I have deleted this mildly popular post. I honestly had no idea it would be viewed by over 11,000 people in 4 days.
I hope everyone learned a good bit of advice
Back to posting what I do.
Christopher, I'm so sorry this happened to you... I will never forget the time I sold a lens on Craigslist last year for $1300 of FAKE CASH!! The case is still with the FBI and I haven't gotten my money or my lens back. Hope your case resolves soon and you DO get your money back from Ebay. Let me know if you ever need to borrow a camera for a day... I'll trade you the Contax for a Mark iii... ha
Holy crap Christopher. You know I am pretty scam savvy but I think I might have fallen for this too if I had a fake chat person backing it all up. I can't do anything today but the minute my husband gets paid you will have $20 from us. I'm so so sorry man. I can't imagine. I think I would cry for a long time.
Wow. That's terrible. Gotta watch all the e-mail addresses you get now-a-days. Looking at that top e-mail address I compared it to the one I recently got from the real ebay "ebay@ebay.com". People just make minor changes and it's easy to overlook.
Sorry for the bad luck. I've lost money to scammers on ebay too. It's a mean world...
I've had a similar experience with a car sales website when I tried to sell a car.
"Happy to pay your asking price but I need to get the car to England (from Australia)". Then they wanted *me* to pay the shipping fee in advance before they released funds to my account...
Lucky for me I didn't progress.
The scammers are slick bastards... Sorry you got stung...
christopher i am sorry this happened to you. Just for future references never transfer money to people with western union because this bank is commonly used by scammers. If you are going to buy anything of ebay make sure you only purchase items that let you pay via paypal this is because if the person is a scammer and have paid him via paypal you are able to get your money back due to paypals 2 month money protect. it includes if the item is not 100% to the description to not recieveing the product. Also the advantage with paypal they are able to ban and authorise the authority's of the scam so they can be dealt with.I know this because i was once scammed on ebay however i used paypal and i received my money back in under 2 weeks of notifying paypal. I hope this will help you next time you make a purchase.
Ok, people are actually going to send you money because you say you were scammed? People are You STUPID??? He is scamming you into sending him money LOL
OMG! I am seriously SICK to my stomach for you. I cant even fathom how you feel...Im SO sorry. SO SORRY! I cant believe the BULLSHIT people are doing to scam other people. I really cant. Its time the government really put a military force on this instead of some other things. Protect our citizens in a financially responsible way. FOR ONCE. Im donating & sharing your story on fb! Much love!
I've done some business on ebay and gotten screwed (more so for my lack of understanding and time available to learn how the fees and all worked after someone "cancelled" a purchase).
Based on my experience, I would have known it was a scam when getting in touch with "ebay" was so easy. They are one of the hardest companies to get in touch with.
Such an awful feeling to have someone take advantage of you in this way... to betray your trust & rip you off 'cause they can get away with it!!
I think it's so invaluable to others that you've posted all the details of this experience. Scammers are good, and they only seem to evolve their tricks as people begin to cotton on to their previous methods.
I always have alarm bells with Western Union as an old partner got ripped off with a seller, several years ago. And only recently a friend trading gear on Gumtree was minutes away from getting scammed by a similar western-union user.
The universe will send heaps of good your way now... & your scammer may have a terrible accident as he pops out of his hidey hole for a carton of milk tomorrow!
You got scammed. That's a shame, but really the alarm bells should have been ringing from the start. What really leaves a bad taste in my mouth is that you're now basically begging on the internet.
No one should donate to you to cover your own stupidity. The internet doesn't owe you a living.
Kerhisting hell! Much sympathies from a fellow photographer! That really sucks. And ignore the sanctimonious and yet oh so brave "Anonymous" poster.
My Rule for eBay: If they want Western Union, they can go pound sand. Scammers are getting more and more sophisticated. I get dozens of fake ebay/paypal emails, and what gives them away is the use of "Valued Customer" rather than my name. This guy has probably scammed dozens of people with this, it's too slick of a set up to be a one time sting.
Just for future references, 1. Don't commit to any purchase that involves Western Union Wire transfer. It usually is a scam. 2. Always go to the actual site, for ex, ebay.com to chat with the support or to check your account. I have seen similar tactic where they sent out an email with the link to your amazon, but they redirected you to the fake link.
I feel sorry for your loss and hope you get your money back, but if you're an experienced ebay buyer/seller you should have known that those chat links in the email are fake. I've never once seen them in emails from purchases I've made.
