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  • Geebo 9:00 am on February 23, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: eBay, , , ,   

    Old used car scam still thriving 

    By Greg Collier

    When something has been around a long time, it sometimes gets taken for granted. Many people will assume that others just know about it. However, there are always going to be those who are just learning about whatever it is we might assume is common knowledge. That’s what we’re dealing with in today’s scam.

    A Tennessee man recently lost hundreds of dollars to a used car scam, not at any dealership, but on Facebook Marketplace. The man found a 2001 Toyota Tacoma for $800, which was right in his price range. When the man contacted the seller, he was met with a very old scam.

    The seller claimed to be in the military and was getting ready to ship out. They were supposedly selling the truck because they didn’t want to pay for insurance and storage while deployed. In addition to that, the seller claimed their spouse recently passed away and that was another reason they wanted to sell the truck.

    Being deployed with the military is a tactic that scammers have been using since the earliest days of online marketplaces. Not only does the story garner sympathy from the buyer, but it also lends legitimacy as to why the vehicle is being sold well below market value.

    Another story scammers like to use is the one about the deceased relative. Typically, the scammer will say the vehicle belonged to this relative, and they’re selling it due to grief. This scammer used both stories to fleece their victim.

    To add yet another layer to the scam, the buyer was told that the truck was going to be delivered by eBay and that he needed to pay for the car in gift cards. While eBay does have a platform where you can buy and sell cars, they do not deliver any vehicles. Again, this is a common tactic used by scammers to make the phony purchase seem more legitimate.

    If you’re looking to buy a car online from a private seller, there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is, if the seller is claiming they’re selling the car because they’re leaving the area, be very wary. This is especially so if the seller claims the vehicle’s owner is in the military. Also, be careful when any claims are made that the vehicle’s owner is recently deceased. Lastly, never pay any private seller with gift cards. That is a surefire sign that you’re being scammed.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 15, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , eBay, , ,   

    Why are online shoppers getting a cardboard square in the mail? 

    Why are online shoppers getting a cardboard square in the mail?

    By Greg Collier

    There have been reports from around the country of online shoppers receiving a weird delivery in their mail. Consumers who have used large online retail outlets like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart have reportedly been getting envelopes which have nothing in them but a cardboard square. To make matters more puzzling, they’re all supposedly coming from the same address in Nebraska. Is this some elaborate prank, or is there something more insidious at play?

    According to security experts, this is another version of the brushing scam. The brushing scam always involves getting items from retailers the recipients didn’t even order. This is largely done through Amazon, but has been known to be done through other online retailers. However, it’s not Amazon or other online retailers who are mailing out cardboard squares, the brushing scam is usually committed by third-party vendors who sell their items through retailers like Amazon.

    The reason vendors do this is to increase visibility of their product, although in an underhanded way. First, the vendors make it appear as if the recipient is a verified buyer of the item. This way, the vendors can put fake five-star reviews for their items in the recipient’s name. In turn, this increases the visibility of their item on websites like Amazon.

    Sometimes, the recipients will get a package that doesn’t even have the item that’s supposedly being sold. Instead, recipients will get something lightweight like a pair of cheap sunglasses, or in this case, a cardboard square. Scammers don’t want to actually use their money to pay for the postage quality items need.

    So, what does this mean for you if you receive an unordered item like this? The good news is you can keep the item you’ve received. The bad news is your online shopping accounts may have been compromised. Check your accounts like Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and the like to make sure no purchases have been made without your knowledge. If there has, contact that retailer’s customer service immediately. If not, you’ll want to at least change the password on your retail accounts.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 1, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: eBay, , ,   

    Gift cards still popular among scammers 

    Gift cards still popular among scammers

    By Greg Collier

    Within the past year or so, it seems like scammers have been leaning more toward Zelle and cryptocurrency to steal from their victims. Prior to that, gift cards seemed to be used in just about every phone and online scam. Scammers would get their victims to buy scores of gift cards for whatever the scam entailed, and then had the victims read the card numbers to them. The money on the cards would then be depleted immediately by the scammers, and the victim would have no way of recouping their financial loss.

    While git card scams may not be as prevalent as they used to be, they’re still out there. For example, a man from Arizona recently lost $1000 to a gift card scam. This also took the form of a used car scam. The man was looking for a truck and found one online. The seller claimed to be a serviceman and was selling the truck at such a low price because he was deploying soon.

