Know Scams in the UK using our Brand

Dear J. M. Calaz, Our customer Chris Matrice require the payment to be done through MoneyGram money transfer service. If you are not familiarized with the MoneyGram money transfer services please visit: www.MoneyGram.com Important Notice The payment details are confidential and will not be released under any circumstances. Our customer chose this payment method in order to speed up the transaction. i SOLD It security measures are constantly reviewed and modified given evolving circumstances globally, drawing on both internal assessments and the support of government agencies. Our constant priority is for the safety of our people, our customers, and the general public. i SOLD It always tries to fulfill its customers' needs.   Transaction Details: Buyer: J. M. Calaz Subject: Jims Harley Twin Cam 120" Engine Screaming Eagle Amount: US $2,900.00 Down Payment: US $0.00 Shipping: US $0.00 Total: US $2,900.00 Delivery Information: Address: J. M. Calaz 256 Devon Dr. Ruther Glen, VA 22546 United States Seller Details: First Name: Chris Last Name: Matrice Street: 1964 Piimauna Pl City: Waianae Zip code: State: 96792-3353 HI Country: United States iSOLD It Agent Details: First Name: Brian Last Name: Murphy Street: 1515 S. Dale Mabry Hwy City: Tampa Zip code: State: 33629 FL Country: United States How to make payment?   1. Locate the nearest MoneyGram Office   2. Make the payment with cash using the above i SOLD It agent details   3. E-mail us the following details from the payment receipt:     - Reference number - 8 digits number from the payment receipt     - Sender Name and Address     - Receiver Name     - Amount Sent     This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Once we receive the payment confirmation, we will start the shipping process. We will hold the payment details until you send us your confirmation that you are satisfied with the product you received. As soon as we receive your confirmation we will transfer the payment to the seller. Returns are permitted and must be initiated by the customer within 10 calendar days!!! contact us: i SOLD It Trust and Safety Department Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Sincerly, i SOLD It Financial Department © 2008, iSold It LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy

Know Scams using our Brand on Craigslist

Dear J. M. Calaz, Our customer Chris Matrice require the payment to be done through MoneyGram money transfer service. If you are not familiarized with the MoneyGram money transfer services please visit: www.MoneyGram.com Important Notice The payment details are confidential and will not be released under any circumstances. Our customer chose this payment method in order to speed up the transaction. i SOLD It security measures are constantly reviewed and modified given evolving circumstances globally, drawing on both internal assessments and the support of government agencies. Our constant priority is for the safety of our people, our customers, and the general public. i SOLD It always tries to fulfill its customers' needs.   Transaction Details: Buyer: J. M. Calaz Subject: Jims Harley Twin Cam 120" Engine Screaming Eagle Amount: US $2,900.00 Down Payment: US $0.00 Shipping: US $0.00 Total: US $2,900.00 Delivery Information: Address: J. M. Calaz 256 Devon Dr. Ruther Glen, VA 22546 United States Seller Details: First Name: Chris Last Name: Matrice Street: 1964 Piimauna Pl City: Waianae Zip code: State: 96792-3353 HI Country: United States iSOLD It Agent Details: First Name: Brian Last Name: Murphy Street: 1515 S. Dale Mabry Hwy City: Tampa Zip code: State: 33629 FL Country: United States How to make payment?   1. Locate the nearest MoneyGram Office   2. Make the payment with cash using the above i SOLD It agent details   3. E-mail us the following details from the payment receipt:     - Reference number - 8 digits number from the payment receipt     - Sender Name and Address     - Receiver Name     - Amount Sent     This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Once we receive the payment confirmation, we will start the shipping process. We will hold the payment details until you send us your confirmation that you are satisfied with the product you received. As soon as we receive your confirmation we will transfer the payment to the seller. Returns are permitted and must be initiated by the customer within 10 calendar days!!! contact us: i SOLD It Trust and Safety Department Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Sincerly, i SOLD It Financial Department © 2008, iSold It LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy

Know Scams using our Brand on eBay

A Scam is when someone represents to you they really have an item to sell you and they do not!  Further, we have learned that there are some scams using our name "iSold It"to trick people into thinking one of our stores has the items and iSold It will ship the item once you send these Crooks money via Western Union or Money Gram. THESE ARE SCAMS!