Also if you are ever questioning a sale, CALL the actual ebay support number on their website.
Even ebay has sent out countless emails to watch out for false links over the past few years. They also have said they won't ask for personal info in emails.
Your story rings as many alarm bells as those emails should have.
"Please let me know - I am in Chicago and can pick it up."
Yet you knowingly wired money over to London?
Mmmhmm, okay. Either you are exceptionally naive or you are pulling an ironic scam yourself. Either way you should not be asking people to part with THEIR hard earned cash.
People: If you really want to give away your cash, there are far worthier causes in the world. Look around you and see how much suffering there is out there. Animal abuse, child abuse, the terminally ill, the homeless, famine, natural disasters, war, disease, the list is endless. At BEST this is a person who lost a bunch of money when attempting to buy a lavish item by making a silly mistake. That sucks but shit happens, move on, he is not a charity.
To the photographer: If you have an ounce of self-respect or respect for those who are truly suffering in the world and in need of charitable donation, you'll remove your shameful begging and donate whatever money you've received to a REAL charity.
Seriously Dude? Ever look at the warnings posted on almost any site where you buy and sell stuff? Western Union is the first thing they say not to use to make a payment. Second, you click a link for the chat, why not bother to see where the link is leading to. Just hover over the button and you can clearly see in any browser the address it is pointing to. Third, you offered to pick up the item in Chicago, which means that the listing was for an item in Chicago or did you just assume that? Now you want people to "donate" money to make up for your stupidity? That is a new low. Man up and take responsibility. Come to terms with the fact that you were blinded by greed and let it go. Stop making other people pay for your stupidity.
On a side note if anyone wants to donate, I burnt my house down last week just to see the flames and now I am asking for donations to buy a new one. Just go to iamanidiot.com and click on the link that says please take my money.
Wow... scary. The scammers keep getting better and better. The fake chat room is pretty over-the-top. Sorry to hear about your loss -- although it's a long shot, I hope you're eventually able to get your money back.
So sorry that you got scammed. Gut feelings are usually correct. Point to take in account, the email address on the initial email you got... not a real eBay email (that was the first thing that caught my eye on this) The second thing that put up the red flag, was the offer to take payment with Western Union. There is a reason eBay does not take this a payment, and you found out why. I wish you the best in getting back everything you lost... It's going to be a long road.
Justin and several others are dead on, quick way to spot a scam is check the email domain. Gmail is gmail, but ebay-verify doesn't exist. Anyone can copy logos and links to legit disclaimers or whip up their own legalese. It also seems everyone on the internet but you knows Western Union (whose own site has a zillion warnings, something I respect since it costs them business) is scammer payment central. And while I'm all for spreading awareness, your asking for donations keeps me from wanting to direct anyone else here. Buying ANOTHER camera for your business makes me think you are doing alright and you might just have to eat this expense. You are responsible for making smart decisions, I don't see the need to spread the cost amongst the public. Let them donate to the local animal shelter or cancer research, not your apparently profitable business.
That is just cruel. How could you think he would do something like that? He already stated that he would be returning any monies donated. The only person that would think up a scam like the one you mention is someone with a devious mind, like you. Go troll somewhere else.
My dearest Christopher. Thank you so much for posting this. I had no idea how intricate scams can be these days. You did your best and it was an expensive, but important lesson. Thank you so much for putting yourself out there. I would still like to buy a print though!
I take issue with #3 on your update at the end. The scammer is at fault, not you. Don't listen to the all knowing commenters. Anyone can fall for a scam like this if their personal circumstances are just right. That's what the scammers depend on. It's just unfortunate that it was for so much.
Thanks for posting this. I'm sure it will help someone else avoid the same misfortune.
I am SO SO SO sorry this happened to you. And I think it is amazing and gracious of you to be thinking of helping others after you have been treated so heinously. It gives me hope for the world. Don't know what else to say except that I am sorry that bad things happen to good people. It is enough to drive one to drink.
I know chris very well and he is not a scammer nor an idiot. He made a mistake--as we all do, and he lost the funds he needed to continue making his art. If you didn't want to support it, you didn't have to. If you are a sympathetic artist, or his friend, you may be inclined to donate to the loss. Either way, it was a choice for each individual to make. I know that chris's ultimate goal was to make others aware of the issue, which is nothing but a positive approach. It's an unfortunate situation, but shit happens, and hopefully we don't make the same mistakes. Thanks for posting, keep making great photos, and consider it a lesson learned. xo.
