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My friend has just emailed me about a breeding pair of zebra pleco's on ebay. She purchased these last week for £443. The seller then refused to take paypal payment. She offered him cash on collection but he refused that too. He would not let her collect them, inspect them or see any additional pictures of them - he told her that she must transfer the money directly into his bank account, he would then post the fish to her via UPS at his own cost. She asked him numerous times to call her so that they could sort something out, but he just kept sending her the same email - send money directly to my bank account and I will send them. Eventually she told him she wasn't going to do it, and reported him to ebay. However, she has now seen he is re-advertising the same fish under the exact same listing again. She has asked me to warn anyone I know on the "fishy forums" (she doesn't frequent them) that this is most likely a scam.
Link to the listing;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0483556587

it smells fishy to me
0 feedback aint a good start

I spotted they where back on tonight & saw the seller had no feedback, I didn't know if these where another pair, even though the pic looked the same & maybe some else had pulled out buying them.
There was a scam on ebay a few months ago before all the illegal imports were coming in.
Pleased you knew someone to warn people about this going on & it may stop other people been ripped off, I know how it feels.

That is the very same add that poshpleco (Tracy) from here used to sell here breeding pair last year same pictures wording and everything she will be fuming if she sees this add on ebay

Up to £710 now & the bidders id's are hidden, so they can't be warned.
I knew I recognised the male pic, but not the writing like you Jo.
I don't know if it can be reported to ebay, maybe someone should give Tracy a pm, she surely could?
Hope no one gets conned.

I might put a really high bid in and make sure I win then give a big fat two fingered salute when it comes to payment!
Dont think I can get left bad feedback as a buyer?
Anyone fancy outbidding my bid of £10000?

bengranger80 wrote:Dont think I can get left bad feedback as a buyer?

Yes neg feedback can be left to buyer

Oh well
anyone else got any good ideas how to catch this culprit?

Don't worry - my friend set up an ebay account and posted a bid of 20k so she wont be getting outbid. She has reported the seller to ebay but they have not done anything about him.

Im putting in a bid for 30k then
really want that breeding pair

You can get a non paying bidder strike but not neg feedback bid big

I think the fact it's a scam he wont have any intention of trying to go down the non paying bidder route lol! It can be removed by ebay anyway if you report him for requesting a non-authorised payment method (which he is as asking for bank transfer). Or you can do what my friend did, set up a new hotmail account and a new ebay account.

Just received this email from my friend;

Zoe, attached is what he has sent me! Can you believe the idiot!

Dear jennyjred,

Hello,

I can´t use PayPal for this amount of money, payment must be made direct transfer to my bank account.


PETER ZOLTAN

BARCLAYS BRANCH
46 BALLARDS LANE
FINCHELEY CENTRAL
N3 2BB

SORT CODE 20-95-61
ACC NO: 43 93 44 03


Thanks


- rmadde Reply in your email program or through My Messages





________________________________________
From: jennyjred
To: rmadde
Subject: jennyjred has sent a question about: Payment & Checkout for item #110483556587, that ended on 22-Jan-10 10:07:23 GMT - Zebra Pleco, Wild Caught Breeding Pair
Sent Date: 22-Jan-10 10:50:16 GMT
Dear rmadde,

Hi

I'd like to pay cash on collection please. I am available any day next week or the following weekend. I will transfer a deposit via paypal once we have agreed a date.

Jenny

The bit at the bottom she sent to him first. He then replied with his bank details. Funny he banks in Finchley when he lives in Derbyshire...

Absolutely a scam. Get her to request his contact details from Ebay http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/tp/know-se ... ntact.html Which should have his full address and telephone number. And give him a call. If any of his details are incorrect then Ebay themselves will suspend his account.

Also tell her to tell him she will do the bank transfer from his premises after she has seen the fish. I did this when I bought a car, I took a mechanic with me who gave it the OK, I then used the sellers computer to make the bank transfer and I was able to drive it away there and then!

John wrote:

bengranger80 wrote:Dont think I can get left bad feedback as a buyer?

Yes neg feedback can be left to buyer

Not any more, you can't neg a buyer, you can't even give them a neutral any more. It's positive or nothing. Very unfair on sellers