posted on August 23, 2004 02:46:02 PM new
I sold a postcard and the address that popped up through Ebay showed Lithuania. A mans name and address all there.
Then, I receive an email from a Patricia saying she will be sending me a check for the item.
I email back and state I do not accept international checks and she replies that her account was hijacked and she really lives in the USA (in the state the postcard is from).
She has mailed a check but her ebay account still shows from Lithuania and she doesn't seem to concerned.
Does anyone see any potential problems here? It just seems very strange and stranger still that she would use the account with it showing from lithuania.
[ edited by lindajean on Aug 23, 2004 02:46 PM ]
posted on August 23, 2004 04:07:16 PM new
I guess I would wait and see where the money comes from and where she asks for the post card to be shipped. If the payment seems to be fraud, you can always send it back.
posted on August 23, 2004 05:19:57 PM new
This is one of the few instances I can think of where I would call the bank and verify that the check is good, and wait for it to clear before I shipped. I can't imagine anyone not being concerned about having their account hijacked. How long does she think it will be before this guy steals a credit card number and starts listing laptops on her account? Or runs up a few thousand dollars in bids?
If the check is no good, I would send her a photocopy of the card. Tell her you'll send the original when she sends cash.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on August 23, 2004 05:57:11 PM new
you can say what country you like,ebay does not care.
she may do this for a reason.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
posted on August 23, 2004 06:05:23 PM new
I have emailed her several times today, and she has returned all the emails.
She only has 54 feedback and all is as a buyer. And, she only buys postcards.
Last email she said Ebay had fixed it after 4 hours of conversations with live chat and a phone call. But, her feedback page still shows Lithuania.
As far as her doing it for a reason goes, the auction service I use sends me the name and address on file with Ebay for each bidder after the auctions end. Then, my EOA has that address in it and just asks them to confirm it.
The address Ebay furnished was for a Josh xxxx from Lithuania. Right down to the full Lithuanian address with the numbers after the country and all.
She is from the USA, already gave me her address and has a very common American name.
This is the strangest case I have come across in my 5 years with Ebay and it does make me a little nervous only because the cancelled check she gets back will have my account number on it. Guess that's pretty harmless but I'm still a little concerned.
posted on August 23, 2004 07:26:05 PM new
jesus christ!!
you better stop selling on ebay,i heard there are vampires lurking to suck blood of innocent people like you and me.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
posted on August 23, 2004 09:24:26 PM new
Linda - I guess I wouldn't worry about it unless it's a big $ pc. 54 feedback is quite a lot for a buyer, and if it doesn't look like she has gone on a buying spree (do a buyer check for items bid on) I would assume some ebay SNAFU made her account say Lithuania (wouldn't be the first ebay SNAFU nor the last) and accept her payment. I don't think a scammer would waste all the time emailing back and forth.
**********************************
Sig files are too much trouble! http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
posted on August 23, 2004 09:34:03 PM new
The thing that worries me most is that when the spoof Ebay emails first started, they looked legit and even Ebay was caught off guard. The scammers collected a lot of info from unsuspecting victims until word started spreading to warn others. It's hard to tell when a new scam starts up, but anytime the word Lithuania enters the equation, red flags should go up. Same for Romania, Nigeria and Indonesia. Make sure that check clears before you ship. You can always open a utility account at the bank with a $50.00 balance to process suspicious checks through. So they get access to your account. Big deal. Their total take will only be $50.00 or less. I recently opened an account at a very well known bank during a promo where they offered me $75.00 to open an account with $100.00. It's still setting there with a $175.00 balance, and that's exactly where I would cash or deposit a check like that.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on August 23, 2004 10:46:56 PM new
Thanks Sparkz. I think that's a great idea. I can open a second account at Wells Fargo with no fees and use it to deposit all my checks. Then when I know they have cleared I can just transfer the funds to my main account.
Normally I don't worry either. I never hold checks and even though I have been burned a couple of times I won't penalize everyone for what a few people do.
But Lithuania did run up red flags, and I hope she gets her account straight. She seems very nice and has in fact left feedback for me already (even though the auction just ended today and she is mailing a check).
Neglus, it's not an expensive card. Just $10.21. I'll probably go ahead and ship it when her check arrives.