This happened to me in 2005 - I sent $250 to Nigeria via Western Union. Never to be seen again. Be careful... when I got all "FBI agent" on the seller, I emailed him, AOL chatted his screen name... i was relentless. He said to let it go... move on. That Nigeria had a scam ring and there was nothing I could do over my $250. Ugh. It sucked. Finaly, one day he called me and left a voicemail saying my address and name and said to leave him alone. I was petrified. of course he had my address, he was supposed to ship something.
It's a sad time when people are living off of scamming others, but it's real. Never ever use Western Union to pay for ANYTHING.
Dear Christopher, thank you for your courage to tell the whole story. I think I have learned something from it.
I know from how terrible stupid I felt, when I realized that I got scammed at a cash machine in South Africa ( there was also a fake customer service in the game)
Thanks for sharing your experience. Greeting Dorette
Needless to say this is absolutely wrong and something that normal people woud not do.
I hope that eBay covers this for you as the sale was instigated on their website.
It's not your fault buddy. There is so much spam and scams out there. This is yet another unfortunate example of this.
Hope this turns out for you for the better.
With enough PR on this scam, eBay would get some bad publicity, so keep on the campaign.
Hope this incident doesn't pull you away from photography. Good news is that the 5D mark III is out, and this will push the retail pricing of the mark II down.
Damn there are some huge dicks in the photography community. And they all happened to read this post. Sorry about this Chris. Best of luck with getting your money back.
Thank you for courageously sharing this. It wasn't your fault. You are a decent and honest person. The fault is with the scamming party. I hope he gets his just desserts. I hope he can't sleep at night, and I hope he gets caught, and I hope he goes to prison.
Hey Christopher, I found your story because my boyfriend was almost scammed by the same seller just today. Only this time he was selling music equipment and he was going by the name of Peter. However, the email is the same: store353@gmail.com. My boyfriend caught the scam before he paid the buyer but it is frightening to realize he is still out there on eBay even after you have filed a complaint. We would gladly forward you what info we have if it would help you with your claim, your FBI case or anything else. Let me know! I'm so sorry this happened to you but hopefully we can help you in some way and prevent this from happening to someone else.
I was almost scammed on a 15k car sale that looked legit - but thanks to people posting about it on the Internet thankfully stopped in time. So I hope this post saves someone too !! Scary how easy it is to fall for something :(
I was almost scammed on a 15k car sale that looked legit - but thanks to people posting about it on the Internet thankfully stopped in time. So I hope this post saves someone too !! Scary how easy it is to fall for something :(
I am really really sorry this happened to you. I guess they are serious about never clicking on something in an email. It's very scary that scammers are willing to go to that kind of lengths to take peoples' money. It just makes me sick and I could feel it in the pit of my stomach while I was reading your story. I wish I could express how badly I feel for you. Thank you for posting your story because it is a big help to everyone else.
Christopher, we called eBay earlier and gave them all the info. We called back to let them know about the link between what happened to you and what almost happened to us. They said "they have him" so hopefully that means they know who it is and can do something more. I think he phishes passwords from power users because I saw this post from last month: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/235716
Scary to realize he's been doing this for almost a month!
A lot of the people commenting on this are complete idiots. Not once did he say to make a donation to him, you fucking retards. People are doing it on their own free will and kindness of heart. I don't see this post as him "begging" as you people say it is, just a man venting on a terrible experience that could have happened to anyone and passing his information to others so they don't get fucked. I hope everything works out though man.
This is horrible. I am so sorry to hear this. I don't by anything over $200 from ebay or Craigslist. It's sad but true. I much rather by from a fellow photographer on my board then there. I am sorry you went through that. I hope it gets all resolved.
We all make mistakes. However, when you asserted to yourself that this whole thing was a scam from the beginning, and yet, you went ahead and completed the transaction...well, sorry if I sound a bit insensitive as I can't really sympathize with you. Hopefully, you will find consolation in that you are not the first nor will you be the last person being scammed through Ebay or any other medium.
