Leica S2 with 70mm Lens and Accessories for sale on Ebay for $2,600 US

[Josh-H]

This has to be to good to be true?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160559053217&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_843wt_1141

I emailed the seller to ask if the buy it now price was a typo and he really meant $26,0000 and got this response:

If you want to buy it now for the price of $2600 with shipping and handling included, i will need your full name, address(shipping address) and username so i can contact the eBay team to let them know about our transaction, and after they will approve it, you will receive an invoice containing all the steps that you need to follow for this to be a safe and fast transaction. Also a phone number is required where you can be found at any hour(cell phone). My auction is 7 days money back guarantee (if it's not like we agreed, or broken you will receive the money back). I can ship in 3 days via UPS, and please let me know if we can arrange a deal.

So I emailed him again asking why so cheap?

I'm working with London's airport in United Kingdom and sometimes we can find electronics at small prices.That's why I sell this item so cheaply. If you want to buy give me your full name, address(shipping address) and username so i can contact the eBay team to let them know about our transaction, and after they will approve it, you will receive an invoice containing all the steps that you need to follow for this to be a safe and fast transaction.
thanks

I then asked to purchase with Paypal and for a telephone number to call him and got this response:

I am sorry but the only way for me to receive payments is Western Union because for the moment i`m in United Kingdom where i have one store with electronics. You don't need to worry because I have a buyer protection insurance on eBay. If something happens you will refunded by them directly from my account. If you want I can contact eBay in order to send you an invoice with the insurance and you can see that you are safe in this deal. Let me know if you want to do that for you.

I said yes please.

I have contacted the eBay team and they said they will send you an invoice for this transaction as soon as possible. In the invoice you will find all the info that you need to complete this transaction. Please notice that if you don't receive the invoice in the inbox folder, please look in the spam/junk folder because other buyers told me that they have received the invoice there. In the invoice you will find all the info that you need to complete the transaction. Let me know when you have received it. If you won't receive it within 1 hour, please let me know so i can contact them to see why they didn't sent you the invoice.
Thanks

Thoughts? Smells rotten to me...

[Steve Hendrix]

This has to be to good to be true?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160559053217&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_843wt_1141

I emailed the seller to ask if the buy it now price was a typo and he really meant $26,0000 and got this response:

So I emailed him again asking why so cheap?

I then asked to purchase with Paypal and for a telephone number to call him and got this response:

I said yes please.

Thoughts? Smells rotten to me...

No question mark necessary...


Steve Hendrix

[tikal]

It's funny because I've seen this scam on ebay soo many times, whats even more intriguing is that even if you report it they take so long to take it down, also the email address is the same for the last couple of weeks I've been seeing it. It's terrible to see that ebay has these bids up but I hope no one would send money through a bank transfer without being suspicious. In any case be careful, definitely a scam.

[tikal]

just as a quick note, if you ever are suspicious one thing of many you should look for is of course seller feedback. This guy has none. It's easy to get feedback when your only buying! :p

[Josh-H]

Good point.

I have already emailed Ebay with my suspicions as well as a copy of the fake 'ebay' email he has sent me, logged his I.P address and his telco provider.

The auction states for sale from the US and takes Paypal. Yet.. his emails state coming from UK and wont take PayPal.

Anyway - clearly a scam.. who sells a 26K+ camera for 1/tenth the price...

[Josh-H]

Wow.. this guy is good..

just got the following 'official looking email' from Ebay: Complete with all the graphics and even showing as from an ebay mail server.. until I started to dig a little: <aw-confirm@server01-ebay.com>
   

Dear Customer,
We know that we encourage every buyer to send the money for an eBay transaction with PayPal. The seller Dimitri Joel is an verified PayPal member but he chosen not to use PayPal anymore for his own reasons, so he won't be able to receive payment if you pay with PayPal, but if you pay with Western Union we would offer you the same protection like paying with PayPal. He told us that he is in United Kingdom because he opened a store, and he is stuck there because he has to take care of it.

Regards,
Safeharbor Department
eBay, Inc.
 

My request to him for a phone number to call him on:

I'm really sorry but I have some problems with the phone. For some  reasons when I receive a call, the fax machine is conecting in the same time. I've talked with the phone company and only Friday morning they can send someone to fix the problem.... We must comunicate by emails if is not a problem. Let me know what your intentions are.

So just for fun I emailed him this:
Ok, Please give me your address. I have friends in London who can verify the sale and pay cash for the camera on the spot.

Now i am in Italy with bussines and in some days i will be in London. If you don't like this camera you can return it back in 14 days. Thanks for understanding

Lesson (as expected) If its too good to be true...... its a scam!

[Dave Gurtcheff]

Not only look at feedback.....but look at the value of the items sold. A typical scam is to sell a small number of low price items, get 100% feedback, then do a scam for a high ticket item. This is sad....I have sold items and bought items on ebay, and never been stung, but there is always a first time.
Dave

[Josh-H]

Ebay have now removed the item after reporting it as a scam. I must say that was very fast on their behalf.

[Graham Mitchell]

I am sorry but the only way for me to receive payments is Western Union

In case it wasn't already obvious, this part is the clincher!

[Dick Roadnight]

Wow.. this guy is good..

So just for fun I emailed him this:
Ok, Please give me your address. I have friends in London who can verify the sale and pay cash for the camera on the spot.

Lesson (as expected) If its too good to be true...... its a scam!

Probably there never was a camera to sell, or they intended to get paid several time for one camera - but did you ask for the serial number? I thought respectable eBayers give serial numbers without being asked. Is there a register of stolen serial numbers?

If anyone needs a friend in the UK, I am here... but if you pay cash for a stolen item it is not yours.

I think finance companies sometime unload stuff at very low prices?