Possible eBay fraud alert - UPDATED: Olympus BH-2
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
Possible eBay fraud alert - UPDATED: Olympus BH-2
If any of our members (and lurkers) are considering placing a bid on an Olympus phase contrast set that's currently for sale on eBay, you might want to take a look at another listing that ended almost one month ago, and which shares some remarkable resemblances to the item that's now being auctioned.
Last edited by PauloM on Thu Mar 03, 2011 1:11 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Upon reading your post, Paulo, I reported the resemblance to eBay. I've found that they are very quick about following up on these things. If they think the listing is fraudulent, it will suddenly be removed.
Ed, I think fraud is suggested by the fact that the photographs and description on the current item are clearly pulled from the earlier listing by a different seller. If the current seller purchased the original item and is reselling it, and obtained permission from the original seller to use his images and description, it could be legitimate. Or if the current seller obtained permission and made it clear that "file photos" are being used, rather than photographs of the actual items being sold. But the fact that the new seller has no feedback, and is in a place where pursuit of a grievance might be difficult for most buyers, adds suspicion.
Anyway, eBay can check it out, and if my experience is any guide, will do so quickly.
--Chris
Ed, I think fraud is suggested by the fact that the photographs and description on the current item are clearly pulled from the earlier listing by a different seller. If the current seller purchased the original item and is reselling it, and obtained permission from the original seller to use his images and description, it could be legitimate. Or if the current seller obtained permission and made it clear that "file photos" are being used, rather than photographs of the actual items being sold. But the fact that the new seller has no feedback, and is in a place where pursuit of a grievance might be difficult for most buyers, adds suspicion.
Anyway, eBay can check it out, and if my experience is any guide, will do so quickly.
--Chris
IIRC, the price was at a little over USD 180. No doubt it would have gone for much more after the last minute snipers had done their thing.
The listing had quite a few tell-tale signs that rang warning bells in my head, the fact that the seller was from Estonia and had zero feedback was probably the least of them. Estonia is a E.U. member country, so it's not a law-less place like Somalia, and as for the feedback, every seller has to start somewhere.
Rick, this thread has served it's purpose well, but I fear that from now on it's just going to take space. If it doesn't spark an interesting discussion on how to avoid being scammed, fell free to delete it if you'd like.
Cheers,
P
The listing had quite a few tell-tale signs that rang warning bells in my head, the fact that the seller was from Estonia and had zero feedback was probably the least of them. Estonia is a E.U. member country, so it's not a law-less place like Somalia, and as for the feedback, every seller has to start somewhere.
Rick, this thread has served it's purpose well, but I fear that from now on it's just going to take space. If it doesn't spark an interesting discussion on how to avoid being scammed, fell free to delete it if you'd like.
Cheers,
P
Thank you to Paulo for highlighting this!
The original item was sold by myself to somebody in France and did indeed go for more than $180.
The amazing thing is that they did not change any aspect of the listing. The photographs were mine, as was the description. Nobody seemed to notice that the auction was in USD, but the postage costs were in GBP.
I informed Ebay and they very quickly removed the item.
Paulo, I do indeed owe you a beer! Just let me know where you want me to send it.
Alex
The original item was sold by myself to somebody in France and did indeed go for more than $180.
The amazing thing is that they did not change any aspect of the listing. The photographs were mine, as was the description. Nobody seemed to notice that the auction was in USD, but the postage costs were in GBP.
I informed Ebay and they very quickly removed the item.
Paulo, I do indeed owe you a beer! Just let me know where you want me to send it.
Alex
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Even if it had not been fraud, such misuse of listing content is an Ebay misdemeanor so should have been reported anyway.Doc.Al wrote: The amazing thing is that they did not change any aspect of the listing. The photographs were mine, as was the description.
Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.
Hello Alex, nice to get in touch with you again.Doc.Al wrote: Paulo, I do indeed owe you a beer! Just let me know where you want me to send it.
I wasn't thinking of the original seller (i.e. you) when I mentioned the beer,
I was thinking of whoever was going to be the highest bidder of that
fraudulent auction, if it had come to its end. That person owes me a six-pack!
Still, i'm not a man to shy away from a free beer, so if you happen to visit Portugal,
please let me know so that I can take you up on that offer.
Cheers,
P
the thing that pisses me off about ebay is when the take down auctions they don't send you a notice or anything......and if you paid you have no evidence of the action ever existing because they delete everything..
..............................................................................
Just shoot it......
Just shoot it......