New stitch
Police warn of fraud: why cheap purchases on Ebay are followed by reminders – even though you have paid
The scam is very mean: for a long time you think everything went well – and then you get a reminder.
© fizkes / Getty Images
The Hamburg police are warning of a new wave of fraud on Ebay: In more than 20 cases, people who are supposedly selling goods cheaply are being investigated in order to steal data and money.
If you are not careful when buying and selling online, you will quickly lose goods or money. Ebay and Ebay classifieds have proven to be particularly dangerous in recent years, since the focus there is on direct trade between people and many black sheep cavort among them. The platforms can hardly be blamed, Ebay classifieds in particular is actively working to increase the security of users and prevent scams.
Goods ordered, goods delivered, still cheated
The meaner is the latest scam, because you can’t really prevent it. For example, the Hamburg police report fraudulent goods that are difficult to detect and even harder to fight. This is how it works:
- Fraudsters post a serious-looking but unrivaled low-priced offer on Ebay.
- Buyers strike and pay for the goods on Ebay in advance.
- The fraudsters then order the goods on account from an online shop and enter the Ebay customer’s data for the transaction.
- The person who got the bargain on Ebay – and paid for it – gets the goods.
- Weeks later, the buyers received the first reminder because the invoice was never paid.
- The scammers are over the mountains with the amount transferred, and this is where the trouble begins for the Ebay customer.
In the experience of the police, financial service providers usually pay back the money transferred after filing a report. Although the so-called seller protection applies due to the goods actually shipped and the fraudsters also got their money, it seems as if the victims are at least not stuck with the double costs. But: The actual costs of the goods are usually higher than the supposed Ebay snapper. So if a reverse transaction is no longer possible, at least the difference between the offer price and the real price will be paid to the injured party. Instead of the bargain price, they have to shell out the regular price.
The popular product categories should primarily include consumer goods such as animal feed, which cannot be returned because the goods have usually already been used up or opened within the time between delivery and the reminder.
Police: How to protect yourself
The police also reveal how you can protect yourself from this: When placing orders, make sure that they are from established dealers and sellers who have been active on the platforms for a long time. With new providers, you should be careful with particularly good offers, relevant consumer portals such as Trustpilot search. And as always, the old adage applies: if an offer is too good to be true, then it probably is.
If you have already ordered goods but are not sure whether you have fallen victim to the scam, search the package more closely. In the case of orders on account, the shipment often includes the same invoice – with a corresponding note as to when the purchase is to be paid for. If you find this out on the day of delivery, the goods can usually be sent back without any problems – and you are spared at least this part of the aftermath.
source: Police station Harburg