April 23, 2007
Lots of shadyness on ebay lately
I’ve been selling stuff from time to time since 1998. Recently I tried to sell something, and let me tell you about the shady experience I had.
First, the winner of my auction sent me a forged email from a yahoo.com account that looked like an ebay e-mail that said this:
Good day Mate,
Am pleased to be the winner of this item,is a gift to my grandson who live in Africa….and i know you only ship within UNITED STATE…..It is because am presently in DENMARK for a business trip and i wont be back until next two weeks…So i will be to be offering you $100 for the shipment to the location in West Africa…. ( Via First Class Global Express)…www.usps.com…The payment will be issuing out to you soonest to you Via PayPal…Here is the shipping address….NAME : Bassy Nicolas
ADDRESS :#39 Oba Akinyele AV
Oluyole Ind Estate Ring Road
CITY : Ibadan
STATE : Oyo
ZIP CODE : 23402
COUNTRY : Nigeria.
My Regards,
Bassy Coleman…
Unfortunately, Bassy couldn’t keep the last name straight it appears.
Next, I got a phishing e-mail claiming that my paypal account had been credited. Unfortunately, it was sent from “paypalinc@emailaccount.com”.
To top things off, a few hours after winning and “paying me”, Bassy had the chutzpah to write this e-mail to me:
Hello Mate,
I am so glad to inform you that i have issued out the payment to you and i have also received a NOTIFY MAIL from PayPal that the money have been deducted from my account so i will like to hear from you back about the shipment of the item to the location…..
My Regards,
Bassy Coleman…
Wow… talk about an eager buyer.
Pretty shady stuff. Fortunately, after a few hours, ebay sent me a notice saying that the “winner” of my auction had used a compromised account, and that they would be canceling the auction and refunding my listing fees. (Of course, they forgot to refund me my final payment fee - but they corrected that immediately after I complained.)
So I relisted my auction and a few hours later I got this “question” about the product:
Q: Dear sir/madam, With China entering into WTO,our company has been eastablised.We are a large trading company from china,an agent of all the well-known digital product factories,and facing to wholesalers worldwide. We export all kinds of digital products, and offer competitive and reasonable price and good quality ,so you can make a big profit.In these years,We’ve gained a good reputation and welcomed by many customs worldwide.Please feel free to contact us if any questions .We will try our best to give you a satisfactory answer. Contact: tel: 86 [redacted] mail: [redacted] MSN: [redacted] website: [redacted]
Good grief.
I have no doubts eBay is taking this seriously - but it must be quite the battle. I wonder how we can raise the costs of pulling such scams.
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21 Comments to “Lots of shadyness on ebay lately”
May 24th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Hi, please I would like to know how did this ends? because I recieved an email from the same person: Bassy Nicolas, offering me a big amount of money for a producto that I put on sale in ebay… I gave him my paypall mail, he paid me, after that I recieved an email from paypal with this adress: paypal@verifiedaccount.com asking me to not send theproducto untill 24 h later… can u please tell me how u end with this? thank you !
May 24th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Complain to ebay. It’s fraud.
May 28th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
[...] Last month I noticed some shady activity when I tried to sell stuff on ebay. [...]
June 4th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Hello. Well the exact same thing happend to me as did the person above. “Bassy Coleman” sent me all those exact same emails, but I actually shipped the product to Nigeria and never received the payment. Is there anyway I can get this money refunded to me?? Please help. I sent a $300 camera.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Ebay doesn’t care about customers it’s about one thing ‘Money’, I have complained not only about the WTO spam coming in at about 20 aday,
But also about poor immitation items where the seller puts a genuine picture but then sells you ooh lets say a guns n roses mug that is a poor imitation very purply in colour Wright.
Ebay has also taken to sending computerised emails guessing what your looking for which is the MS way of doing things, this is very unhelpful I am one step from reporting Ebay to watchdog for a poor service.
and don’t get me started about Nigerians!
Regards
a used Ebayer.
June 10th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Well yeah I am going to find Bassy Coleman. Why would you make it your life’s work to steal from other people?
June 10th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Because that’s what criminals and sociopaths do?
June 14th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
hey guys!!! the same guy try to do it w/ my sister under Oliver James name his email is oliverjames_02@yahoo.com and he gave a phone # 02348066400800 in nigeria i called and is out of service i said you are cheating i will report you right now to FBI and desapear for ever….he no even know how to write english…he said his dad have a constrction company and built houses around the world even in california so i asked for how much and he said for $10,000!!!!! so i just liar!!
