eBay help PLEASE-Is this a scam?

[ChiSoxFan]

Please help me on this situation I'm in selling something on eBay. I haven't done it very often and this seems shady. I am selling my Sony PSP along with all the accessories and games I have. There's like 6 days left on the auction and this guy emails me saying he offers $460 via Western Union and he wants it shipped right away. I've never used Western Union and don't know how to end an auction early like that, or if I even can end it early to accept his offer. Is this some sort of scam? Please help. Here is the note he sent to me below. Thanks in advance.

Dear seller, .I saw this item much covertable to what i need .So i'll like to know if its in a perfect working condition.i really need this item very urgent.i will offer you $460, i will pay you through western union money order,stating that funds has been approved and confirmation by the western union,Basically i will handling the shipment with my personal shipping account with fedex courier service.so kindly provide me your valid contact name and address and your valid phone number so that i can forward it to western union so that they can proceed on the payment confirmation right away,i need your respones ontime...THANKS

 

[Zaitsevs]

scam


scam scam scam



DO NOT do any business out side of ebay, you have NO protection.


A LOT of scammers want western union, and they do it ' in europe'


or some countries east.

I'm telling you, just don't pay attention to him.


or wait

play with him.

email him and get it ' all setup'

and then screenshot and show us the emails of confirmation that he sends.

 

[ChiSoxFan]

Thanks. I also just checked his feedback and he's pretty new to eBay and only has bought one thing so far. I sent him a note back so lets see what he says.

 

[KarenMarie]

If there is time left on the auction, let it run out.

99 out of 100 times that someone is asking you to end an auction early is for questionable reasons. Either they know it is worth a lot and they want it for a little, or it is a scam.

My guess is that this is a scam. Either ignore him, or alert eBay.

 

[drinkmorejava]

Yeah, it's a scam all the way; I'd play with him though and ship something obnoxiously heavy; what does it list his country as?

 

[DrPizza]

That's one of the most common types of scams. It apparently works because so many people are greedy.

Keep the item listed on ebay. Have fun toying with the scammer.... Maybe you can reply with:
"I have a guy down the street do all my ebay stuff for me. He said he's going to charge me $5 for bothering to take the auction down early. Perhaps I can reach a compromise with you? If you can send me a $5 bill now, when it arrives, I'll pay my friend to take down the auction. For your inconvenience, I'll reduce the price by $20 and I'll ship it as soon as the $5 arrives. Please send the $440 within 3 or 4 days though, I can't be out that much money for very long"

 

[Golgatha]

Scam.

 

[ChiSoxFan]

It says he's from Minnesota, USA. This really makes me mad that there's scammers like this out there. His user name is masterchristophertom2051 and when I searched him it says he's also used a name 4087doug which doesn't come up as anything. I really should send him a super heavy box to be a jerk but it's just not worth my time.

 

[Captante]

Its almost certainly a scam, as others have already said... I've heard of people pulling this crap here in the US.
Howver since he IS here in the US, tell him to pay in advance with a postal money order, then you could cash it at the PO before you ship.

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: ChiSoxFan
It says he's from Minnesota, USA. This really makes me mad that there's scammers like this out there. His user name is masterchristophertom2051 and when I searched him it says he's also used a name 4087doug which doesn't come up as anything. I really should send him a super heavy box to be a jerk but it's just not worth my time.

He may claim he's from Minnesota, but chances are he's going to want you to ship it overseas. The only money you'll get from this guy will be fake and you'll end up getting burned. Just delete his emails and move on.

Edit: Some scammers (and this doesn't seem too widespread yet) are "hiring" legitimate US residents to buy things for them, then forward them out of the country. The US middleman gets a fake check from the scammer, which they use to pay the seller. The seller sends them the item, then the middleman sends it off to the scammer.

I don't think that is the case in this instance, more than likely the scammer just put in false profile information.

