How can I beat eBay scammers?

Associate
Joined
26 Mar 2005
Posts
1,662
This is really annonying, cause even if I don't fall for it my auction is ruined: The scammers make a stupidly high bid right at the end and proceed to start asking for the item to be sent to Nigeria. Now of course I told them where to go, but now I'm about to re-auction the item after 2nd chance failed, I'm worried its going to happen again! How can I stop these muppets bidding on my stuff?
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Jan 2003
Posts
11,515
Location
Newark, Notts
i dont get what these people gain from this apart from being utter *****.

as a solution to your problem the only way to help really is by setting it so that only people from the UK can bid, and that they must have a paypal account and positive feedback.

Language.

Otacon
 
Caporegime
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Posts
48,104
Location
On the hoods
Ripper^ said:
i dont get what these people gain from this apart from being utter ****.

as a solution to your problem the only way to help really is by setting it so that only people from the UK can bid, and that they must have a paypal account and positive feedback.

The sad thing is that they wouldn't do it if it didn't work. Someone somewhere is making money off it, and the real twits are those that fall for it.

Your advice on avoiding it is good though.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 Mar 2005
Posts
1,662
I've set it to UK only, but it didn't stop the fools from bidding: 'I do live in UK but am in Nigeria at the minute it is a present for my fiancee......' Shut up. Now.
 

4T5

4T5

Man of Honour
Joined
30 Aug 2004
Posts
27,739
Location
Middle of England
Buy yourself one of those cheap simcards.
Then in your auction tell all that Bids will only be accepted after you have spoken to the person on the phone.
This can be used to reassure the Buyer as well as the seller.
Any bids you dont like can be blocked saying no phone call no bid. Job done.
Odviously use the cheap sim card number in your add and rinse and repeat every 3 months.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Feb 2004
Posts
4,143
Location
Brentwood, Essex
Tell them not bid and if they do give them bad feedback.
Then email ebay and they cancel any negative feedback that they give.

I did it once but some idiot wanted me to post to australia!
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 Mar 2005
Posts
1,662
9761 said:
Tell them not bid and if they do give them bad feedback.
Then email ebay and they cancel any negative feedback that they give.

I did it once but some idiot wanted me to post to australia!

The one from the other day already had his eBay account closed.

Would be nice if it was a little more dificult to register with eBay instead of totally instant.
 
Permabanned
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
47,396
Location
Essex
Wryel said:
Would be nice if it was a little more dificult to register with eBay instead of totally instant.

Swings and roundabouts. If you make it harder for people to register then you'll have less potential customers.

Set up your auctions so that only paypal account holders can bid, as well as making it UK only, no negative feedback etc. That should cut out most of the nuisance bidders. Also I personally don't accept 0 feedback bidders either unless they email me first.
 
Permabanned
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
47,396
Location
Essex
9761 said:
Well they did it to me after a friend of mine told me I was able to do it.

9 times out of 10 ebay will not remove feedback. It's dangerous advice to give someone to leave a negative and then email ebay to ask them to remove retaliatory negs.
 
Soldato
Joined
4 Jun 2005
Posts
3,781
You could pre approve bids, im sure I saw that option somewhere. A simple way is to check the auction regularly and remove the bidders and report them to ebay.
 
Caporegime
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Posts
48,104
Location
On the hoods
CLAWS said:
How exactly does this scam work?

/thickmode

They wire the money, you send the goods, their payment bounces.

Or they use a dodgy escrow service.

Or they hold your dog to ransom.

Or they pee in your shoes.

Or they hide all your left socks.

Some, all or none of the above are genuine scamming methods.
 
Associate
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Posts
1,416
Location
West Midlands
vonhelmet said:
They wire the money, you send the goods, their payment bounces.

Or they use a dodgy escrow service.

Or they hold your dog to ransom.

Or they pee in your shoes.

Or they hide all your left socks.

Some, all or none of the above are genuine scamming methods.

:p Blimey, people do go to extremes ;)

With regards to the payment bouncing, is there no way of sending the goods once the payment has been received and cleared?

Sorry for being thick folks but....... :rolleyes:
 
Associate
OP
Joined
26 Mar 2005
Posts
1,662
vonhelmet said:
They wire the money, you send the goods, their payment bounces.

Or they use a dodgy escrow service.

Or they hold your dog to ransom.

Or they pee in your shoes.

Or they hide all your left socks.

Some, all or none of the above are genuine scamming methods.

Or they send you the cash, you send the item, they say they haven't got it which you can't prove (cause its in Nigeria), they kick up a fuss and get a refund.
 
Back
Top Bottom