YAET: Am I being scammed?

[yhelothar]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7380022530

Someone just did a buy it now on my auction. There are a few reasons why I am suspecting the buyer to be a scammer. But then again, I'm very paranoid now since I've been scammed once before.

1. My Buy it now! price was very high, about $150 higher than what the item usually goes for, but then again, no one else posts high quality pics as I do.
2. His address is a PO Box. That raised red flags for me right away.
3. He gained his 10 rating from buying a lot of low priced items in a short amount of time.

He does have verified paypal though. Am I relatively safe here? I asked him for his home address and phone number.

 

[imported_Mike]

Confirmed address?

 

[Vette73]

Ask for a REAL address and a REAL phone number that you can look up.

http://www.anywho.com/rl.html

If the number and address match up then call it and tell him/her it is on the way. Use Fed-Ex with tracking and require the signature.

 

[jiwq]

His address is verified at a PO Box? I thought paypal doesnt do that.

 

[imported_Mike]

He has bid on 3 other flutes...his bid history doesn't scream scammer. He mostly bids on <$5 items.

 

[wedi42]

he also won this flute recently

btw, you need to give me some tips on taking such nice pictures

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Why would you set a BIN so high? You paid extra for nothing then.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: johngute
he also won this flute recently

btw, you need to give me some tips on taking such nice pictures

Reserve not met though so OP couldn't contact the seller for any info.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Mike
He has bid on 3 other flutes...his bid history doesn't scream scammer. He mostly bids on <$5 items.

How do you check someone's bid history?

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: Mike
He has bid on 3 other flutes...his bid history doesn't scream scammer. He mostly bids on <$5 items.

How do you check someone's bid history?

Advanced search, search by bidder, check box for auctions that have ended within the last 30 days.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Why would you set a BIN so high? You paid extra for nothing then.

😕
Elaborate?

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Why would you set a BIN so high? You paid extra for nothing then.

😕
Elaborate?

You pay extra in fees for a buy it now auction. If you set a buy it now price so high that you thought no one would bid on it...why waste the money?

 

[jiwq]

Just have him send the money then immediately withdraw it to your bank.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: johngute
he also won this flute recently

btw, you need to give me some tips on taking such nice pictures

Thanks.
I just took the pics with my SLR with the item on my window sill at morning where the sun shines directly onto the item with a slightly warm cast. This is the best lighting. I mostly use a 50mm F/1.4 prime, or 35mm F/2 prime to shoot. I use extension tubes to get closeup.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Why would you set a BIN so high? You paid extra for nothing then.

😕
Elaborate?

why would you set a BIN price knowing it's $150 higher than the average price? Only an complete idiot is likely to legitimately use it, and more often, a scammer or deadbeat will use it and you end up having to relist. And it costs you extra to use BIN.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Why would you set a BIN so high? You paid extra for nothing then.

😕
Elaborate?

You pay extra in fees for a buy it now auction. If you set a buy it now price so high that you thought no one would bid on it...why waste the money?

It only costs 25 cents. Who cares?

 

[jiwq]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Why would you set a BIN so high? You paid extra for nothing then.

😕
Elaborate?

why would you set a BIN price knowing it's $150 higher than the average price? Only an complete idiot is likely to legitimately use it, and more often, a scammer or deadbeat will use it and you end up having to relist. And it costs you extra to use BIN.

OP said:

1. My Buy it now! price was very high, about $150 higher than what the item usually goes for, but then again, no one else posts high quality pics as I do.

 

[Mo0o]

PO BOX doens't necessarily mean scam, I"m in college and I have a POBOX for USPS mail

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
PO BOX doens't necessarily mean scam, I"m in college and I have a POBOX for USPS mail

Yeah I know that.. but most scammers hide behind PO Boxes to hide their identity.

 

[yhelothar]

OK She emailed me her PO Box address again, but she gave me her phone number.
I called it, and said I was Mike from the flute auction, said said I'm not interested and hung up. 😕
So she gave me a fake number?

 

[yhelothar]

OK she sent me the wrong number, it was a typo, since the last digit was off by one number. I looked it up on the white pages Marlin suggested earlier(thanks!), and the address matches up with the PO Box, except that address has no PO Box. So somehow, the PO Box is at her house? 😕
Well I'm glad I got everything cleared up. Thanks for all of the advice.