with the stated conditions, it's their responsibility to pay for it. The police threat makes it all the more likely that they want to coerce you into sending the laptop before receiving payment.

[Chicky]

.

[ManicMatt]

*Reads only the very first email sent to chicky*

Bloody hell that sounds like it was taken from the "Nigeria's guide to writing con letters to people" book.

I would have ignored that email the second I had read it!

"Hello Seller" and "I am interested in your item" are clear tell tale signs of mass duplicated emails that they would send out to loads of people.

They don't even mention what the item is! They spelt Scotland wrong. If you were moving to another country I'm sure you'd have seen it spelt right by now.

*reads the rest* Strewth most of these emails they've sent you sound pre-fabricated. I bet they have a whole list of ready to send emails!

They try every psychological trick in the book, making you fell guilty about their 'son' not getting a laptop in time, and as previously mentioned the police threat.

I'm glad you weren't fooled in the end. I'd just report them and not speak to them ever again. To me it's so obvious that it's a con, I'm surprised it went as far as it did.

Please be more vigilant! Ã, :o

EDIT: you've just posted something and i have yet to read it...

[Darth Mandarb]

I like your reply to her ...

However, I would have gone down this road instead:

The Powerbook Prank

If you've got a few minutes read the entire article.  I was on the floor laughing.  Even if it's not true, it sure makes me feel good to read it.  If more people would get their heads out of their arses these kinds of scams wouldn't work.  Unfortunately, like SPAM, they do work.

I sell on eBay regularly and get these kinds of scam requests all the time.  I put in my ALL my auctions "PayPal only" and then, in the fine print, "I will accept personal checks and money orders BUT ALL ITEMS WILL NOT BE SHIPPED UNTIL FUNDS HAVE CLEARED".  Then, no matter what they say, I tell them I will not ship until I have the money.  They don't want it like that?  Fine, don't bid.

In the end, you did the right thing.  But keep in mind, you anger this scammer too much, they might do to you what the powerbook scam's [deserving] victim did to the seller!!

Though it'd probably be worth it!

[Chicky]

To be honest Matt i'm a trusting person. I don't expect someone to have the heart to simply steal from someone else like that. It's act's like that which send you to hell, how on earth they get the guts to do something like that i don't know.

I gave them the benifit of the doubt, but there was no way i was sending off my laptop without getting the money first.

Oh, and by the way they've just deleted their ebay account and i got all my seller fees back.


*edit*

Darth, just read your reply.

I read that powerbook prank a while back when it was posted on these forums (i think?) that was something that was in the back of my head when i was writing those emails back to the girl, but like i said. I trusted her.

never again i say! I'm going to become a cold hearted arsehole from this day onwards!

[evenwolf]

Hey chicky, did you ever sell your laptop?

I have a nephew in Columbia who would love a laptop for christmas!

[ManicMatt]

never again i say! I'm going to become a cold hearted arsehole from this day onwards!

Welcome to the cynical side, Darth Chicky! (Sorry I was watching star wars)

[Barbarian]

Yep, it's a total scam... I remember reading some news article about it a while back. some people make a living doing this pathetic scam crap:

This first link goes to a thread almost identical in format to the scam you mentioned:
http://answercenter.ebay.com/thread.jsp?forum=23hread=810021904

And more similar stuff:

http://www.joewein.de/sw/fraud-western-union-bidpay-ebay.htm

http://www.badbusinessbureau.com/reports/ripoff168362.htm

http://forums.ebay.com.au/thread.jspa?threadID=300014734start=0&mod=1133131921756

Ã, tons more links I could post here, but a quick search on google will give you links to all the info about this scam.

Ã, The scam is quite similar in format to the infamous Nigerian "419" scam:
http://www.419eater.com/html/419faq.htm

[TheYak]

While you may find yourself having to deal with an escrow service in the future (they hold the money and item and send both), they usually have you send the item to their address.  If they direct you to send to the buyer's requested address, use a phone or e-mail correspondence to clarify the situation. 

Paypal protects your purchaser as well since transferring funds requires some amount of personal information, I have no qualms about using them unless the item exceeds $500 or so. 

