"Hi, will you please commit a crime for me?"

topstuf · January 10, 2005 2:02AM

How many of you have gotten an auction reply such as this:

"Hello, I am happy to win you 'xxxxx' on nice auction. I send
you money now. You send me 'xxxxx' marked as 'gift' so I no
have to pay customs fee."

I don't know about you, but it doesn't exactly thrill me to be
part of a "customs fraud."

I would like to send this thread to eBay to have them make
this practice a violation of their policy and have any bidders
who ask this be placed at risk of losing their eBay account.

If you agree that it is NOT a good idea to:

1. Have a record of the sale
2. Know that a record exists of asking you to lie on a customs form
3. Have your SIGNATURE on the fraudulent form
4. Have a cashed payment instrument in your name
5. Have to try to EXPLAIN it if asked about it

then please add your comment to this thread.

I'm tired of reading item descriptions that ask buyers not to request
fraud. If it were eBay ....POLICY.... buyers might stop asking.

I would like to make it a poll, but only CU members can see a poll.
So I would like to send eBay the ...link... to this thread so they
can see that allowing this practice is not in the best interests of them

or their users.

Also, if you know exactly WHERE it should be emailed to eBay to get
the attention it needs, please also post that.

If you DISAGREE with this post, I would appreciate your NOT posting to
this thread as it would dilute the intended message.

If you think sending items as "gifts" is acceptable, please post your
opinion on this ..differing... thread:

Link

Thanks.

Koinlink · January 10, 2005 2:06AM

I agree. I'm not sure anyone would pursue an investigation for a one-time offender BUT I sure wouldn't like the idea of having the item
confiscated or any other related hassle that could occur. Better to be honest.

dthigpen · January 10, 2005 2:07AM

I happen to agree with you.

JadeRareCoin · January 10, 2005 2:24AM

I have had this request made many times before. I just mark each package as "commercial sample" (which it is) and either "collectible souvenir" or "collectible". A few times I have put "collectible coin", but that makes me nervous. Let's face it: some foreign post offices are plagued with fraud and theft problems.

ms70 · January 10, 2005 2:27AM

<< Let's face it: some foreign post offices are plagued with fraud and theft problems. >>

So are ours.

AuldFartte · January 10, 2005 3:04AM

<< Better to be honest.

>>

Report the slimeball to Ebay. Not that they will DO anything about it

Russ · January 10, 2005 3:28AM

I've never gotten a request like that.

Russ, NCNE

mustangman7 · January 10, 2005 3:37AM

But even if you do put that it is a gift, don't you also have to put down the dollar value so they still know what it is worth if they want to charge duty?

I do not see an item going to an individual from an individual as being a commercial sample? Sample infers that you are giving it to them for the purpose of trying to gain more repeat business?

The choice of checking off documents does not cover it and your only other choice is "Other". What would that infer?

I have always just checked off gift and put down the value that I sold it for and have never even thought about it until now? Have I been doing something illegal? I declare the value so would it not be up to them to decide if they want to charge duty?

K6AZ · January 10, 2005 3:46AM

This is precisely why I do not ship out of the US any longer. I got tired of (mostly Canadians) demanding that I mark items as "gifts". I had one even try to tell me I was responsible for his customs fees! You can block international bidders by going to your My Ebay selling preferences.

topstuf · January 10, 2005 3:55AM

Russ, sell a foreign coin or an antique toy.

THEN you'll get a message like that.

Russ · January 10, 2005 3:58AM

<< Russ, sell a foreign coin or an antique toy.

THEN you'll get a message like that. >>

No, I wouldn't.

Russ, NCNE

Barry · January 10, 2005 4:06AM

My last international auction contained the following test in the description:

The declared value on Customs and Insurance forms will be the auction closing price. Please do not ask me to lie about this. Customs fees are charged by your country and are your responsibility, if charged.

Plain enough?

K6AZ · January 10, 2005 4:09AM

<< My last international auction contained the following test in the description:

The declared value on Customs and Insurance forms will be the auction closing price. Please do not ask me to lie about this. Customs fees are charged by your country and are your responsibility, if charged.

Plain enough? >>

Yeah, except I would venture to say over half the buyers on eBay don't bother to read the description. I ran 25 auctions last month clearly stating I would not accept PayPal payments without a confirmed address. I received five PayPal payments with unconfirmed addresses.

morgannut2 · January 10, 2005 4:44AM

I neither buy nor sell on Ebay, but why are you required to do anything at all in terms of paperwork? If I send something to my very por niece for her birthday while studying in Italy, is there actually a stupid form????

Elcontador · January 10, 2005 4:47AM

I delete all mail from unknown addresses without opening or viewing it.

mustangman7 · January 12, 2005 7:24AM

I just returned from my local post office which I go to every day and I mailed a package to Australia. I asked them what I should check on the Customs form and 'THEY TOLD ME TO CHECK GIFT!" for a poster to I sold on Ebay. If the post office tells you to check gift, how can it be illegal to do so? You still have to declare the value and state what is in the package?

topstuf · January 14, 2005 2:58AM

I would check the post office again. That SOUNDS like they just don't KNOW so they are telling you SOMETHING.

I just took two customs forms over to the post office and it was comical to see the clerk run his pen down the form like he was "checking" it.

There is probably no danger from checking "gift" but it just doesn't set right with me in this Kafkaesque world we now live in where "entrapment" is considered a legitimate law enforcement tool.

I check "Other" and fill in "Sale" cuz that's what it is.

And never expect a postal employee to remember or admit that he/she TOLD you anything. THEY are not signing the form.

Russ · January 14, 2005 3:01AM

<< clearly stating I would not accept PayPal payments without a confirmed address. I received five PayPal payments with unconfirmed addresses. >>

I have unconfirmed addresses blocked. Problem solved.

Russ, NCNE

mustangman7 · January 14, 2005 3:21AM

The person who I spoke too at the post office has worked there for over 28 years and he specializes in foreign shipments. That was why I asked him so when he gives me an answer, I tend to believe what he tells me.

Your point of checking "OTHER" and listing sale sounds like a fine answer but my question was about checking "Commercial Sample"? How is an individual selling something on Ebay a commercial entity? I thought that since you had started this thread you would have had the exact and corret answer instead of a guess and a personal opinion. I was searching for facts and have since acquired them elsewhere.

Unless otherwise asked, I will remove myself from this conversation due to a couple PM's That I have received.

Happy Coin Collecting to all and to all a Good Day!

"Hi, will you please commit a crime for me?"

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&quot;Hi, will you please commit a crime for me?&quot;

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"Hi, will you please commit a crime for me?"