How can you detect an ebay hijacked auction??
roadrunner
Posts: 28,371 ✭✭✭✭✭
I ask this question because I was the high bidder on a fairly rare and expensive US gold coin (NGC) that has a blue sheet wholesale value of $6500 sight unseen. The coin sold for over 30% less. I know the seller could pick up the phone and dump this coin for $6000+ to any major dealer in the country. Possibly get $7-9K if actually nice.
I don't see any signs that the account is hijacked but the fact that the coin sold for so little and the reserve was set at a value equal to one grade LESS....really bothers me now. The seller also seems very anxious to get his money as he provided bank wire info as the preferred method. They also have a 5 day policy to receive payment or the "coin will get relisted." I've never seen anyone so anxious to relist a coin. The US Postal Service can't even guarantee 5 day delivery to many parts of the country. This just seems odd.
The whole thing is starting to smell. I sent ebay an email but don't expect any response. Is there a way they can confirm the seller's account is still legit? Even so, would you as a seller set a reserve on say a $20 Lib in NGC MS65 (value $3000 sight unseen) at $900............less than the price of what a 64 is worth sight unseen ($1050)? Other than a stolen coin or hijacked account what could account for this? I could buy the case of a reserve not set at all in error. But this amount was picked by the seller. Note that I did bid much higher on this coin, closer to the blue sheet value. It's possible the coin slept by everyone....but not likely as there were several other bidders too.
roadrunner
I don't see any signs that the account is hijacked but the fact that the coin sold for so little and the reserve was set at a value equal to one grade LESS....really bothers me now. The seller also seems very anxious to get his money as he provided bank wire info as the preferred method. They also have a 5 day policy to receive payment or the "coin will get relisted." I've never seen anyone so anxious to relist a coin. The US Postal Service can't even guarantee 5 day delivery to many parts of the country. This just seems odd.
The whole thing is starting to smell. I sent ebay an email but don't expect any response. Is there a way they can confirm the seller's account is still legit? Even so, would you as a seller set a reserve on say a $20 Lib in NGC MS65 (value $3000 sight unseen) at $900............less than the price of what a 64 is worth sight unseen ($1050)? Other than a stolen coin or hijacked account what could account for this? I could buy the case of a reserve not set at all in error. But this amount was picked by the seller. Note that I did bid much higher on this coin, closer to the blue sheet value. It's possible the coin slept by everyone....but not likely as there were several other bidders too.
roadrunner
0
Comments
Do you have a link to the auction? If you want to investigate it you can try the eBay search function to look for similar auctions and if the exact pic shows up elsewhere.
roadrunner
hijacked accounts frequently have no selling activity in last couple months and are selling something they have not been involved with before
check the guys feedback - do you recognize any of the other ebayers? if you do, they still may have the persons name and address
call up the bank and see who has the bank account -
I am not positive, but feel an eBay accoint can have email and address changed but not persons name
if bank account and ebay account have different names, ask why (so you can tell the FBI)
Request the seller's contact information through the ebay site and call him/her.
I wouldn't complete the transaction without some serious assurance things are legit. I wonder if it would be possible to arrange for the seller to take it to a nearby dealer who you could make arrangements with to complete the deal. If everything turns out to be legit, it would be worth paying that dealer a hundred for acting as a middleman.
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
His feedback is 100% and the sellers are quite varied with high FB numbers too. I do note that up until August of this year the seller has only bought via ebay. His first 4 sales ever are 4 auctions of comic books (one of these was an $8000 early Batman the rest all over $1000). This is his first coin however. Cannot tell what the guy was buying. There was no activity on the account since Sept 2003....then bam....4 quick sales this past August. Smells a little bit.
But I could also see the guy not even being into coins and having this one coin show up. It does not appear that the guy has been buying any coins on ebay as the sellers he has bought from only handle knick knacks, computer stuff, cheap antiques, etc. Smells even more.
roadrunner
Were I the winning bidder, I would offer to pay for all additional fees to include extra money for USPS or FedEx overnight delivery so that the seller will receive his money quickly.
There is no LEGITIMATE reason the seller should not agree to this as it will cost him nothing.
PCGS, ANACS, & NGC Certified Coins on My Website.
Thank you,
Just Having Fun
When someone steals someone else's ebay identity (usually by phishing for his/her password) and uses that account to fraudulently attempt to sell an item that he/she does not own.
RR,
A link to the auction would be helpful, but I understand your wanting to protect your ebay privacy. Russ is the master at detecting and confirming this, and perhaps contacting Russ by PM, you can get his opinion.
Russ, NCNE
At least you had the Forum to go to before you lost a big chunk of money!
I have learned quite a bit on the forum and from people I met here.
This is a GREAT place!
Brian
I LOVE
But did tell the seller I would still go thru with the transaction as long as a 3rd party (major dealer we both know for example) handled the deal. But something tells me this guy doesn't know a single coin dealer in the world.
I'm beginning to realize that my days at ebay are numbered. You can hardly tell the scams from the real thing. Too many bullets to dodge and not a whole lot of upside really.
roadrunner
HI, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME OUT AND TELL ME WHATS GOING ON THIS THIS SELLER THAT YOU LEFT NEG. FEEDBACK ON. I BOUGHT A BOOK FROM HIM FOR $3,676.90 AND ITS STILL A NO SHOW. HE RECIVED PAYMENT AND CASHED CHECK ON 8/29.
LOOKS LIKE I HAVE BEEN TAKEN!
THANKS, BRIAN
Looks like this comic collector got taken back in August. Ebay sent me a letter Friday stating that the account was suspended pending investigation. Duh! I told those guys 2 days prior to check into this and all they sent was form letters for more information.
I did leave Neg FB for the seller stating the acct was hijacked to stop further bidding on any auctions that popped up. But it does look like at least 2 people were taken.
Roadrunner