Re: [NTLK] Risky Business

From: Dan (dan_at_dbdigitalweb.com)
Date: Mon Nov 15 2004 - 08:20:11 PST


John M Powell wrote:
>>I personally use Paypal, which is not only safer than
>>Western Union but also recommended over Western Union
>>by EBAY.
>
>
> I personally use PayPal as well. Never used Western Union... may never. As a
> side note, it's important to point this out... of course eBay is going to
> recommend PayPal over Western Union. PayPal is an eBay company.
>
>
>>If you're an EBAY seller worried about international
>>buyers, perhaps the setting of a minimum feedback
>>rating for international bidders would put you at ease.
>
>
> Unfortunately, feedback ratings aren't even always enough of an indication.
> Many scams are led by people who have hijacked someone's account with a good
> rating. Recently, I was purchasing a Samsung i700 cell phone bundle. While
> in the process of bidding, I was offered a 'second chance' bid offer from
> someone claiming to be the auctioneer. Much of their email looked legit, but
> it raised suspicions - the contact id and email addresses listed from this
> person did not match up with those of the auctioneer. I contacted the
> auctioneer, and confirmed my suspicions that it was a scam. I didn't go with
> the scammer, did win the bid, and love my i700. You have to careful & wise
> no matter what. And even then, you could still get burned.

I recently had a "second chance" offer as well, and it was legit. But I
checked into it throughly by checking the IP of the sending email, that
the email address was correct, and by entering the "secondchance offer"
ID number into ebay directly and not using any links. Everything
matched up, so then (and only then) did I purchase.

One has to be very careful and check and recheck to make sure you are
dealing with the person you think you are and not some scammer with his
coat open on the street in front of a store saying "pssst hey buddy you
want a hammer cheap? Yeah I own the store but this way I can sell it to
you without sales tax......."

-Dan

-- 
This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries
Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/
WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/


This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Mon Nov 15 2004 - 08:30:01 PST