motor fraud

[billy311dr]

in december 2017, i was the victim of a fraud, thinking i had bought a mercedes 220. i was guided through a fake paypal live chat and lost nearly £5000. today, 21/1/17 i saw the same car  (same pictures, same description etc) so i reported it to ebay. it looks like it was then taken off the listing by ebay. several hours later...IT'S RELISTED !!! different user name and location, but the same car!!! ebay are quick to use their get out clause when it comes to claiming, but it seems cannot stop these crooks ripping people off. surely they have the technology to recognise identical photographs and descriptions?

[legitimate_bidder]

The scam which you fell for probably had nothing to do with the REAL Ebay, nor the real car and it's actual owner. The scammers get pics and VIN numbers, etc. of real cars, off of the internet, and simply represent that they are selling those cars; just as they use the Ebay/PayPal name and graphics to make it look like you are dealing with the legitimate websites.

You've probably just reported some perfectly innocent legitimate owner who is trying to sell HIS own car (probably for a lot more money than what the scammers wanted) and who has no idea that the pics and details of his car were being used by scammers.

It's just like when I look on the local Craigslist, I'll often see the VERY same vehicle with the very same pictures, listed in several ads....sometimes right next to each other! And of course, always at a too-good-to-be-true price.

Once, i saw 2 scam ads for a backhoe, for "$2500"- LOL. A spaces down, the real seller was advertsing the REAL backhoe....for the real price of $28,000.

[billy311dr]

the photos are the same, the description is the same. and it is a classified ad on ebay. i called them and the police today over it. ebay pulled the ad. it came back with a new user name a few hours later. both todays ads are users who only joined ebay in the last few days. with no feedback. the car as advertised may well have been sold legitimately at one time. but the last 3 listings i have seen are a scam. what is the point of telling ebay over and again about this. some poor schmuck, like myself, will think they have purchased a car, and be 1000's out of pocket. and soon....it will happen again...and again! ebay should not let ANY transaction take place out of their jurisdiction. that means ALL ads, auction, buy it now and especially CLASSIFIEDS should HAVE to have the money pass through paypal. that would mean folk's money would be protected. alternatively, payments for classified ads should be paid ONLY by paypal, and held until goods are delivered/handed over. that way the scammer's ability to accept payment is rendered useless because the buyer would have to tell ebay or paypal all is well. the classified ads are un-policed and uncovered by any money back guarantee, and that is WRONG!! ebay will not take resposnsibility for a service they provide AND GET PAID FOR!!!! in effect they accept the payment for the ad...and the customer is on his own!

[legitimate_bidder]

Even so, there is no way for Ebay to tell who is a scammer, vs. who is legit. Someone could just be reporting their competitor's ad as a scam, etc. And plus, there is no real protection on vehicles...and no protection at all on ones lsisted as classifieds, any more so than there'd be if you saw a classified in a newspaper. It is up to YOU to protect yourself. It's no different than if you saw a classified ad in a newspaper far away, and sent the seller money.

I can't even imagine what it must be like to lose that kind of money....I guess that's why I'd never send money to a complete stranger where there is no protection.

How exactly did you pay? If it was via a tracable method, you may be able to at least go after him for fraud/wire fraud/theft by deception,. But don't count on it- these scammers are usually pretty clever.

[billy311dr]

it was a fake paypal link. looked so real. my point is that twice in a day i reported the scam, and twice in a day the scammers posted the exact same ad, under a new user name....it's the fact that i am trying to prevent someone else getting ripped off and ebay can't monotor the pics, description etc and block it. i described a simple and logical way of preventing such fraud and i;m sure it would help....but the scammers just start a new account and carry on. 

[alcoforever]

Sellers have been defrauding buyers, and vice-versa, for thousands of years.    There is no way to stop it.

You have to protect yourself.   Had you gone and looked at the car before paying, you wouldn't have been taken in.

[legitimate_bidder]

But how would Ebay know if YOU were telling the truth? "Ebay, I've been scammed by this guy." ebay: "Oh, O-K, we'll block him forever".

Even if it had been a real PayPal link...there is NO PROTECTION for vehicles through PP, and no protection for anything via the classified format. Like I said, it's just as if you responded to a classified ad in a newspaper. The newspaper has nothing to do with it; you have to ensure that everything is legit.

If it was a phony PP link, how exactly did they get payment from you?