Ebay fraudster changing tactics?

For the past couple of months, a scammer has been listing new high-end
bikes for sale on eBay at steep discounts. Originally this was being
done using hijacked user IDs. At first, the hijacked user ID was
changed to "akron_bike" with a numeric suffix, then "secom_bike", and
for the past few days there have been unchanged hijacked user IDs and
some zero-feedback new IDs. Today, the listings that I strongly
suspect are from the same fraudster are in a new format; the
background has been changed, the text has been changed, the photos now
appear to be taken direct drom the manufacturers' publications, the
listings show 2005 models instead of 2004, and they're not as
prolific. They still bear the telltale signs of fraud, though; the
bidder ID is private, the text instructs the buyer to contact the
seller *before* bidding to obtain the bike at a "buy it now" price
despite the fact that there is no Buy It Now feature in the listing,
the seller has a zero feedback, the listing details do not make any
potentially safe method of payment available, and the price for the
product is well below dealer cost for an item that could not possibly
be obtained for that amount. Here's just one of the listings:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2292907864

I will note also that when I first became aware of these listings, the
claimed location of the supposed seller was in California, but that
has now been shifted to the UK. The listing text now states "Escrow
accepted", but the listing details do not; even that escrow is likely
to be fake.

Buyers beware.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Also, beware of the sellers contacting the bidders through Ebay to sell
bikes. Another tipoff is that "all" sizes are available. Here is a suspect
one (hijacked id or otherwise)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5541884727

Buyer beware!


"Werehatrack" wrote in message
...
For the past couple of months, a scammer has been listing new high-end
bikes for sale on eBay at steep discounts. Originally this was being
done using hijacked user IDs. At first, the hijacked user ID was
changed to "akron_bike" with a numeric suffix, then "secom_bike", and
for the past few days there have been unchanged hijacked user IDs and
some zero-feedback new IDs. Today, the listings that I strongly
suspect are from the same fraudster are in a new format; the
background has been changed, the text has been changed, the photos now
appear to be taken direct drom the manufacturers' publications, the
listings show 2005 models instead of 2004, and they're not as
prolific. They still bear the telltale signs of fraud, though; the
bidder ID is private, the text instructs the buyer to contact the
seller *before* bidding to obtain the bike at a "buy it now" price
despite the fact that there is no Buy It Now feature in the listing,
the seller has a zero feedback, the listing details do not make any
potentially safe method of payment available, and the price for the
product is well below dealer cost for an item that could not possibly
be obtained for that amount. Here's just one of the listings:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2292907864

I will note also that when I first became aware of these listings, the
claimed location of the supposed seller was in California, but that
has now been shifted to the UK. The listing text now states "Escrow
accepted", but the listing details do not; even that escrow is likely
to be fake.

Buyers beware.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

I am curious as to why you suspect this Cervelo P3 is being sold from an
eBay ID that was hijacked? Other than the fact that the seller mentions a
picture that is not shown and the price for shipping and insurance is too
low for what it would be for a complete bike to be shipped.

Usually, the fraudulant ads are pretty easy to spot -- but this one seems
mostly resonable to me.

BTW, am I correct in assuming that the only way that these people can hijack
an eBay users account is by phishing for the information?

The whole problem with eBay scammers appears to be on the rise and the
hijacked accounts make me especailly concerned. How are you supposed to
know if you are dealing with the real person or not?

Best regards.
-Keith

"dT" wrote in message
...
Also, beware of the sellers contacting the bidders through Ebay to sell
bikes. Another tipoff is that "all" sizes are available. Here is a
suspect
one (hijacked id or otherwise)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5541884727

Buyer beware!

Subject: Ebay fraudster changing tactics?
From: "D. Keith Arbuckle"
Date: 12/10/2004 8:47 A.M. Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:
[Snipped]
The whole problem with eBay scammers appears to be on the rise and the
hijacked accounts make me especailly concerned. How are you supposed to
know if you are dealing with the real person or not?

