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General discussion

4/05/05 Do you use eBay? If so, how often?

Apr 4, 2005 3:39AM PDT

Do you use eBay? If so, how often?

Yes, daily; I'm an eBay addict
I buy and sell regularly
Tried it few times
Had a bad experience (tell us about it)

Discussion is locked

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Fraud in the guise of eBay
Apr 5, 2005 2:21PM PDT

After missing out on a much wanted item on eBay, I was contacted by someone proporting to be the vendor. He told me that the winner had dropped out and that I could have the item for the price I bid last. This was followed up by a message that looked very much like an eBay invoice. After paying $700 AUS to this person, I found that it was a fraud. I was probably foolish in what I did but eBay were less than helpful when I reported it. I had to retell my story to at least 4 different support operators. There seems to be no record kept of support tickets and no follow through by the support operators. I didn't expect any recompence for what was probably my error but I did expect better communication protocols from such a big company.

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Ebay - Bad experience.
Apr 5, 2005 2:32PM PDT

I have had good experiences, bought musical equipment and RAM chips. But last Christmas I bought RAM chips from four different sellers and received from only two of them. They were sent US Mail, and likely, since it was Christmas, they got lost in the mail, but who knows? I suppose I would recommend that anyone buying something on Ebay use a shipping method that provides tracking. I gave what I considered fair feedback considering I never received what I paid for, but I won't buy anything I don't consider expensive enough to pay for good shipping on.
God Bless!
daboniel

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I buy regularly but have been burned a few times...
Apr 5, 2005 3:52PM PDT

NEVER BUY "AS IS" unless you can live with a faulty product. NEVER BUY AT ALL if you must pay by check since there will be no recourse if the sale goes bad. I made the mistake of paying by cashier's check on three separate occasions and got badly burned on one of those and moderately burned on the other two. (I guess I'm a slow learner)

Brief descriptions of each occasion follow:

Bought an HT receiver that sporadically dies every now and then and would not work out of the box. Seller claimed it was UPS damage, but then the unit spontaneously powered up a week later. This has happened twice since. I'm SURE the seller knew of this problem and chose to dump the receiver on ebay. I was the unlucky winning bidder. Paid by check - out $295 dollars.

Spent $175 for a turntable in "excellent condition" that ended up needing over $100 in repairs and adjustments including a replacement for an RCA cord whose wires were cracked and almost blew out my speakers. Dust cover was so scratched as to reduce the overall value of the piece, but seller would accept no responsibility and ranked me out for writing her about these problems since the ad said "as is". At least in this case, the item is usable.

My third experience of this type was with a 98% rated seller. Also a turntable described to be working perfectly, the tonearm adjustment was broken and setting the proper pressure is very difficult. (Thanks to all the kind people who helped me learn how to get around the broken part, particulary Joel at the Turntable Factory). I demanded a partial refund and the seller complied so that his feedback would not be ruined. Fortunately, once the tonearm was pressure was set, the machine does a decent job.

These days I stick to purchasing books, LPs, CDs, collectibles and other durable items that don't have a high pricetag. (The LPS and CDs must be rated very highly by 99+% sellers). I NEVER buy from anyone with more than 2% negative ratings AND I try to pay by credit card at all times in case it is necessary to dispute the charges. (So far I have not had to do that, but the day that Paypal puts a hold on my account for disputing a sale with a seller will be the day that I tell Paypal to "kiss it." And then, Ebay will see me no more.)

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Leaving e-bay
Apr 5, 2005 4:20PM PDT

A while ago i got a message from e-bay letting me know that there was a problem with my account and someone had gotten a hold of my account number, but they were able to stop them in time. I however, being a new member was kind of thrown off by this happening and decided that i wanted to cancel my e-bay account. So i went through the month long process of closing down my account. I turned off my e-mails that i was recieving and did everything else that i need to get done and recieved a message that my account was closed, however i still recieve e-mails about updates about stuff that is going on with e-bay and the inactivity of my account. They even want me to update my account still. I still haven't been able to get in contact with anyone to fix this problem. If anyone has any contact information or solutions, please let me know. Thank you.