    The seller also claimed that he was selling the car through eBay and needed the man to buy eBay gift cards to purchase the vehicle. The man bought the cards at a local store and was even warned about scams by a store employee. The man went through with the purchase anyway, and provided the supposed seller with the numbers from the back of the cards. Of course, the truck never existed, and the scammer cut off communication immediately with their victim.

    Before we get into the warnings about gift cards, there were a few red flags you should know about first. If an item is being sold at a steep discount and the seller claims to be a military member who is shipping out, that’s a good indicator of a scam. Scammers love using this story, as it tends to make them sound more trustworthy.

    Also, while eBay does have its own vehicle marketplace, you don’t pay the seller directly with gift cards. They also do not have a vehicle shipping program, which many scammers claim.

    Lastly, unless you’re actually giving someone a gift, gift cards should never be used as a form of payment to people you don’t know. No legitimate company, agency, or online seller, will ever ask for gift cards as payment. They are the currency of the scammer, since they’re virtually untraceable once the card is depleted.

    Video: Milan man falls victim to eBay gift card scam

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on September 14, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , eBay, , ,   

    Slick new scam targets satellite subscribers 

    Slick new scam targets satellite subscribers

    By Greg Collier

    Consumers who subscribe to satellite TV sometimes have to deal with a number of scams. This usually comes in the form of scammers offering some too good to pass up upgrade. The scammers will then use your financial information to take your money right out of your bank account or steal your credit card information. Some scammers will even ask you for your satellite TV PIN to divert your payment from your provider to the scammers. However, a new scam has popped up that is clever enough that it might find a higher number of victims than the typical scam.

    In upstate New York, consumers have complained about a scam that sounds plausible but has a telltale sign it’s a scam. The scammers are posing as DirecTV representatives and offering an upgrade as a co-promotion with eBay. As part of the deal with eBay, customers are being asked to pay for the upgrade using eBay gift cards. As we always say, gift cards are a surefire way to tell if something is a scam. No legitimate company takes gift cards as payment. Scammers prefer gift cards since they can be redeemed almost immediately and are virtually untraceable.

    What makes this scam a little more concerning than usual is that the scammers are said to have customers’ account numbers. How the scammers are obtaining this information is unknown at this time. So even if the caller has your account information, that doesn’t rule them out from being a scammer. Anytime you get a call like this, you should hang up and call your provider at their customer service number listed on your bill. They’ll then be able to tell you if an offer is legitimate or not. However, if the offer is tied to payments in gift cards, that’s virtually guaranteed to be a scam.

     

  • Geebo 8:01 am on May 10, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: eBay, , , ,   

    Offices of scammers are a thing 

    By Greg Collier

    eBay Motors works almost exactly like regular eBay does. You find a vehicle you want, you make the payment, and it’s up to you and the seller to arrange delivery of the vehicle. eBay Motors does not have its own delivery service. Neither do they contract out to third-party vehicle delivery services. Despite multiple warnings from eBay itself on their website, scammers have continually convinced victims that not only does eBay deliver vehicles, but you have to pay for the vehicle in eBay gift cards.

    This recently happened to a victim in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. She found a vehicle for sale on another platform. When she reached out to the seller, she received emails that looked like they had been sent by eBay Motors. The emails claimed that the purchase would be protected by an eBay Motors guarantee. All that she would need to do is pay for the vehicle using eBay gift cards. While eBay Motors does have financial protections in regard to fraudulent sales, that’s only if the vehicle is sold through their platform. As with a number of email scams, anyone can add an official-looking logo to their email to make it appear as if it had come from a legitimate source.

    What sort of surprised us about this story is what an AARP spokesperson said about the proliferation of scams like this, When we think of scam rings, we tend to think of shady people that are constantly on the move to prevent apprehension. However, the AARP spokesperson says that there are offices operating as businesses that are just scam operations. She says that leads are bought from other businesses and employees are given bonuses for successfully scamming a victim. That goes a long way in showing just how organized these scammers can be.

    https://youtu.be/Zrl-c_rirHs
     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 25, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , eBay, , , , vaccination card,   

    Fake vaccine cards are showing up online 

    Fake vaccine cards are showing up online

    By Greg Collier

    Previously, the Better Business Bureau warned people who received the COVID-19 vaccine not to post pictures of their vaccine cards on social media. The thought behind this was not only could these pictures potentially lead to identity theft, but scammers could make phony vaccine cards. Now it seems that one of those chickens has come home to roost.