What an eye opener - thanks so much for posting, Christopher. It's easy to find the flaws in this one. Really easy to spot what might be indications of a scam. But that's largely in part because we know it's a scam. Everything's easy to spot if you know it's there! I buy photography equipment on eBay all the time. And I take far less care than you have here in my transaction. I don't get eBay to check. I don't study emails and invoices. I just pay. I've got a 100% record thus far, but a big, big thank you for the wake up call that not everyone is legit. Here's hoping that his karma is swift and harsh. - Emma
Wow! Thank you so much for posting this. You are right, it could have happened to any of us. This person went to great lengths. I have never heard of a fake ebay chat room either. Hoping the bad guy gets caught soon...if not from you then from someone else!
One major tip: never pay cash! Western Union is like sending cash! There is no security, insurance.. PayPal is THE way to pay, as they provide insurance..
This pretty bad that they come to falsify eBay site and CHAT room. Me I gor scammed, but the seller faked the Fedex site (with Western Union cash transfer). Guess what: I never got that beautiful iPhone (1st gen.)! (yeah, it`s been a while)..
I got scammed once for an apartment so I know just how you feel and it´s the most horrible sensation. I got sick for about a week and yeah hindsight is the worst part. Also realising how awful some people are, luckily the police where able to find the woman and I got to identify her in a line up. It definitely gave me some closure though it was about a year later. But damn did it make me feel good. But it gets better and now if you are careful you´ll never get scammed again, bad things happen but you learn from it.
Sorry but i think one should never buy anything in the middle of the night. The mind is so unclear. I pity you but i seriously think you should have done the least bit of due diligent. You should have done ur own Buy it now over ebay than to ask for an invoice send to ur email.
Hey!!!I dont know you but i saw this post on one of my friends wall and you know what? THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME ON AMAZON!!!! where i was trying to buy D700 for $1500 seriously ,i felt something was wrong but went for it,the same window chat thing,the same letters but from amazon,i seriously cant believe people can be so freaking amazing at faking all that stuff,my loss but i learned my lesson im really sorry about all this,i know how it feels like no one else they were using money gramm tho just google ebay protection and they will tell you right away that its usually scam and you should never listern to that...i thought amazon was different but yeah im sorry about all this again
Sorry to hear about that. I am an eBay Power Seller dealing mostly with photo gear... and it goes both ways. I've had buyers trying to scam me claiming items were damaged, lost etc. They ask for refunds, yet they never reply back when I ask for photos of the damaged item and send them insurance claim forms. All my shipments are insured and I've never lost a case through eBay and Paypal. Lesson? NEVER EVER deal outside of eBay & Paypal, especially with parties outside the US.
I know how sickening it feels, my company imported things from a particular overseas company for over a year without any problems but just over a year ago we lost $85,000 australian dollars to this business. Here in Australia no one wants to know about it and you just go around and around in circles. Hence we don't import products anymore we only go through people we have had the chance to meet and communicate with regularly. I hope you get some closure to it hindsights a bitch hey!
So sorry Chris! I totally know the feeling of knowing something is wrong in your gut, but ignoring it because you want it to be real, and want to believe the best in people. Can you email me a link where i can buy a print...info at heather perera dot com. And to those "anonymous" commenters who don't have the balls to attach your ID to your scathing comments, take your lack of empathy and suck it!
so so sorry Chris. My mom sent a what she thought was my Dad $2k over western union because she thought he was stranded overseas with a lost wallet. Happens to everyone. They are very good and faking and Im so bummed this happenned.
How come you deleted the post? I'm sure whatever it was about it was a good warning, and it also directed me to your site, which I wouldn't have come over otherwise.
Now I'm trying to figure out what the scam was. I'm guessing it was about selling equipment, and I have some to sell, but I'm not sure what the cautionary tale was....
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A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment.
I think that you ought to publish more on this issue, it may not be a taboo matter but typically people do not talk about such topics. To the next! Many thanks! !
260 comments:
1 – 200 of 260 Newer› Newest»Christopher, I'm so sorry this happened to you... I will never forget the time I sold a lens on Craigslist last year for $1300 of FAKE CASH!! The case is still with the FBI and I haven't gotten my money or my lens back. Hope your case resolves soon and you DO get your money back from Ebay. Let me know if you ever need to borrow a camera for a day... I'll trade you the Contax for a Mark iii... ha
~Kina
Holy crap Christopher. You know I am pretty scam savvy but I think I might have fallen for this too if I had a fake chat person backing it all up. I can't do anything today but the minute my husband gets paid you will have $20 from us. I'm so so sorry man. I can't imagine. I think I would cry for a long time.