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A MONTH?
Oct 13, 2006 1:10AM PDT

It did not take me a month. Of course I was well aware of what ebay and paydo before I went to that site. I signed up, posted what I knew in each and every room I could, and left. Then I got that stupid letter they were going to close my account if I did that again. Hahaha. I told them to close it. IMMEDIATELY. Well you know they were not going to go for that right? So I went and posted some more stuff just to irritate them. Got another letter. LOL. This was getting to be fun. Told them this time, "I told you people to close it". Next letter I got, I reported them as spam. Guess what? I never got any more letters. LOLOLOL

Esk

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Ebay
Apr 5, 2005 4:42PM PDT

I had a bad experience shortly after finding & becoming an E-bay user. I purchased some items for my digital camera, paid with PayPal. I never received the items though my account was deducted the costs for the items and shipping. My appeals to E-Bay and all mail and phone messages to the sellers address and 800 number received no response. E-Bay basically did nothing to help me when I appealed to them. The company never responded, and its 800 phone number was thereafter disconnected. In November a subsequently had a $199 deduction from my bank account (my bank is still investigating this to see if it is related)as the seller had my information. So I am disappointed as I liked e-Bay and had some good experiences with it. I will use it still but very hesitantly.

Thanks,
CaroleNCa

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Contact your State Attorney General Consumer Division
Aug 31, 2007 5:27AM PDT

Please send this information to your Attorney General and to the FTC. This type of abuse is what they are there to protect you from. Please do it for us all. What ever state you are in they will have a website for you to report this. Please do it!!!!!

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Nigerian 419 scam - not just eBay!
Apr 5, 2005 6:09PM PDT

Greetings from Scotland! I'm surprised not to see more mention of the Nigerian 419 scam. It happened quite a lot in Britain. I saw a warning about it in the Royal Yachting Association magazine, for example, where people had posted small ads in their local paper to sell sailing dinghies for a few hundred pounds and they got emails offering way over the odds and details of how the payment would be made that were weird. Well, it happened to me on eBay!

We were selling the lightshade from what had been the bedroom of one of our children, long flown the nest. It was a really cool 'Magic Roundabout' shade with all the characters round it, Dougall, Zebedee and so on, and we thought we couldn't just throw it out. Someone would like it. So I listed it on eBay.co.uk and sure enough there was some interest with bidding soaring towards double figures, which seemed fair enough.

The auction closed at lunchtime on Saturday and I was totally gobsmacked to find that it closed at

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Nigerian scam
Jan 20, 2006 5:55AM PST

I think as a Nigerian, this is truly an embarrassing story. I believe not all Nigerians are bad. We still have honest people here.


http://www.multidox.net

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small bad experience, just walked away ...
Apr 5, 2005 6:42PM PDT

I bought a couple of limited DVD editons, won during an auction, and in my second package, one of the dvd boxes was damaged. I never pursued the matter, the disk within was still fine, but I simply didn't pay the two next items I won from this seller. You can just walk away, if we're not talking a huge purchase, of course and if some flaming on the part of the e-seller don't bother you - lol.

Remember, even if you won a bid (still talking SMALL items here) and don't want it, for whatever reasons, just walk away.

Who told you life is fair anyways ....

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eBay
Apr 5, 2005 6:47PM PDT

Just tried it a couple of times. One purchase of USB was great. Another of a DVD was not - the box was empty when it arrived.

Also noticed some obvious scams in the section selling laptops.

In general, I trust people but first impressions are important and my first impressions of eBay were not very positive.

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ebay paypal theft
Apr 5, 2005 10:08PM PDT

ebay is the owner of paypal dont use them as they give your money to anyone who says the package did not come but the custems have been to see them about the package and did not let them have it paypal stole 100pound from me and then tryed to rob me in court as i wont pay them they lose and i win now i use yahoo

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FIRST BUY ON EBAY ...FRAUDE WITH LAPTOPS IN BELGIUM
Apr 6, 2005 12:07AM PDT

Hello,
My son liked a laptop for so long.
We saw on Ebay that there was someone who sold 8 of them.
At the auction I got one.
After emailing for a while I decided to pay for it ; 649 Euros ! After they got my money, they didn't respond to any of my mails, the phone number they gave was also false.So I decided to check it with the postbank...the name, the address...even the city was somewhere else???
I then posted on the forum of Ebay, to warn the others ( they where selling 5 laptops again!)
I stopped that bidding...luckely for the others.
I was then threatened by the swindlers.
I tryed to mail to others who were swindled on Ebay( It was only possible to send 1 mail a day to another user!) I came in contact with 4 others and after 14 days of mailing ,we where with 10; 3 who received an old laptop, the rest got nothing.I then organised a meeting,together we went to the police to make a pv.We've even been on TV!(thanks to ISOC Belgium)
The police told us that in Belgium there where already more than 200 swindled people (all by means of Ebay)After I had a dispute opened,I filed a claim on Ebay and got a French (spoof) email from them.
I think that Ebay doesn't care about the sellers or buyers...
They only care about the MONEY they receive.
I've learned my lesson...but all the others who know to little of the internet and how Ebay works are often easy victims for those who are not honest.
Therefor there must come a law that takes care of those things...So that we can buy and sell in trust!
Greetings from Belgium.

