VIDEOGAME SELLERS TARGETED FRAUD info on half.com / ebay/ amazon

[quote name='Coolzell']So then what do I pay ebay back the 147 + 15 shipping. I JUST started doing this and already got screwed. Probably should just quit if it's this bad after only 5 sells its not worth it.[/QUOTE]


Just tell the buyer you don't except returns. If he files a dispute with ebay and wins (which he probably will since ebay mostly sides with the buyer) you're suppose to refund him and he's suppose to send you back the xbox. But like twiceborn said he can literally send you a pile of rocks in a box and ebay can't do anything. So you lose your xbox and your money. I've been shying away from ebay the last few months because of stuff like this. Good luck to you.
 
I'm hoping that Ebay slaps him down because he didn't say the xbox didn't work he simply said it was "Scratched and scuffed". Its a lie but even if he says it was scratched will ebay really side with him over a used product. Also he threatened to leave me bad feedback lets see if they take it into consideration. What website do you guys recommend for sellers since ebay wants to act like they don't have any obligation to sellers.
 
Anyone selling codes on Ebay beware of wajid91121.

This loser bought Xbox codes, and asked to have them texted (yes I know not to send codes electronically). Then followed the request with a dispute.

I know it happens, and I didn't lose anything. I just wanted to let others know to watch out for him in case he doesn't get banned.
 
[quote name='Coolzell']I'm hoping that Ebay slaps him down because he didn't say the xbox didn't work he simply said it was "Scratched and scuffed". Its a lie but even if he says it was scratched will ebay really side with him over a used product. Also he threatened to leave me bad feedback lets see if they take it into consideration. What website do you guys recommend for sellers since ebay wants to act like they don't have any obligation to sellers.[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately scratched and scuffed can go against you in a dispute. But since he threatened to leave you bad feedback if you don't give him a partial refund, there is a specific ebay policy prohibiting this. So he pretty much sunk his own ship there.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-extortion.html



[quote name='te619']Anyone selling codes on Ebay beware of wajid91121.

This loser bought Xbox codes, and asked to have them texted (yes I know not to send codes electronically). Then followed the request with a dispute.

I know it happens, and I didn't lose anything. I just wanted to let others know to watch out for him in case he doesn't get banned.[/QUOTE]


I think it's very clear this guy is a scammer. I mean he has a brand new account created on 9-17-11 with no feedback. And the first thing he does is file a dispute on his first purchase?

Even ebay should be able to tell immediately what this guy is about.
 
[quote name='Coolzell']I'm hoping that Ebay slaps him down because he didn't say the xbox didn't work he simply said it was "Scratched and scuffed". Its a lie but even if he says it was scratched will ebay really side with him over a used product. Also he threatened to leave me bad feedback lets see if they take it into consideration. What website do you guys recommend for sellers since ebay wants to act like they don't have any obligation to sellers.[/QUOTE]

If you do have insurance through USPS you can really screw with the guy by saying, "Alright, your claim has been opened but according to USPS policy # blah-blah-blah you may be required to mail them the evidence or your claim will be denied." This way it isn't your word against his if he mails back an old pair of shoes :D
 
When he does mail me some garbage (he will) and I have the feeling he will win regardless. I'll just record me opening the box putting it on youtube give him the link and telling him I'm going to court.
 
[quote name='Coolzell']Ebay sided them him. Is it that easy that someone can just say its damaged and send books?[/QUOTE]

It may also be possible that he is sending you a broken system, different from the one you sent.

I always make a habit of logging the serial numbers of any consoles I sell, and any other high price items get an inconspicuous mark with a UV pen.

Earlier this year, I almost got burned on a $40 DVD. Girl ordered it, I sent it and a few days later I get an email saying that she ordered the wrong one. She returns it and I only opened the case just to check to make sure the disc was in there. I relisted it and it sold a week later. Fortunately, I double check all of our discs before shipping and holy crap was this disc scratched to hell. Definitely not the DVD I mailed her.

