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Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

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Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Old 12-18-10, 05:51 AM
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Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

This Ebay seller pulled off a pretty clever scam if what he says is true, but was it legal? It may have been underhanded, but he was only getting the money that the buyer had already agreed to pay him before backing out.

How I got an uncooperative eBay buyer to pay for her purchase. Was it unethical?

First of all, I am not claiming to have invented this trick. I imagine others have used it with varying degrees of success. I also want to point out that nothing here is embellished or exaggerated.

I had tickets to a sporting event and couldn't attend. I made a 1-day listing and clearly stated that the tickets must be picked up in person within 24 hours (the game was the evening after the auction ended, so there wasn't any time to ship the tickets). A woman won the auction for about $600. The auction had ended at 10:00am and by 5:00pm she still hadn't responded to my emails trying to organize the exchange. Finally, at 9:30pm, I got a one-liner email: "I overbid and my husband won't let me buy these. Sorry and enjoy the game! "

I first tried explaining that I wouldn't have the time to resell the tickets (I already got turned down by the losing bidders). She said, "... that's not my problem. It's eBay, not a car dealership. I can back out if I want." I still don't understand the car dealership reference.

I was pretty upset. I was basically going to be stuck with tickets to an event that I couldn't attend. That's when I got the idea to convince her to change her mind.

I created a new eBay account, "Payback" we'll call it, and sent her a message: "Hi there, I noticed you won an auction for 4 [sporting event] tickets. I meant to bid on these but couldn't get to a computer. I wanted to take my son and dad and would be willing to give you $1,000 for the tickets. I imagine that you've already made plans to attend, but I figured it was worth a shot."

At 11:30pm she responded to Payback: "I'll do it for $1,100, no less. I can meet you at the game if you agree. I need your phone number."

At 11:35pm, Payback wrote: "Deal. Here is my number..." (Thanks Google Voice for the throwaway number). She called a few minutes later and made Payback "promise" to go through with the deal. She emphasized that she'd be out a lot of money if Payback backed out. Payback swore he would never do such a thing.

At 11:45pm, the woman emailed me: "Fine. I'll buy them. But you have to drop them off at my house tonight. I'll have the cash ready." So at fucking midnight I drove to her house across town and met her on the road in front of her apartment building. She was a nasty and rude individual. Things didn't get any better when I told her I wanted an extra $20 for the trouble of driving there at midnight (yeah, pushing my luck, I know). It became very awkward and she literally threw 31 $20 bills at me. I counted them before handing over the tickets. I said, "thanks for the great transaction" as she flipped me off while walking away.

At 10:00am she called Payback to make sure they were still on for the exchange. Payback said that he could no longer go to the game and wouldn't be able to do the exchange. She blew her fucking top and I swear to god started speaking in tongues. Payback said, "Ma'am, this is eBay, not a car dealership" and hung up.

I got a rabid email 10 minutes later telling me that I was going to hell and that she's reported me to the local police, FBI, and... the fire department. WTF?

I never heard another word from her. I have no idea if she went to the game or not.

Was this wrong?
Old 12-18-10, 06:56 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

I don't know about wrong, but it's damn funny.
Old 12-18-10, 07:28 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

I like it.
Old 12-18-10, 07:39 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

awesome
Old 12-18-10, 07:48 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

I deal with legitimate people backing out of major purchases ($10k+) on eBay every week or two. It used to bother me. Now, I'm just cynical and assume that the person won't pay, until payment is received.

I'd NEVER attempt anything like that. But the story is excellent.
Old 12-18-10, 08:12 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Well done
Old 12-18-10, 09:00 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Excellent.

I will file this one away for later use.
Old 12-18-10, 09:25 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

The problem with this story is that, AFAIK, you can't just contact a random eBay user unless you are involved in a transaction. He said he contacted her through another eBay account. I don't think that's possible. I don't use eBay regularly anymore, so I could be wrong.
Old 12-18-10, 09:31 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Not at all wrong.
Old 12-18-10, 09:43 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

If she was selling something he could contact her to ask a question right?
Old 12-18-10, 10:32 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Originally Posted by starman9000
If she was selling something he could contact her to ask a question right?
He contacted her through a seller auction about another account she won? Doesn't make much sense.

