Problem with Ebay seller

[Praetorian380]

I need everyones opinion on this. I have a slight problem with a seller on ebay at the moment. I have been buying items on ebay for a long time and feel that I am pretty familiar with all of ebays rules and practices, but today I recieved an email from a seller, whose item I am bidding on, telling me something I have never heard before.


Here is what the email said:

(Note: before you read it, know that I have modified the price, email address, and removed the item# to protect the privacy of this purchase and user name - everything else is exactly as I recieved it)
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[FONT=Arial, Verdana]I'm the seller of the item that you've recently bided through the eBay system.Item name: HOT TOYS AVP PREDATOR Item number: (XXXXXXXXXXXXX) I`ve just been contacted by the eBay staff who informed me that due to some reasons the eBay policy automatically proclaims you to be the winner by default. I need your agreement on this so I can contact eBay to confirm you that you're the winner, otherwise I'll relist the item. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but I need an answer asap. You will have the oportunity to purchase the item at your last given price wich is US $XXX.XX .If you agree my offer please respond this email or contact me at [email protected] . Thank you!
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Have you guys ever received an email like this before from something you were bidding on??? The weird thing is that the item still has 2 more days left on the bidding. I am very skeptical of this and am not sure what to do. The fact that he wants an answer asap seems a little strange to me. Also the item is still up for bidding, he hasnt even taken it down yet. I know that normally when you get an email from an ebay member it shows up in your "MyEbay Message Inbox" but this message did not show up there at all.
The seller has 100% feedback with over 500 transactions - but I looked at what he has sold in the the past and 90% of his items are DVD's that sold for $1-$5 - other items he sold were a few Sideshow and Hot Toys items - that makes me a little skeptical.

My gut instinct is to pass

Opinions - Thoughts - I need as many as I can get.


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[massf]

Something doesn't quite sound right here at all. I've never had any e-mails like this and I've been trading on Ebay for 7 years so far.

I would forward this e-mail to Ebay and ask them to validate if such a process is valid, after all, according to his e-mail Ebay are stating that he takes this course of action so they should be able to tell you if it's genuine or not.

The e-mail address he's provided you also doesn't seem quite right IMO.

As for his "please respond ASAP" request, I would just let him wait until you have an answer that satisfies you. It is your cash you're parting with after all.

 

[Praetorian380]

Something doesn't quite sound right here at all. I've never had any e-mails like this and I've been trading on Ebay for 7 years so far.

I would forward this e-mail to Ebay and ask them to validate if such a process is valid, after all, according to his e-mail Ebay are stating that he takes this course of action so they should be able to tell you if it's genuine or not.

The e-mail address he's provided you also doesn't seem quite right IMO.

As for his "please respond ASAP" request, I would just let him wait until you have an answer that satisfies you. It is your cash you're parting with after all.

thats a good idea - Ill try contacting ebay about it and see what they say.

Also - his email he put in the letter was a real email address. I t wasnt [email protected] - I just changed to that protect the privacy of his email address.

 

[CookieMonster]

I'd pass on this. It sound to fishy/strange. I was aware that if a seller ended an auction early, they would have the opportunity to offer it to the highest bidder.If what he says is true, why would ebay contact him and allow the listing to continue?

If you have already bid on the item then in theory, he has a guarenteed sale anyway. Is the seller in the same country as you? I would personally avoid this transaction as the seller's behaviour is a little odd. You could ask him to forward you the ebay email he received to see if it checks out.

 

[massf]

Also - his email he put in the letter was a real email address. I t wasnt [email protected] - I just changed to that protect the privacy of his email address.

DOH!! sorry...just re-read your original post and noticed that!

 

[Praetorian380]

I'd pass on this. It sound to fishy/strange. I was aware that if a seller ended an auction early, they would have the opportunity to offer it to the highest bidder.If what he says is true, why would ebay contact him and allow the listing to continue?

If you have already bid on the item then in theory, he has a guarenteed sale anyway. Is the seller in the same country as you? I would personally avoid this transaction as the seller's behaviour is a little odd. You could ask him to forward you the ebay email he received to see if it checks out.

yeah the seller does live in the same country - but I agree with you about it being fishy/strange - I am leaning more towards a pass on this one.