June 26th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Hello all:
I’ve got the same problem with this cyber vandal named “Bassy Coleman” who I think is operating out of US.
I received the same paypal fake email saying that me acct was credited.
In the end was “No Money”
The sad part is that I already ship the product to Nigeria.
However, I have oppened an investigation case with FBI Internet Crime Complain Division and hope to get this guy nailed. You can do tha same.
Lets fight back people!
June 26th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Uh, have you guys really never heard of the hordes of internet scammers who live in Nigeria?
August 16th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
OLIVER JAMES IS A FRAUD!!!! DO NOT DO BUISNESS WITH HIM, REPORT HIM ASAP!!!
October 23rd, 2007 at 3:12 am
bessy won my broken Sony Ericsson mobile phone….he has £200GBP waiting for me with PayPal! i feel like sending something rank to him. So i’m still trying to work out the scam? does he steal from your PayPal account or what?? like what good is a broken mobile in Nigeria???
————————————————————————
Bassy ColeMan
show details 5:35 am 23/10/07 (5 hours ago)
Hi
Why the delay….i have make the payment for the item and i have been waiting for you to send me the shipment number so that i can mail paypal about the shipment number for you to have your money credited into your account and i think if i did not hear back from you within next 24hrs i will have to contact paypal and ebay about scam… that you are trying to rip me off because the payment for the item has been forward to paypal but you have to make the shipment for the item and send the shipment number to paypal for verification and as soon as the shipment number is verified you will have your money credited into your account with immediate effect ok… Here is the shipping address
Name:HON Adetunji Habib
39 Obaakinyele Oluyole Estate
City: Ibadan
State: Oyo State
ZipCode: 23402
Country: Nigeria
Phone Number : 2348066400800
Thanks Alot i will be waiting for your reply as soon as possible ok..
October 23rd, 2007 at 3:35 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbxryi5glSY
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:28 am
does anyone know how to get the WTO emails to stop i have reported like 20 of them to ebay with no help or response
January 6th, 2008 at 8:22 am
these guys are all from nigeria. They tend to choose those careless ebayers or new ebayers who have not much selling experience. Remember do not covet those benefits that not belong to you, then you will not be cheated.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:29 am
well here is the most recient one for you .. feb.18 2008
also a new ebayer … Adetunji Habib from nigeria .. even went through the trouble of making sure the fake paypal site was a non phishing when you check it..here is what we got ..
Dear Seller,
I would like to inform you that the payment has now been sent to your account and the money with the shipment cost Nigeria has been deducted from my account, plz get back to me as soon as you are notified by paypal. I want the item to be shipped via LOCAL POST and i will like to have the tracking number. Also i want you to send the shipment tracking number to paypal for verification and i want to inform you that i only want to the send this item to my cousin for his birthday Gift….once paypal verify the shipment number your account will be credited.
Hope to read from you asap
Here is the shipping address
Name: Adetunji Habib
Address:# 7 Beside Pathfinder Iworoko Road
Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State
Zip Code: 20001
Nigeria
Phone Number : 2348066400800
I want the item to be shipped by LOCAL POST Post 5-7 days to him in Nigeria for his birthday gift
where is the protection for people using paypal …
here is the other contact info … partners in crime ?
I would like to have the item shipped to the address below:
Laura Lea
12 Lisvane Street
Cathays
Cardiff/, Cardiff CF24 4LL
United Kingdom
Thank you.
lauralea21
and here is what we got directally from paypal ..
Dear Customer,
This message is originated from PayPal company.We have receive an order from our client lozenge21@hotmail.com regarding the payment made to your PayPal account.
The payment has been successfully made but due to security reason we have to receive the shipment tracking number before the next 24 HRS for the processing of your order.
This a new measure we are taking to protect both our sellers and buyers against fraudulent customers.
Once you have shipped the item via your local post send us the shipment tracking number for verification after the number has verify your account will be credited instantly.
This PayPal® payment has been deducted from the buyer’s account and has been ” APPROVED”but will not be credited to your account until the shipment reference/tracking number is sent to us for shipment verification so as to secure both the buyer and the seller. Below are the necessary information requested before your account will be credited. Send tracking number to us or email us through this mail
**PLEASE NOTE**
Once shipment has been verified and the tracking number sent to us, You will receive a “CONFIRMATION Email” from PayPal® informing you that the Money has been credited.
Note: eBay and PayPal will be responsible for the item loss or damage once we receive the tracking number
Thank you for using PayPal!
The PayPal Team
the newly aware .. and pissed off ebayer
March 24th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
More update to Bassy Coleman….