    The Better Business Bureau of Illinois is reporting that blank vaccine card knockoffs have started appearing for sale online. Reports state that the phony cards have shown up on eBay, OfferUp, and of course Craigslist. The cards are being sold for as much as $200.

    The danger behind these cards are the fact there are people who actively avoiding getting the vaccine. Vaccine cards may start being required for things like air travel or public gatherings. If unvaccinated people are start using these cards to get around restrictions, we could potentially start seeing another wave of infections. Considering the number of people who won’t even wear a mask to the supermarket, these cards could constitute a serious health hazard to the population. Not only that, but the cards could allow unvaccinated people who are potentially carrying the disease to return to public places like job sites or schools to spread new strains of the virus to unsuspecting victims.

    If you’re thinking about buying one of these cards you may want to rethink your plan. Using falsified government documents is a crime. Keep in mind that the authentic cards are furnished by the CDC, a branch of the American government. If someone were to use one of these cards to get on a plane, and they get caught, they could be facing a pretty big fine or even jail time.

    Instead, why not just get the vaccine when it becomes available for you in your state. The shot is a lot cheaper than buying one of these phony cards, and it won’t land you in jail.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 15, 2020 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: eBay, , ,   

    Used car scams have this one thing in common 

    Used car scams have this one thing in common

    With so many states reopening and taxpayers are flush with cash from their stimulus checks many consumers are looking to purchase a new vehicle.

    eBay has been selling vehicles on its platform for over a decade now. eBay Motors can be a good place to search if you’re looking for a specific make and model of vehicle. eBay even has a Vehicle Protection Plan that will cover certain losses associated with fraud. However, con artists are using eBay’s name and branding to rip off people looking to purchase a new vehicle.

    Within the past week there have been a number of reports of used car scams that have had an eBay element to them. Please keep in mind that eBay is not actually involved in any of these scams.

    In Louisiana, the Better Business Bureau there is warning consumers about purchasing cars where an online ad promises the eBay Vehicle Protection Plan. They’re saying that if you see the promise of the Vehicle Protection Plan on any other platform besides eBay, like craigslist, there’s a good likelihood that the ad could be a scam.

    In another scam that seems to be occurring in multiple locations across the country, scammers are asking for payment in eBay gift cards for vehicles that don’t exist. In Virginia, scammers are said to be using emails with official-looking eBay branding to lure unsuspecting victims into paying for vehicles with eBay gift cards. A similar scam is also taking place in Omaha, Nebraska where a couple lost $4500 after trying to pay for a motorcycle with eBay gift cards.

    Anybody with a half-decent knowledge of computers can claim that their vehicle is protected by eBay’s Vehicle Protection Plan or make their email look like it’s from eBay. So unless you’re actually shopping on eBay, those promises and branding are more than likely nothing more than stolen assets. Also, gift cards are the currency of scammers since they’re virtually untraceable once the serial numbers are given out. If someone online ever asks you to make any payment using any kind of gift card, there’s a high probability you’re being scammed.

     

  • Geebo 8:22 am on April 29, 2020 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , eBay, ,   

    Some sites slow to pull bad COVID products 

    Some sites slow to pull bad COVID products

    As we have mentioned before, the current pandemic has been a boom period for all sorts of con artists and scammers. The scams started even before coronavirus even started claiming all the headlines. Even before stay at home orders were issued, scammers were already online selling masks that didn’t exist or harmful snake oil cures. Even with all that we currently know about COVID-19 these scams are continuing unabated. Now, these scams even have an air of legitimacy as many of them are appearing on legitimate commerce sites. The problem is that these commerce sites are slow to pull any dangerous or false products if they even pull them at all.

    A tech company by the name of Proxyway performed an investigation into several e-commerce sites that were selling harmful products that either claimed to test for or cure COVID-19. These dangerous products were reviewed by medical professionals to determine how harmful they were. The sites that Proxyway investigated were Alibaba, AliExpress, Amazon, Craigslist, and eBay. Alibaba and Craigslist would take up to a week before the hazardous products were removed. eBay would take an average of three days while Amazon would take an average of two. While two and three days may seem like a short time, any number of people could have ordered these risky products from what they might assume are legitimate retailers.

