Help with a possible scam - moneygram and square trade

stavros_2

Hi all,

need some help if anyones got the time and is online at the mo to work out whether this is a scam or not....will let you know the details if people reply cause don't wanna type it all up for no reason :rolleyes:

helen21_2

stavros wrote:

Hi all,

need some help if anyones got the time and is online at the mo to work out whether this is a scam or not....will let you know the details if people reply cause don't wanna type it all up for no reason :rolleyes:

Hi

Give us the details then, will try to help.

Helen 21

stavros_2

Hi helen,

Right, I'll explain what's happened so far then cut and paste the email conversation at this point...

thinking about getting a projector (thanks to some casino winnings ) but haven't got enough money yet, so looking for in a couple of months time. Went onto ebay to see if there were any bargains to be had...found item ...and checked it out and seemed pretty good (see for yourself) so put in a bid of £100...went up as far as £300 (item sold for £970)...i obviously didn't think i'd get it cause i new it was worth more than £300

yesterday got an email saying i'd been offered a "second chance" buy from the seller - despite 6 other people bidding higher than me (not including the winning bidder)...i was still interested but from this point have been a little cautious

this is the email conversation so far...you'll see the points I've raised and i was wondering if i should be this suspicious......



*****,

A couple of things I'm a bit confused about:

1) In the auction it states that you will accept
Cash - Upon collection or sent via mail
Cheques - Will take upto 5-7 days to confirm
Direct bank payment - Contact me for details
Bankers draft and postal orders
So why will you now only a money gram? And how would this work?

2) You said in your email "Please email me your complete name and
address to be able to get the package ready for shipping", however, is
it possible to pick up the item as you are located in ****** and
I'm only a mile or so away in ********?

3) What do you mean when you say you are "affiliated at eBay's SquareTrade"?

Thanks,

******



On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 09:45:39 +0000, *********** <********@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi ******,
>
> Sorry I've just had another look and as this wouldn't be going through
> ebay I presume you don't need to be verified...apologies. I'll discuss
> this with my partner tonight and get back to you at the weekend if
> that's ok?
>
> ******
>

1.You will send me your shipping adress to can forword your details and send to Square Trade.

2.After that Square Trade will send you an email with my all payment informations and all my details.

3.You will make the payment thru Money Gram and send the scanned paper by fax at Square Trade in USA...they will give you the fax number

4.After that Square Trade will send me an email to start the shipping to you.

5.After you will receive the package and inspect him you must to send the confirmation by fax at Square Trade that the item is like in the description and like do you want.

6.Only after that Square Trade will give me the payment details to can pick up the money.

thanks



At the moment i can only accept a wire transfer as a payment method via
Money Gram.You have nothing to worry about because this deal will be
done
in a secure way:
I am affiliated at eBay's SquareTrade,i have a purchase protection
account
for $10,000.00
How you are protected by eBay's SquareTrade:
1)If you will not receive the products as i described to you,although this
is
not the case,SquareTrade will refund you 100% from the whole amount you
paid
me.
In case you will not receive the products,they will refund you all the
money.
Please email me your complete name and address to be able to get the
package
ready for shipping.After i will have all that information i will be
forwarding it to SquareTrade wich it's insure our transaction.You will
receive a notification from them that will anounce you that our deal
it's
recorded and insured from them !
I will wait for your e-mail!


>
> On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 09:39:00 +0000, ********* <********@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi *******,
> >
> > That's no problem. I've just checked the square trade website however
> > and you don't appear to be verified, and so I wouldn't be protected?
> >
> > ********
> >
> >
> > On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 01:32:01 -0800 (PST), Simon Parker
> > <*****@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > i will start the transaction only thru Square Trade,for both safe
> > >
> > > thanks
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > > Do you Yahoo!?
> > > Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
> > >
> > >
> >
>

Hi,

Just to let you know I'm currently considering your offer. Can you
confirm that I could simply pick the projector up from you as I live
quite near in *****?

Thanks,

******



>
>
> Second Chance Offer (Item #*******)
>
> Dear eBay member,
> You expressed interest in an Item WOW !!********************** $9980 !!
> £100 NR (Item #********) by bidding, however the auction have another
> member as the high bidder.
> In compliance with eBay policy, the seller is making this Second Chance
> Offer to you at your bid price.The seller has issued this Second Chance
> Offer because either the winning bidder is unable to complete the
> transaction or the seller has duplicate items for sale.This deal will be
> through eBay Inc,so if you are interested please contact the seller of this
> item at: ******@yahoo.com
> To learn more about Second Chance Offer go to:
> http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/personal_offer.html
> Thank you,
> eBay, Inc

stavros_2

have just emailed all the bidders to see if they know anything...i'll let you know if i get any replies

helen21_2

Hi

I agree, i would be as cautious as you are being, and i think like you, the only way i would buy this is to pick it up myself. It all sounds a bit argy-bargy to me. Sorry i cant be of much help. I always go on my gut instinct and if it dont feel good then i wouldnt go there. lets hopr you here back off other bidders, but if someone doesnt take up a second offer the buyer dont usually go down the list, unless he has a lot of these to sell then he would offer you all a second chance.

Good Luck And Hope You Dont Get Stung
Helen21

stavros_2

thanks helen. I'm very wary of spending such a large amount on/off ebay but it looks as though it was a good idea to be so cautious....i haven't heard back from the others yet, but the seller hasn't contacted me after my last email almost an hour ago despite sending me 4 emails in the space of 15 minutes before that lol

guess the old rule still applies...if it seems too good to be true, it usually is!

emluian

Hi, just been reading your dilemma. The same thing happened to me, and it was a con, and I lost my money!!! I hope this might help you? :mad:

payless

If its such a good price- can you collect/ pay in person ?

helen21_2

stavros wrote:

thanks helen. I'm very wary of spending such a large amount on/off ebay but it looks as though it was a good idea to be so cautious....i haven't heard back from the others yet, but the seller hasn't contacted me after my last email almost an hour ago despite sending me 4 emails in the space of 15 minutes before that lol

guess the old rule still applies...if it seems too good to be true, it usually is!

Proceed with caution and good luck to you.
P.s All second offer transactions should still go through e-bay!!
Helen21

stavros_2

emuluian: thanks...just what i thought...sorry you lost your money!

payless: i've already asked the seller this twice but he hasn't answered me :P

helen: didn't know second chance offers still go through ebay..thanks for the info..not done one before myself..and i don't think this will be my first hopefully i'll have warned the other bidders though

stavros_2

just got a reply from another bidder who states that they also received a second chance offer...also noticed this page on ebay

and in the email i got back through ebay from the other bidder...

"Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash transfer services such as Western Union or MoneyGram.
These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know"

lol

glad i thought about this rather than just jumping in