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Bad eBay Experience
Apr 6, 2005 12:22AM PDT

The only "bad" experience that I have had on eBay involved a seller in Pennsylvania who must be the rudest lady on eBay. She listed an auction allowing payment by money order for an item that I had been watching for 6 months and for which no one had previously bid. After I won the auction, she was unresponsive to my repeated email requests for her mailing address and there no answer at the phone number she listed. Finally, I used the same email account that she uses which allows for date/time confirmation of open email. She responded very begrudgingly, but provided the information. I sensed this would be a problem transaction, so I sent payment priorty mail with delivery confirmation. My gut was right. She denied receiving payment. Her feedback is my only negative. She even called me a "nasty buyer." I felt very bad for a short while...then dusted myself off and climbed back on. At least she has changed all of her auctions eliminating money order as a form of payment. There will always be those who care more for money than customer service.

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let other buyers know about it too!
Jul 10, 2005 12:41PM PDT

Let other buyers know about your exerience post it on www.sellerid.com and similiar sites - I always check third party sites to see who I am buying from - never trust the ebay feedback system it is biased.

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Knowlege is your best tool
Apr 6, 2005 12:33AM PDT

I have never had a problem with eBay or Paypal. I have both bought and sold successfully and have had no pronlems. Knowlege is your best tool for useing eBay, if you know where you can get the same item for less do so. Too many people are too willing to spend too much money on stuff they can get for less elsewhere.

When useing eBay I have found it's important to know the details about the item or items you're buying. And to take a good look at the feedback of the person you're buying from. Also, you don't often have to buy the first item you see. Look around, maybe a seller with better feedback rateing will have it for less. Don't jump at the first one you see.

Common sense and being informed can go a long way.

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Knowledge is a great tool for making things safer on eBay!
Apr 13, 2005 8:22AM PDT

I really agree with your post! It's very important to me as a buyer that the seller have as close to 100% satisfaction level as possible--a feedback rating below 99.3% and I just move on, choosing not to participate in that particular auction. I think caution is the word of the day especially for us buyers on eBay! Save all emails, too!

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Sent Pymt - Never Received Merchandise
Apr 6, 2005 12:53AM PDT

Got scammed by a seller in Colorado. Sent him a Western Union Moneygram for $350 and the no good SOB cashed the check and never sent the merchandise. Contacted eBay and they admitted they received complaints about this guy previously. SO WHY WAS HE STILL ALLOWED TO POST? I use eBay as little as possible
Stahov
Crown Point, IN 46307

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eBay problem resolution stinks
Apr 6, 2005 1:15AM PDT

I won an auction for a software package at about $150. I received a demo CD, which is available free. Although the ad was clearly misleading, and I was not the only one taken in by this scam, I found eBay and Paypal provided absolutely nothing in the way of recourse - in fact, it cost me additional $$ to clear up further damage. BUYER BEWARE, to say the least!

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150 Large for...Paint
Apr 6, 2005 1:31AM PDT

I once bought a gallon of gold paint for 150 large. Actually I thought I was paying 70 dollars for a gallon of Ralph Lauren Gold paint. Turns out it was a quart!!! I spoke with the seller and he gave me this discontuined paint for $150 a gallon. A few months later Dutch Boy comes out with their new line of metalic paints.
--Miss Castro
Las Vegas

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ebay not all bad
Apr 6, 2005 2:09AM PDT

I've been selling on ebay (on and off) for a couple of years - I like to think that most users of ebay are honest trustworthy people, but if I think there is likely to be a problem I research the feedback - even the `positive` feedbacks can be revealing (eg. We got there in the end, finally came through - indicates slow payer or supplier)
But don't forget `buyers` try it on as well - I've received an email today - I've sent the cash where are the goods`. Well I've received no cash, paypal or cheque. Anyway I do state in my terms that I don't recommend people posting cash. But the biggest bugbear of the seller is the `bidder` who promptly disappears the moment they've won.

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E-Bay
Apr 6, 2005 2:32AM PDT

After many years of using ebay my account was being used by others, also my paypal account had to stop using both and will not get another account with either. Having my bank account closed, was a pain.

