Ebay: Ordered a laptop, recieved an Argos catalogue!!

Ste_C

No, you still don't get it.

It's not about warning people of being scammed. It's about naming and shaming so that people buy elsewhere.

This scammer might have an ebay shop for example, regardless of whether everything he sells through ebay via the proper channels is all above board, I'd still rather he didn't get my money.

soolin

What if the account is hijacked and the scammer is not the seller..problems like that is why naming and shaming is not allowed on here. The legal implications are far too wide ranging.

StaffsSW

The problem with naming and shaming on a site like this is that it is VERY easy to sully the name of an innocent party, which is why there is a policy against it, and MSE has been on the receiving end of legal action on this subject.

Have a google for "Charles Phillips Auctions" to see the power of MSE than can be easily abused.

marty1888

zenseeker wrote: »

I need some advice for my Brother-in-law...

Last week he tried to win a laptop on Ebay, it ended without him being the high bidder, but the seller emailed him and offered to sell him one privately at the same price, an offer that he accepted and sent a cheque (:rolleyes:).

This morning he received a package, it was a laptop sized box containing nothing more than an Argos catalogue and the return address proves that it is the seller trying it on...so...

Where can he go from here? Obviously PayPal/Ebay are out as it was all done privately, but is there a claim with the small claims court? My concern is that the seller has a receipt from DHL that proves he posted something, and there is little that my Brother can do to prove what was in the box.

Cancel the cheque, say it was stolen. Not the best route to go down but hey your BIL will get his money back.

soolin

marty1888 wrote: »

Cancel the cheque, say it was stolen. Not the best route to go down but hey your BIL will get his money back.

See post 41.

POSSETTE

Soolin could you please clarify the 2-4-6 quote please? I did hear of it before but cannot recall the details.
I am currently discussing whether a chq can still bounce even though you have had "clearance "from bank,and withdrawn the money. This may answer that.

Chippy_Minton_2

POSSETTE wrote: »

Soolin could you please clarify the 2-4-6 quote please? I did hear of it before but cannot recall the details.
I am currently discussing whether a chq can still bounce even though you have had "clearance "from bank,and withdrawn the money. This may answer that.

- 2 days - banks must credit interest after two days (from date of deposit). Some banks already beat this anyway, but it's now becoming mandatory.

- 4 days - four days after paying in, you can draw against the money deposited. Again, some banks already beat this.

- 6 days - if the cheque has not been detected as fraudulent or stone, and stopped by the banks within six days of you depositing the cheque, THEY take the loss if it turns out to be dodgy, not the customer.

POSSETTE

Thought so,thank you. there was a time when you could find out after 5 months or so, that the chq was dodgy,and it would bounce even if you had drawn the cash out.The bank would put you in red regardless.

soolin

POSSETTE wrote: »

Thought so,thank you. there was a time when you could find out after 5 months or so, that the chq was dodgy,and it would bounce even if you had drawn the cash out.The bank would put you in red regardless.

I can't remember exactly when it changed, sometime late last year I think.I am sure someone will have a better memory than me and recall the date.

Under the old rules a cheque could bounce for months, I had one bounce after several months of being cleared.

Poppy9

soolin wrote: »

Turn that about then.

If someone doesn't read the warnings, doesn't understand what sending a cheque to an unknown person actual risks, and doesn't bother protecting themselves in any way you imagine they will actually search the internet and find a thread on MSE with that scammers ebay ID?

Therefore no point in posting a user ID.

Even the most normally careful person can get caught out. You may think it will never happen to you but it might. Con artists operate so well and for so long not because all their victims are stupid but because they are blooming good at what they do.

A few weeks ago I won an item on ebay and the seller asked me to amend the paypal account I paid by just adding the letter "s" to the name. I'm careful and I even posted on these boards for opinion etc. Ebay were not much help, nor were paypal. I was in the position that I had won the item and paid the paypal account on the listing but the seller had mispelt the paypal account. In the end I had to make a judgement and the seller seemed geniune and it was for less than £4 so I amended. She could have just been a con artist though.

It is human nature to trust people. My OH is a police officer and he sees people who have been conned and are so upset with themselves for trusting "such a nice man/woman".

Re naming and shaming. I am well aware that we only ever (well mostly) one side of the story. I think if people find themselves in a similar position to the OP they could PM him for seller's ID.