+eusty Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Just thought I'd let you know about an ebay scam, one which a friend at work got caught with, it's not really geocaching related........unless you need a phone with GPS! It only works if you want to buy a phone. (Not something I'd do from ebay!) You win the auction and get the phone, it arrives and works so you are happy and leave positive feedback. Everything is fine for just over a month and then the phone can't get a network. My friend went into the network shop (Orange in his case) and they couldn't sort it out until they phoned their HQ, the phone had been marked as stolen and blocked. They explained what people do, they sell a phone on ebay, they then get insurance on the phone and report it as stolen to claim the insurance. By waiting 45 days before doing this you can't open a resolution case with ebay. They end up with a new phone and the money they sold the old one for...you end up with a blocked phone Quote Link to comment
Dave from Glanton Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hmmm.....if they're reporting the phone as stolen and cancelling its service through the network provider, then the phone must be registered in their name. The transaction on Ebay is electronic and traceable back to the miscreant's bank account (either direct or via their PayPal account) - no cash-in-hand shenanigans Ebay might have a time limit on complaints, but I'm sure that the Boys In Blue would be able to pursue this as a case of fraud / obtaining money under false pretense / whatever. Quote Link to comment
+maxx borchovski Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I'd contact the police. Chances are they do this or similar scams on a regular basis. Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I'd contact the police. Chances are they do this or similar scams on a regular basis. I'd certainly talk to the police, given the seller will presumably have had to lodge a name and address with ebay in order to sell and you'll be able to produce the proof of an ebay transaction showing you bought a phone from them. No point complaining to ebay, even when auctions are obviously scams and emails are obviously fake they seem disinterested in doing anything about them. Quote Link to comment
+Gushoneybun Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Go to the police, they will have access to the background information, this will include name, address, email details along with credit card and paypal information. Quote Link to comment
+eusty Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 Ok, it seems that although there is a scam like this he wasn't caught by it. He contacted the seller who finally replied and told him he had two phones, after he sold the first one the second got stolen...but he reported the wrong phone!! My mate is a happy bunny again.... Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Ok, it seems that although there is a scam like this he wasn't caught by it. He contacted the seller who finally replied and told him he had two phones, after he sold the first one the second got stolen...but he reported the wrong phone!! My mate is a happy bunny again.... Sounds like a rear-covering crock of something smelly to me, to be honest. But good that your friend got his phone back in order. Quote Link to comment
+Seaglass Pirates Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Yep. I got caught by this. In my case it was 5 people got phones from this guy on ebay. And a few afterwards. But the few afterward never received their phones. Anyway the 5 that did we went about our business for a year. Then. All were reported stolen and the EMEI numbers added to the stolen register. Basically what happens is whoever the phone belongs to reports the phones serial number the EMEI code to the stolen register. Then whoever the network provider for the phone is issues the code that kills your phone. In my case it was reported stolen from Caroline warehouse Leicester. Then my network provider orange killed it. However and this was the bitch. I called orange and they told me they take the number from the register. They have no idea who puts it there. Rang police - no record. They said the only way to trace who reported it was to ring them all. 2 hours later and after ringing tesco through O2 and virgin etc etc i finally found out it was Carphone warehouse. After a very long protracted call and proof of purchase emails I finally managed to get them to agree to notify orange to reinstate the phone. Whoever blocks it has to unblock it. After two weeks of backwards and forwards emails Orange refused. Trading standard - too much time elapsed. Ebay - ignored. Police - shouldn't have bought off ebay should you. Carphone warehouse - sorry. Orange - get fu ... Well you get the picture. So there i was £200.00 down. No phone and totally distraught and ... That's when the fun began. Because you see I had left positive feedback. I was the second purchaser. And so I was obviously in the eyes of the police - in on the scam. I had to present them with the emails back and forth and then they relented. However it didn't end there. Had to change my email. Had threatening emails from the rest who never got their phones. Because when they had contacted the police the police had said I was obviously a friend of the ebay account holder and in on the scam. So that was fun but not when the death threats came. It really. Was a very horrible time. Moral of the story - do not buy sim related goods from ebay lol. Oh and no I don't mean the PUK code. That's the SIM cards serial number. The EMEI code allows the phone to be open to receive a signal. Once that's cut off the phones works fully as a pretty paperweight. You can get it unlocked again for about five quid. Get caught doing it or having it done and its hello her majesties. Quote Link to comment
+eusty Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 wow!! That sounds like it turned into a nightmare!! Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.