I sent him a broken laptop snail mail in hopes of ‘$1500′ I hinted that it was a scam, so I cracked the screen and then sent the thing in a box with no packing materials. Hopefully the thing will get back to him all f’d up.
I’d say watch out for emails under the name:
krschmitz (ebay account)
bassycoleman007@hotmail.com (already been canceled)
bassycoleman@yahoo.com (already been canceled)
So I’m out the $30 it costs me to send the laptop…and hopefully it will be worth it for him to get a broken piece of crap laptop.
I’m OUT!
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:20 am
Don’t send anythin to this chap!
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:32 am
DON NOT SEND ANYTHING TO THIS GUY HE IS A THEIF!!
This is the convo below with Bassey.
At the very bottom is the text from pay pal (or that what you are led to believe) and at the bottom which you can’t see is a instered image of someones siganture which came up on my e-mails to make it look very offical. The signaure looked familar i then realsied where i had seen it before. Its the same signature as the fottball manager for Aresnal in the UK Aresne Wegner. I know this becasue im a season ticket holder and it the bottom of each news letter he signs it. Excatly the same. This happend when i tried to sell my mobile PDA. I contacted e-bay and told them what happened.
I also e-mailed back basey and told the little f**ker what i thought of him.
To the chap i who sent the broken laptop……..your a bloody legend i like your style!
See the conoversation below…..if you get anything similar then beware. Its simple if they don’t use pay pal and you don’t have the money in your account then don’t send them anything.
from : bassycoleman07@hotmail.com)
Hi But you have to make the shipment fore the item and get back to paypal with the shipment number so that you will have your money credited into your account as soon as the shipment number is verified via your local post web page ok…
From: kxxxxxxx@hotmail.comTo: paypal@verifiedaccount.com; bassycoleman07@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: *** SHIPMENT TRACKING NUMBER IS NEEDED
***Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 08:19:58 +0100
Look i’ve never sold anything on ebay in this fashion. I said on my description that i will only except pay pal payments and shipment will be made once payment is made. Its very simple. I am not send my item half way across the world and then wait for payment. This all sounds very illegal and if you feel that you want to take me tocourt then be my guest
Kindest Regards,DK
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 06:38:45 +0100
From: paypalonlineaccountant@emailaccount.com
Subject: *** SHIPMENT TRACKING NUMBER IS NEEDED
Dear Customer, We are glad to inform you officially that our client who is also your buyer of your item, whose e-mail address is bassycoleman07@hotmail.com has sent to you through us, He has ordered that the sum of money stated above should be drawn from his account and as been deducted to pay your money .He paid the money for the item on ebay so kindly get the item shipped and you will see the shipment tracking number at the receipt of the shipment at the post office and sent us the tracking number for the item ship and as soon as your Tracking information get verified by our Database you will be informed and the amount will be credited into your account. Shipping information below…
Name: Adetunji HabibAddress:#
3 Oba Akinyele Ave Oluyole
EstCity:IbadanState Oyo
StateZip Code:20001
Country:Nigeria
However, in order to prevent fraud transaction just try to follow our procedure and then you are protected,Hence, we hope you will cooperate with us at PAYPAL of the postage to enable us complete the processing ofyour money to be sent to your account and as we have the tracking numberyou can easily provide us or the buyer the shipment receipt. This will guarantee us “fraud free transaction” of which PAYPAL has been know for. This is a new measure we are taking to eliminate fraud to nearest minimum.Please reply us promptly.we eagerly anticipate your replyREGARDSPAYPAL TEAMS signed
April 5th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
This Message i got yesterday from this Con Artist
the best way to get this guy caught is to send him a tracking device something cheap like a turned on charge tracfone you can trace a tracfone ebay need to do something contact fbi about this if they dont do anything i’l track this f***** guy down myself.
(Warning do not send anything to this guy its a scam)
Dear Seller, I just went through the listing of your item and would like to know if i can purchase it for an amount of US $300.00 plus including shipping internationally through USPS EMS SPEED POST Express 3-5 days. If so,i would be happy if you can close the bidding and send me a PayPal payment request to my email bassycoleman07@hotmail.com I am serious with this as i promise not let you down with the purchase of the item. You can also IM me at bassycoleman@yahoo.com because i don’t check my eBay message for further correspondence,i will surely get back to you. Looking forward to hearing from you. Mr Bassy Cole and you can add me for instant message to this email address below : Yahoo Messenger:bassycoleman1 Msn :bassycoleman007@hotmail.com
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
[...] Learn to recognize scams. Like this common one on eBay. But scams are easy to recognize. Remember in grade school when you traded your milk for [...]
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