This story makes for good conversation but it's likely as big a con as the one is purports to have effected.
Old 12-18-10, 10:39 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Wait he originally sold it to her so he had her information. She is the one who should have known that a random ebayer could not contact her about an auction she won.
Old 12-18-10, 11:22 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Originally Posted by Perkinsun Dzees
Was this wrong?[/I]
I think it's absolutely brilliant. I will have to keep this in mind in case I ever decide to sell something worth good money on Ebay.
Old 12-18-10, 11:34 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

You can contact a member about whatever you want. You just click on their username, go to "contact member". It shows a list of items that you were looking at (which belong to the seller). But you can click "this is not about an item" and it takes you to a text box.

Ebay doesn't release email addresses unless you're linked to a transaction. They use a message forwarding system now.
Old 12-18-10, 12:00 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

While it makes for a good story, lots of times that means it's not true, or there's just an element of truth to it. What would have made it better is letting her know after paying is that he talked to the other guy and he doesn't want them anymore. He knows this because he is the other guy.
Old 12-18-10, 12:30 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Also, a good con would never end with a revelation that it was a con. He should have just taken the cash, given the tickets and stopped responding with the other account.
Old 12-18-10, 01:51 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

I read through the thread.

The deadbeat's email reply was:

"Fuxking funny fucker! You know you can go to JAIL for this. YOu theef!!!!! [City] cops FBI fire and government already no. Your done. I got your number and your name. This is thefting property FUCKER!!! Give my $620 back or everything bad wiil happen - FUCK!!!!! You cant steal and get away. Refund me now or else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You dpnt want a lawsuit. Trust me. u dont. You can have tickets jut give my my money and be done."

She sounds classy.
Old 12-18-10, 03:07 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Great story!
Although once the fire department finds out he is fucked unfortunately.
Old 12-18-10, 10:51 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Originally Posted by Maxflier
Great story!
Although once the fire department finds out he is fucked unfortunately.
Old 12-18-10, 11:03 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

What would Judge Judy say?
Old 12-18-10, 11:12 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Originally Posted by DVD Josh
Also, a good con would never end with a revelation that it was a con. He should have just taken the cash, given the tickets and stopped responding with the other account.
Totally, or just promise that he would be there at the game to pick the tickets up and never show up. Normally I would be somewhat sympathetic, but she sounded like a complete and utter bitch. Eff her...
Old 12-18-10, 11:30 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

I still dont understand what exactly happened. Why would she sell the tickets if Payback wanted to buy tickets from her??? It sounded like she won the auction and was gonna sell him the tickets.
Old 12-18-10, 11:41 PM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

She got what she deserved!
Old 12-19-10, 08:09 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Originally Posted by mhg83
I still dont understand what exactly happened. Why would she sell the tickets if Payback wanted to buy tickets from her??? It sounded like she won the auction and was gonna sell him the tickets.
This type of con prays on human greed. She thought that she could make a fast buck turning around the tickets for double what she paid.

A timeline:

- Auction posted
- Winner refuses to buy, saying "sorry, that's life."
- Fake account asks if he can buy tickets, will pay almost double
- Winner then purchases the tickets so she can resell them.
- Fake account never buys.

Con is a harsh word for this, since all that happened was she ended up buying something she said she would in the first place. A common variation of this is where an accomplice goes up to a person saying he lost valuable jewelry and is offering a reward. Later, the con "finds" the jewelry in full view of the mark. The mark offers half the value of the reward, thinking that he can claim the reward and make fast cash. Turns out there is no reward the jewelry itself is fake. I think they did this in the movie Go but it's been a decade since I saw it.
Old 12-19-10, 09:09 AM
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Re: Ebay seller tricks deadbeat buyer into paying for items

Originally Posted by DVD Josh
Con is a harsh word for this, since all that happened was she ended up buying something she said she would in the first place. A common variation of this is where an accomplice goes up to a person saying he lost valuable jewelry and is offering a reward. Later, the con "finds" the jewelry in full view of the mark. The mark offers half the value of the reward, thinking that he can claim the reward and make fast cash. Turns out there is no reward the jewelry itself is fake. I think they did this in the movie Go but it's been a decade since I saw it.
They did this in Zombieland for sure.

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