I have just sent out a message to ebay to have them look into it - and I contacted the seller as well asking him to explain himself in more detail as to what this all means.


Oh and by the way........I was wondering, do you get thrown around by Cookie Monster in your spare time - or do you dress up as Cookie Monster and throw other people around in your spare time? nice pic

 

[hydrobud]

jump ship,the next email you will get is to send the cash to singapore or something

 

[Praetorian380]

jump ship,the next email you will get is to send the cash to singapore or something

Yup, I think that is what Im gonna do - Im not about to let myself get screwed over - Im curious what ebay has to say though.......hopefully they get back to me.

 

[CookieMonster]

Oh and by the way........I was wondering, do you get thrown around by Cookie Monster in your spare time - or do you dress up as Cookie Monster and throw other people around in your spare time? nice pic

To tell you the truth, I used to be a really successful wrestler until Vince McMahon screwd me at some really big PPV event. The Chip on my shoulder grew so big, I had to adopt a disguise so when I lay the smack down on all these wrestlin newbies (like John Cena) they wouldn't recognise me or be embarressed by their defeat.

 

[Shai]

To tell you the truth, I used to be a really successful wrestler until Vince McMahon screwd me at some really big PPV event. The Chip on my shoulder grew so big, I had to adopt a disguise so when I lay the smack down on all these wrestlin newbies (like John Cena) they wouldn't recognise me or be embarressed by their defeat.

Bret ,is that you ?????

 

[El Roranous]

SCAM!!!

Run away! Only deal directly through ebay. Don't respond to emails that ask for money or offer you something outside of ebay because then you are not protected anymore. IF this is a real second chance offer or something like that you will be able to see it in your MY EBAY account. Never have I gotten an email like that. Hope this helps...just always check things on your account page on ebay, emails can be duplicated to look authentic.

 

[customizerwannabe]

I received 4 of those last week. I sent several tasty emails to the senders. I told them with all of the mistakes in their english, they better get an american to scam for them. I then added some nasty comments. They had the gall to email me back and say "what mistakes?"

 

[CookieMonster]

Bret ,is that you ?????

Your'e Damn right it is Shai. After I got screwd, I hung around a few years but then thought I would move to England where its always cold and raining One day I will return and bum Mr McMahon

 

[Poisonous]

Received something similar recently. I was contacted regarding a second chance offer by [what i thought was] the seller of an item i had already won. I was asked to complete the info he had on me, ie, phone# etc. Contacted the seller of the item asking him what the deal was with a second chance offer for an item i just friggin' paid for. He replied he knew nothing about such a second chance offer.

Obviously a scam or whatever, but what struck me afterwards was the fact that the second chance offer email didn't want any passwords, CC info or similar, just address etc. Weird...

 

[Cocoboloboy]

I get emails silmilar to that once every month or so and I always send them directly to [email protected]. I never even attempt to contact the idiots who send me those things.

 

[pixletwin]

Definite pass. Get away from this auction quickly.

 

[Praetorian380]

Just found out from ebay that the email I got was NOT from them and that it is a SPOOF EMAIL.

I figured it was.........Also the seller returned my message stating that he knows nothing of the message sent and that his auction has 2 more days left on it and is still up for bidding. He also said he thinks that I have received a spoof email.

The question now is should I even continuing trying to bid on this item and try to win the auction?? Or should I just forget it al together just to be safe.

 

[user 1190]

Here is the question. Was the return email address the sellers? If it was he is somehow involved in the scam I think. But if the return email address was someone elses I have a feeling he is getting used and does not not know about this as the seller stated.

 

[CookieMonster]

Well, if the seller is legit (which he appears to be) then there is no reason why you should'nt carry on bidding on the auction. My main worry would have been the seller trying to somehow screw you. As it looks like some kind of 'third-party' thing, I don't imagine there would be any problems if you won the auction. Its really down to your own gut instincts i guess, what do you beleive etc. (Christ!!! Im sounding like Fox Mulder-TRUST NOONE!!!