I was going to recommend you back out until I saw that you'd found out what you needed.  Not only does it reek of several scams I've read about, dealing with people living in the UK, moving to Scotland and not being native English speakers (the language structure's very similar to a Russian fellow's English that I hear from occasionally), while requesting you ship to Nigeria (versus them which would be instantaneous comparitively, no way it'd hit Nigeria before the 2nd week of January).   Too sketchy. 

[Mr Flibble]

PPPPPPowerbook Prank!

One of the best things I've ever read. Ever.

[Czar]

But what happened to that guy Jeff in the end?

[Darth Mandarb]

But what happened to that guy Jeff in the end?

I heard, through the inter-web grape vine that he was fine ... that he stayed under the radar to prevent the people he tricked from coming after him.

Of course, it might all be a scam.  Something sombody cooked up to generate traffic to their website or something ...

[Chicky]

Guess what guys! I've got another email from our beloved Michelle:

NAME REDACTED,

I guess, we have quarel enough and this is the time to reconcen, all what you are saying are not trust Okay. I just want to buy this item for my son, i have my own laptop which my company give to me that i am using.

But you since to understand how pains it's when i have made payment for the item and telling me again that you dont accept Bidpay, It takes me alot of money to make the payment with bidpay and i dont even know if it's because of the Xmas that makes them take alot of money from me which was used in making the payment with them. I have try to talk today that you need the money before you can send the item out if they can send you the money so that you can post the item to my son because i have already promise him a gift for the christmas.

And they said,  That can not do Or i have to signed incase if my son did not see the item or the seller ran away with the money and the item, it has to be my risk.

But was thinking many things in Bidpay office because you have insalt me which i did not even expect from anyone in this life and i was really angry. They said that, if you are ready to sell the item and ship and get back to them with the shipment information for confirmations, they will deliver your money to urgently so that you can you fill wherever the money come from.

I love this laptop and know it will not be too much expensive for my son that is why i click on buy it now. but you since to understand how bidpay work and you call me (SCAM) Well, i forgive you in the name of the lord my saviour who make me and you see today.

I am still waiting on your reply.

Merry Xmas to you and I wish you and your family the best of celebration time.

Mrs.M.White.


Now, give me a smart, clever thought provoking reply to send the guy.  

[ManicMatt]

Don't waste your time. Please!  :

[monkey0506]

Dear Mrs. White,

    Please forgive my outburst.  I did not mean to attack you like I did, but I only wish to prevent myself from being scammed as I have heard of such things happening before.  Thank you for your understanding, and I do not wish to terminate this transaction at this point.
    I understand your desire to give your son something for Christmas which he will enjoy, as I too wish to give something to my daughter for Christmas.  She is only five years old, so the laptop would not be a good present for her.  Having recently lost my job it would be nice to be able to give her a decent Christmas dinner at the very least.
    If you wish I could send the laptop to yourself so that you can then forward it to your son.  In order to do that I would need your home address and telephone number.  Your telephone number would be required so that if there is a problem with shipping you can be contacted.
    Please contact me as soon as you can with the new shipping information because I need the money.  I hope that we can put our conflicts behind us so that we can both get what we want.
    Sorry about all of this mess and inconvenience.  Merry Christmas to you and your son.

Sincerely,





NAME REDACTED

Not even sure if you have kids or whatever, but maybe it will make "Mrs. White" feel sorry for your "daughter."

[EDIT:]

Do waste your time.  Ignore Matt.  Waste your time.  And make a P-p-p-powerbook of your own.  That would show these morons to grow up and quit being so stupid.  It's about like hacking a game, only they're hacking the game of life.  It's not cool, it's not going to get them anywhere good in the long run, and people are tired of this crap.

[Mr Flibble]

Wait, wait, wait.

Your name is NAME REDACTED?

[Akumayo]

I think you should definately waste your time, and go with monkey's reply, it gets the job done quite well.

[monkey0506]

Unwait.  Unwait.  Unwait.

Yes, his name is NAME REDACTED.  Or at least that's the name he's used throughout the transaction with "Mrs. White."  If you're confused because of the gender, he's a guy.  Just because his name is "Chicky" and he has a hot Asian chick (LOL) for his avatar doesn't take away from his manliness at all.

And I'm pleased to hear that my reply gets the job done quite well.  Or at least "doen."