suspicious ebay auction

[saznpins]

I saw this one day auction this morning and asked for more info:

ebay auction for Gibson F4 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3748672299&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT)

This is what I got back as a response:

"my buy it now is 1300 euros with shipping to USD..."

And pictures, the first one is attached.

Does this seem shady or am I just paranoid?

[saznpins]

Next picture:

[saznpins]

Last picture. I emailed back and asked if the seller would accept escrow.

[FrankenMouse]

Looks shady all right. Be careful even with an escrow service, as there are lots of bogus "escrow services" out there now. A major player like escrow.com is safe, but be careful if the seller insists on using HIS escrow service.

[b.pat]

Scam, Scam, Scam, Scam, Scam, Scam, SCAM
#Same pictures , same format, same country, same everything.
#E-bay has pulled this thing twice before. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
# # # # # # # # # #B.Pat

[saznpins]

Glad to have it confirmed. Just trying to make myself useful and give a heads up to the mando community since I'm home from work with a sinus infection today http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[Jim Garber]

You are definitely not paranoid. Unless this seller lives actually in Japan, here (http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cdg45110/Gibson/gibsonf-4/gibsonf-4.htm) is where he swiped the photos.

Jim

[Jim M.]

I e-mailed the seller and offered to pay for escrow fees but he refused. So, I offered to have a friend deliver the money order and pick up the mandolin, and he also refused.

[Jim Garber]

I also figure on torturing this person. Asking loads of pointless questions to waste his miserable time. Too bad eBay doesn't police itself.

Jim

[fowl intent]

This same mandolin was offered for sale a week or so ago under another seller's name, supposedly located in Ireland. #He e-mailed me pics including the pic thru the soundhole with the serial number. #Said it belonged to his deceased father, and he couldn't bear to have it around. #Said he would take $900 for it, but would only accept Western Union, would not agree to escrow sale. #Highly suspicious!!

[grandmainger]

I also figure on torturing this person. Asking loads of pointless questions to waste his miserable time. Too bad eBay doesn't police itself.
Actually, I've managed to get a good few scam auctions taken down by eBay (ebay.co.uk that is). If you email them with a clear description of the communications from the seller, they usually investigate and act quickly.

BTW, no point telling them about the value of the item, and how much of a bargain it seems to be etc... this does not contravene ebay regulations. Offering off-site sales does however, so if a scammer offers one, report it!

Wah Wah....just run the price up & wait for the scammer to pull it.......besides, it's fun reading the email you get asking "WHY are you bidding so much for that?".... #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

I'll go bid $50K on it........


To late.......looks like he nailed somebody. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[FrankenMouse]

Hopefully buyer is one of us and knows the auction a fraud. But just in case, I've sent him a note warning him.

[fowl intent]

I've done the same Frankenmouse, I thought he needed a heads up.

[neal]

Hey, so did I. Was too impatient to read the rest of the posts. Well, he's got a couple folks looking out for him.

[b.pat]

Me four !!!
B.Pat http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[pathfinder]

eBay's buyers owe a lot to this Cafe's diligent watchdogs. #You guys pose such a deterrent that perhaps these skanks will eventually abandon the scam of selling bogus high-end mandos. #My compliments, folks! # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Loren Bailey]

yep, it's a scam, offered me the same mando last month for $800.

[neal]

Well, the "buyer" is a happy camper now, he sends his thanks to those that emailed him.

[Jim Garber]

Has anyone notified Ebay authorities? How does one do that anyway. Ebay is such a maze i can never find the right place to complain about such.

Jim

[neal]

I think someone did, as the seller is no longer an authorized user.

[neal]

Hey Jim, great work coming up with those photos. You are a human being of the first order.

[b.pat]

This is at least the third time this jerk has tried this. Each time using a different sellers ID [Presumeably stolen]. I'm sure the seller was advised to change his ID since the information had been compromised.
It looks like all he has to do is grab another seller's ID and he is off again.
It makes you wonder about how many other high dollar items are targeted by &&%%&^ like this?
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif B.Pat

[Blind_Cowboy]

I too commend ya'll for your policing actions on e-bay. What's more amazing to me is that not only do ya'll know it's a fraud, you have actual instrument history/pictures/item location/etc.. in your memory banks.

Cool community.

[elenbrandt]

Sometimes ebay is frightening. #I just got an e-mail from them informing me that they just ended 3 of my auctions because "they appear to have been listed by a third party without your authorization." #Gee, I didn't know that I was selling 2 Harley-Davidson motorcycles and a pre 1998 Volkswagon Beetle. # #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

Also really avoid anyone approaching you after an auction ends and offering the same thing at a second chance. After a recent auction where I bid on a one-of-a-kind amplifier (it was a donated charity thing), four different parties approached me after the fact to try and get me to buy another (which, after some research, including contacting the winning bidder, I discovered didn't exist.) Beware . . .

[Greenmando]

Also really avoid anyone approaching you after an auction ends and offering the same thing at a second chance. #After a recent auction where I bid on a one-of-a-kind amplifier (it was a donated charity thing), four different parties approached me after the fact to try and get me to buy another (which, after some research, including contacting the winning bidder, I discovered didn't exist.) #Beware . . .
I agree, buyer beware or more to the point - be aware.
Not all second chances are bogus thou. We often have additional identical items for sale that we offer to other bidders with success. But I would be scared off if someone offered me a second chance on a hard to get mandolin.

I did sell a old bowl back using the second chance. On a auction selling my mando some kid sniped and won. After looking at his previous bids he had won over 14 bowlbacks and was still bidding on 5 more. I relisted it after he could not pay and the sucker created a new id to bid again. I finally offered it to the first bidder he had out bid in the first auction and we closed the deal.

[natep]

im bumping this thread cuz someone was asking about it. Plus, i am nervously awaiting a response from the ebay seller of my new mandolin. i paid, and its been 14 whole hours and i've heard nothing! In my excitement, i paid immediately after the auction end. was this a bad idea?

no, i am anxious but not too nervous. i checked it out pretty good, i think. http://i15.ebayimg.com/02/i/02/81/ae/d5_1_b.JPGhttp://i18.ebayimg.com/01/i/02/82/c0/5b_1.JPG

BTW, i'll be posting this in the other section of the board and asking if anyone knows the exact year and model of this instrument. it is listed a ~1938 A40 or A50. no label inside.

[natep]

my happy mistake!
i DID hear back from the seller bright & early the following morning after auction end, but the email went to my bulk mail folder and i just now found it! hooray.

[Jim Garber]

You can sometimes tell approximate date from the factory order number which is usually stamped on the back of the mandolin.

Jim

[Tom C]

That looks like a 30's gibson logo on the headstock.