Two eBay Bidders To Watch Out For
nencoin
Posts: 1,240 ✭✭✭✭
Attention Sellers - I would strongly recommend blocking these two eBay bidders: 3190brad and 3511serge. For recommend others to block, simply view the feedback on these to fellas and block all others with whom they have done business. There's a pattern to the naming of their accounts, it seems.
3190brad almost got away with it - payment was sent through paypal and everything (AND we shipped the coin). Thanks to a very friendly and on-the-ball Internet Fraud investigator at the USPS, our coin was stopped mid-shipment and returned to us. Most sellers don't pay any attention to this, and I don't expect them to start now - but I'll say it anyway: this is why feedback should NOT be left just because an auction is paid for....wait until the transaction is completely done.
Chris
3190brad almost got away with it - payment was sent through paypal and everything (AND we shipped the coin). Thanks to a very friendly and on-the-ball Internet Fraud investigator at the USPS, our coin was stopped mid-shipment and returned to us. Most sellers don't pay any attention to this, and I don't expect them to start now - but I'll say it anyway: this is why feedback should NOT be left just because an auction is paid for....wait until the transaction is completely done.
Chris
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I thought you were going to say "Russ and Marty"
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NoEbayAuctionsForNow
Jerry
OK +2
<< <i>I thought you were going to say "Russ and Marty" >>
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Virtually brand new eBay account with no significant transactions under their belt (only bought a few Star Wars toys...this is 3190brad) buys a semi-generic gold coin. Pays immediately through Paypal from a Canadian account registered to a business name (unverified). Coin is shipped out via Registered Mail. Buyer is emailed confirming shipment of coin.
Very next day, a different and new eBay account (3511serge) uses Buy It Now on a semi-generic gold coin. Pays immediately via paypal, and mentions he was referred to us by his friend 3190brad, who appreciated our friendly service. A Canadian business address given.
Now, the above happened while I was away on vacation, or I would have caught the first one before it shipped. I return from vacation and start catching up on emails. I come across emails from both 'brad' and 'serge' and find them a bit odd...definitely written by someone whose first language is not English. I immediately check to see if either coin was shipped, and was dismayed to find first one was. Second one had not shipped yet. I compare addresses for the two, and they are the same. Address is in British Columbia and it sounds like a Mail Boxes, Etc. type of address. I contact local Post Office, and am told there is nothing they can do to stop the first Registered Mail package that went out. I get a hold of someone different at the USPS, in the Internet Fraud division. I explain the situation, they agree it's likely fraud, and tell me they will do their best to stop the package before it hits Canadian customs. The friendly and very competent woman called me back a few days later - they had stopped the package and were sending it back. She said the address is indeed a mail-drop style address, and that they are likely using paypal accounts with stolen credit cards.
I refunded the second paypal payment, and requested the buyer send a different form of payment. I of course have heard nothing from them. I can't even refund buyer number one's payment (now that I have my coin back) - the account seems to have been deactivated or something. So now I have to go through paypal to get that money out of our account, before the card is declared stolen and they freeze EVERYTHING.
Looking at the other accounts with whom these jokers have done business, you can see that they are likely bogus accounts - with the exception of robynsnest0. All others are named the same format: generic name and a series of numbers, and they're all regarding cheap toys.
While the first coin should never have been shipped (our shipper is still a bit inexperienced), I'm glad we didn't leave positive feedback simply because they paid. If we had, it's quite possible they may have tried their stunt immediately on a different seller, who may have seen our glowing recommendation and assumed it was okay to do business with these people.
<< <i>Hmm, I checked the feedback on both these guys. First, so far they have had no transactions relating to numismatics so this is really the wrong forum. Second, neither has negative feedback albeit they have virtually no feedback at all. >>
I'm simply warning other sellers of U.S. Coins about potentially fraudulent eBay bidders. How is this the wrong forum for that?
<< <i> I can't even refund buyer number one's payment (now that I have my coin back) >>
Sounds like you turned the tables on them - opps - except it wasn't their money to begin with
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My OmniCoin Collection
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Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
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Russ, NCNE
09/07/2006
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Al
<< <i>Hmm, I checked the feedback on both these guys. First, so far they have had no transactions relating to numismatics so this is really the wrong forum. Second, neither has negative feedback albeit they have virtually no feedback at all. >>
This is NOT the wrong forum. Anytime someone has valuable information like this, this IS the correct forum! Also, if you read nencoin's post again, you will see it IS in fact coin related. Thank you.
-YN Currently Collecting & Researching Colonial World Coins, Especially Spanish Coins, With a Great Interest in WWII Militaria.
My Ebay!
Further concern exists for both us and the other seller that once Paypal realizes the account is fraudulent, they will not only freeze that account, but possibly freeze all accounts that have been paid by that seller (I've heard horror stories of that happening before).
Most of you eBay sellers and paypal users know this, but for those that do not - be very careful when sending coins to NON-verified addresses. All it takes to create a paypal account is a credit card number and expiration date. You do NOT need the address for that credit card. So, unless you know the buyer and have done business with him before, I would not send anything to a non-verified address.
Chris
I'm glad they caught the package before it hit customs and lost forever.
Cameron Kiefer
Most of you eBay sellers and paypal users know this, but for those that do not - be very careful when sending coins to NON-verified addresses. All it takes to create a paypal account is a credit card number and expiration date. You do NOT need the address for that credit card. So, unless you know the buyer and have done business with him before, I would not send anything to a non-verified address.
That is absolutely the most retarded thing I have heard in my entire life! Why would PayPal not require the verification of the billing address on the card in order to associate it with an account??? I guess they don't care.
Anyhow, yes you're right about shipping to a non-verified address. There are certainly valid reasons for wanting to have an item shipped to a non-verified address, but be very cautious! I would say trust your gut, intuition, sixth sense, whatever you want to call it. If something seems fishy, it probably is!
<<<they are likely using paypal accounts with stolen credit cards.>>>
I swear I thought that was eBay sending me those email telling me to give them my cc, pin # and address or my account would be deactivated.
Who wooda thunkit?