by oncescammed
Wed Oct 23, 2013 11:52 am
I have been the victim of a very sophisticated scam using eBay invoices originating from an eBay email address and including a click link to a bogus eBay customer support line! I used the link and was totally reassured by "eBay Customer Support" that the sale was genuine and the payment by Bank Transfer normal when in connection with a CLASSIFIED advertisement on ebay; I normally buy through Buy It Now or auctions on eBay and pay only by PayPal. "Customer Support" said the sale was covered by "the eBay 30 day sale protection warranty". Too late I discovered no such warranty exists in respect of vehicle sales!
The seller himself even encouraged me to do an HPI check if I were concerned. This I did at a cost of £24.99 and of course it came back completely fine. And, with 20/20 hindsight, why wouldn't it? It turned out the motorhome was happily sitting on the genuine owners property NOT having been stolen, NOT being subject to outstanding finance and NOT having been the subject of any insurance claim!
I could give any interested party VERY detailed information about every aspect of this scam; should anyone wish it then please contact me. I have a full dossier gleaned from research done after the event. I am willing even anxious to cooperate with any media form that will publicise the prevelance of these situations and how easy it is to become a victim even if, like me, you are quite world wise and feel you have dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's! It is extraordinary how humiliated one feels at having been taken!
What is also extraordinary is having reported it to both the banks involved (my bank Lloyds and the recipient bank Barclays) and ActionFraud I have not heard a word from any of them suggesting they are investigating the fraud or the fraudster. To me the lack of action is almost a corporate condoning of the fraud!
In my instance there were additional factors that allowed me to persuade eBay that I should be refunded, both from a legal and moral viewpoint, but only after I contacted the president of eBay Europe and UK Clare Gilmartin. I very much doubt anyone less tenacious would have been so satisfied. The same motorhome I was 'buying' could have had many dozens of people defrauded and some having parted from their life savings. The personal humiliation and financial pressure could have some folk taking drastic and even life theatening action.
Feel free to contact me should you need further information.
Gaye
The seller himself even encouraged me to do an HPI check if I were concerned. This I did at a cost of £24.99 and of course it came back completely fine. And, with 20/20 hindsight, why wouldn't it? It turned out the motorhome was happily sitting on the genuine owners property NOT having been stolen, NOT being subject to outstanding finance and NOT having been the subject of any insurance claim!
I could give any interested party VERY detailed information about every aspect of this scam; should anyone wish it then please contact me. I have a full dossier gleaned from research done after the event. I am willing even anxious to cooperate with any media form that will publicise the prevelance of these situations and how easy it is to become a victim even if, like me, you are quite world wise and feel you have dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's! It is extraordinary how humiliated one feels at having been taken!
What is also extraordinary is having reported it to both the banks involved (my bank Lloyds and the recipient bank Barclays) and ActionFraud I have not heard a word from any of them suggesting they are investigating the fraud or the fraudster. To me the lack of action is almost a corporate condoning of the fraud!
In my instance there were additional factors that allowed me to persuade eBay that I should be refunded, both from a legal and moral viewpoint, but only after I contacted the president of eBay Europe and UK Clare Gilmartin. I very much doubt anyone less tenacious would have been so satisfied. The same motorhome I was 'buying' could have had many dozens of people defrauded and some having parted from their life savings. The personal humiliation and financial pressure could have some folk taking drastic and even life theatening action.
Feel free to contact me should you need further information.
Gaye
