General discussion for aviators

avionics fraud on ebay

A friend told me he was looking for a handheld GPS on ebay and found a guy
selling Garmin 396 handhelds for $500.  This friend emailed the seller
asking how he could sell a new in the box $2500 unit for $500.  The seller
replied in broken english with a bunch of mish mash that he just opened an
electronics company in Europe and that if you send $500 by western union
right now then he’ll make you this great deal.  Beware out there.  If it
sounds too good to be true…..

posted by admin in Uncategorized and have Comments (24)

24 Responses to “avionics fraud on ebay”

  1. admin says:

    There was someone offering super cheap (I think $5000-7000) Garmin 430s
    on barnstormers.com a few months ago.  The description made it sound
    borderline plausible (eg, they described that the reason they were so
    cheap was that they were sold internationally, and did not have US
    plates, etc etc) but subsequent fraud warnings that popped up on the
    website made it sound as if there was a problem.

    Avionics have gotta be an attractive target since there’s such a price
    premium attached.

    Ben Hallert
    PP-ASEL

  2. admin says:

    A some signs of online frauds:
    1) outside US or Canada, usually europe.
    2) Western union only
    3) price too good to be true
    4) approved bidders only, esp. with a low feedback rating
    5) After the auction ends and you aren’t a winner, you get contacted
    back channel asking if you’d still be intrested cause the winner backed
    out for whatever reason. They’ll ask you for what you’d like to pay, and
    they usually "relucantly" accept it cause a family member in Germany (or
    whatever) was in an accident, and they need the money ASAP, and please
    send it WU to the "victim" to pay the hospital.
    6) they may claim they have bought the remaining stock of a "going out
    of business" store, usually in europe (a former eastern bloc country is
    even better), and are just clearing the stuff out.

    John

  3. admin says:

    Zulu wrote:
    > A friend told me he was looking for a handheld GPS on ebay and found a guy
    > selling Garmin 396 handhelds for $500.  

    Never ever pay for anything via Western Union wire transfer.   Both EBAY
    and Western Union warn you about this.   Western Union is only for
    sending money to people you know.

  4. admin says:

    The best way to pay on eBay is a USPS money order sent via USPS so you
    can sic the postal inspectors on them. There was a draft letter to
    floating around the Internet spelling out chapter and verse of the mail
    fraud Federal laws. The idea was stapling the money order to the letter
    so the seller would be warned.

    "Ron Natalie" <r…@spamcop.net> wrote in message

    news:4331adae$0$6576$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > Zulu wrote:
    >> A friend told me he was looking for a handheld GPS on ebay and found
    >> a guy
    >> selling Garmin 396 handhelds for $500.

    > Never ever pay for anything via Western Union wire transfer.   Both
    > EBAY
    > and Western Union warn you about this.   Western Union is only for
    > sending money to people you know.

  5. admin says:

    I don’t see postal inspectors hunting down someone on Europe for $500. I use
    paypal. I got stiffed once, and got my money back from Paypal.

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    "sfb" <s…@spam.net> wrote in message news:zbiYe.3955$yN1.1645@trnddc03…
    > The best way to pay on eBay is a USPS money order sent via USPS so you
    > can sic the postal inspectors on them. There was a draft letter to
    > floating around the Internet spelling out chapter and verse of the mail
    > fraud Federal laws. The idea was stapling the money order to the letter
    > so the seller would be warned.

    > "Ron Natalie" <r…@spamcop.net> wrote in message
    > news:4331adae$0$6576$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com…
    > > Zulu wrote:
    > >> A friend told me he was looking for a handheld GPS on ebay and found
    > >> a guy
    > >> selling Garmin 396 handhelds for $500.

    > > Never ever pay for anything via Western Union wire transfer.   Both
    > > EBAY
    > > and Western Union warn you about this.   Western Union is only for
    > > sending money to people you know.

  6. admin says:

    sfb wrote:
    > The best way to pay on eBay is a USPS money order sent via USPS so you
    > can sic the postal inspectors on them.

    No, the best way is to use PayPal funded by a credit card.  You can get
    a direct refund from PayPal (if they can recover it from the seller) or
    from your credit card company if that doesn’t work.