Wow. That's terrible. Gotta watch all the e-mail addresses you get now-a-days. Looking at that top e-mail address I compared it to the one I recently got from the real ebay "ebay@ebay.com". People just make minor changes and it's easy to overlook.
Sorry for the bad luck. I've lost money to scammers on ebay too. It's a mean world...
I've had a similar experience with a car sales website when I tried to sell a car.
"Happy to pay your asking price but I need to get the car to England (from Australia)". Then they wanted *me* to pay the shipping fee in advance before they released funds to my account...
Lucky for me I didn't progress.
The scammers are slick bastards... Sorry you got stung...
I would have bit, too.
So, so sorry. That just sucks.
Thanks for the wake up call.
Fucking hell.....
Oh no! I just googled the sellers email address. This is what I found.
http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/235716
christopher i am sorry this happened to you. Just for future references never transfer money to people with western union because this bank is commonly used by scammers. If you are going to buy anything of ebay make sure you only purchase items that let you pay via paypal this is because if the person is a scammer and have paid him via paypal you are able to get your money back due to paypals 2 month money protect. it includes if the item is not 100% to the description to not recieveing the product. Also the advantage with paypal they are able to ban and authorise the authority's of the scam so they can be dealt with.I know this because i was once scammed on ebay however i used paypal and i received my money back in under 2 weeks of notifying paypal. I hope this will help you next time you make a purchase.
Hi Christopher,
Really sorry to hear about this.
You should do a KICKSTARTER campaign.
I'm sure all walks of people will help you with this.
Sad for you.
Oh.my.gosh. I probably would have done the same. I am so so so sorry. I want to cry for you right now.
Ok, people are actually going to send you money because you say you were scammed? People are You STUPID??? He is scamming you into sending him money LOL
OMG! I am seriously SICK to my stomach for you. I cant even fathom how you feel...Im SO sorry. SO SORRY! I cant believe the BULLSHIT people are doing to scam other people. I really cant. Its time the government really put a military force on this instead of some other things. Protect our citizens in a financially responsible way. FOR ONCE. Im donating & sharing your story on fb! Much love!
also, you should consider a kickstarter campaign!
Aw man that sucks!!!
I've done some business on ebay and gotten screwed (more so for my lack of understanding and time available to learn how the fees and all worked after someone "cancelled" a purchase).
Based on my experience, I would have known it was a scam when getting in touch with "ebay" was so easy. They are one of the hardest companies to get in touch with.
Such an awful feeling to have someone take advantage of you in this way... to betray your trust & rip you off 'cause they can get away with it!!
I think it's so invaluable to others that you've posted all the details of this experience. Scammers are good, and they only seem to evolve their tricks as people begin to cotton on to their previous methods.
I always have alarm bells with Western Union as an old partner got ripped off with a seller, several years ago. And only recently a friend trading gear on Gumtree was minutes away from getting scammed by a similar western-union user.
The universe will send heaps of good your way now... & your scammer may have a terrible accident as he pops out of his hidey hole for a carton of milk tomorrow!
Man, that just sucks. Hope you get your mkii soon!
You got scammed. That's a shame, but really the alarm bells should have been ringing from the start. What really leaves a bad taste in my mouth is that you're now basically begging on the internet.
No one should donate to you to cover your own stupidity. The internet doesn't owe you a living.
Tip - the email address it came from was bad. eBay-verify.com was the flag. Sorry for your loss.
Kerhisting hell! Much sympathies from a fellow photographer! That really sucks. And ignore the sanctimonious and yet oh so brave "Anonymous" poster.
My Rule for eBay: If they want Western Union, they can go pound sand. Scammers are getting more and more sophisticated. I get dozens of fake ebay/paypal emails, and what gives them away is the use of "Valued Customer" rather than my name. This guy has probably scammed dozens of people with this, it's too slick of a set up to be a one time sting.
Awww... That's terrible...So sorry for your loss. May God repay you back in multiple folds.
Your request for money sounds like a scam.
Just for future references,
1. Don't commit to any purchase that involves Western Union Wire transfer. It usually is a scam.
2. Always go to the actual site, for ex, ebay.com to chat with the support or to check your account. I have seen similar tactic where they sent out an email with the link to your amazon, but they redirected you to the fake link.
anyway, sorry to hear about your lost!
You only have yourself to blame.