The iSold it franchise system does have nor do we use agents nor do we ask people to make payments via Western Union or Money Gram to any third party.  Only deal directly with our stores and call the store in question to verify any transaction using our brand.  Store List or call our Toll Free Store Locator Number 1-877-ISOLDIT

We have created a Blog for each of these types of Scams including examples as received from victims of these scams.   Feel free to post your comments and or additional scams information you have received and remember to report these to the proper authorities as listed below.

1. Scams on eBay
2. Scams on Craigslist
3. Scams in the UK
4. Scams in Germany

You should only work directly with our stores and NEVER send funds to a third party. Store List or call our Toll Free Store Locator Number 1-877-ISOLDIT

If your scam is from eBay You should report this to eBay at http://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/stop_spoof_websites.html

If your scam is from Craigslist you should report this to Craigslist via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Report fraud to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center, visit www.ic3.gov/

You should notify Western Union   P.O. Box 4430 Bridgeton, MO 63044 Customer Service 1-800-325-6000

To find the store nearest you please: 

1. Use our Store Locations Map to find the store nearest you, or
2. call our Toll Free Store Locator Number 1-877-ISOLDIT (476-5348)

3 RED FLAGS To Warn a Bidder of a Fraudulent Transaction

Most people who are defrauded are victims of their own greed. When a transaction appears to be too good to be true, it likely is. Application of common sense can preserve your money.
Click here for information about reporting fraud to eBay.

( Click on each point to read more about it)

1. A popular item is offered for a price which seems too good to be true

2. An 'off-eBay' transaction is conducted through email

3. Payment options provide little or no security for the buyer

4. Misleading claims of transaction security or buyer protection

5. Item is no longer listed on eBay

6. The sellers location may be a clue to a fraudulent transaction

7. Item is listed on a hijacked account

8. Free shipping from a distant country

9. No photo or stock photos are used

10. One to three day auctions

11. Escrow other than escrow.com is used

12. A fraudulent Second Chance Offer is sent

13. The bidder needs to be pre-approved or the item is listed in a private auction

 

1. A popular item is offered for a price which seems too good to be true.

• Realistically, new authentic premium quality items can't be bought for a large discount off the usual retail price.
  The manufacturers of elite luxury designer brands customarily distribute their products ONLY through exclusive and fashionable retail stores, so it is impossible to obtain their genuine items at wholesale prices. However, counterfeit items are plentiful and often include fake tags, receipts, dust bags, boxes, authentifications, etc.

• An unbelievable bargain is frequently a counterfeit item (or it does not exist)

• Fraudulent listings often involve, but are not limited to:

  • Any type of designer item, such as purses, bags, clothing (Counterfeits are plentiful)
  • Vehicles of all sorts listed on eBay motors
  • Computers, cellular phones, consumer electronic items, cameras and accessories, musical instruments
  • Sporting goods, especially designer athletic shoes, golf clubs, and exercise equipment (Counterfeits are plentiful)
  • Sewing machines, quilting and embroidery machines
  • Fine jewelry with diamonds and other gemstones, Tiffany jewelry, designer watches (Rolex, etc.)
  • Rare coins and gold coins
  • Concert and sporting event tickets
  • Asian antiques: local laws forbid exporting genuine antiquities except under strictly controlled circumstances.
  • DVDs: The vast majority of bootleg DVDs are All Region or Region 0. Legitimate Region 1 DVDs made for the North American market do not have Chinese characters on the cover.

 

The seller's feedback may often provide a red flag warning of a listing for a non-existent or counterfeit item.
Beware if the seller has exchanged positive feedback for cheap items with several other users during a brief time frame. If the feedback shows that the transactions ended, were paid for, shipped and received, and positive feedback exchanged within a few minutes, consider it to be solid evidence of a fraudulent seller.
Also, careful reading of a seller's feedback may reveal that a scammer is using a hijacked account. See Flag #7 for more details about hijacked accounts.

2. An 'off-eBay' transaction is conducted through email

A legitimate eBay purchase NEVER involves negotiating or transacting through emails.
A legitimate eBay purchase requires using the 'Buy It Now' feature, or placing a bid on an auction.

How to determine that you are buying on eBay:

• Open a new browser.
• Type www.ebay.com in the web page address (URL).
• Click on My eBay and sign in.
• Be certain that the transaction appears in Items I've Won, and that the seller information in the end-of-auction correspondence is consistent with the listing.

