WARNING: VIBA_1 on EBAY

fracmeister

fracmeister

Petroleum Engineer
Feedback: +0 / =0 / -0
Joined
May 26, 1999
Messages
1,686
This guy has a 1000+ positive feedback so I felt pretty good. I felt even better when I wound up with a new small CGG Sebenza at 245.09. Paid via paypal and he drug me along till the 30 days was over that paypal investigates. Now I haven't heard from him and he is starting to get more negative feedback.

Anybody know who this guy is? I have requested his phone number from ebay. Boy this has me steamed -- more than I had anticipated.
 
EBAY sent me his contact information. In Uniontown, OH. Maybe I'll need some assistance locally if the phone calls don't work. In fact, I'd appreciate someone who could tell me if his/her/its address is a business or residence. Pls contact offline.
 
I read an article on eBay scamming recently and the technique they highlighted was a scammer hijacking the eBay ID of a seller with lots of good feedback and scamming people by spoofing their account. Don't know if that is what happened in this case but it is a possibility, though the scammer profiled usually did higher-dollar items and tried to use eBay to bait buyers then conclude the transaction off of eBay.

Good luck.
 
I'm confused. You got a Sebenza, you paid by Paypal -- what's the problem? Or didn't you get the Sebenza? It's not clear from your post what the problem is.
 
I think he didn't get the Sebenza. It sucks. Fracmeister, I hope you get your money back.
 
I think the guy never shipped the Sebbie after receiving the Paypal funds.
 
He's got a weird feedback record. 21 negatives since 10/00 but 19 of those are in the last 6 months and 10 are in the past week. It looks as though he may be selling more items than he can comfortably handle.
 
I have dealt with Viba_1 at least twice (I think 3 times) and never had a problem, he does use a funky checkout system which I think is wrought with possible problems. Twice I needed him to correct things for it to work properly.

Depending on which Uniontown he lives in, I'm probably pretty close to him. There's one South of Akron and one near West Virginia.... you know us Ohio hicks, we all are named Billy Bob and we all live in Uniontown :)

I have been a near victim in two scams on eBay in the last month and my best hunting buddy was a bonified victim once. All three were cases of an account being hijacked and false items being sold. One time I was fortunate enough to see it was a scam ahead of time and got my money back before it could be claimed and the other time I was able to intimidate the crook into send my uncashed Money Order back to me.

Most of the scams on eBay are dealing in cash and Money Orders, if you paid by Paypal and used Viba's checkout system I doubt it's a case of a hijacked account, he probably just screwed up.

I highly doubt it's a case of not wanting to lose money, at the prices that guy sells stuff for he's losing money every day.

Shoot me his contact info and I'll see if he's close enough to me to give you a visual. I would also start disputing the charge through paypal.

When all else fails send a well thought out message listing the laws he's in violation of and the extent you will pursue him - that's how I got my money back from the account hijacker, almost $400.

A good starting line is... "I am man enough to deal with the fact that you scammed me out of my money, the question is, are you man enough to deal with the consequences."
 
Originally posted by Cougar Allen
I'm confused. You got a Sebenza, you paid by Paypal -- what's the problem? Or didn't you get the Sebenza? It's not clear from your post what the problem is.
Click to expand...

Sorry to be unclear-- now that I reread it. I never got the Sebenza of course. I have his phone number and address. I'll keep trying for a bit -- start fraud thing on ebay (which only would get me 175.00 back)
 
Thanks, Fracmeister. It's not that we couldn't guess, but it's nice to have everything clear.

IamMatt, something went wrong with that link you posted -- it's just "http:///" with no url.
 
I must be living right! I was bidding on one of his(?) BM 856's. I got home, read this then retrieved my e-mail. I had an e-mail from eBay saying I had been outbid. Never been happier to get one of those.

fracmeister, I hope it works out for you and thanks for the heads up!

T.
 
Perhaps the seller is hospitalized or dead. FWIW eBay automatically covers you for $200 per transaction less $25 deductible. You need to start the claims process sooner than later.
 
Originally posted by miguet
You need to start the claims process sooner than later.
Click to expand...

eBay won't even talk to you about a claim before 30 days after the auction ends.
 
Originally posted by cpirtle
eBay won't even talk to you about a claim before 30 days after the auction ends.
Click to expand...
And paypal (which they own) won;t talk to you AFTER 30 days. So you are screwed if you are patient or not.

This guy isn;t hospitalized or dead. He's pumping out ebay auctions like crazy and actually shipping some of the goods. Just not mine.
 
If you file a dispute with Paypal they will reverse the transaction and lock his account most likely while they investigate. The nice part about paying with them is that you're 100% covered with no deductable. I would do that now.

Then leverage eBay's policy later if needed.

Edited to add: nevermind, just re-read your original post and see you past that point. Sorry.
 
I have his name, address and phone numbers for anyone who sees fit in helping -- I think that repeated emails do nothing for these guys, but phone calls and visits might. Any help is appreciated.
 
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