 

[Sundog]

Originally posted by: ChiSoxFan
It says he's from Minnesota, USA. This really makes me mad that there's scammers like this out there. His user name is masterchristophertom2051 and when I searched him it says he's also used a name 4087doug which doesn't come up as anything. I really should send him a super heavy box to be a jerk but it's just not worth my time.

Do you know where in Minnesota? He may be close to me.

 

[BigJ]

If it was a Western Union Wire Transfer, then I would have no problems doing it assuming he paid first before I ended the auction.

A Western Union Money Order? No fvcking way.

 

[DeadByDawn]

Basically how this scam works is that he'll send you a fake email from western union that a money order is being mailed to you, and he'll send fedex over to pick up the item. Once you figured out that you've been scammed your item is already in Lagos, Nigeria

 

[teddyv]

Scam - tell him just to wire the money by Western Union and once you have cash in hand you will send it.

$50 says you never hear from him again. Remember ANY paper instrument can (and with eBay increasingly *is*) counterfeited.

 

[Paulson]

Originally posted by: Sundog

Originally posted by: ChiSoxFan
It says he's from Minnesota, USA. This really makes me mad that there's scammers like this out there. His user name is masterchristophertom2051 and when I searched him it says he's also used a name 4087doug which doesn't come up as anything. I really should send him a super heavy box to be a jerk but it's just not worth my time.

Do you know where in Minnesota? He may be close to me.

You're in Minnesota too eh? I'm in Hutchinson or Granite Falls depending on if it's the week or the weekend.

Anyways, stupid ebay scammers. Just lead him on and scam the hell out of him.

 

[Trikat]

If he wants it shipped out of Country then play with him.
But if it is going to be shipped in the US, then I don't know what advice to give you except the fact Western Union is typically used by scammers.

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: Trikat
If he wants it shipped out of Country then play with him.
But if it is going to be shipped in the US, then I don't know what advice to give you except the fact Western Union is typically used by scammers.

Well, Western Union is typically CLAIMED to be used by scammers.

If they actually did send money via Western Union, you have little to worry about.

The problem is, all they do is send you an e-mail pretending to be from Western Union stating that the buyer has deposited the funds and it is safe to ship the item to him. As we all know, Western Union in real life doesn't sent out e-mails in lieu of cash, and doesn't act as a go-between for buyers and sellers.

For the OP, I'd tell him you'll end the auction when you recieve and verify payment. If he's legit, you should be able to walk down to Western Union and pick up your cash. If he's a scam artist, you'll only get a fake e-mail from Western Union, or fake money order.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Originally posted by: Golgatha
Scam.

 

[Tu13erhead]

What's so hard to understand?

If you have to ask, it's a scam.

 

[tfcmasta97]

200% scam

 

[Al Neri]

rule of thumb

if you post on this board asking if its a scam.

it's a scam

 

[imported_KuJaX]

are you really that stupid to read that and not realize that it screams SCAM?

I guess there is a very small percentage of morons that this works to.

 

[ChiSoxFan]

Originally posted by: KuJaX
are you really that stupid to read that and not realize that it screams SCAM?

I guess there is a very small percentage of morons that this works to.

No need to be an ass about it, I just asked for some advice and said it seemed like a scam. I haven't sold much off of ebay and was hoping for some help. Thanks for calling me stupid though :| Very helpful.

 

[lrad50]

NO ITS PERFECTLY LEGIT!

NIGERIAN TRADERS FTW!

/sarcasm

 

[ChiSoxFan]

Back on topic, I just got another email from the scumbag. I think I'll mess with him now because of his persistence. Here's his email below. I'm going to string him along and maybe ship him a huge box of rocks.

"Hi,you can stop the bidding for the ite now i need the item urgently i want you to know that western uinion will deliver your money to you at your address ontime and you will receive payment confirmation and you will be able to track the status of your money online ,,get back to me with your contact information so that i can forward it to western union once to proceed on the payment ...i need your response ontime ..regard"