She basically used me to swap out her damaged disc for a nice minty one, for the cost of shipping. Luckily, it was all surface damage, so I was able to buff almost all of the scratches off. Since then, I've been marking my expensive discs with a UV pen
 
This is my plan as sad as it is. If it isn't the xbox I said it was and it doesn't work or it's some random items I'll let my paypal sit in a negative balance and move away from ebay entirely. If it really mine and the guy changed his mind I'll no longer sell big items like that online but stick to C.list and locally. Whats wrong with people they scam and make your life harder then it has to be for no reason, but when bad things happen to them they wonder why. Would marking things even work? If they can send you random items and ebay/paypal believes them, what would marking them do?
 
[quote name='sp00ge']It may also be possible that he is sending you a broken system, different from the one you sent.

I always make a habit of logging the serial numbers of any consoles I sell, and any other high price items get an inconspicuous mark with a UV pen.

Earlier this year, I almost got burned on a $40 DVD. Girl ordered it, I sent it and a few days later I get an email saying that she ordered the wrong one. She returns it and I only opened the case just to check to make sure the disc was in there. I relisted it and it sold a week later. Fortunately, I double check all of our discs before shipping and holy crap was this disc scratched to hell. Definitely not the DVD I mailed her.

She basically used me to swap out her damaged disc for a nice minty one, for the cost of shipping. Luckily, it was all surface damage, so I was able to buff almost all of the scratches off. Since then, I've been marking my expensive discs with a UV pen[/QUOTE]

Has anyone ever done this and had it help? I mean, even if you mark a disc with a UV pen or record the serial number of an Xbox, it's still going to be your word against the buyer's when they ship it back. Everything I've read indicates that eBay only looks at whether the buyer provides a DC number showing a package was shipped back to you. Supposedly when a seller claims fraud they just say that they have no way of verifying the seller's proof.
 
[quote name='elmyra']Has anyone ever done this and had it help? I mean, even if you mark a disc with a UV pen or record the serial number of an Xbox, it's still going to be your word against the buyer's when they ship it back. Everything I've read indicates that eBay only looks at whether the buyer provides a DC number showing a package was shipped back to you. Supposedly when a seller claims fraud they just say that they have no way of verifying the seller's proof.[/QUOTE]

With Amazon, it may hold up as they do tend to investigate both sides of an issue, especially with established Pro Merchants. eBay, I don't know, as I rarely sell on eBay anymore. But be it my word against theirs, I have no regrets about calling a person out as a scammer, since I have proof for myself.

A plus side to selling on Amazon is you can still leave negative feedback for buyers.
 
[quote name='sp00ge']With Amazon, it may hold up as they do tend to investigate both sides of an issue, especially with established Pro Merchants. eBay, I don't know, as I rarely sell on eBay anymore. But be it my word against theirs, I have no regrets about calling a person out as a scammer, since I have proof for myself.

A plus side to selling on Amazon is you can still leave negative feedback for buyers.[/QUOTE]

That's interesting - I've heard some bad things about selling on Amazon, but it's a point in their favor if they actually listen to both sides in a dispute.
 
You can always call paypal/ebay and talk to them, even if they ruled against you. There is an auto ruling in the buyer's favor if they answer the questions in a certain way. People loose disputes because they don't bother following up with a live person.
 
New half.com address to watch out for

Robert Blazina
9 Fremont St
Tonawanda, NY 14150

0 feedback NARU user, New release VG, Priority mail etc.
 
This maybe an isolated incident, but I got hit on Amazon a while back. Thought they were a reputable buyer since some CAGs seem to like the place. Basically they returned a new, factory sealed game in horrible condition. The game was suspiciously beat up and dirty in the minty clean case. The manual was all mangled as well (dirty used mangled, not a jammed in the machine kind of mangle).

Gameware
3151 College Dr
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
 
I just got an email from half regarding a buyer who closed their account the day after I shipped out an item. I'm going to try to go to the po and see if they can stop shipment to the "buyer".
 
