Jump to content

Proof that Ebay Drop Shipping Scams hurt us all


Recommended Posts

http://bit.ly/14OTdMF

Another HH just posted by the same seller...9th listing in 9 days.

 

The seller couldn't be bothered with those trifling periods:

 

"welcome to our auction we have for sale new and never opened Lego Haunted House 10228 this is an exclusive set and limited quantities are available for more details please check the web great for collectors"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The seller couldn't be bothered with those trifling periods:

 

"welcome to our auction we have for sale new and never opened Lego Haunted House 10228 this is an exclusive set and limited quantities are available for more details please check the web great for collectors"

 

They should have just posted on Craigslist where punctuation is clearly optional.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Be careful. if someone reports you back, Ebay will remove that and they can suspend your account.

 

It is against feedback policy to list negative-tone feedback for a buyer - 

 

As DNIM says, don't do that, you'll get your seller account banned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not going to go through all the drop-ship scam details, etc. and talk about it. Drop-shipping itself is not a scam. Either way, here is some proof of how this affects everyone.

 

Diablos, I, and some others have pointed quite a few listings out. Here are what I see as the most commonly drop-ship scammed sets:

 

10228 - Haunted House (mostly because it sells over retail on Ebay)

10225 - R2D2 - we have seen some extremely blatantly low listings

10221 - SSD - its expensive!

10188 - Similar to the above.

 

I watch all of these sets like a hawk on Ebay and for the last month and a half, the number of probable scam listings has jumped significantly. 2-3 are posted a day!

 

So how does this affect everyone?

 

Go take a look at the BP data for each one of these sets - over the last month they have all gone down. Look through the sold listings. Some pretty low prices, huh? Look on Ebay and try to find a price like some of those with pictures, and a 1 day handling time and a legit seller. Not happening.

 

The Haunted House went down 30%.

 

I am not trying to stir pots and start a war - but this is a problem. Anyone who doesn't think so? I don't understand... Do you not use BP data?

 

I don't think this is a problem in any way because BP's data on the value of a set before it is retired is pretty meaningless.  Unless you judge your holdings by what could be considered to be their liquidation value, the value of a set during its lifetime is pretty much RRP since that is the price at which most copies of the set will change hands before retirement.  This might vary for some sets that are constantly discounted, but, in general, Ebay doesn't become anywhere near an accurate barometer of the value of a set until it becomes one of the primary sales channels for that set and that doesn't happen until the set is retired.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately it definitely matters long term. More people bought the sets because they got them at great prices. If they are investors, they can undercut your price and make a bigger profit on the set.

 

More of them sold always = less price later on. These people may have waited to buy one if they didn't get them at insanely low prices.

 

Also, not everyone holds sets. - some like to flip, which makes this much harder.

 

Edit: Someone might want the Death Star 2- but they can buy the 10188 for $320. Maybe they decide to go that route.

 

I don't think this is a problem in any way because BP's data on the value of a set before it is retired is pretty meaningless.  Unless you judge your holdings by what could be considered to be their liquidation value, the value of a set during its lifetime is pretty much RRP since that is the price at which most copies of the set will change hands before retirement.  This might vary for some sets that are constantly discounted, but, in general, Ebay doesn't become anywhere near an accurate barometer of the value of a set until it becomes one of the primary sales channels for that set and that doesn't happen until the set is retired.

 

My post above answered that. More of these get sold = less for you. Plus it makes it harder for legit people to sell things on Ebay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I understand dropshippers many a times steal people's credit cards, but why do they even go through the hassle of sending the item. Why don't they just sell fake sets or not even send the sets at all?

 

Paypal will take the money back out if the item doesn't arrive. Plus new eBayers have a long wait period before they can remove their loot and scammers usually have new accounts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What happens to the person who receives the drop shipped scam item? Can they be held liable?

Yes, because Lego and the credit card company will see your name and address as the receiver and you will be left holding product purchased with a stolen cc.  When it's found out that the cc used for the purchase was stolen, guess who the cops come looking for?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, because Lego and the credit card company will see your name and address as the receiver and you will be left holding product purchased with a stolen cc.  When it's found out that the cc used for the purchase was stolen, guess who the cops come looking for?

Do you actually know anyone who this happened to? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you actually know anyone who this happened to? 

 

I recall at least one person awhile back stating that Lego would no longer ship to their address because it was black listed for using stolen credit card information, as a result of one of these triangulation scams. I believe they were able to get their address cleared after talking to Lego about it.

 

Local cops are behind the curve when it comes to internet scams (though this one shouldn't be new - it's just a mail order scam using a stolen credit card, which far pre-dates the internet).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recall at least one person awhile back stating that Lego would no longer ship to their address because it was black listed for using stolen credit card information, as a result of one of these triangulation scams. I believe they were able to get their address cleared after talking to Lego about it.

 

Local cops are behind the curve when it comes to internet scams (though this one shouldn't be new - it's just a mail order scam using a stolen credit card, which far pre-dates the internet).

That's unfortunate. Now this leads to another question that might be a thread in itself: should one use stock photos vs actually taking the pics yourself? Actually showing pictures can give the buyer more confidence bidding, them thinking you actually have the product.  As a seller actually taking the picture has some downturns that is 1) time consuming 2) not always the best looking pictures especially for bigger boxes and 3) if you are selling quantities of one type of Lego set the pictures of one Lego set does not accurately describe the condition of the other box conditions. As a buyer though seeing the actual picture would you think that would help, or would the picture look so unprofessional a buyer might actually be turned off from your product and bid on a more aesthetically pleasing pleasing? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, because Lego and the credit card company will see your name and address as the receiver and you will be left holding product purchased with a stolen cc.  When it's found out that the cc used for the purchase was stolen, guess who the cops come looking for?

 

I was contacted by the police a while back about a stolen CC drop shipper. They didn't have any interest in the LEGO set (I even asked about it). They just wanted to gather as much info as they could about the scammer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's unfortunate. Now this leads to another question that might be a thread in itself: should one use stock photos vs actually taking the pics yourself? Actually showing pictures can give the buyer more confidence bidding, them thinking you actually have the product.  As a seller actually taking the picture has some downturns that is 1) time consuming 2) not always the best looking pictures especially for bigger boxes and 3) if you are selling quantities of one type of Lego set the pictures of one Lego set does not accurately describe the condition of the other box conditions. As a buyer though seeing the actual picture would you think that would help, or would the picture look so unprofessional a buyer might actually be turned off from your product and bid on a more aesthetically pleasing pleasing? 

I will tell you one thing, I do not buy from auctions that use stock pictures.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...