Rampant eBay Fraud from China

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May 8, 2017
1,593
1,627
Sugar Grove, IL, USA
There has been talk of this issue in other threads and Brian Levine mentioned it in his most recent podcast, but I want to highlight the problem with its own thread.
There is a crook based on China who is creating new eBay seller accounts and creating listings for fine pipes at ridiculously low Buy It Now prices and free shipping. They always have zero feedback, too. The worst part is that they're stealing photos and descriptions from well known, respected sellers, which potentially damages their businesses.
I encourage you to take a few minutes each day for the next couple of weeks to help fight this. What I have been doing is searching for "pipe", filtering for pipes/estate, Buy It Now, located worldwide, sorted by Newly Listed. The fraudulent listings are easy to spot. Once you find one, click the Report This Item button. I just pick fraudulent listing activity categories. The eBay app on Android seems a little buggy as it forces me through the same dialogue twice before I see confirmation that the item has been reported.

 
May 8, 2017
1,593
1,627
Sugar Grove, IL, USA
Here's an example:
Screenshot_20171112-084756-X3.png

Screenshot_20171112-084805-X3.png

Screenshot_20171112-084813-X3.png


 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,065
Carmel Valley, CA
Appreciate your service in pointing this out, but still am unclear on how the scammers can get paid- doesn't the Bay have safeguards? . (Academic curiosity only.)

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,831
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Appreciate your service in pointing this out, but still am unclear on how the scammers can get paid- doesn't the Bay have safeguards? . (Academic curiosity only.)
Scammers get paid through PayPal or other means. By the time the buyer realizes that he's been had, the money is released and withdrawn from the scammer's account. Depending on international banking regs, it's often unrecoverable. It's a large crooked world we live in.
I just reported another one this morning. Unfortunately, eBay doesn't really offer a straightforward way to report fraud unless you can certify that you are actual law enforcement. And even then, it's pretty flimsy.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,065
Carmel Valley, CA
Thanks, Jesse. I guess that's one more reason I am not drawn to the Bay. More intrepid souls are, I guess. Or I am just lazy.

 
Jul 28, 2016
7,564
36,058
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
who would think he is in reality getting a flame grain Barling from a seller with zero feedback for only $ 20, me not,and I've been in Ebay with more than 500 transaction, yet when I was selling something on Ebay they kept my money on hold during two-three weeks till the moment the buyer receives his item.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
The ads will get more clever and harder to detect. If I bought on ebay, this would be a reason to reduce purchases or stop using it. It's a reason to support our sponsor online retailers and local brick-and-mortar shops. Every mistake buyers make only encourages these scams.

 

aquadoc

Lifer
Feb 15, 2017
2,044
1,522
New Hampshire, USA
Ebay is perfectly safe if you do your due diligence. If the item is high value, ask for a photo of a specific part or view. Do not use new sellers for expensive items. Ie, zero or low feedback from China should be a huge red flag for an item deal too good to be true.

 

weezell

Lifer
Oct 12, 2011
13,653
49,163
Thanks, Jesse. I guess that's one more reason I am not drawn to the Bay. More intrepid souls are, I guess. Or I am just lazy.
YES! And it is plural,We are just lazy...

 

paulfg

Lifer
Feb 21, 2016
1,565
2,929
Corfu Greece
yep I had an alert of a comoys 699 for sale for buy it now of 20 something bucks.

It was an account that has been mentioned before using the name coopers in the title.previous time it was a pipe that had been sold by Rob Cooper aka coopersark this time it may be the one recently finished on ebay

Definitely dodgy it had been withdrawn by the time I looked for it,again China

Of course you can register an account giving any location and China post taking time is probably a good place to do it even if you are not actually there, as it will be at least 3 weeks before you realise you have been had

 

jorchamp

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 21, 2016
102
0
I bought some computer cables from China. They fell apart the first time I connect them. No bargains from China.

 

joeman

Can't Leave
Mar 6, 2016
310
36
South Carolina
I've been reporting each one I find.
I agree with Aquadoc. If you know what you're looking at, and do your eBay homework, you'll be fine. I've been on the bay for 17 years. I also agree though, with supporting fellow members here.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,568
15,208
SE PA USA
There has been fraud on eBay of the type described here as long as I have been active on it. Which has been about 15 years. Watch seller's info and feedback, use your noggin, and you'll be alright. FWIW, reporting apparent fraud may make you feel better, but it does little to stop the perpetrators. They open accounts faster than eBay closes them. Why do you think it is that all of these listing are made from accounts with zero feedback?

 
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