Well, I contact the PO and they said they would try to contact the postmatster for me on the recipient's side and try to have the mail recalled. I cant believe I fell for a scammer, hopefully it works out well.

Does anyone have experience with how half will handle the payment? Will they pay me out then charge me on my CC or just cancel the portion of the payment that was the scammers?
 
[quote name='Link927']Well, I contact the PO and they said they would try to contact the postmatster for me on the recipient's side and try to have the mail recalled. I cant believe I fell for a scammer, hopefully it works out well.

Does anyone have experience with how half will handle the payment? Will they pay me out then charge me on my CC or just cancel the portion of the payment that was the scammers?[/QUOTE]

If you have DC, I wouldn't do anything other than try to recall the package. If half takes the money back they will take it back out of your bank account. Most likely you will be able to keep the money, unless you report to half that you received the package back.
 
[quote name='slowdive21']If you have DC, I wouldn't do anything other than try to recall the package. If half takes the money back they will take it back out of your bank account. Most likely you will be able to keep the money, unless you report to half that you received the package back.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. I'll just wait and see I guess. The game was sent on the 2nd with Priority, but my dc number reports that its still in transit as of yesterday when filed the form. I'm just hoping that it'll be intercepted in time.
 
Looks like the mail recall didnt go through or wasnt caught by the postmaster over there, looks like my game is out for delivery. Lets see how half handles this now...
 
Received a charge back from:

terry Hall
3164 LINDALE MOUNT HOLLY RD
AMELIA, OHIO
US 45102-9703


It had to happen eventually. In the process of fighting this.
 
[quote name='Rozz']Received a charge back from:

terry Hall
3164 LINDALE MOUNT HOLLY RD
AMELIA, OHIO
US 45102-9703


It had to happen eventually. In the process of fighting this.[/QUOTE]

ebay? amazon?
 
[quote name='te619']Anyone selling codes on Ebay beware of wajid91121.

This loser bought Xbox codes, and asked to have them texted (yes I know not to send codes electronically). Then followed the request with a dispute.

I know it happens, and I didn't lose anything. I just wanted to let others know to watch out for him in case he doesn't get banned.[/QUOTE]


Please post their name and address.
 
[quote name='DefeatUForever']I haven't read this whole thread and I don't know if this has been talked about before in here but this is what I do on ebay. I block buyers that have under 100 feedback, and also block a few other of things on this link. I highly, highly recommend doing the same thing. It saves a lot of time and hassle.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/buyer-requirements.html[/QUOTE]

Hmmm - being able to do 100 (or any number over -1) must be a new thing. You used to only be able to block those with negative overall feedback. But I think blocking people under 100 will cut out a large portion of your potential buyers. That seems a bit extreme. I would consider 10, but even that would exclude too many people. If there's a way of excluding foreign buyers under a certain amount I might do that though.
 
[quote name='io']Hmmm - being able to do 100 (or any number over -1) must be a new thing. You used to only be able to block those with negative overall feedback. But I think blocking people under 100 will cut out a large portion of your potential buyers. That seems a bit extreme. I would consider 10, but even that would exclude too many people. If there's a way of excluding foreign buyers under a certain amount I might do that though.[/QUOTE]

You can exclude foreign bidders. I mainly ship the the US and Canada. There is no way to set specific countries yet only a few are separated, but I am hoping they add a Europe or UK option. I don't mind shipping to England, but I get nervous when someone wants something shipped to a 3rd world hellhole. :razz: I would say half of my customers have 50 feedback or less.
 
[quote name='io']Hmmm - being able to do 100 (or any number over -1) must be a new thing. You used to only be able to block those with negative overall feedback. But I think blocking people under 100 will cut out a large portion of your potential buyers. That seems a bit extreme. I would consider 10, but even that would exclude too many people. If there's a way of excluding foreign buyers under a certain amount I might do that though.[/QUOTE]

That's what I was thinking. I only have about 30 feedback or so on eBay, so I'd be blocked. And I'm a reputable online seller, averaging about 300-400 sales a month, with a 98% positive rate on Amazon.
 
