Fraudulent ebay auction Gibson L-5 CES NAMM.

Jabberwocky · #1 04-22-2011, 12:03 PM

I hope the "winner" of this auction reads this forum. This ebay auction is fraudulent: Gibson L5 CES Custom Shop | eBay Item number:180656109289

ebay wasn't able to remove it because it takes 72 hours to investigate any heads-up and the crook put up a 24-hour auction.

Please do NOT pay up if you are the "winner". This guitar (with the same pictures and description) was put up for auction under another hijacked ebay account two months ago and someone got taken for $4550.00. Note that the crook does not accept Paypal and only wants wired funds or Discover payment.

Don't be his next victim.

spiral · #2 04-22-2011, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Don't be his next victim.

That's sad. The first clue before bidding would have been the seller's history of only 2 items. 1 dress and an art print. Thanks for pointing it out.

Jabberwocky · #3 04-22-2011, 08:10 PM

I hope I helped somebody. Nobody would put an L5 up for a 24-hour auction. If you are a seller, you would want it to run a bit to maximize your returns. You got to suspect something when the seller asks for a form of payment which cannot be reversed like wired funds in this case.

ebay is complicit in this; it should not allow 24-hour auctions given that it takes 72 hours to respond to any warning.

setemupjoe · #4 04-24-2011, 06:03 PM

Hi,
I was the one that actually won the bid on that guitar the other day and within the first day I figured out it wasn't on the level. I emailed the person and told them I live in California which is where they supposedly live and that I would prefer to pick up the guitar in person. They never responded so I guess they realized the scam wasn't going to work.
Thanks for the post though.

Mark

hot ford coupe · #5 04-24-2011, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by setemupjoe

Hi,
I was the one that actually won the bid on that guitar the other day and within the first day I figured out it wasn't on the level. I emailed the person and told them I live in California which is where they supposedly live and that I would prefer to pick up the guitar in person. They never responded so I guess they realized the scam wasn't going to work.
Thanks for the post though.

Mark

Good catch Mark.

Jabberwocky · #6 04-24-2011, 09:08 PM

Hey Mark,

I'm glad you had your feelers up! Hope that the guys downstream of you don't get caught up in the scam. This scammer is careful to run it every few months or so under different hijacked accounts. He'll try it again, I am sure. ebay hasn't done anything to pull the auction.

I'm just wondering if I may "sabotage" the auction next time by putting in a ridiculously high bid so that nobody else would get scammed. What are the consequences?

Drifter · #7 04-24-2011, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

I'm just wondering if I may "sabotage" the auction next time by putting in a ridiculously high bid so that nobody else would get scammed. What are the consequences?

Great idea! One could even fight back and turn the tables - if two of us place ridiculously high bids, let's say around $ 50,000.00, the scammer would have to pay a very high sellers fee. He would have to have nerves to officially complain at ebay.

Jabberwocky · #8 04-24-2011, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drifter

Great idea! One could even fight back and turn the tables - if two of us place ridiculously high bids, let's say around $ 50,000.00, the scammer would have to pay a very high sellers fee. He would have to have nerves to officially complain at ebay.

These scam artists usually use hijacked accounts so they won't be paying any ebay sellers' fees. In fact, their victims, whose accounts they hijacked, may be made to bear these fees. I am a little hesitant because I do not want innocents to be dragged into this.

ebay should just stop 24-hour auctions because it takes 72 hours to investigate any reports. And scam artists know this. I filed a report more than 72-hours ago and I don't know if ebay has sent out warnings to all bidders on that L-5 CES. It still appears on my watch list. I have a feeling that ebay does not really care to act.

Ask for some form of proof that the seller has the item. Maybe have him shoot a picture with your name written on a card against the item in the background with the current issue of the area's daily. Not fool-proof but goes some way towards ensuring that the item exists.

If it sounds too good to be true...

Drifter · #9 04-24-2011, 10:48 PM

You're right, of course. And it's not a bad idea at all asking for that picture.

Don't expect ebay to really care, unless the law holds them at least partly responsible, there's no urge for them to act. Those are the times.

Educating the people about internet fraud however is always promising. Why not start your own auction, using the same pictures of that L5 and explaining the whole situation in the auction text. Offer it for 1$ buy-it-now, start off with asking _not_ to buy and therewith end the auction and continue with your warnings. You'll have the attention of all L5 lovers out there and maybe this way you can prevent somebody from making a bad mistake...

setemupjoe · #10 04-26-2011, 11:30 AM

Jabberwocky, if you reported this to eBay, they certainly never contacted me as the buyer to warn me the sale may be a scam. I've had problems with eBay before on this point. Situations like this show just how unscrupulous eBay really is.

Jabberwocky · #11 04-26-2011, 12:57 PM

Hi Mark,

Yes, I did report it to ebay. I reported it when the auction was about 1 hour plus old i.e. it showed that there were still 22 plus hours left to the auction. As of today, the auction still appears on my watch list.