Real transactions on eBay go like this: 1. buyer sees an auction listing 2. buyer bids on the item 3. buyer wins item 4. buyer's name appears as winner on auction listing 5. item number appears in "Items Won" in buyer's My eBay 6. seller sends an invoice 7. buyer pays 8. seller ships item/ buyer picks up item

Real transactions on eBay do not involve * items that are no longer on eBay * negotiating by email * winning "by default" or "automatically" * Western Union cash transfer * nonexistent eBay warehouses * emails sent by eBay to the buyer, verifying the item or the seller * eBay agents * eBay involvement in payment

3. Payment options provide little or no security for the buyer.

Never pay for an item using cash or Western Union (WU) or Moneygram Instant cash (non-bank) wire transfers. These are specifically not permitted for eBay transactions.
For a full list of payments not permitted on eBay, see the link to the eBay Accepted Payment Policy below.

• WU and Moneygram Instant cash wire transfers were created for sending money to someone you know and trust.
• WU and Moneygram instant cash wire transfers are untraceable and unrecoverable after the thief picks up the money, which is typically very soon after it is sent. WU cash transfer can be picked up anywhere in the world, not just where it was sent.
• Sometimes, in an attempt to provide the illusion of safety, the scammer tells the buyer to send the money to a fake name or to use a secret password, which the buyer will change only after receiving the item. This will not protect the buyer.
• Do not confuse WU or Moneygram cash wire transfer with bank-to-bank transfer, often known as bank wire transfer, or bank cash transfer, which is legitimate, and is the customary and preferred payment method in many countries.
• Sending cash is obviously high risk. It offers no protection against loss in the mail or fraud.
  Cash, however, is permitted for transactions on eBay if the item is picked up by the buyer.
• Beware sending payment for an auction to anyone other than the seller.
  A criminal who was not involved in the auction may send an invoice to the winning bidder in an attempt to divert the payment. They may offer an inducement, such as overnight or free shipping, for immediate payment -- usually by cash wire transfer or other non-secure method.
  Incredibly, we have read reports of bold criminals who sent spoof emails "from PayPal" which were persuasive enough to convince buyers to send payment by cash wire transfer to the thief rather than sending PayPal payment to the true seller.

NOTE:

Some criminals deceptively display the PayPal logo on the auction page. When the buyer opts to use PayPal, the seller makes an excuse for not presently being able to accept PayPal, and insists on payment by a non-secure method.

Useful eBay Links:
(i) eBay Help: Paying Confidently:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/payment-ov.html
(ii) eBay Accepted Payment Policy: this lists the permitted and nonpermitted payment methods on eBay
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/accepted-payments-policy.html

4. Misleading claims of transaction security or buyer protection.

The seller (criminal) claims that purchase protection is guaranteed by Square Trade or some other official sounding, but non-existent, division of eBay and often sends faked emails to support these claims.

• Fraudulent names that have been used include: Square Trade, Secure Trade, eBay Safety Board, Trade Secure Division, eBay Transactions, eBay International Safety, eBay Buyer Protection Program, eBay Security Center, Square Trade Seal Program, eBay Trust Fund, eBay Safety Board, eBay Courier, Safe Harbor, Trade Secure Division or similar.

• Square Trade is not a division of eBay. Square Trade neither provides escrow service nor facilitates transactions. Square Trade does not send emails to prospective buyers.

• Criminals have created a remarkable number of fraudulent Square Trade and escrow.com look-alike and sound- alike websites to which victims are directed. The fraudulent site claims that the seller is adequately insured against fraud for more than a sufficient amount and that an instant cash wire transfer is specifically required and sanctioned.

• A bidder/buyer who is doubtful and undecided may receive a spoof email, appearing to originate from eBay, vouching for the seller and security of the transaction, and advising the buyer to complete the transaction.

  • These fraudulent emails often assert that the seller has placed a multi- thousand dollar security deposit with eBay.
  • Some further claim that the item will be shipped from an eBay warehouse. eBay neither holds security deposits, nor confirms or guarantees the safety of transactions. eBay does not own any warehouses in which merchandise is stored.
• 
  

  Thieves also advertise incredible bargains on non-eBay websites such as Craigslist and in newspapers. The buyer's confidence is gained by claiming that the transaction will be safely completed through eBay, and/or by directing the buyer to send payment to a fictional escrow service allegedly affiliated with eBay. A few fictional names which have been used include eBay Square Trade, eBay Protected Payments, eBay Payment Guaranty, Ltd., and eBay Real Estate Protection Service.