I feel sorry for your loss and hope you get your money back, but if you're an experienced ebay buyer/seller you should have known that those chat links in the email are fake. I've never once seen them in emails from purchases I've made.
Also if you are ever questioning a sale, CALL the actual ebay support number on their website.
Even ebay has sent out countless emails to watch out for false links over the past few years. They also have said they won't ask for personal info in emails.
Oh gosh! So sorry something like this happened to you! My question, could this have happened if you would have paid with PayPal?
Your story rings as many alarm bells as those emails should have.
"Please let me know - I am in Chicago and can pick it up."
Yet you knowingly wired money over to London?
Mmmhmm, okay. Either you are exceptionally naive or you are pulling an ironic scam yourself. Either way you should not be asking people to part with THEIR hard earned cash.
People: If you really want to give away your cash, there are far worthier causes in the world. Look around you and see how much suffering there is out there. Animal abuse, child abuse, the terminally ill, the homeless, famine, natural disasters, war, disease, the list is endless. At BEST this is a person who lost a bunch of money when attempting to buy a lavish item by making a silly mistake. That sucks but shit happens, move on, he is not a charity.
To the photographer: If you have an ounce of self-respect or respect for those who are truly suffering in the world and in need of charitable donation, you'll remove your shameful begging and donate whatever money you've received to a REAL charity.
Seriously Dude? Ever look at the warnings posted on almost any site where you buy and sell stuff? Western Union is the first thing they say not to use to make a payment.
Second, you click a link for the chat, why not bother to see where the link is leading to. Just hover over the button and you can clearly see in any browser the address it is pointing to.
Third, you offered to pick up the item in Chicago, which means that the listing was for an item in Chicago or did you just assume that?
Now you want people to "donate" money to make up for your stupidity? That is a new low. Man up and take responsibility. Come to terms with the fact that you were blinded by greed and let it go. Stop making other people pay for your stupidity.
On a side note if anyone wants to donate, I burnt my house down last week just to see the flames and now I am asking for donations to buy a new one.
Just go to iamanidiot.com and click on the link that says please take my money.
Wow... scary. The scammers keep getting better and better. The fake chat room is pretty over-the-top. Sorry to hear about your loss -- although it's a long shot, I hope you're eventually able to get your money back.
So sorry that you got scammed. Gut feelings are usually correct. Point to take in account, the email address on the initial email you got... not a real eBay email (that was the first thing that caught my eye on this) The second thing that put up the red flag, was the offer to take payment with Western Union. There is a reason eBay does not take this a payment, and you found out why.
I wish you the best in getting back everything you lost... It's going to be a long road.
Justin and several others are dead on, quick way to spot a scam is check the email domain. Gmail is gmail, but ebay-verify doesn't exist. Anyone can copy logos and links to legit disclaimers or whip up their own legalese. It also seems everyone on the internet but you knows Western Union (whose own site has a zillion warnings, something I respect since it costs them business) is scammer payment central. And while I'm all for spreading awareness, your asking for donations keeps me from wanting to direct anyone else here. Buying ANOTHER camera for your business makes me think you are doing alright and you might just have to eat this expense. You are responsible for making smart decisions, I don't see the need to spread the cost amongst the public. Let them donate to the local animal shelter or cancer research, not your apparently profitable business.
That is just cruel. How could you think he would do something like that? He already stated that he would be returning any monies donated. The only person that would think up a scam like the one you mention is someone with a devious mind, like you. Go troll somewhere else.
My dearest Christopher. Thank you so much for posting this. I had no idea how intricate scams can be these days. You did your best and it was an expensive, but important lesson. Thank you so much for putting yourself out there. I would still like to buy a print though!
Christopher,
I take issue with #3 on your update at the end. The scammer is at fault, not you. Don't listen to the all knowing commenters. Anyone can fall for a scam like this if their personal circumstances are just right. That's what the scammers depend on. It's just unfortunate that it was for so much.
Thanks for posting this. I'm sure it will help someone else avoid the same misfortune.
I am SO SO SO sorry this happened to you. And I think it is amazing and gracious of you to be thinking of helping others after you have been treated so heinously. It gives me hope for the world. Don't know what else to say except that I am sorry that bad things happen to good people. It is enough to drive one to drink.
