Victim of eBay fraud. What to do?

grumbler

Despite my warnings, my son bought a £500ish laptop from eBay and paid by a bank transfer about two weeks ago. Although the seller had 95%+ positive feedback and a long history, the laptop has never arrived. The seller doesn't reply to e-mails and has unregistered soon after from eBay.
My son has already opened an item dispute with eBay. They supplied him with the following information:

User ID: folight_ltd
Name: Kwasi Folight
Company: Folight ltd
City: catford
County: London
Country: United Kingdom
Phone: 02032370092

However, the payment instructions from the seller were:

If you are paying by cheque then please forward payments and make payable to Folight_ltd 60 henderson drive da1 5jz dartford Kent UK If paying at bank, our details are below. Barclyas bank account name: folight_ltd Account No. 23022293 sortcode: 202542. Regards Baiden

(I'll hide some details here after getting some advice)

The telephone given by eBay doesn't answer (permanently busy).

What would be the right course of action besides getting £120-£15 compensation from eBay?

Do police deal with such type of crime?

frivolous_fay

It sounds as though the account was most likely hijacked, and only the payment address is worth pursuing.

And yes, the police would be the next step.

grumbler

frivolous_fay wrote: »

It sounds as though the account was most likely hijacked

In which case do you have any idea why the telephone doesn't answer? Is this because the hijacker could have changed the details?

And yes, the police would be the next step.

Thank you, will contact police ASAP.

natalie1974

They are just round the corner from me in Dartford . Want me to go round and kick the door down for you :rotfl: . Only joking before everyone accuses me of violence , but I do live 5 mins away from them .

LULUBELLE_2

Looking at the f/b (95%), 6 negs in 114 transactions would have been a good warning; the f/b is nearly all on software, which I would stake my life was counterfeit :eek:

I'd be on to the Police PDQ! :mad:

Bank transfer to a seller with that kind of record is never a good idea.

Sorry, not trying to rub it in for the OP, just pointing out to others to do their homework before buying.

motorguy

frivolous_fay wrote: »

It sounds as though the account was most likely hijacked, and only the payment address is worth pursuing.

And yes, the police would be the next step.

So you think the account was hi jacked by someone who went to the trouble of setting up an account in a limited company name? (not easy to do btw)

Sounds to me more like they have went under / are going under.

Contact the police ASAP.

frivolous_fay

pgilc1 wrote: »

So you think the account was hi jacked by someone who went to the trouble of setting up an account in a limited company name? (not easy to do btw)

No, but I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility that someone at 60 henderson drive da1 5jz dartford Kent UK hijacked the folight_ltd account. Just because you put the company name in front of the address doesn't mean it's the company address.

OP, 02032370092 is not a valid number. Replacing the 4th digit with a 7 or 8 might yield results.. but I wouldn't hold your breath.

Flexible_Friend

The company Folight Limited is registered at that address - 60 HENDERSON DRIVE, DARTFORD, DA1 5JZ. Their company registration number is 05747456.

Check on the Companies House website when their database is available after the Easter holiday (Tuesday 10th April) using their Webcheck facility.

http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/

frivolous_fay

Ok, so perhaps not a hijack. The guy's obviously been fishy from the start, though - what reputable company supplies a false phone number?

ilovemycats

Where £500 is concerned I'd have personally pulled the contact details from eBay before paying. And if ANYTHING didn't check out I'd hold back or pay in cash.

It amazes me the number of sellers that have >£500 items and won't allow local pickup. Like I'm going to pay £20 for a Courier to throw the item round the countryside and deliver it to my door a mile across town.

natalie1974

I would say the code would be 0208 as that is what the code for Bexleyheath/Welling is and Bexleyheath is 500 yards from the bottom of my road . My code is 01322 and that would be the code for Dartford as well .