  To determine if an email which appears to be sent by eBay is genuine, forward it to
  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

5. The item is no longer listed on eBay.

If an auction cannot be found by searching for it using the item number, that indicates that eBay deleted the listing and removed the auction from the eBay server because eBay determined that the listing was fraudulent or the seller was guilty of an infraction.
Do not attempt to buy items that are no longer listed on eBay.
Report any email offers for such items to eBay as an " Offer to Buy/ Sell Outside of eBay "

6. The sellers location may be a clue to a fraudulent transaction.

• The seller is registered in a country (China and Romania are prime examples) which has a reputation for being a refuge for internet criminals.

• The seller's registered location, the item location, and the eBay site on which the item is listed are inconsistent.

• After an item is won, the seller directs the winner to send payment to a different location.

• An unsuccessful bidder may receive an unsolicited offer to sell an identical item at a huge discount in an off-eBay transaction, typically from a person in a country thousands of miles away.

• Fraud victims often purchase non-existent tickets to high profile sporting events and concerts in this manner.

  7. The item is listed on hijacked account

  Some characteristics of hijacked accounts are:

  • There is a prominent statement on the auction page to email the seller/scammer.
    The scammer often states that email contact through the conventional eBay ask seller a question link is unavailable ( various excuses are used ). A hijacker does not want the true owner of the account tipped off by receiving an email about an auction which they did not list.

  • There is no conventional Buy It Now button, but the auction terms state Please email me for the Buy It Now price, or there is a phony Buy It Now button embedded in the auction.

  • The apparent seller (the real owner of the account, not the scammer) has excellent feedback which was acquired solely from buying or from selling items unrelated to the expensive item being offered.

  • Items are suddenly listed on a dormant account. (Inconclusive when considered alone).

  • The auction page indicates that the item is located in, or will be shipped from, a country other than the country in which the seller is registered.

  • The hijacker may offer a creative reason for being in a foreign country.

  • The feedback is primarily in a language which is inconsistent with the sellers location (e.g. a seller registered in China whose feedback is primarily in German).

  • Private auctions. (Inconclusive when considered alone).

  • The seller does not respond to questions. (Inconclusive when considered alone).

  • The payment options provide limited or no security for the buyer. (Inconclusive when considered alone).

  • The payment methods listed on the auction page include the customary choices - PayPal, money orders, checks, etc. When the seller contacts the buyer, only non-secure payment methods, such as cash or Western Union cash wire transfer, abruptly become the only accepted payment methods.

  • The auction description is well written, polished, and professional, but the shipping and payment details are unnatural and obviously not composed by the same person. That signals that the description was stolen from a legitimate auction, with the terms of sale replaced by the account hijacker.

  • After a potential victim indicates serious interest, in order to reduce the opportunity for the authentic account holder to detect the fraud and notify eBay, the hijacker may end the auction early.

  • A genuine listing is "re-directed" to a fraudulent listing.
    When accessing/opening a listing, there may be a delay of 1-2 seconds, and the screen may flash or blink, as a different screen appears to replace the original auction listing. All or part of the original page is replaced by false information (such as an eBay endorsement of Western Union cash wire transfer), and links to fake pages controlled by the hijacker.
    If a delay and change of page occurs when you first view a listing, and if there are statements in the payment area that clearly violate eBay policy, DO NOT proceed. Use the back button to exit quickly.

  • Bids have been cancelled by the hijackers, giving reasons such as "wrong amount" or "please respect eBay policy". The scammer then proceeds to offer the item as a Second Chance Offer or off-eBay offer to several bidders on the auction, which was originally listed on eBay by the legitimate owner of the account which has been stolen

  
  

  To report a suspected hijacked account,
  Go to the 'Contact Us' webform here:
  http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_base/index_selection.html
  Tick the Account Security button and click continue.
  In Step 1, choose Unauthorized account activity
  In Step 2, choose Report another user's account as stolen
  Click continue. Ignore the content on the next page. Click on the email link to forward the report to eBay.

  Tick the button and click continue.In Step 1, choose In Step 2, choose Click continue. Ignore the content on the next page. Click on the email link to forward the report to eBay.
  

