jackal Posted March 10, 2008 Share #1 Posted March 10, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Short version is that there is an individual or group of people at the moment who are selling a lot of Leica gear on ebay through hijacked or false accounts. There was a few auctions that ended last week (a 24mm and an M6) and a quick flick through ebay today reveals the same individual (or someone doing a very similar thing) selling more stuff. All the signs are there, item located in Austria, no paypal, possible dormant ebay account or very new ebay account, seller cannot provide any further pictures on request, will not accept escrow and has uses a "fake" email address at gmx.at by simply setting up an email account there with teh same name as the real ebay account holder. These 2 auctions for example are different users but the replies to questions came from the same person/email !: 270218386639 170200529815 I also suspect 170200529815 to be the same and will know more soon so just to say, be very careful I know most people dont even bid unless there is paypal option but just to keep you up to speed, the telltale signs are: item located in austria bank transfer only possibly free postage bank name does not match with ebay name or original email name sparse wording and very poor english (the fraudster 99% won't be german so don't expect good english) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 10, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 Hi jackal, Take a look here EBAY hijacker at large ... BEWARE. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
chris_tribble Posted March 10, 2008 Share #2 Posted March 10, 2008 Thanks for the headsup. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoskeptic Posted March 11, 2008 Share #3 Posted March 11, 2008 I realize that this makes me a bit paranoid, but I NEVER respond to an ad outside the USA. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted March 11, 2008 Share #4 Posted March 11, 2008 I've done a good share of buying and selling Leica gear on E-bay, and I never had any problems. Unfortunately there are scam artists on E-bay but these are not too difficult to spot, just like this one. Thanks for the head-up. Cheers, Wilfredo Benitez-Rivera Photography Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_panko Posted March 11, 2008 Share #5 Posted March 11, 2008 I was offered a 'Second Chance' deal on a Leica lens that I had bid on. It was totally bogus but looked very real. Same symptoms of no Paypal and the seller was in the UK on vacation and needed cash. E-bay closed it down quickly when I reported it. The demand for Leica gear is too high which makes it a great scam for criminals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick De Marco Posted March 11, 2008 Share #6 Posted March 11, 2008 Maybe it's this same guy who was offering a cheap Leica MP that I nearly went fro before being better advised by the wise old sages of this forum http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/film-forum/47087-you-can-only-read-if-you.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWC Posted March 11, 2008 Share #7 Posted March 11, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) I once received a second chance offer for a lens I purchased on eBay and had in my possession. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashwinrao1 Posted March 11, 2008 Share #8 Posted March 11, 2008 I got baited on a fraudulent Noctilux sale a few months back. It was a paypal auction actuated through an hijacked account in Ohio, wired through a separate corporation who was handling the money transfer deal through PayPal. Needless to say, my money somehow ended up wired to an account in Russia... Unfortunately, PayPal credited me $200 for my attempted $3,700 purchase, and said the case had been closed in my favor!!!!! Regardless, I immediately called my credit card company, who credited my account, and saved my cheese.... I am much more hesitant about ebay now, purchasing only from accounts located in the US with documented positive feedback (of camera gear) as a seller, and a near 100% feedback rating. While this limits my purchasing options slightly, my piece of mind is much better attended to. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 11, 2008 Share #9 Posted March 11, 2008 I got baited on a fraudulent Noctilux sale a few months back. It was a paypal auction actuated through an hijacked account in Ohio, wired through a separate corporation who was handling the money transfer deal through PayPal. Needless to say, my money somehow ended up wired to an account in Russia... Unfortunately, PayPal credited me $200 for my attempted $3,700 purchase, and said the case had been closed in my favor!!!!! Regardless, I immediately called my credit card company, who credited my account, and saved my cheese.... I am much more hesitant about ebay now, purchasing only from accounts located in the US with documented positive feedback (of camera gear) as a seller, and a near 100% feedback rating. While this limits my purchasing options slightly, my piece of mind is much better attended to. It is high time someone with a deep pocket sued the pants off eBay and Paypal and went for a large amount of punitive damages as well. Both these allied companies are happy to take your fees but totally abrogate their responsibility and wriggle out of any claim, when something goes wrong. Some years ago, I bought a "mint" Minox C, which turned out to have been both dropped from a considerable height (the lens was cracked) and immersed in salt water. eBay both did nothing to solve the situation, allowed the trader to keep on trading and even permitted him to leave bad feedback on me, after I reported him to eBay, when he refused any refund on the wholly useless and irreparable camera. I still use eBay but I recognise that I am wholly on my own and in the event of problems, do not expect any help from either eBay or Paypal. I always try to use a credit (not debit) card, so that I have recourse under UK laws. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 11, 2008 Share #10 Posted March 11, 2008 I realize that this makes me a bit paranoid, but I NEVER respond to an ad outside the USA. Eh- Are Americans more honest that the rest of the world? In this day and age crookism is worldwide I fear. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippe D. Posted March 11, 2008 Share #11 Posted March 11, 2008 Hi, Short version is that there is an individual or group of people at the moment who are selling a lot of Leica gear on ebay through hijacked or false accounts.Thank you for this announcement.But you know, eB is waiting for his customers to do the job. In such case, it is much faster and more decicive to drop a mail to eB at: eBay Help : Contact Us - Fraudulent listings ... - You suspect that a listing is fraudulent ... - [Continue] - Email us, and then enter the item numbers Usually, it takes only a few hours till they cancel those items. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted March 11, 2008 Share #12 Posted March 11, 2008 Eh- Are Americans more honest that the rest of the world?In this day and age crookism is worldwide I fear. No Jaapv but IF I get taken and eBay/PayPal does not make it right I WILL DRIVE to that persons house or store and get my satisfaction, one way or the other. Can do that if I buy from overseas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted March 11, 2008 Share #13 Posted March 11, 2008 You may find it's a bit faster to fly to Europe or the Far East than it is to drive to LA from Atlanta. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackal Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share #14 Posted March 11, 2008 Hi,Thank you for this announcement.But you know, eB is waiting for his customers to do the job. In such case, it is much faster and more decicive to drop a mail to eB at: eBay Help : Contact Us - Fraudulent listings ... - You suspect that a listing is fraudulent ... - [Continue] - Email us, and then enter the item numbers Usually, it takes only a few hours till they cancel those items. wrong i'm afraid, certainly in this instance I reported this to ebay long before I came on here with it... the auctions are still up there fighting fit and I bet they will be there till the end In my experience ebay are notouriously slow dealing with these cases. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 11, 2008 Share #15 Posted March 11, 2008 No Jaapv but IF I get taken and eBay/PayPal does not make it right I WILL DRIVE to that persons house or store and get my satisfaction, one way or the other.Can do that if I buy from overseas. I'm just a bit sensitized to this because an American store refused my Amex card as "Non-American" ....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapp Posted March 11, 2008 Share #16 Posted March 11, 2008 I realize that this makes me a bit paranoid, but I NEVER respond to an ad outside the USA. Should we tell you some USA E-screw stories. You are never save. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwfreund Posted March 11, 2008 Share #17 Posted March 11, 2008 I'm just a bit sensitized to this because an American store refused my Amex card as "Non-American" ....... I just canceled a Visa card because it too frequently blocked my card or refuses to do a transaction due to "security" concerns. refusing to... 1) transaction at a very nice pen shop in Tokyo 2) emergency replacement camera after I had dropped my M8 in Prague 3) a lens hood in Munich Several more similar issues. The whole credit card fraud issue has made them too frequently unusable. What is a frequent traveler to do? -bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoskeptic Posted March 11, 2008 Share #18 Posted March 11, 2008 eBay has always been a buyer beware type of enterprise. Perhaps I should have said something along the lines of only buy in your resident country or one you feel safe with. I am especially mistrustful since someone in the UK stole my identity for spurious listings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackal Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share #19 Posted March 11, 2008 170200529815 taken down ! the others will come down soon as well I think Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 11, 2008 Share #20 Posted March 11, 2008 I just canceled a Visa card because it too frequently blocked my card or refuses to do a transaction due to "security" concerns.refusing to... 1) transaction at a very nice pen shop in Tokyo 2) emergency replacement camera after I had dropped my M8 in Prague 3) a lens hood in Munich Several more similar issues. The whole credit card fraud issue has made them too frequently unusable. What is a frequent traveler to do? -bob For Internet VISA now has a system called "3D" which gives the user an option to approve internet transactions, instead of Visa themselves. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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