I know chris very well and he is not a scammer nor an idiot. He made a mistake--as we all do, and he lost the funds he needed to continue making his art. If you didn't want to support it, you didn't have to. If you are a sympathetic artist, or his friend, you may be inclined to donate to the loss. Either way, it was a choice for each individual to make. I know that chris's ultimate goal was to make others aware of the issue, which is nothing but a positive approach. It's an unfortunate situation, but shit happens, and hopefully we don't make the same mistakes. Thanks for posting, keep making great photos, and consider it a lesson learned. xo.
This happened to me in 2005 - I sent $250 to Nigeria via Western Union. Never to be seen again. Be careful... when I got all "FBI agent" on the seller, I emailed him, AOL chatted his screen name... i was relentless. He said to let it go... move on. That Nigeria had a scam ring and there was nothing I could do over my $250. Ugh. It sucked. Finaly, one day he called me and left a voicemail saying my address and name and said to leave him alone. I was petrified. of course he had my address, he was supposed to ship something.
It's a sad time when people are living off of scamming others, but it's real. Never ever use Western Union to pay for ANYTHING.
Dear Christopher,
thank you for your courage to tell the whole story. I think I have learned something from it.
I know from how terrible stupid I felt, when I realized that I got scammed at a cash machine in South Africa ( there was also a fake customer service in the game)
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Greeting
Dorette
Christopher.
Needless to say this is absolutely wrong and something that normal people woud not do.
I hope that eBay covers this for you as the sale was instigated on their website.
It's not your fault buddy. There is so much spam and scams out there. This is yet another unfortunate example of this.
Hope this turns out for you for the better.
With enough PR on this scam, eBay would get some bad publicity, so keep on the campaign.
Hope this incident doesn't pull you away from photography. Good news is that the 5D mark III is out, and this will push the retail pricing of the mark II down.
Damn there are some huge dicks in the photography community. And they all happened to read this post. Sorry about this Chris. Best of luck with getting your money back.
Thank you for courageously sharing this. It wasn't your fault. You are a decent and honest person. The fault is with the scamming party. I hope he gets his just desserts. I hope he can't sleep at night, and I hope he gets caught, and I hope he goes to prison.
Hey Christopher, I found your story because my boyfriend was almost scammed by the same seller just today. Only this time he was selling music equipment and he was going by the name of Peter. However, the email is the same: store353@gmail.com. My boyfriend caught the scam before he paid the buyer but it is frightening to realize he is still out there on eBay even after you have filed a complaint. We would gladly forward you what info we have if it would help you with your claim, your FBI case or anything else. Let me know! I'm so sorry this happened to you but hopefully we can help you in some way and prevent this from happening to someone else.
Thanks for posting! Sorry you got scammed :(
I was almost scammed on a 15k car sale that looked legit - but thanks to people posting about it on the Internet thankfully stopped in time. So I hope this post saves someone too !! Scary how easy it is to fall for something :(
Thanks for posting! Sorry you got scammed :(
I was almost scammed on a 15k car sale that looked legit - but thanks to people posting about it on the Internet thankfully stopped in time. So I hope this post saves someone too !! Scary how easy it is to fall for something :(
Shannon
Please call eBay right now!! And give them all the details!
Wow! This is huge!
Please let me know what happens!!
Thanks
Cw
I am really really sorry this happened to you. I guess they are serious about never clicking on something in an email. It's very scary that scammers are willing to go to that kind of lengths to take peoples' money. It just makes me sick and I could feel it in the pit of my stomach while I was reading your story. I wish I could express how badly I feel for you. Thank you for posting your story because it is a big help to everyone else.
Christopher, we called eBay earlier and gave them all the info. We called back to let them know about the link between what happened to you and what almost happened to us. They said "they have him" so hopefully that means they know who it is and can do something more. I think he phishes passwords from power users because I saw this post from last month: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/235716
Scary to realize he's been doing this for almost a month!
come on, ebay-verify.com?
A lot of the people commenting on this are complete idiots. Not once did he say to make a donation to him, you fucking retards. People are doing it on their own free will and kindness of heart. I don't see this post as him "begging" as you people say it is, just a man venting on a terrible experience that could have happened to anyone and passing his information to others so they don't get fucked. I hope everything works out though man.
This is horrible. I am so sorry to hear this. I don't by anything over $200 from ebay or Craigslist.
It's sad but true. I much rather by from a fellow photographer on my board then there. I am sorry you went through that. I hope it gets all resolved.