  8. The seller offers free shipping, often premium (very expensive) shipping, from a distant country.

  Imagine the cost of overnight shipping for something like a horse trailer from Romania, a tractor or an automobile from Greece, or a motorcycle from Spain, to a buyer who lives over five thousand miles away - yet scammers routinely offer such free shipping.
  Often such shipping offers are made by the scammer in email negotiations, in an attempt to convince the buyer to do an off-eBay transaction.

  9. There is no actual photo, or just a generic or stock photo.

  The auction ad shows no pictures of the actual item, but may show an image taken from a catalog or website. Such images are often used by scammers who have hijacked other users' accounts to list items that they do not possess. However, this by itself is inconclusive in the absence of other red flags.

  10. A one or three day auction, often ending on a weekend

  While 1 or 3 day auctions seem to be favored by scammers, this is inconclusive in the absence of other red flags
  Also, the implementation of the initiative by eBay to curtail the listing of counterfeit items may make it more difficult for scammers to use the shorter auction times.

  11. The seller recommends an escrow service other than escrow.com

  Fraudulent escrow sites are created daily by thieves for the purpose of attempting to defraud unsuspecting users. Several hundred phony escrow sites exist.
  Use only escrow.com or one of the international escrow sites listed on this page:
  http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/payment-escrow.html
  
  NEVER click a link in an email to access an escrow site.
  Some slick criminals have fooled inexperienced sellers into believing that they are using the genuine escrow.com by providing a link which takes the victim to a page which downloads an application that alters their hosts file and then goes to a fraudulent site which looks amazingly like the genuine escrow.com site.
  

  12. A fraudulent Second Chance offer is sent

  • To ensure that a Second Chance Offer is legitimate, go to http://www.ebay.com and click on My eBay. Then sign in and make sure the Second Chance Offer appears in your My Messages.
  • Legitimate Second Chance Offers are forwarded directly from eBay and appear in My Messages with a blue background and subject stating: Second Chance Offer for Item ....
  • eBay will never send a Second Chance Offer email with the subject line: Question from eBay Member.
    If you receive an email pretending to be a Second Chance Offer with that subject line, it is fraudulent. Do not respond.
  • Second Chance Offers never state that an item has been won "by default" or "automatically".
    Report any emails with fraudulent Second Chance Offers to eBay by using the report link in the email, if it came through eBay or by forwarding the email to
    spam @ebay.com
    

    13. The bidder needs to be pre-approved or the item is listed in a private auction.

    • When the buyer emails the seller for pre-approval, the seller offers an instant sale (usually off-eBay) at significantly less than market value.
    • Some private auctions (in which the user ID is kept private), are fraudulent. After placing a bid on a private auction, the bidder receives an emailed offer to transact off eBay.
    • Shill bidding on a private auction (the seller using another eBay account or colluding with another user to artificially increase the price) is impossible to detect.
  
  How to REPORT FRAUD to eBay
  
  Help to make eBay safer for yourself and others by reporting scams and frauds to eBay.
  
  To report a suspected fraudulent auction Go to the 'Contact Us' webform here:
  http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_base/index_selection.html
  then tick Listing Violations
  In step 1 choose Fraudulent Listings
  In step 2 choose Report a listing you think is fraudulent ( you didn't bid )
  Click continue. Ignore the content on the next page. Click on the email link to forward the report to eBay.
  
  or
  Click the report this item link, which is near the bottom the auction page
  
  CAUTION:
  Be careful clicking anywhere on a fraudulent listing !
  Be aware that some auction listings will redirect you to an authentic-looking eBay sign-in page that has been set up by the criminal to steal your password and ID.
  If possible, use another method of reporting the auction, rather than clicking on the report link on it.
  To report a suspected hijacked account Go to the 'Contact Us' webform here:
  http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_base/index_selection.html
  then tick Account Security
  In Step 1, choose Unauthorized account activity
  In Step 2, choose Report another user's account as stolen
  Click continue. Ignore the content on the next page. Click on the email link to forward the report to eBay.
  To report an emailed attempt to defraud you If you were contacted through the eBay message system,
  report the contact to eBay by using the reporting link in the email from the criminal.
  Locate that at lower right, where eBay warns 'Is this email inappropriate? Does it violate eBay policy? Help protect the community by reporting it. '
  
  If the contact was made outside the eBay message system,
  forward the email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
  If you received an unsolicited offer to buy or sell
  forward the email, with full headers, to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it