  7. admin says:

    Not all Paypal transactions are protected.

    "Transactions Covered by PayPal Buyer Protection

    The PayPal Buyer Protection icon must be displayed in the Seller
    Information box on eBay"

    https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/pbp-info-outside

    "Steve Foley" <steve.fo…@DELETE.att.net> wrote in message

    news:cUiYe.9616$LV5.5352@trndny02…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    >I don’t see postal inspectors hunting down someone on Europe for $500.
    >I use
    > paypal. I got stiffed once, and got my money back from Paypal.

    > "sfb" <s…@spam.net> wrote in message
    > news:zbiYe.3955$yN1.1645@trnddc03…
    >> The best way to pay on eBay is a USPS money order sent via USPS so
    >> you
    >> can sic the postal inspectors on them. There was a draft letter to
    >> floating around the Internet spelling out chapter and verse of the
    >> mail
    >> fraud Federal laws. The idea was stapling the money order to the
    >> letter
    >> so the seller would be warned.

    >> "Ron Natalie" <r…@spamcop.net> wrote in message
    >> news:4331adae$0$6576$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com…
    >> > Zulu wrote:
    >> >> A friend told me he was looking for a handheld GPS on ebay and
    >> >> found
    >> >> a guy
    >> >> selling Garmin 396 handhelds for $500.

    >> > Never ever pay for anything via Western Union wire transfer.   Both
    >> > EBAY
    >> > and Western Union warn you about this.   Western Union is only for
    >> > sending money to people you know.

  8. admin says:

    Paypal lacks law enforcement authority and the protection plan does not
    apply to all transactions.

    https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/pbp-info-outside#elig...

    "Ron Natalie" <r…@spamcop.net> wrote in message

    news:4331bdd7$0$6613$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > sfb wrote:
    >> The best way to pay on eBay is a USPS money order sent via USPS so
    >> you can sic the postal inspectors on them.

    > No, the best way is to use PayPal funded by a credit card.  You can
    > get
    > a direct refund from PayPal (if they can recover it from the seller)
    > or
    > from your credit card company if that doesn’t work.

  9. admin says:

    sfb wrote:
    > Paypal lacks law enforcement authority …

    So does the USPS if the destination is outside the U.S..

    George Patterson
          Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
          use the Internet and he won’t bother you for weeks.

  10. admin says:

    sfb wrote:
    > Not all Paypal transactions are protected.

    > "Transactions Covered by PayPal Buyer Protection

    > The PayPal Buyer Protection icon must be displayed in the Seller
    > Information box on eBay"

    You didn’t pay attention to what I said.

    First you go to PayPal.  If they turn you down (or can’t recover
    the money) you go to your credit card.   This is the way the
    game works on ebay.  Check the EBAY discussion boards that is
    the advice you will be unconditionally given.

    The PO may go after your seller if he violates the mail fraud
    but if you’re interest is in recovering your money the fastest
    and most assured way, a PAYPAL funded by Credit Card is the
    easiest way.

  11. admin says:

    sfb wrote:
    > Paypal lacks law enforcement authority and the protection plan does not
    > apply to all transactions.

    They don’t need law enforcement.  Law enforcement is lousy on getting
    retribution.  Credit cards are your best bet on the Internet, and
    backing your paypal payment with a credit card will get your money
    back even if PayPal won’t honor the buyer protection plan.

  12. admin says:

    Ron Natalie wrote:
    > sfb wrote:

    >> Paypal lacks law enforcement authority and the protection plan does
    >> not apply to all transactions.

    > They don’t need law enforcement.  Law enforcement is lousy on getting
    > retribution.  Credit cards are your best bet on the Internet, and
    > backing your paypal payment with a credit card will get your money
    > back even if PayPal won’t honor the buyer protection plan.

    Can you explain how you get your credit card company to refund your
    money, if you officially authorized Paypal to draw from your CC account?

    regards,
    Friedrich


    for personal email please remove ‘entfernen’ from my adress

  13. admin says:

    Friedrich Ostertag wrote:

    > Can you explain how you get your credit card company to refund your
    > money, if you officially authorized Paypal to draw from your CC account?