Best regards.
-Keith


The best thing to do is send an email and ask specific questions. The fishy
response to basic questions usually reveals the scammer. I've noticed the same
scammer claiming to be shutting down his bike shop. At one point he claimed to
have had a shop someplace where I had lived, except that the shop never existed
in the first place.

Josh

I suspect it was a fraud because of the way he answered my questions ("I
have the size you want, it's a P3 Carbon"), his eagerness to go forward with
the transaction, his disappearance when I asked him for further proof of
existence of the bike (picture of the bike with a the current local
newspaper), etc.

"D. Keith Arbuckle" wrote in message
m...
I am curious as to why you suspect this Cervelo P3 is being sold from an
eBay ID that was hijacked? Other than the fact that the seller mentions a
picture that is not shown and the price for shipping and insurance is too
low for what it would be for a complete bike to be shipped.

Usually, the fraudulant ads are pretty easy to spot -- but this one seems
mostly resonable to me.

BTW, am I correct in assuming that the only way that these people can
hijack
an eBay users account is by phishing for the information?

The whole problem with eBay scammers appears to be on the rise and the
hijacked accounts make me especailly concerned. How are you supposed to
know if you are dealing with the real person or not?

Best regards.
-Keith

"dT" wrote in message
...
Also, beware of the sellers contacting the bidders through Ebay to sell
bikes. Another tipoff is that "all" sizes are available. Here is a
suspect
one (hijacked id or otherwise)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5541884727

Buyer beware!

Possible tips..........

1) ALL feedback has NOTHING to do with cycling
2) only charging $7 for shipping a bike??
3) Insurance is ONLY $1.50 more for a $1300+ bike??

Things that make you go "hhuummmmmm.."





On 12/10/04 8:47 AM, in article
, "D. Keith Arbuckle"
wrote:

I am curious as to why you suspect this Cervelo P3 is being sold from an
eBay ID that was hijacked? Other than the fact that the seller mentions a
picture that is not shown and the price for shipping and insurance is too
low for what it would be for a complete bike to be shipped.

Usually, the fraudulant ads are pretty easy to spot -- but this one seems
mostly resonable to me.

BTW, am I correct in assuming that the only way that these people can hijack
an eBay users account is by phishing for the information?

The whole problem with eBay scammers appears to be on the rise and the
hijacked accounts make me especailly concerned. How are you supposed to
know if you are dealing with the real person or not?

Best regards.
-Keith

"dT" wrote in message
...
Also, beware of the sellers contacting the bidders through Ebay to sell
bikes. Another tipoff is that "all" sizes are available. Here is a
suspect
one (hijacked id or otherwise)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5541884727

Buyer beware!

You're right. I thought of those things too. He then offered a brand new
P3 carbon in my size for $1800. Yea right!

I think the Ebay ID was hijacked.

dt

"Steve" wrote in message
.. .
Possible tips..........

1) ALL feedback has NOTHING to do with cycling
2) only charging $7 for shipping a bike??
3) Insurance is ONLY $1.50 more for a $1300+ bike??

Things that make you go "hhuummmmmm.."





On 12/10/04 8:47 AM, in article
, "D. Keith Arbuckle"
wrote:

I am curious as to why you suspect this Cervelo P3 is being sold from an
eBay ID that was hijacked? Other than the fact that the seller mentions
a
picture that is not shown and the price for shipping and insurance is
too
low for what it would be for a complete bike to be shipped.

Usually, the fraudulant ads are pretty easy to spot -- but this one
seems
mostly resonable to me.

BTW, am I correct in assuming that the only way that these people can
hijack
an eBay users account is by phishing for the information?

The whole problem with eBay scammers appears to be on the rise and the
hijacked accounts make me especailly concerned. How are you supposed to
know if you are dealing with the real person or not?

Best regards.
-Keith

"dT" wrote in message
...
Also, beware of the sellers contacting the bidders through Ebay to sell
bikes. Another tipoff is that "all" sizes are available. Here is a
suspect
one (hijacked id or otherwise)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5541884727

Buyer beware!