barnson.org Half-baked opinions, served lukewarm.

The scam continues. It looks like "Alienware" is a big scammer turn-on.

The clues it's a scam:
1. The listing asks you to email him, rather than use eBay's "ask seller a question" method. A prominent email address is a big clue it's a scammer phishing for leads.
2. Check all his items. The listing pattern is really weird all of a sudden. It looks like the user (http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZmicklammQQhtZ-1) isn't even aware that his account has been usurped. Suddenly he's listing really expensive consumer electronics of tons of different, very popular types, where before he only dealt in used and rare CDs.

I emailed the seller, and he confirmed that he didn't list these expensive consumer electronics; his account had been hacked. He de-listed the bogus items and changed his password. Just doing my part to help humanity!

(Calling it a "hacked" account is just being generous. eBay is very secure. It's just that people fall for these password-phishing scams, the scammer logs in as them, and nobody wants to admit they've been had.)
-Rob

EDIT by matthew: Fixed link.

3 months a go I had a couple of friends telling me the situation in romania how people are buying good things, I mean expensive things whend the country is so poor. NOW I SEE HOW.
REMEMBER TODAY YOU DO, TOMORROW YOU PAY.

Danny a.k.a MATRIX.

The most important, easily-read sign that you are being scammed:

The scammer asks for the money via Western Union.

Seriously, the moment you hear this from anyone, the alarm bells should go off. Just Say NO to sending money internationally via Western Union to people you don't know. Seriously, following that one rule will save you a lot of grief.

PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express all offer significant buyer protection via chargebacks. No such thing via Western Union. I will occasionally buy things from within the United States via cashier's check, money order, or Western Union, but never internationally.

--
Matthew P. Barnson

Without going into the detail on the emails I received from Zoltoreanu, I will tell you they are almost identical to what is already posted here. I almost chomped at the bit and took the chance.

I want to thank you for having this valuable blog and want to know if there is anything else I can do in the way of reporting this scam. Should I report it to eBay (they don't do much if anything)? The FBI? etc....(?)

Once again, thanks!

...this must be a crime...

As a matter of fact, it is. However, you won't get any U.S. agencies involved unless the sum of the damage, to you, is greater than $5,000. In that case, the Secret Service might get interested.

You'll note that most of these guys are operating under that amount. Not that they are afraid of the Secret Service or Interpol, but they want to keep "below the radar" and make the losses to you enough that they make a tidy profit, but little enough that you aren't motivated to go on an international vendetta against them.

--
Matthew P. Barnson

are these romanian guys idiot because they are trying to scam with the same way. Each person that i have send an e-mail to buy mobile phone, had responded me with same "copyied&pasted" e-mail by only changing a few details.
I had received an e-mail :

Hi,
My price is the best you could get: 140 gbp/unit, including the
shipping and insurance taxes.About shipping it is my responsibility to delivery the goods safely to your home. We can do it one of two ways. Either way I will pay for all related shipping expenses. I can send the package: -UPS overnight or -FedEX overnight.It will take one day and a half for the package to arrive to you.
Regards,
Alina Elvis

but when we are getting to talk about details ;

Hi there,

SHIPMENT - This is something you shouldn't worry about because I believe it is my responsibility to delivery the goods safely to your home. We can do it one of two ways. Either way I will pay for all related shipping expenses. I can send the package: -UPS overnight or -FedEX overnight.It will take one day and a half for the package to arrive to you. I will always pay for insurance in case any damage occurs during the handling and shipping, so we will both be protected in case of damage

HOW TO PAY -We have chosen Bank Transfer or MoneyGramTransfer's as a payment method because they have always served our needs in a professional manner. We considerpromptness a vital condition of the modern e-Commerce market.Let me know if we have a deal or no if yes just reply with your full informations and i will give you mine for payment.
Thanks,

Same draft... but not the final one

MoneyGram is my prefered manner because is very fastely so here are my full informations:
First Name:Nicu Elvis
Last Name:Ene
Address:Street: Tudor Vladimirescu
City:Gradinari
Country:Romania
ok sir..i will wait to confirm the transfer with the scanned paper from your bank ,so can i start the delivery and i guess you will get my product within 30 hours...
Thanks and i hope you will contact me in the future after this deal for anothers deals.

I wait your email!

here we have the new details of the victor tudor. and he is not only scamming me but also trying to make fun of me by giving his address as his name...

but there is one important point that makes me angry is the guy gave a call to me from +40721737973.i just search from the net and i learned that +40 is the country code and 721 is a romanian gsm operator (http://kropla.com/city_romania.htm)

so please be careful about these guy and never forget that nothing is cheaper than its own price except it has a handicap.

