Example of a common Ebay scam and how to avoid it.

CabbageThing

Im currently selling a guitar on ebay. I received an email from a buyer stating they had taken the buy it now option and wanted to buy the guitar for the father , and ship the guitar to a Polish address.
After an initial email from myself, here is the second email I received from them:
"I was just about to make the payments when i had this little problem with the picking up of the item , I am currently on sea and i am buying the item for my Dad as i explained earlier on and i tried to book pick up with my pick up agent, but they asked me to pay first before they can make the booking, and they only accept western union money transfer for payments and they dont accept paypal or bank transfer and I tried to send the money online but i couldnt and I am on sea and there is no way i can find a western union agent to make the transfer to my pick up agent, so i wanted to ask if it was ok for me to include my pick up agent's fees in the payments I am about to send through paypal, my pick up agent charged GBP 400 plus insurance and all 'o that, pls can i include their money in the payments I want to send then after i have made the payments you will help me forward the GBP 400 to my pick up agent through western union money transfer, this I would have done myself and not bother you but the for the fact that I am currently on sea, so after I have made the payments you will help me send GBP 400 to my pick up agent through western union money transfer, I just wanted to seek your consent before going ahead with the payments,I will more than appreciate if you mail me back, and I will be making the payments shortly.

PS:the shipping company's Head quarters and any pick up fees to be paid is sent to their head quarters by the payee, so the moneyfor pick up will be sent to their head quarters through western union money transfer(this can be done from any post office) at westernunion.com or money gram"

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Has anyone ever experienced a similar story like this through ebay?

ttm

CabbageThing wrote: »

Im currently selling a guitar on ebay. I received an email from a buyer stating they had taken the buy it now option and wanted to buy the guitar for the father , and ship the guitar to a Polish address.
After an initial email from myself, here is the second email I received from them:
"I was just about to make the payments when i had this little problem with the picking up of the item , I am currently on sea and i am buying the item for my Dad as i explained earlier on and i tried to book pick up with my pick up agent, but they asked me to pay first before they can make the booking, and they only accept western union money transfer for payments and they dont accept paypal or bank transfer and I tried to send the money online but i couldnt and I am on sea and there is no way i can find a western union agent to make the transfer to my pick up agent, so i wanted to ask if it was ok for me to include my pick up agent's fees in the payments I am about to send through paypal, my pick up agent charged GBP 400 plus insurance and all 'o that, pls can i include their money in the payments I want to send then after i have made the payments you will help me forward the GBP 400 to my pick up agent through western union money transfer, this I would have done myself and not bother you but the for the fact that I am currently on sea, so after I have made the payments you will help me send GBP 400 to my pick up agent through western union money transfer, I just wanted to seek your consent before going ahead with the payments,I will more than appreciate if you mail me back, and I will be making the payments shortly.

PS:the shipping company's Head quarters and any pick up fees to be paid is sent to their head quarters by the payee, so the moneyfor pick up will be sent to their head quarters through western union money transfer(this can be done from any post office) at westernunion.com or money gram"

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Has anyone ever experienced a similar story like this through ebay?

RUN AWAY

IT'S A SCAM

You will end up paying them with your own money as anything they send you will be fake/stolen/conterfit

Common scam slightly new angle/story

Just google a chunk of the email's text like this and you'll see its a scam

jor el

My shipping agent and Western Union are terms that are only ever used by scammers. Add in a convoluted story about being away either travelling or working away from home, and buying it for someone else and you have a 100% guaranteed scam.

Sting him on for a while if you like, but you should immediately contact eBay to say this is a scam buyer, and get your fee credit back. Then re-list, and set your payment method and shipping locations.

Max Power1

jor el wrote: »

My shipping agent and Western Union are terms that are only ever used by scammers. Add in a convoluted story about being away either travelling or working away from home, and buying it for someone else and you have a 100% guaranteed scam.

Sting him on for a while if you like, but you should immediately contact eBay to say this is a scam buyer, and get your fee credit back. Then re-list, and set your payment method and shipping locations.

+1
Who legitimately uses a "shipping agent" or western union anyway

You would wonder how people think this (and scams of its ilk) could ever possibly not be a scam!

liu83

Well, in some countries western union (despite their enormous fees) would the be the only possible option to send the money abroad but obviously in this case it is a SCAM.