I think any number from 30 and up would be good as well. I haven't sold anything in a long time on ebay but personally I would probably never go lower then 30.

Personally for me I'd rather lose out on a few extra bucks by cutting down the amount of people who can bid on my items knowing that it decreases my chance at having a horror story like some of the things that have happened in here.

I've never sold on half or amazon and I probably never will.

I also have a separate paypal and bank account that I only use to receive money from sales and I take the money out as soon as it clears. I do this as precaution in case I ever do have an issue with a scammer because there is no chance in hell I'm going to pay a chargeback and the other fees.

I've been on ebay since 2000 with the old days of money orders and I've never had any issues and I hope I continue that good luck but with all the precautions you can take now they make it easier to block out the scammers.

I also only ship to the United States, I just can't be bothered with Canada or shipping to other countries.
 
[quote name='slowdive21']You can exclude foreign bidders. I mainly ship the the US and Canada. There is no way to set specific countries yet only a few are separated, but I am hoping they add a Europe or UK option. I don't mind shipping to England, but I get nervous when someone wants something shipped to a 3rd world hellhole. :razz: I would say half of my customers have 50 feedback or less.[/QUOTE]

You most certainly can exclude specific countries. In the auction listing you can pick and choose whatever countries you want to exclude. My exclusion list: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Cyprus, and Malaysia. Why those countries? Those are the only ones where stuff I have sent has ever gotten "lost". And in only 2 of those cases did I end up with a dispute and have to refund. The other 3 were actually cool about it and let it go but I figured if stuff was getting lost going there I probably shouldn't bother in the future.

But I certainly don't want to exclude all foreign buyers. I would like the option of requiring them (but not U.S. buyers) to have 10+ feedback, for example - so that I only get people with a little history buying stuff.

If you exclude foreign buyers in general you really cut out a huge potential source of customers. I can't understate that. I am currently selling off a lot of stuff I've had sitting around (backlog games I'll never play, clerarance stuff I just couldn't pass up, extras from B2G1 deals and the BBV Buy 5 deal, etc) and probably 1/4 -1/3 goes to foreign buyers. They will pay more than U.S. buyers will and will buy things U.S. buyers never would (e.g., games that aren't sold anywhere but here). Plus, I can offer free shipping within the U.S. and charge $10-$30 or more shipping Internationally (depending on first-class, Priority, etc) and then not get hit with eBay fees on the shipping (since I have a free option listed). So I actually make more when foreign buyers purchase things as I cover the cost of shipping + a little extra with my International shipping rate while with cheap-ass U.S. buyers I eat the shipping cost myself.

In particular, do not exclude Brazil which is unfairly, I think, a target of being blocked. I sell stuff there all the time. From what I understand, games are just very expensive for them so they like to buy them from U.S. sellers via eBay. I have had maybe 1 problem with a Brazilian shipment out of 50-60 or more things sent there over the years. I have 3 things to ship there tomorrow in fact!

There's always the potential for problems no matter where you ship. My last refund came from a U.S. buyer who said a brand new sealed game I sent was broken clean in half :shock:. They said the case was perfectly fine and the game was sealed but the package looked "roughed up" and the game was broken. I have no idea if they were telling the truth but with eBay there's nothing you can do except give them a refund.
 
^^^I'll have to look at the listings, but I am pretty sure you can not set a default country list for all your listings. I think you manually have to change that, but they have been tweeking the bulk update the past year, so it may have changed. BTW FVF are taken out regardless of free shipping or non free shipping.

I am 66% for Brazil. The item that was lost was shipped priority flat rate, so I got to keep the money so I didn't lose out on anything.
 
[quote name='slowdive21']^^^I'll have to look at the listings, but I am pretty sure you can not set a default country list for all your listings. I think you manually have to change that, but they have been tweeking the bulk update the past year, so it may have changed. BTW FVF are taken out regardless of free shipping or non free shipping.[/QUOTE]

You can. They added it around July, IIRC.
 
