Is there a possibility of being scammed and if there is, how would the scammer scam me in this case?

[radz3714]

I have been back and forth on this for the risk to reward so here’s the juicy cliff notes: seller is (not surprisingly), 0 feedback with 1 month account. They are selling an item in healthcare (NOT business and industrial category), in an auction that no one is bidding on but the item has 1800$ shipping. If I got the item at current auction price, it would be around 15% of what this item would be worth new. Only 1 stock photo so I message the seller and ask for actual photos. They ignore my message. I call eBay support asking if there is any way I can end up getting burned since despite all the red flags, if it was legit, the deal is too good to not at least try. eBay support says if the item doesn’t come or is damaged I will get a full refund (including shipping). So far my only concern would be that if the item comes damaged, it is around 1000 pounds so I don’t know how to return it since I don’t have a forklift or truck to move it back to the delivery station. Interested in your opinion on this. (Red flags (item way too cheap, stock photo, no seller communication, seller account newly created with 0 feedback vs eBay support reassuring me I won’t lose my money if something goes wrong plus it’s not business industrial plus the deal if legit is too good to pass up on). What do you think? I am just trying to think of any angle I could get screwed over. (And what I have thought up is if the item is broken but so heavy I will have a hard time figuring out the logistics to ship it back). Thank you all and especially experienced buyers who can give me some insight on any angles that I could get burned in this transaction.

[annadryl]

This scammer has probably already made reservations at a very nice restaurant to celebrate his heist. He knows things are going as planned...

Radz Don't Feed This Thief!

[radz3714]

 @frankenhobbit I realized that and brought it up to ebay support yesterday and specifically asked if this would void my money back guarantee and the support agent said I was still protected by money back guarantee. Now of course this is all recorded and I also have all the phone chat reference numbers as evidence if something were to go awry. I would of course want to double check now that you've brought it up. I also spoke to another agent today and after extensive 1.5 hour talk they assured me about zip code scam, and the delivery back issue @mudshark brought up that it would be in my favor. Overall, their conclusion after taking everything into account (also apparently the seller saying they were calling from a different location than the item was a red flag according to the agent), they like everyone here said that it was best not to go through with this auction. I am still waiting on the seller's response to my zoom call request, so far they have not texted me back. So that's where we are. Please stand by for more details.

[reallynicestamps]

I wouldn't bid but:
The seller is new and therefore your payment would be Held by eBay against his performance for up to 30 days. (He can use the Held funds to buy a shipping label.)

The seller's fees are based on your total payment: selling price + shipping charged+ appropriate sales taxes. This means that he is not avoiding fees by moving his costs and profits into shipping.

You have 30 days from the last estimated date for delivery to file a Not Received Claim

Unless the seller can prove delivery (not shipping, delivery) you will be refunded.

You have 30 days from actual delivery to file a Not As Describe Claim.

The seller would be required to provide return shipping and refund on arrival.

If the seller refuses to provide return shipping, eBay will refund you and go after him for their money.

But there are red flags.

New seller of high value merchandise.

Playing smartie pants with asking price/shipping cost.

No response to questions - on a high value item.

And unrelated to the seller, you are no sure how to accept the shipment, since you have no method of moving it to its preferred location.

[reallynicestamps]

@radz3714 

but let's say the videos of this person's private life found online match what they said offhandedly on the phone at closing).

If you can find it, a scammer can find it.

[reallynicestamps]

A one and a half hour chat????

I repeat:  ???????

The phone reps have a terrible reputation for getting you off the phone as soon as possible even if that means giving you the advice you want to hear instead of the advice you need to have.


https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/ — Message button in upper right on landing page.

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/


https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/How-do-I-contact-Customer-Support/m-p/32016431#M1783851 -> Automated Assistant, type AGENT -> enter. You will then get more options.


The social media Chat accounts are covered by trained eBay employees with some authority.

And you get a transcript so you can compare what you heard with what you were told.

The phone rep didn't get a pee break or a coffee break all that time?
They have a daily quota of calls to complete. An hour and a half means quota missed.
I wonder who you were really talking to.


 

[radz3714]

@reallynicestamps How do I get the transcript of the phone conversation? Yes it was a little more than 90 minutes. I believe 93 minutes and some. I had a lot of questions and detailed follow up questions as well as having to bring up prior details from the reports on the past 2 calls regarding this sale. Did not want to leave any stone unturned and to reconfirm about ways I could end up getting scammed. I'm still wary based off the excellent comments from this ebay community so I have taken everything into account and made notes as well. Stay tuned.

[radz3714]

(edit: nevermind, I thought you meant you could get the phone transcript. you were talking about the chat transcript if I was to select chat with an agent instead of have an agent call you. got it).

