Ebay help

[Greenman]

I'm thinking about buying a small tractor off of ebay, and found a heck of a deal, it's almost to good to be true. I e-mailed the seller, he says it's all on the up and up and just wants to get rid of it. I was wondering if a few of you sharp fellows would mind looking at the auction and tell me what I'm missing, if anything.

link.
http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Kubota-Tractor...oQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

 

[Heisenberg]

There's no way I'd buy anything that expensive off Ebay without checking it out in person first.

 

[meltdown75]

Well... he doesn't have any recent sales of anything on his feedback. This would turn some buyers off IMHO.

edit: good point Heisenberg

 

[ArJuN]

Hmm...are you close to him? If so, yea, check it out. It is expensive...but then again who would scam people out of a tractor? Seems like something that wouldn't be in demand...then again..he might be a genius like that. Best bet would be to check it out, and if you do win, pay him in with a check or something traceable when you pick it up.

 

[kmrivers]

I am gonna call scam.

This: "I cannot get in touch with you if you use " Ask a seller question " option ,
so please contact me directly using this form:"

He wants you to use his special form so he can sell it to your outside of eBay. There is no reason should not be able to get in touch with you if it is his account and you email him inside eBay.

He is also saying you have to be on the pre-approved list. Which is a technicality so that if you do bid, he cancel it for no reason. Giving you incentive to contact him outside of eBay so he can scam you.

Back away from this auction.

 

[Greenman]

All good points so far, I love having a 24/7 brain trust.

A little more info. He'll do a "buy it now" for $3900. The machine and trailer as it sits is worth at least $12k, and that $3900 price includes shipping.

It seems like the only way I could be certain of getting the machine would be to fly to Texas and take possession myself, a pain, but worth it if it's a real deal.

Kmrivers, any idea how I could verify that this guy really owns the machine?

 

[kmrivers]

Not unless you go to him physically. The low BIN is a dead giveaway too.

The fact that you are not allowed to bid without contacting him and that you have to contact him outside of eBay would be enough for me to walk away. I have never given a second look to an auction like that, nor will I contact someone outside of eBay about an item I will buy.

Think about this: If this is really his eBay account why the heck would he not be able to get his messages if you email him within eBay?

Answer: There isnt one and this isnt his account. This is a tactic by those who hijack accounts to move the sale outside eBay so there is no legal record. The auction will be taken down, it is just a matter of time.

Even though it is a good deal, I say walk away.

 

[ArJuN]

If that includes shipping...that's a scam.

 

[Greenman]

It does sound to good to be true, I'll walk away from this one.

Thank you all for your advice, you prolly saved me 4k.

Started looking around, the guy has 20 or 30 tractors listed, all at insane prices.

I'm just to trusting to bother with ebay.

 

[JulesMaximus]

The guy goes from buying stupid little crap like bookmarkers, jumpsuits for children, a bible and some hand cream to selling a tractor? No way...no fvcking way.

He has very little in sold items...most of his feedback is from sellers and the only recent stuff he's bought is stuff that costs well under $50.

Nobody sells a $12,000 tractor for less than 1/3 of what it's worth.

Scam...

 

[kmrivers]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
The guy goes from buying stupid little crap like bookmarkers, jumpsuits for children, a bible and some hand cream to selling a tractor? No way...no fvcking way.

He has very little in sold items...most of his feedback is from sellers and the only recent stuff he's bought is stuff that costs well under $50.

Scam...

Yeah I was going to point that out. I thought the other evidence was enough though. Never contact someone outside of eBay

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Greenman
All good points so far, I love having a 24/7 brain trust.

A little more info. He'll do a "buy it now" for $3900. The machine and trailer as it sits is worth at least $12k, and that $3900 price includes shipping.

It seems like the only way I could be certain of getting the machine would be to fly to Texas and take possession myself, a pain, but worth it if it's a real deal.

Kmrivers, any idea how I could verify that this guy really owns the machine?

1) The unit seems to be in Florida.

2) Get the sellers name and then on your own find a phone number.

3) Ask from which dealer he purchased the tractor.

4) Call the dealer and verify the tractor sale.

This info should take you no more than a half day.

You can fly into Orlando or West Palm Beach/FortLauderdale and be at the location within a hour drive.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: kmrivers

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
The guy goes from buying stupid little crap like bookmarkers, jumpsuits for children, a bible and some hand cream to selling a tractor? No way...no fvcking way.

He has very little in sold items...most of his feedback is from sellers and the only recent stuff he's bought is stuff that costs well under $50.

Scam...

Yeah I was going to point that out. I thought the other evidence was enough though. Never contact someone outside of eBay

Yeah, that is a dead giveaway. I usually start with seller feedback and if the item they are selling seems out of the ordinary for what they usually buy/sell I don't even bother to look any further (on something like a vehicle anyway).

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Greenman
It does sound to good to be true, I'll walk away from this one.

Thank you all for your advice, you prolly saved me 4k.

Started looking around, the guy has 20 or 30 tractors listed, all at insane prices.

I'm just to trusting to bother with ebay.

With that many tractors; then it would have to be a scam. Look at the item descriptions.
You may wish to alert E-Bay on him.

 

[Greenman]

OMG!! Look at all his listings!! 350 big ticket items. Prolly 500k worth of goods! Does ebay not even look at what people list? He's running a HUGE scam. Ebay should be shut down for allowing crap like that to happen.

Oops, the 350 listings are from another scamer I just found, not the first one.