    It’s simple, you call your credit card company and say the merchandise
    was never delivered.   If you do this before you give paypal a chance
    to resolve it through there channels, paypal will lock your account.
    However, if they turn you down and you file for a chargeback through
    your credit card company they will let it slide.  If they can they will
    still charge back the sellers (this is why paypal tends to be a bit
    on the dangerous side for sellers).

    There was some stickiness between American Express and Paypal a bit
    over a year ago, but that was settled.

  14. admin says:

    "sfb" <s…@spam.net> wrote in message news:zbiYe.3955$yN1.1645@trnddc03…
    > The best way to pay on eBay is a USPS money order sent via USPS so you can
    > sic the postal inspectors on them. There was a draft letter to floating
    > around the Internet spelling out chapter and verse of the mail fraud
    > Federal laws.
    >The idea was stapling the money order to the letter so the seller would be
    >warned.

    Like they didn’t already know?

    Also, China, Russia, Brazil and others are supporting many fraudulent
    activities (that’s right, they are sanctioning these activties), so don’t
    expect any asistance from their governments in the event you get ripped off.


    Matt

    ———————
    Matthew W. Barrow
    Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
    Montrose, CO

  15. admin says:

    "George Patterson" <grpph…@verizon.net> wrote in message

    news:8mjYe.13851$T55.12480@trndny06…
    > sfb wrote:
    >> Paypal lacks law enforcement authority …

    > So does the USPS if the destination is outside the U.S..

    And in certain countries, the government is probably a participant to the
    fraud, not a means of adjudication of complaints.

  16. admin says:

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 23:11:22 +0200, Friedrich Ostertag wrote:
    > Ron Natalie wrote:

    >> sfb wrote:

    >>> Paypal lacks law enforcement authority and the protection plan does
    >>> not apply to all transactions.

    >> They don’t need law enforcement.  Law enforcement is lousy on getting
    >> retribution.  Credit cards are your best bet on the Internet, and
    >> backing your paypal payment with a credit card will get your money back
    >> even if PayPal won’t honor the buyer protection plan.

    > Can you explain how you get your credit card company to refund your
    > money, if you officially authorized Paypal to draw from your CC account?

    It’s called a "charge back".  Anytime you purchase something with your
    credit card and do not receive either the services or goods you expected
    and the merchant refuses to refund your money, you can do a charge back.
    If merchants experience a high number of charge backs, the percent they
    pay per transaction goes up.  They don’t like that. Likewise, if they
    continue to get many charge backs, processing banks tend to drop the
    merchant.  Merchants don’t like that either.

    It’s basically in the Merchant’s best interest to refund your money;
    especially if you tell them you’ll be starting charge back procedures.  If
    that still doesn’t get them to move, call the card issuing bank that you
    did your transaction with.  The number is on the back of your card.  Tell
    them the merchant has been unwilling to resolve the complaint and you want
    to start a charge back procedure.  A large number of disputes are resolved
    with the help of the issuing bank without actually having to do a charge
    back.  Once the bank gets involved, the merchants tend to get a lot more
    friendly.  Also, charge backs almost alway go in favor of the card holder,
    especially for Amex members.  Amex is very friendly to its card holders
    and unless the merchant can show really good cause to prevent a charge
    back, Amex almost always supports their card members versus the merchant.

    In case you can’t tell, I used to work in the credit card industry.  ;)
    Using your credit card for online purchases is, by far, the most powerful
    protection you have…just make sure you’re not giving out your credit
    card information to the wrong people!  And never give it out over
    the phone unless *you* initate the call!

    Greg

  17. admin says:

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 23:11:22 +0200, Friedrich Ostertag wrote:
    > Ron Natalie wrote:

    >> sfb wrote:

    >>> Paypal lacks law enforcement authority and the protection plan does
    >>> not apply to all transactions.

    >> They don’t need law enforcement.  Law enforcement is lousy on getting
    >> retribution.  Credit cards are your best bet on the Internet, and
    >> backing your paypal payment with a credit card will get your money
    >> back even if PayPal won’t honor the buyer protection plan.

    > Can you explain how you get your credit card company to refund your
    > money, if you officially authorized Paypal to draw from your CC account?

