Strange request - possible scam??

[tommyexpress]

I got the following message from a 'buyer' recently, and got it several times in a day, exactly the same.  Looks very much like a cut and paste that they send as a scam that I'm not savvy about.  Anyone have thoughts on a potential scam here?  It's very suspicious to me, especially since my listing offered a flat $2.99 shipping rate (item #333580379908) so why ask the shipping cost?  Thanks for your input!

Dear Seller.
l have recently had a few disappointing experiences with eBay.
I want to make sure this item is available and will ship to my aunt NAME REMOVED at:

STREET ADDR REMOVED
Nashua, NH (New Hampshire)
03060-6834
United States

How much will the shipping to the following address cost?

Sincerely,
NAME REMOVED from Israel, 17 years old.

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

At 17 yrs old he's not allowed on EBay. Ignore and block.

[dirk12955]

Rule #1   Anything out of the ordinary..........

[iowa_east_coast]

Only ship to the address registered with ebay. 

[nkmipgolf]

Yes it is the start of a scam. Anyone who starts off with "Dear Seller" and "ship it to my aunt". His whole wording is a feel bad for me and help my Aunt. He just wants to start off a conversation with you, gift cards for Auntie will be next.

[dirk12955]

Sometimes if reads like these thieves are all reading from the same script.    

[wastingtime101]

That's a candidate for your blocked bidder list (link).

[japan-treazures]

@tommyexpress 

This is the start of a scam. Avoid at all costs. Stop communicating with them. 

1. Never agree to communicate or deal with a user outside of eBay. You loose all of your protection and it is against eBay's policies. Buyers and sellers can't share contact information, including email addresses and phone numbers, prior to completing a transaction on eBay.

Here is eBay's link to outside transactions:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/payment-policies/offering-buy-sell-outside-ebay-policy?id=4272&st...

2. Never agree to pay or include gift certificates in a transactions. If you do you will loose all of your money and there is no way to get it back.  Anyone asking you to do this is scamming you!

Here are eBay’s links to info on scams: 

https://pages.motors.ebay.com/buy/security/index.html

https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes/online-vehicle-sale-fraud

Here is eBay’s link to report your gift card fraud:

https://pages.ebay.com/giftcard/terms_conditions.html

3. Never agree to ship to an address that is not registered with eBay or you will loose your protection and your item.

Hope this helps!

[muttlymob]

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@tommyexpress wrote:

Looks very much like a cut and paste that they send as a scam that I'm not savvy about. 

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It is a cut and paste.  Note this wording:  "I want to make sure this item is available".   They don't even name the item - instead using a generic term that is easy to cut/paste no matter what "the item" is.

One probable scam is if they get a response from you, they know they have a live one on the other end.  They may then try to get your PayPal email address to send a fake message that looks like a real payment.  Or they may try to get your phone number to send a text, also an attempt to send the fake payment message.

Ultimately the hope is that you send the item before realizing there is no payment.