BS: eBay scam currently on the loose

Subject: BS: e-bay scam currently on the loose
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Jun 06 - 08:12 AM

I just bought a very nice remote control on E-bay, Pronto 950 since you ask.

Being a naive user I bided (should that be bid?) my time and sussed-out what item I wanted and the prices they were going for.

In the process I was out-bid for an model I subsequently didn't buy. Immediately I got an e-mail to the effect that they had that model at the price I bid. Location central London (how anonymous is that?). I replied (thanks to the Mudcat warning a few years back) that I would bid on E-bay when it appeared - it didn't. Stolen? Would not arrive? Western Union payment? - who cares - I don't.

Part of the ebay experience was the thrill of the chase, potentially being ripped-off was not.

But I got lucky with my winning bid, fair price, good seller. Next day - to the wrong e-mail address was the old - "Paypal service blocked due to.............." scam.

The two are not unconnected - names similar - first auction bid - next day. The scammers must have some pretty sophisticated s/w to hunt for closed e-bay items.

I would always use different e-mail addresses for important comms but does everyone?

Subject: RE: BS: e-bay scam currently on the loose
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Jun 06 - 09:14 AM

I have had similar experiences with offers of "the same item". I don't respond. It feels a bit like being stalked.
I constantly get phony emails about my account and copy and paste the senders' addresses to eBay. Pain in the ass.

Subject: RE: BS: e-bay scam currently on the loose
From: jacqui.c
Date: 07 Jun 06 - 09:29 AM

Same here - and I send them to e-Bay and PayPal.

I'm even getting spoof Yahoo messages on my Yahoo address. Not much, it seems can be done about that except report them as spam if they get into the inbox rather than the junk mail.

Subject: RE: BS: e-bay scam currently on the loose
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Jun 06 - 01:11 PM

the problem with the sender's address is "which one?". I looked for the "reply to" in the header and even that was not an e-bay/paypal address. I did think of replying with spoof data but by not replying to any spam/scam - they don't know if it is a lurker watching for such or not. It only needs a few out of the millions they try, to monitor their activity. The ISP's must have a few each.