We all make mistakes. However, when you asserted to yourself that this whole thing was a scam from the beginning, and yet, you went ahead and completed the transaction...well, sorry if I sound a bit insensitive as I can't really sympathize with you. Hopefully, you will find consolation in that you are not the first nor will you be the last person being scammed through Ebay or any other medium.
What an eye opener - thanks so much for posting, Christopher.
It's easy to find the flaws in this one. Really easy to spot what might be indications of a scam. But that's largely in part because we know it's a scam. Everything's easy to spot if you know it's there!
I buy photography equipment on eBay all the time. And I take far less care than you have here in my transaction. I don't get eBay to check. I don't study emails and invoices. I just pay.
I've got a 100% record thus far, but a big, big thank you for the wake up call that not everyone is legit.
Here's hoping that his karma is swift and harsh.
- Emma
Wow! Thank you so much for posting this. You are right, it could have happened to any of us. This person went to great lengths. I have never heard of a fake ebay chat room either. Hoping the bad guy gets caught soon...if not from you then from someone else!
I'm very sorry that this happened to you. :(
One major tip: never pay cash! Western Union is like sending cash! There is no security, insurance..
PayPal is THE way to pay, as they provide insurance..
This pretty bad that they come to falsify eBay site and CHAT room.
Me I gor scammed, but the seller faked the Fedex site (with Western Union cash transfer). Guess what: I never got that beautiful iPhone (1st gen.)! (yeah, it`s been a while)..
I'm so, so sorry. Thank you for sharing your story!
I got scammed once for an apartment so I know just how you feel and it´s the most horrible sensation. I got sick for about a week and yeah hindsight is the worst part. Also realising how awful some people are, luckily the police where able to find the woman and I got to identify her in a line up. It definitely gave me some closure though it was about a year later. But damn did it make me feel good. But it gets better and now if you are careful you´ll never get scammed again, bad things happen but you learn from it.
I know people doing this. It is easy not to get scammed. ONE rule: NEVER. BUT NEVER.
NEVER SEND MONEY THROUGH WESTERN UNION.
It is that simple.
Sorry but i think one should never buy anything in the middle of the night. The mind is so unclear.
I pity you but i seriously think you should have done the least bit of due diligent. You should have done ur own Buy it now over ebay than to ask for an invoice send to ur email.
Hey!!!I dont know you but i saw this post on one of my friends wall and you know what? THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME ON AMAZON!!!! where i was trying to buy D700 for $1500 seriously ,i felt something was wrong but went for it,the same window chat thing,the same letters but from amazon,i seriously cant believe people can be so freaking amazing at faking all that stuff,my loss but i learned my lesson im really sorry about all this,i know how it feels like no one else
they were using money gramm tho
just google ebay protection and they will tell you right away that its usually scam and you should never listern to that...i thought amazon was different but yeah
im sorry about all this again
Sorry to hear about that. I am an eBay Power Seller dealing mostly with photo gear... and it goes both ways. I've had buyers trying to scam me claiming items were damaged, lost etc. They ask for refunds, yet they never reply back when I ask for photos of the damaged item and send them insurance claim forms. All my shipments are insured and I've never lost a case through eBay and Paypal. Lesson? NEVER EVER deal outside of eBay & Paypal, especially with parties outside the US.
Is this a scam?
I know how sickening it feels, my company imported things from a particular overseas company for over a year without any problems but just over a year ago we lost $85,000 australian dollars to this business. Here in Australia no one wants to know about it and you just go around and around in circles. Hence we don't import products anymore we only go through people we have had the chance to meet and communicate with regularly. I hope you get some closure to it hindsights a bitch hey!
So sorry Chris! I totally know the feeling of knowing something is wrong in your gut, but ignoring it because you want it to be real, and want to believe the best in people. Can you email me a link where i can buy a print...info at heather perera dot com. And to those "anonymous" commenters who don't have the balls to attach your ID to your scathing comments, take your lack of empathy and suck it!
so so sorry Chris. My mom sent a what she thought was my Dad $2k over western union because she thought he was stranded overseas with a lost wallet. Happens to everyone. They are very good and faking and Im so bummed this happenned.
How come you deleted the post? I'm sure whatever it was about it was a good warning, and it also directed me to your site, which I wouldn't have come over otherwise.
Now I'm trying to figure out what the scam was. I'm guessing it was about selling equipment, and I have some to sell, but I'm not sure what the cautionary tale was....
:/
I wish you'd put it back up.
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