Saw a car I was interested in last night, very cheap (so I was on my guard) but not SO cheap that it was definitely dodgy.
Emails with "seller" this morning had alarm bells deafening me (he's on an oil rig...) But, if you're not on your guard it was all plausible.
The scam is you're supposedly buying through ebay protection scheme, and he will now confirm you as buyer with ebay and you get an email from them - with details of where to make your bank transfer.
The biggest alarm bell is that you've now moved off ebay for payment.
The "eBay" email was actually fairly good, layout, icons etc. But plenty in there to notice, especially if you're sceptical anyway!
- an odd looking fax number
- a personal not business name on the ebay protection account
- the statement "fax at" not "fax to"
- an email address that doesn't end ebay.com
- support in the email address spelt suport (for those who think teaching spelling doesn't matter - that was part of what saved me from being scammed!)
So that's the background. I didn't fall for it, but I could really see how people could.
My gripe with eBay?
They sent an email saying to say they'd deleted the listing,fairly long but starting: "Listings may be removed if the listing, item or seller breaches an eBay policy. For privacy reasons we can't tell you exactly why we ended the seller's listings."
AIBU to think that without breaching privacy or calling this a scam, they could say something like "we remind you that ANY emails that claim to be from ebay (including regarding payment protection scheme) will be copied to your email message box - if they are not, they are fraudulent".
With their really bland email, I think a buyer could just think "oh, it's been deleted because seller has cancelled it as I'm buying it". I know my husband would think like that. The warning bells wouldn't be as loud for him! (I know this as he was nearly caught in a similar scan a few years ago until I stopped him!)
It also - right at the end, in a template kind of way, easy to skip over - said if you've paid in your bank, try to stop the payment. AIBU to think that should be highlighted at the start?
The other thing, is googling for the scam. Once the "seller" started on about payment protection program, I googled that phrase and 'scam'. There is an ebay guide, on the official ebay site, warning that this is a scam. But the guide is written by a member posting. AIBU to think that user content is all very well, but these common scams should have ebay written warnings about them?
I even think they could print a message automatically at the bottom of every description, first with the warning about transactions off line but also to highlight that buyers should check ANY "ebay" email with their ebay messages box, and if it is not copied there, consider it fraudulent.
Once again though - if it looks too good to be true, it usually is!
Just think ebay could have done better (and have mailed them to say so)
