From: bigwigs (bigwigs_at_froggy.com.au)
Date: Wed Oct 29 2003 - 23:09:16 PST
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Last night as the new Sony Ericsson p900 had just been released I
thought I would try and buy a few for resale in Oz. I found an item on
ebay "NEW IN STOCK 10 x P00 $2500"wow I thought it must be my lucky
day!!!. So I decided to ask the seller a question "what exactly are you
selling is it really 10x p900's for $2500" Reply Dear Sir yes I am
selling 10 brand new in boxes Sony Ericson P900 with all international
warranties and free shipping. Throughout the night we probably sent 20
emails to each other. Me being rather excited had almost forget the
saying "if it sounds to good to be true IT IS!!!!!"
This seller wanted western union money gram and only that for payment,
would not accept anything else. He said free shipping and goods would
be shipped via UPS Express Air Plus. Hence after I pay I would have
them in 1 day. I sat and thought for a while would a $2500 investment
pay off. I spoke to the wife. YES it would.
So I decided to go onto ebay again and look at the item one last time
before contacting the seller to confirm I would make payment and get his
details. But alas the listing had gone nowhere to be found.
I sent an email to the seller "where has the listing gone"
Reply
"you were the winner bidder"
My reply
"but I didn't bid I only asked you a question"
Reply
You want my phones I want to sell si r so I stopped my auction"
Over the next 30 mins of back and forth emails I was trying to quiz him
on alternative means to exchange payment for goods without success.
But still in my dizzy excited state I continue as if I would complete
the transaction. Then I had an idea.I asked the seller to relist the
item as something I could find I would place the bid using the ebay
system. This he agreed upon and I eventually found it again. I thought
maybe this would provide me with some protection
Yet on checking his user id on ebay he had miraculously obtained 1000
extra feedback rating in the 2 hours we had been online and his username
was one "I" different. That is there was and "I" in place of where
there was an "L" before. Strange I thought.
I asked the seller why was this so without success and the conversation
carried on. It was agreed I would make the bid $2500 and would send him
a western union money gram in the morning. So I went to bed feeling
pretty happy with myself but strangely suspicious.
I awoke in the morning with an email from another seller.
"do not bid on this item (providing me a link to my beloved P900's) the
seller listed has hacked into the ebay server and hijacked my user name.
Next came the email from Ebay (auction Alert) do not pay any money to
this seller nor complete the transaction in any way.the user has obtain
unauthorised access to the ebay system and is not the authentic user.
Bugger I thought and there it is.
This person located in Romania had somehow gained access to the ebay
server hijacked an auction an held himself out as if they goods were
his. Lucky for me I got tired. The funny and lucky thing is, is that
if he had accepted a internet bank transfer or paypal I would have paid
him that night on the net being so delirious. Never again will I do
this..Ebay now has a bad taste in my mouth.
Daniel Wignall
Dawi Enterprises Pty Ltd
*This Email was made with recycled electrons*
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