It is certainly a scam because it had appeared under another ebay handle some time in January or February 2011 and the account, with over 100 feedback, showed no history of guitar related items. Then it suddenly disappeared from my watch list when other older completed auctions were still shown. I could not even track it with the Auction Item Number. Someone got scammed. I knew that the scammer would try it again and he did.

ebay will only act when it fails to collect its fees from the "seller". Too late then for the buyer who would be out of pocket. Watch ebay. This L5 will appear again in a few months' time under yet another hijacked account. I suspect this time round he will get smarter and change his story a little. But the pictures will remain the same.

setemupjoe · #12 05-25-2011, 12:45 AM

FYI the guitar has been posted on eBay again under the title "Gibson L5CES One of a kind NAMM." Exact same guitar and most of the description text is the same. Please beware. I've reported it to eBay but the bidding ends in 13 hours and eBay say they take 72 hours to look into a report.

setemupjoe · #13 05-25-2011, 09:20 AM

Interestingly enough this morning I checked eBay and the guitar has completely disappeared. I sent the guy an email last night saying I had reported him. Maybe he jumped ship and ran.

hot ford coupe · #14 05-25-2011, 09:55 AM

Is that thing back on again? I hope they nail this SOB. You done good, Joe.

Jabberwocky · #15 09-19-2011, 09:38 PM

Well, that fraudulent L-5 CES is back: Gibson L5 CES One of a kind NAMM | eBay .

The actual instrument was sold to an archtop shop in Japan quite a while ago.

spiral · #16 09-19-2011, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Well, that fraudulent L-5 CES is back: Gibson L5 CES One of a kind NAMM | eBay .

The actual instrument was sold to an archtop shop in Japan quite a while ago.

Already removed. Thanks for the vigilance.

setemupjoe · #17 09-19-2011, 10:53 PM

I saw it on eBay earlier today and reported it. Nice to see they're so quick at pulling these postings down. The funny thing is it keeps popping up with the same photos and description. How obvious can you be?

Jabberwocky · #18 09-20-2011, 01:33 AM

The scammer scum is careful to try it once in a few months, trusting the public to have short memory. I nearly fell for it too when I came it across it the first time.

Jabberwocky · #19 09-20-2011, 01:53 PM

He's back with the same hijacked ebay handle: Gibson L5 CES One of a kind NAMM | eBay Item number:130579150582 .

What the hell is ebay doing? Did he convince ebay he was legitimate?

setemupjoe · #20 09-20-2011, 02:12 PM

Interesting. I reported it again to eBay. I suppose we'll have to wait and see what happens. It's too bad you can't post something on the page itself. I tried sending a email to the seller telling him we know it's a scam but he's blocked any questions or comments.

BigMikeinNJ · #21 09-20-2011, 02:37 PM

I reported it also. I live in New Jersey - I should bid and then tell the guy I want to pick it up (also). "My bodyguard and I are going to pickup the guitar in person and pay you then".
Yes he's blocked asking questions. Karma is a Bitch.

Greco · #22 09-20-2011, 02:54 PM

It has been removed.

Dave

benjazzman82 · #23 09-20-2011, 03:33 PM

..i got had buy a lady in Yorkshire selling a Fake L5!! I was livid and it took 3 months fro me to get the cash back.
I went to the police but they were not interested.

B*stards...

Sorry ..Rant over.

Ben

brad4d8 · #24 09-20-2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by setemupjoe

Jabberwocky, if you reported this to eBay, they certainly never contacted me as the buyer to warn me the sale may be a scam. I've had problems with eBay before on this point. Situations like this show just how unscrupulous eBay really is.

Personally, I think it only points to how big eBay is. Like any bureaucracy it takes a while to get moving. They probably have limited staff looking into these things and just put them on a first come first serve list.
Brad

spiral · #25 09-20-2011, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brad4d8

Personally, I think it only points to how big eBay is

Couldn't agree more. Try creating an auction listing and then post another one in the same category 5 minutes later and see how much the ID# has increased. The fact that they respond the same day is pretty impressive.

Jabberwocky · #26 10-21-2011, 01:15 AM

I am sorry to report that the fraudulent auction is back: Gibson L5 CES One of a kind NAMM show piece | eBay and now ebay is not doing anything at all about it. I reported it more than 24 hours ago. Somebody looks as if he is going to lose a bundle. If he is reading this forum, please wise up.

The 1956 Les Paul Gold Top is also fraudulent: 1956 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop | eBay .

JohnW400 · #27 10-21-2011, 08:22 AM

If you click the 'ask a question ' prompt' how does it work? Is it like a PM or more like a post for all to see?

I don't have an e-bay account. Perhaps somebody with an account can ask him a question like " hey is it true that yours is a fraudulent auction? " or whatever and see what happens

hot ford coupe · #28 10-21-2011, 08:30 AM

I could say something like " I can't believe this guy's got the stones to keep doing this" but it's no wonder since evil bay won't do anything about it. At least we have this forum to keep us aprised of this kind of thing. I just feel sorry for the players that get duped by this clown.

setemupjoe · #29 10-21-2011, 09:38 AM

Hey Jabberwocky,
It seems you and I are becoming the eBay L5 police. I also reported it and sent the guy a nasty email. Unfortunately those posts don't go public so there's no way to warn prospective buyers. That's really something eBay should address. As of this writing there's only 3 hours left in the auction so I'm not optimistic it'll get taken down in time. The only way to save someone else's ass is to bid ourselves, something outrageous like $20,000 and then of course not pay it and again report the guy as a scammer.

Jabberwocky · #30 10-21-2011, 11:05 AM

I was not hopeful but ebay took both down finally. I hope nobody was hurt except for that shameless scum fraudster who keeps trying it.

It is not over yet for those who had bidden on it. He may be able to PM them and make them offers off ebay because the seller knows the account handles of his bidders.

Mark (setemupjoe), thanks for reporting it. No doubt the collective effort helped to convince ebay that it was truly fraudulent.