    While sites like Amazon and eBay employ reviewers to look out for unsafe products they’re still not infallible. Craigslist is worse since it relies on community policing which has bitten craigslist in the past. Just because something is on a website, no matter how legitimate the website might be, you can’t assume the product is safe, especially when it comes to COVD-19.

    As of the time of this posting, there are no cures for COVID-19 and there are no commercially available home testing kits.

    For all valid information about COVID-19 please visit Coronavirus.gov.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 1, 2019 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , eBay, ,   

    Don’t ignore the red flags of an online scam 

    Don't ignore the red flags of an online scam

    A story recently came out from the Allentown, Pennsylvania area about a man who was scammed out of $2,500. The man was looking to buy a camper and found one on an online listing. The number of red flags that we noticed while reading this story could have been its own semaphore corps. While you may be aware of the signs to look out for when purchasing something online, unfortunately, not everybody is. So every once in a while we like to go over some of the more common scams in order to educate those who may not be aware of them.

    As we’ve said, this scam is an example of a typical scam that you’ll find online. When the man responded to the local ad for the camper he was told by the person who placed the ad that he would have to deal with the ad placer’s mother since it was her camper. The ‘mother’ said that she was stationed with the Air Force and was getting rid of the camper because she was retiring. However, the camper was currently located in Minot, North Dakota. That’s roughly 1,700 mikes from the Allentown area. The man was then told that the transaction would be handled through eBay and all he would need to do to have the camper shipped to him was send the asking price in eBay gift cards. After the man paid the initial $2,000 the woman said she needed $1,000 more for shipping and insurance. The man was able to talk her down to $500 but still paid in eBay gift cards.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEQY7k9CGOI%5D

    By now you’ve probably guessed there was no camper and sadly, the victim was out $2,500. For many of us that can be a life saving’s worth of money. The first red flag that should have been noticed is that the ad placer handed off the transaction to someone else. The second red flag was the seller claiming to be in the military. That’s often used as a reason as to why the item is either miles away or why the item can’t be inspected. Many scammers will try to pressure the victim into buying the item sight unseen because the scammer claims they’re shipping out immediately. The next red flag was the transaction supposedly being shifted from the classifieds ad to eBay. While eBay does sell vehicles, they only do so through listings on their site and not as a third-party between people who list their vehicles on other marketplaces. The gift cards should have been the biggest red flag as once the serial numbers are given to the phony seller they can make off with your money largely untraced. Lastly, scammers will always try to get even more money from a victim if they were able to before.

    The more people who are forewarned of such a scam will be better able to spot a scam like this in the future. So please, if you know someone who may be vulnerable to this type of scam please share this story and our blog with then for more consumer protection advice.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 3, 2019 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , eBay, ,   

    Illegal ivory trade online in America 

    Illegal ivory trade online in America

    When most people hear about the illegal ivory trade they usually think of it taking place in remote destinations overseas, far from the coasts of America. What if we told you that the Pacific Northwest was home to such activity? While endangered animals are not being killed in places like Seattle or Portland, the products of these illegal killings are being sold in the Northwest. While it may not be the largest market for illegal animal product sales the states felt that it was enough of a problem that a law was passed in both Washington and Oregon that outlawed the trade or sale of products made from certain endangered animals, such as elephants, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and rhinos. Both states passed the laws after voters backed the measures in overwhelming margins.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVfhNA8RSHM%5D

    With the Northwest being a gateway to countries where these items are sought they are often brought into the country here such as furs, boots, skin cream, and even elephant tusks. Recently, two Washington men were the first to be charged under the new law for allegedly selling ivory. One man was charged after caught trying to sell carved ivory on eBay. While eBay forbids the sale of ivory, traders use code words to try to disguise the fact that the item is illegal.

    The second man was allegedly selling ivory on craigslist which makes us wonder if those ads were disguised at all, knowing craigslist’s reputation. The man was said to be in possession of close to 2,000 different ivory items at the time of the initial investigation. While neither suspect has been jailed, they’re both facing a potential five years in prison, a $10,000 fine and a $4,000 criminal wildlife penalty paid to the state.

    If you live in Washington and you happen to be in possession of a piece of ivory that was obtained before the 2014 ban you can give them to state law enforcement where they’ll be used in education programs to combat wildlife trafficking.

     

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