[quote name='slowdive21'] BTW FVF are taken out regardless of free shipping or non free shipping. .[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but I don't think they charge you FVF fees on shipping if you had a free option in place - and that includes foreign buyers. So if they pay $30 for Priority shipping you don't pay the FVF fees on that if you had a domestic free shipping option. Or at least that is the big deal they made when they announced that they were going to start charging fees on shipping. They made it seem like a good thing because they wouldn't do it in those circumstances (when really they were just grabbing more fees as usual).
 
Here's a new scam artist to look out for:

Griffin Goza
840 Chopin Place
Volo, IL 60073

Asked for a return on a sealed copy of Atelier Rorona, and all I got back was an open case with no disc! Looks like it's a nice suburban neighborhood, too, for a guy to be committing theft of $40-50 video games.
 
How updated is the list on the first page? In any case, I have one too. Chargeback after priority shipped game. Half just caught up with me and asked for proof of shipment, in which I provided the dc, so I figured this would be the best time to post this.

James Tomko
545 N newton lake drive
Apt#C811
Collingswood, NJ 08107
 
[quote name='sgaldis']Here's a new scam artist to look out for:

Griffin Goza
840 Chopin Place
Volo, IL 60073

Asked for a return on a sealed copy of Atelier Rorona, and all I got back was an open case with no disc! Looks like it's a nice suburban neighborhood, too, for a guy to be committing theft of $40-50 video games.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Link927']How updated is the list on the first page? In any case, I have one too. Chargeback after priority shipped game. Half just caught up with me and asked for proof of shipment, in which I provided the dc, so I figured this would be the best time to post this.

James Tomko
545 N newton lake drive
Apt#C811
Collingswood, NJ 08107[/QUOTE]

OP is wikified for updates. ;)
 
Uggh. Just had some jackass back out of his winning bid because his son bid for it, not him. I sent him a cancellation request and told him to make sure he changes his password so his son won't have access to his account, and he tells me that he is going to beat his sons ass and will tell his son it was compliments of me.

Wow.
 
Just caught this thread... Tonybestbuy is a noted scammer/feedback extortionist, and was brought to the attention of NintendoAge a while back. Seeing that he's in La Fayette, GA, though...that's only a 30- or 40-minute drive to that address...
 
Not really a scammer, but worth blocking anyway:

tekkenchampkuran - eBay

Check the feedback he leaves for people. He left me a neutral because an item took a week to arrive from the US to the UK, said it took "too long" and that he'd change it only if I gave him a free game "like Saints Row 2 brand new and sealed.". Called ebay and they wouldn't do a thing about it.
 
[quote name='Cmosfm']Not really a scammer, but worth blocking anyway:

tekkenchampkuran - eBay

Check the feedback he leaves for people. He left me a neutral because an item took a week to arrive from the US to the UK, said it took "too long" and that he'd change it only if I gave him a free game "like Saints Row 2 brand new and sealed.". Called ebay and they wouldn't do a thing about it.[/QUOTE]

Wow, so eBay allows feedback extortion now?
 
[quote name='sp00ge']Wow, so eBay allows feedback extortion now?[/QUOTE]

Basically. They said that it was "a neutral so it doesn't affect your account", when I tried to explain that buyers more often than not view a neutral as the same caliber as a negative, the rep I was speaking with didn't seem to care and only advised me "post a reply so other buyers can see your side of things".

So yeah, extortion is OK as long as it's not a negative. Nice to know.

I told the buyer there was no way I was giving him a brand new game to remove the neutral, and to go to hell. His reply:

"lmao wow, shut up about changing the feedback then, what makes u so special LOL! wow
 
Here you go. A**hole waited a month after receiving a joystick I sold, to open a dispute. Claimed it was damaged, and that I ignored his emails. Of course, he never sent any emails at all.