    > regards,
    > Friedrich

    Oh ya!  NEVER, EVER, NEVER, purchase online with your debit credit card!
    Many people have been put into real bad positions when they found out
    their $150.00 online purchase wiped out their $20,000 bank account.  When
    the bank checks into it, they find the merchant has closed their
    account and skipped town.  Also, some banks do NOT offer the same
    protection to their debit cards that they extend to credit cards! Which
    can make recovery even more painful and prolonged….compounded with
    bounced checks and no means to get cash in hand (except credit card cash
    advance).

    Greg

  18. admin says:

    Greg Copeland wrote:
    > Oh ya!  NEVER, EVER, NEVER, purchase online with your debit credit card!
    > Many people have been put into real bad positions when they found out
    > their $150.00 online purchase wiped out their $20,000 bank account.  When
    > the bank checks into it, they find the merchant has closed their
    > account and skipped town.  Also, some banks do NOT offer the same
    > protection to their debit cards that they extend to credit cards! Which
    > can make recovery even more painful and prolonged….compounded with
    > bounced checks and no means to get cash in hand (except credit card cash
    > advance).

    I doin’t purchase *anything* with my debit card anyway.  The only reason I have
    one is to get cash out of an ATM.  For everything else, there’s MasterCard.  <G>


    Mortimer Schnerd, RN

    mschn…@carolina.rr.com.REMOVE

  19. admin says:

    Greg Copeland wrote:
    > Oh ya!  NEVER, EVER, NEVER, purchase online with your debit credit card!

    I call mine my "ATM card", since that’s all I ever use it for.

    George Patterson
          Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
          use the Internet and he won’t bother you for weeks.

  20. admin says:

    "George Patterson" <grpph…@verizon.net> wrote in message

    news:z8BYe.16452$Zg5.3421@trndny05…

    > Greg Copeland wrote:

    > > Oh ya!  NEVER, EVER, NEVER, purchase online with your debit credit card!

    > I call mine my "ATM card", since that’s all I ever use it for.

    You don’t use it at the grocery store?

  21. admin says:

    Matt Barrow wrote:
    > You don’t use it at the grocery store?

    No. I have a credit card for purchases.

    George Patterson
          Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
          use the Internet and he won’t bother you for weeks.

  22. admin says:

    On Thu, 22 Sep 2005 10:01:12 -0700, Matt Barrow wrote:

    > "George Patterson" <grpph…@verizon.net> wrote in message
    > news:z8BYe.16452$Zg5.3421@trndny05…
    >> Greg Copeland wrote:

    >> > Oh ya!  NEVER, EVER, NEVER, purchase online with your debit credit card!

    >> I call mine my "ATM card", since that’s all I ever use it for.

    > You don’t use it at the grocery store?

    That’s fine.  I’m referring to online purchases.  You would only want to
    use it in situations where you trust that fraud is not a likely situation.
    Accidents have happened where is has taken weeks to get straightened out.
    Nonetheless, I wouldn’t think that type of accident were common place.
    Just use your head and caution.

    Greg

  23. admin says:

    "George Patterson" <grpph…@verizon.net> wrote in message

    news:7CBYe.7638$N35.2890@trndny09…

    >> You don’t use it at the grocery store?

    > No. I have a credit card for purchases.

    Even if you did use it at the grocery store, assuming you *didn’t* use it as
    if it were a credit card (ie, you entered your PIN), there’s not any risk.

    The risk comes in when the Visa card number is used for the transaction,
    because that number provides an unsecured path straight into your bank
    account, without any fraud protection.

    Used in the same manner as if at an ATM, one’s debit card should be just as
    secure as if used at the ATM (keeping in mind there are still potentials for
    fraud there).

    Pete

  24. admin says:

    "George Patterson" <grpph…@verizon.net> wrote in message

    news:7CBYe.7638$N35.2890@trndny09…

    > Matt Barrow wrote:

    >> You don’t use it at the grocery store?

    > No. I have a credit card for purchases.

    I’d think you didn’t use credit cards for general purposes.

    I hit ATM’s about twice a year and only use the ATM debit card instead of a
    check.

    Also, grocery stores around here only started taking CC’s in the past few
    months.


    Matt

    ———————
    Matthew W. Barrow
    Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
    Montrose, CO

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