Hello,
I was recently frauded about 1 week ago through an escrow service and a seller, item number #6828397900 ebay id "elisabeth6363etta" on Ebay. The following is a detailed, organized report of what happened.
1.)12/05
-I went on Ebay and when I found a laptop I wanted, the item page said that I was to contact the seller at [email protected] in order to be approved to bid. I did so, and asked to be on her approved bidders list.
-I was emailed later by the seller who wanted to know if I had an offer. I emailed her back and offered her $750 Canadian or $650 USD. I thought this was still through Ebay.
2.)12/06
-She emailed me back, accepted my offer and asked for my home address, which I emailed to her.
-She then emailed me back later saying she sent the laptop to a shipping company, Secure Trade Comp, and wanted to know when they contacted me. She also said she paid the shipping/handling fees.
- Secure Trade Comp emailed me, and let me know they had the laptop in their custody. They gave me a customer id, and tracking number, as well as a link to their webpage which connected me right to my tracking info on the site. They gave me the sellers home address, and the address to wire the money to. They also gave me the sellers address: Name: Elisabeth Etta, Address: 88, Dongola Rd, City: London, Country: United Kingdom, Zip: E15 1AY.
-I emailed the company and asked several questions, including where I pick the item up, and is this service safe. They emailed me back and said it was 100% safe, that I would get my laptop on Dec. 10, and answered all my other questions immediately.
3.)12/07
-I emailed Secure Trade Comp and said that I couldn't go through Western Union. The emailed me back and said I had to, that's the only way they can do it. They also said do not wire the money to the seller, as we cannot protect your money. So I went to a local Western Union and wired the money to the address they said to: First Name: Henry, Last Name: Richards, Address: 51 Carter Lane, City: London, Country: United Kingdom, Zip: SW1 8BN, who they claimed was an agent of the company.
-I then emailed the company the western union mtcn number and my address, in a fill-outform on their webpage.
-Throughout this whole process I was keeping in touch with the seller, and she was answering various questions within a day of my asking them.
4.) 12/08
-I went to western unions website and checked the money order status. It said it was picked up. So I emailed the company and asked about the status.
-I continually emailed both the seller and the company and still have never recieved an email from either since before I paid the money.
-I did alot of research on the website of the business and it says over and over that the seller is protected, and it even has addresses, and phone numbers and emails, all of which never respond to my questions and concerns.
5.)12/15
-I emailed a website that watches escrow service fraud (http://escrow-fraud.pgardner.net/) and asked the website creator if this business was a fraud. He said that that yes it is, and whoever is doing this fraud is usually in it with the buyer/seller, and that they have used the same webpage format with many different business names. He provided me with a link to show me pictures of the other fraud sites that look exactly the same and have different web names. It is a very elaborate set-up that has scammed many many people. Here is the link I was given: http://escrow-fraud.pgardner.net/images/sites/Layout2/
-Ebay and Western Union are offering full co-operation and offer to provide info on the fraudulant people, which they cannot provide me with. Here is what Ebay said:
"When contacting law enforcement authorities, please let them know that eBay will cooperate with the investigation. He or she can find
information on how to contact eBay at the following page:
http://pages.ebay.ca/securitycentre/howcontact.html
On this page, the officer will find both an email address and a fax number to reach eBay. Please request that the officer include the following information:
1. The case number
2. The officer's name
3. The officer's telephone number"
- I still have all the email messages we used to correspond. As well as the email addresses, receipts, website info. I also have links to websites that show many other people frauded by the same company that just changes its business name
-I thought I would be protected by Ebay because the seller was an ebay member who said right on her product page that in order to bid you must contact her via her email address. I didn't know that was not allowed until after I sent the money. I figured because it first through Ebay, I was safe. I will go to great lengths to get this money back, and get these people punished.
Margaret
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Canada
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