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Is this legit?
BARGAINHUNTER!
Posts: 848 Forumite
Im in need of some advice.
I saw a vehicle advertised on ebay motors advertised as a classified ad. You could not bid on it, it was contact the seller only. The seller had just registered and had 0 feedback.
I was interested in the vehicle, so I contacted the seller via ebay saying I was interested. The seller responded to say that the vehicle was still for sale and I gave the seller my email address. I said that I was interested in the vehicle at the price advertised, and the seller said that he would send me an invoice via ebay and asked for my address. He said that he would deliver the vehicle to me.
An invoice from ebay appeared in my email asking me to pay via moneygram. On checking the site, ebay do not recommend this payment method. I then noticed that the seller was no longer a registered user on ebay. I contacted the seller and asked him why he was no longer registered. He responded by saying that he had had some problem with ebay fees, but this was all sorted out now. I offered to pay by Paypal or cash on delivery but the seller is insisting on payment by moneygram, with me making the payment and telling the agent that it is payment 'for a friend' so that he avoids higher ebay charges. I again offered cash on collection or paypal, and the seller said that he is only prepared to deal via ebay and can not do cash on collection.
On checking the moneygram website, it says that you can pay in cash via the Post Office, the money is held for 5 days before being released to the seller.
Im concerned that this is a scam, as the emails I have got supposed to be from ebay do not appear in my ebay account and if I transfer the money across as 'payment to a friend' with no mention of the ebay auction then I won't be covered.
What are your thoughts on this? The vehicle was advertised at below market value and no longer appears on ebay.
Many Thanks.
I saw a vehicle advertised on ebay motors advertised as a classified ad. You could not bid on it, it was contact the seller only. The seller had just registered and had 0 feedback.
I was interested in the vehicle, so I contacted the seller via ebay saying I was interested. The seller responded to say that the vehicle was still for sale and I gave the seller my email address. I said that I was interested in the vehicle at the price advertised, and the seller said that he would send me an invoice via ebay and asked for my address. He said that he would deliver the vehicle to me.
An invoice from ebay appeared in my email asking me to pay via moneygram. On checking the site, ebay do not recommend this payment method. I then noticed that the seller was no longer a registered user on ebay. I contacted the seller and asked him why he was no longer registered. He responded by saying that he had had some problem with ebay fees, but this was all sorted out now. I offered to pay by Paypal or cash on delivery but the seller is insisting on payment by moneygram, with me making the payment and telling the agent that it is payment 'for a friend' so that he avoids higher ebay charges. I again offered cash on collection or paypal, and the seller said that he is only prepared to deal via ebay and can not do cash on collection.
On checking the moneygram website, it says that you can pay in cash via the Post Office, the money is held for 5 days before being released to the seller.
Im concerned that this is a scam, as the emails I have got supposed to be from ebay do not appear in my ebay account and if I transfer the money across as 'payment to a friend' with no mention of the ebay auction then I won't be covered.
What are your thoughts on this? The vehicle was advertised at below market value and no longer appears on ebay.
Many Thanks.
MFW 2011 challenge - Aim: Overpay £414.26 a month/£5,000 a year. Overpayment Total to date: £414.26:jMortgage start 28/9/07 £46,217.00 :TMortgage balance as of 25/05/11 £24,490.58 :T
Interest saved as of 25/05/11: £2,849.84 Projected term reduction as of 25/05/11: 9 years 11 months
Interest saved as of 25/05/11: £2,849.84 Projected term reduction as of 25/05/11: 9 years 11 months
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Comments
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Personally I'd avoid this like the plague. Your gut feeling on this is going to be right, everything about this is shouting scam. Avoid!!!!!!0
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Of course it is a scam.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0
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BARGAINHUNTER! wrote: »Im in need of some advice.
I saw a vehicle advertised on ebay motors advertised as a classified ad. You could not bid on it, it was contact the seller only. The seller had just registered and had 0 feedback.
I was interested in the vehicle, so I contacted the seller via ebay saying I was interested. The seller responded to say that the vehicle was still for sale and I gave the seller my email address. I said that I was interested in the vehicle at the price advertised, and the seller said that he would send me an invoice via ebay and asked for my address. He said that he would deliver the vehicle to me.
An invoice from ebay appeared in my email asking me to pay via moneygram. On checking the site, ebay do not recommend this payment method. I then noticed that the seller was no longer a registered user on ebay. I contacted the seller and asked him why he was no longer registered. He responded by saying that he had had some problem with ebay fees, but this was all sorted out now. I offered to pay by Paypal or cash on delivery but the seller is insisting on payment by moneygram, with me making the payment and telling the agent that it is payment 'for a friend' so that he avoids higher ebay charges. I again offered cash on collection or paypal, and the seller said that he is only prepared to deal via ebay and can not do cash on collection.
On checking the moneygram website, it says that you can pay in cash via the Post Office, the money is held for 5 days before being released to the seller.
Im concerned that this is a scam, as the emails I have got supposed to be from ebay do not appear in my ebay account and if I transfer the money across as 'payment to a friend' with no mention of the ebay auction then I won't be covered.
What are your thoughts on this? The vehicle was advertised at below market value and no longer appears on ebay.
Many Thanks.
If you go ahead with this you are a braver person than me.
Apart from the moneygram and no longer on ebay issues, you say it's cheaper than market value. Think of the expression, if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
You would have no comeback on your money if your fears played out0 -
Forget this car. I have some magic beans for sale.0
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Why would you want to do anything other than pick the car up yourself and pay with cash?
Don't tell me you were seriously considering paying for a car (even by paypal!) that you haven't seen in the flesh???
It's not legit at all.Tank fly boss walk jam nitty gritty...0 -
scam.....................Not Again0
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avoid.................Not Again0
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Just forget about it & the seller.
Dont bother even thinking about how to do the deal.....
Stay away.... Run..........Not Again0 -
I'll go off on my usual rant now..regulars are probably closing the thread and creeping away !
Whilst there is anyone at all out there that even for a single millisecond considers this a plausible scenario I fear that the scammers will continue to thrive. Our only protection against scum that target people is to spread the word..think through what you are being asked to do, ask yourself 'can I definitely 100% get my money back if it goes wrong' if the answer is no or even 'i'm not sure' then walk away.
Spread the word, lets get these scum bags out of the picture.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0
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