I was looking at a iMacG5 2.5GHrz with a 30inch screen on ebay. The users e-mail is or should I say "was" Kry911@aol.com. First of all maybe try and use an e-mail that doesn't sound like your a scam artist already. Anyway there were a few major things that were obvious this wasn't real.

I knew the auction was fake because there is no way you can purcahse this item for 1200USD. The item is worth almost 10000. Anyway, here's his info and what he sent me. I just strung him along until I got his details. So here's another one to beware of.

I thought they had spell check in Romania, apparently not... who knew. (you'll see what I mean when you read below) I am kidding. Anyways. Cheers for this blog. I typed in the false ebay email and came here. One thing I thought was pretty funny is the ebay reference is on this page too, apparently he's always buying 5 items a week, he must be loaded or....yeah he's fake. Here's a final hint, if it's thousands of dollars cheaper then it noramally is, it's not going to happen. Why ebay hasn't shut these people down is unknown to me, makes their name look bad.

So I guess just keep it real people!

FIRST EMAIL:

HI
First I want to tell you that my power mac + 30" cinema monitor is brand new, unopened box
all accessories included and also an international warranty.
The invoice will come at the same time with the package.
My price is the best you could get: 1200$/unit, including the
shipping and insurance taxes. We will pay them because the package
will be delivered from Europe.I have 5 units avalaible.
As delivery service we use UPS 2 days air service or overnight (with insurance and
15 days return policy), because it's the faster also free. And if you will have
a quick payment, we must also have a quick delivery. So that's why we
use as a payment method Western Union money transfer, the fastest and
also very secure way of sending money.
So, if you agree with my terms I'm sure that we can close the deal as soon as possible.
Waiting your quick answer right now,
THANK YOU

SECOND EMAIL:

the big deal is that I have to sell many items at this price to win money.imagine how many items I'm selling that I can affourt me to sell them so damm low.
I'm working from 3:00pm till 9:00am.
can you imagine that?now is 5:50 am here and I'm working as you can see.the last thing I need now is to lose my clients for 1200$.the only problem of selling onebay is that I can't sell my items as quickly as I need for receiving more and quick.
I'm running this business for 15 years.I have my soul very clean.I made alots of clients in this way.they respect me and I respect them.I'm living from this business.I'm not permitting to myself to lose my clients.if you can understand this ...you will trust me and you will trust your heart.you have my name,adress,phone number...I will not lose a good costumer and a great feedback for $1200.I working so much for other goals...I need you to reommend me to other people,too...and in this way I'll win more than $1200.

thank you and please let me know.

ps. this is only their policy because I'm selling offebay.I refuse to declare the incoming founds that I'm winning so they don't like that.
anyway you can ask for reference at :
admin@safeserverebay.com
this man work for ebay and bought from me 5 units last week
Don't forget to tell him my email adress .
Regards,

Last Email:
My name is DORIN CATALIN COSTEA .In order to end this deal in good terms i am going to tell you some things that i want to follow:
1.It is better for you to know that the item is
brand new it has never been opened, have international warranty
provided by the factory and come with all accesories that you need.
2. SHIPPMENT ---this is a thing about you shouldn't
worry about because i belive that it is my responasability to
deliver it to your home.We can do it through
-UPS overnighted
It will take one day and a half for the package to arrive to
your door.The shipping costs will be paid by me and i will also pay for the
insurance in case of any damage happens during the handling and shipping,so
i will be protected in case of damages and you too.
3.THE WAY TO PAY ---as a payment method i have
chosen WesternUnion's services because they always served our
interests in a professional manner and helped us gain buyers. i consider
promptitude a vital condition on the modern e-Commerce markets and a
guarantee of quality. To arrange the transfer, you must go in person to a
Western Union office and send the money from your name and address to my name
and address .Here are the details that you need for the money transfer:

First:DORIN CATALIN
Second:COSTEA
STREET: MIRONN COSTIINN NO421
City:ARAD
State:ARAD
zipcode:61200
Country:Romania
phone #:0040721603470

Please be carrefull with my first and last name.
For sending the money you must find a western union agent location and send the money from there because western union don't send the money online in Romania
After that, you will recive an confirmation number and
I want you to send me the folowing details :
-the sender name
-the sender address
-the amount
-MTCN (money transfer control number)
4. REFOUND ---After the package arrives you have a 15 days period in which you can send the package back for an full and NO QUESTION refound,but you will pay for the shipping and handlling back to me.
5.TAXES ---There may be some customs duties for you to pay, but if you
wish we can avoid them (if any):
ME --i have to declare the item as a gift for you and in this way you will pay NO costum fees and you will receive the item very fast.
Please let me know when you can make the payment and after this i will start the delivery process.
I hope you agree my terms and we will close this deal
sucessfully.
I look forward hearing from you.
Thanks!