[kathiec]

---

@radz3714 wrote:

@reallynicestamps How do I get the transcript of the phone conversation? Yes it was a little more than 90 minutes. I believe 93 minutes and some. I had a lot of questions and detailed follow up questions as well as having to bring up prior details from the reports on the past 2 calls regarding this sale. Did not want to leave any stone unturned and to reconfirm about ways I could end up getting scammed. I'm still wary based off the excellent comments from this ebay community so I have taken everything into account and made notes as well. Stay tuned.

---

You don't get the transcript. It would be meaningless if you did. You should never rely on information from the third-party contractor CS reps. I'm not clear what the point of this thread is anymore. Every single post has told you to not walk but run away. Every single one. Yet you continue to ignore us, completely overthink the whole thing, and blindly crash forward. Either we're being punked or you're eventually going to end up back here complaining that the transaction was a scam. But the blow-by-blow build up to that is honestly unnecessary.

[frankenhobbit]

I'm pretty sure that any legitimate seller would have blocked you at this point. 

[radz3714]

While I appreciate your comment @kathiec , should i end up completing the transaction, I will be updating this thread (assuming it stays open), on what happened and if I ended up receiving the product for a fraction of the price. I am still considering various factors and have some time left to decide. Wouldn't it be such a great story if it ends well? And if it doesn't end well, to all your mystery novel readers, this was quite a journey. Currently still waiting on seller to respond to me. Stand by.

Perhaps I am a bit naive since all of you have told me not to go for this deal but 2 weeks ago, I had gotten an amazing deal that was taken offline and seller and I ended up facetiming and ended up closing out a deal for a product that would have sold 3 times as high on ebay which saved me at least 8000 usd (based off 130pointsales.com sold item comparisons of ebay auctions/BIN). All in all, amazing deals do happen so never say never. This one surely has a lot of red flags but also some green lights as well. I've had a lot of close calls that turned out okay in life. And I think it's because I do good to other people. I believe in karma. It's real. Of course, I am still taking in a detailed description which is ever evolving and considering all scenarios and to be prepared for all contingencies. This deal sure has the makings of a scam but if it is the 1 in 100 chance it comes out legit, then I would save 50,000 usd. which is quite a lot of change if you think about it since this is money after taxes. At least half a year of most people's salary.

Of course I'm not going to jump into this as some have suggested without making sure there is little to no chance of loss on my end other than some time and of course the hassle. Either way, I and everyone else who is invested in the discovery of the result of this story will either reconfirm what they already know from their experiences in life or perhaps learn something new 😜

[kathiec]

Perhaps I am a bit naive since all of you have told me not to go for this deal but 2 weeks ago, I had gotten an amazing deal that was taken offline and seller and I ended up facetiming and ended up closing out a deal 

Also apparently naive enough to admit a blatant violation of eBay rules on a public forum.

[radz3714]

The funny thing is that prior to me closing out this amazing deal 2 weeks ago, a seller had sent me an offer by mistake (some kind of ebay glitch) on a 16,000 usd item for under 6000 usd. I accepted but then he cancelled on me. The seller messaged me when he cancelled the offer that there was no way he was going to let the item go for that amount and it was a mistake on ebay's side and told me that it was probably the "deal of my life" I decided to let it go and not leave that seller negative feedback even though I could have (that seller had hundreds of feedbacks with 100% positive so it would have mattered). Anyways, I let it go since I'm not petty. And then a week later, I get an even better deal that ended up saving me 8000$ from prices sold from ebay on that same package. So who would have guess? I always try to do right and let little things go and I don't hold grudges. Seems like it's worked out okay for me.

[radz3714]

@kathiecWell in that case it wasn't my fault since the seller sent me their phone number. Pretty sure, that wouldn't make me culpable. According to ebay policy it could void your money back guarantee but from speaking to ebay representatives (and according to a few of you that they don't tell the truth), it isn't a problem. Now that particular transaction went well since we were both stand up honest individuals. But I suppose it may have been a factor if the transaction had a problem. Either way, that wasn't the issue in that particular transaction so no harm no foul 😉

[radz3714]

I appreciate your feedback but you come off as very cynical @kathiec.  I honestly don't know why you've got it out for me. If you don't enjoy the flow of information, you don't have to bring all this negativity to a free flowing conversation. That's all we are doing, having a conversation, and I invite you to contribute. But no need to cast stones unnecessarily. If you don't like or wish to not participate, you can always not participate. I don't think anyone would have an issue with you not replying. Hope your day is going well. Cheers!

[radz3714]

I think what I will do is see if the seller responds to my zoom call invite. I'll wait for a day. If they don't then I will have to let this item go.