Ebay ID: agan1620
Aneal Ganta
31632 Coast Hwy
Apt A
Laguna Beach, CA 92651-6984

Paypal already put a hold on my funds, and of course he'll probably win. Only good news is that I stopped selling, and this will probably be the last scammer I face on Ebay.
 
Beware of this buyer:

Debra Clark
1110 WOODS GREEN RD
MURFREESBORO, TN 37130-8764

I sent her a scratchless Xbox 360 game. When she received it she said that it was damaged in the mail so I had her send it back so I could replace it. I received the game back in the mail and there was a circular burn scratch (from when you move the Xbox 360 console while the game is running) that was not on there when I sent it out, so this was clearly not mail damage. Even though they destroyed it due to negligence, I replaced the game for them. After she received the replacement she left me a non-positive rating which hurt my average and stated that the game was "not as described".
 
Beware of this buyer:

Debra Clark
1110 WOODS GREEN RD
MURFREESBORO, TN 37130-8764

I sent her a scratchless Xbox 360 game. When she received it she said that it was damaged in the mail so I had her send it back so I could replace it. I received the game back in the mail and there was a circular burn scratch (from when you move the Xbox 360 console while the game is running) that was not on there when I sent it out, so this was clearly not mail damage. Even though they destroyed it due to negligence, I replaced the game for them. After she received the replacement she left me a non-positive rating which hurt my average and stated that the game was "not as described".
 
Beware: yohnnyboy11
Jonathan cruz
755 Southern Blvd
Between 156 Apt 3A
bronx, NY 10455-2141

Basically the same deal as dragonjud, but with a code that both emailed and usps mailed. Was to light to get DC on it. Ebay sided with them.
 
[quote name='WeaponX2099']Beware: yohnnyboy11
Jonathan cruz
755 Southern Blvd
Between 156 Apt 3A
bronx, NY 10455-2141

Basically the same deal as dragonjud, but with a code that both emailed and usps mailed. Was to light to get DC on it. Ebay sided with them.[/QUOTE]

Never to light. Just put it in a manilla envelope with a piece of wadded up newspaper, or one section of the small air bubbles amazon uses to package or other similar bulky item and send as a 1st class package. Even better now that e-label for 1st class are free. I forget the exact rate but a 2 oz 1st class package is like $1.95 (price went up, used to be $1.50 or so until the recent increase)

My chargeback:
Gustavo Mora
3038 Hartman Terrace
Hayward, CA 94541

Half.com, New user, high priced item, priority shipping, signed by him 1/7/12, no contact, now a naru user so he was using a stolen CC likely.
 
This thread has been mighty useful and I thank you all. I have a question about sellers of bootleg materials.

Does eBay do anything about sellers and pirated DS carts?

I ask because eBay recently took off Transformers G1 Blaster and Reflector knock-off figures from my account saying it was trademark infringement.

Which was funny for 3 reasons)

a) These figures are sold on eBay all the time
b) They are 30 years old at least (found them in a box of stuff)
c) I say "knock-off" and "possible knock-off, off-brand, etc" in the titles and description. I'm not trying to mislead anyone.

I would think these figures would be patent infringement if anything, but alas, nothing I can do. My real question is does that mean eBay has cracked down on Asian bootlegs as well?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
[quote name='paddlefoot']Does eBay do anything about sellers and pirated DS carts?

I ask because eBay recently took off Transformers G1 Blaster and Reflector knock-off figures from my account saying it was trademark infringement.

Which was funny for 3 reasons)

a) These figures are sold on eBay all the time
b) They are 30 years old at least (found them in a box of stuff)
c) I say "knock-off" and "possible knock-off, off-brand, etc" in the titles and description. I'm not trying to mislead anyone.

I would think these figures would be patent infringement if anything, but alas, nothing I can do. My real question is does that mean eBay has cracked down on Asian bootlegs as well?[/QUOTE]

They usually only police by keyword or by people reporting a specific item. Ebay usually allows bootleg DVDs (especially Anime) because it helps their bottom line. They can say they are against it all they want, but they do little to prevent it.
 
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