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Charles Locke sold a fake picasso drwaing for $145 000
Mar 25, 2008 11:03PM PDT

Charles Locke from Deluth and Nahid Mahdavi from New York posing as international art dealers sold a fake Picasso drawing for $145 000 after received the funds Charles Locke declared bankrupcy.
Mr. Locke is under investigation from the FBI and I am curently suing Mr. Locke and Mrs. Madahivi to try to retrive the $145 000.

CP

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Looking for Locke 10/2009
Oct 5, 2009 1:07AM PDT

Trying to find him from SC. Not having any luck with search engines, telephone calls or e-mails. Any help would be welcome.

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Be VERY Careful of buying on ebay!!!!!
Apr 6, 2005 2:33AM PDT

Chronology of an ebay fraud account

On July 15, 2004 I visited the ebay auction site and placed the winning bid. for an Ipod w/20 gig drive.

On July 19,2004, at 3:37 PM (PDST) I informed the seller, Mr. Charles Locke that a Western Union Money Order was mailed to Charles Locke in the amount of $277.30 On July 19, 2004, at 6:47 PM (EDST) I received an acknowledgement from Mr. Locke that he had been informed of the Money Order.

On July 20, 2004, I received verification from Western Union that the Money order had been sent by U,S, Mail.

On July 28, 2004, I sent an email inquiry to Mr. Locke asking what was the current status of this transaction. There was no response.

On July 29, 2004 I received an email from Mr. Locke that the Ipod would go to the shipper around the eighth of August, 2004.

On August 9, 2004 I sent an email to Mr. Locke asking for an exact shipping date for the Ipod.

On August 10, 2004, I received an email from Mr. Locke stating that the Ipod would go to the shipper this week and he would forward a tracking number as soon as he had it.

On August 21, 2004 I again queried Mr. Locke on where the Ipod was and asked for a firm shipping date.

On August 26, 2004, Mr. Locke informed me that due to circumstances beyond his control he was discontinuing his business and would be unable to fill my order. A refund in the full amount would be processed and sent to me.

On August 27, 2004, at 9:17 AM (PDST), I sent Mr. Locke an email asking for a firm, fixed date to receive the refund.

On August 27, 2004, at 8:32 PM (EDST) Mr. Locke responded by saying that his accountant was handling everything and the check would be sent the second week in September.

On August 27, 2004, I sent Mr. Locke one last email stating that if he had not responded with a date and check by August 3, 2004, I would file fraud charges against him.

Trying to contact ebay with evidence of fraud is the internet equivalent of getting an abortion at the local Baptist clinic. I filed a complaint with the FBI, Secret Service (Mail Fraud) and the Internet provider for ebay. The FBI complaint resulted in a ?Local investigation? in Mr. Locke?s town after being transferred through three different jurisdictions. As of this date, 4/6/05, I still am out my $277.00 and a total of 67 others that I am in email contact with are out a total of over $24,000.00 with no recourse. Locke is out on bail, ebay has collected their dollars so they do not care, and those who have been lucky enough to have recovered their money through their credit card or bank by using pay-pal and later requesting their bank/credit card to refund the money as a fraud, are being punished as having negative pay-pal balances.

I believe the current teen-age vernacular is ?ebay sucks!?
If you want the responses from others in this case, let me know I have them.

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I too was ripped off by Charles Locke
Apr 28, 2005 3:01AM PDT

Would love to know if you have ever had any luck from ebay..

They just don't bother returning emails or anything support wise on this. Paypal is still taking money for charles locke last time I checked.

I lost a lot of money on this Charles Locke liar as well. Let me know if you have any more information like a home phone number etc..

I have a mobile number which he never answers and a home address but living in the UK i can't go visit...

cheers
Ben

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Charles Locke. Innocent. Case of ID Theft.
May 23, 2005 7:50AM PDT

ebay and PayPal can verify this.

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Really.....
Jan 9, 2006 1:06AM PST

Want to kindly tell us how to talk to e-bay and pay pal? Since no one else seems to know how to do this. Come on. Enlighten us. Who do u talk to, and what is the phone number?

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Charles Locke
Apr 13, 2006 1:07AM PDT

Charles Locke has now declared fraudulent bankrupcy. He is under investigation by the FBI for selling fake works of art and othe matters, he has stolen money from many people thru pay pal and pay pal is now suing him .
Charles locke is a liar and a criminal,
If you can provide any more information regarding this individual pleas do so.

Thank You.
T and S

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Charles Locke from GA, USA
May 26, 2005 8:07PM PDT

If you want his home address and details, I can give them to you. Post up here if you do and I'll send them to you.

Cheers
Ben