WARNING: VIBA_1 on EBAY

I got an email back from him today promising (again) to fix it "in the next 24 hours". I think filing the fraud reports on ebay may have been useful. Then again, emails and phone calls didn't hurt. He is putting out ebay auctions at the rate of 25-50 a day so I don;t think he is ill. I will advise if he steps up to the plate.
 
I got a paypal refund from him today and am only short the paypal fees of 7.58. I am going to ask for those from him but I consider myself lucky. I really appreciate your comments and ideas. I think we have all learned to apply to paypal within 30 days and start the paypal fraud investigation on day 31. As a power seller, that was what lit the fire under him.... ok, there were five of them going on and ebay was going to toss him if he didn;t fix it.
 
I am also one of the relatively new guys on ebay and got ripped off for $195.00 last month. November 19th is my 30 days and you bet I will be filling out the forms from ebay for a refund minus the $25.00. Lessons learned for me on this transaction.

1. Always deal with people that have been around on ebay a while and have "ALOT" of possitive feedback! Any Negatives that look fishy probably are!

2.If it looks like its too good of a deal to be true it probably is!

3. Always use you credit card thru paypal. You at least have 3 sources with ebay to get you money back if your being scammed!

I unfortunately used a postal money order. The post office cant help at all once the person cashs the check. This person was also cleaver enough to electronically send UPS tracking numbers to me. But they never sent any package. UPS is of "NO" help here. They claim all they are is the shipper! I lost a lot of respect for them in this deal. They even told me that I have to have the person shipping the package to me run a trace on the package. Well, when the person wont return your email your out of luck. UPS wont even lift a finger to contact the person to see whats up. I wont be using them ever again unless it absolutely required!

I filled out the ebay buyer protection already as well as the paperwork with the internet fraud division. I also tracked this person on ebay selling the same item to many other people. I have been contacting the other people that were also scammed and we are all persueing this person from various avenues. This crook even started other accounts that I believed was the same person due to similaritys of the item sold. I gave all this information to ebay. Since that time the 3 people on ebay that I believe are the same fraudulent people have had there trading activites suspended so it looks like ebay is on to them. I personally hope they get prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Hopefully this information will help others not get taken by scam artists on ebay!
 
I unfortunately used a postal money order. The post office cant help at all once the person cashs the check.
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You have been misinformed. If he cashed a postal money order and didn't send the goods he has committed mail fraud and he is in deep doo-doo. Talk to your local postmaster. You can also report the fraud at http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/
 
Cougar, I did in fact go to the post office and talked to them. They said what they could of done if I knew it was fraud was have the money order stoped on the other end before it was delivered. But unfortunatly the person has to receive the money order before they send the product. So it will be cashed way before I knew it was a bad ebay deal. They told me I could (for $3.50) submit a form to see if it was in fact cashed (which I have no doubt that it was) and find out who signed the check. I figured I wouldnt throw any more money away chasing that dirt bag! Live and learn.
 
Proving that he cashed the money order is just the first step in investigating and prosecuting a mail fraud. Some postal clerks don't know their elbows from a hole in the ground but you don't have to settle for whatever the first dork you speak to tells you; go to the postmaster. Raise heck. There are people in the postal service who know what they're doing and they do not take mail fraud lightly. The postal inspectors have more funding and manpower relative to their task than any other law enforcement agency, but they can't get to work until you give them the evidence.
 
Spend the $3.50.

If he cashed the money order using a different name than it was written to you will be refunded the money. Most of these people use an alias to get the money and then they sign the check over to themselves and cash it in their real name, or just sign it and cash it - if no one ever blows the whistle they may not get caught.

Was this for one of the crossbow's on eBay by chance? There was a pretty big rash of fake crossbow ad's and a lot of people got burned...
 
I guess one of the big differences is that viba_1 actually has a positive feedback of 1000+ You can;t txpect that none of those will be negative as there are some jerks out there. Viba_1 made good on the deal albeit after 35 days. Your guy (creepycupcake or whatever) is no longer a registered ebay user (under that name). He is out there getting ready to rip somebody else off.

oh well, only a few hours till I bid a lot of money with a zero feedback bidder.
 
Well its good to get advice from fellow forum people. :) I talked to the local Post Mater this morning. He took all the information down and is refering the case to the postal Inspectors that deal with fraud. Looks like there may be another way to get at this person. Thanks again for all the help! :D
 
You should also file a complaint with the IFCC (Internet Fraud Complaint Center).

They work in conjunction with the FBI and local police departments to investigate and follow up on Internet fraud and crime.

This scumbag stole from you, I would get $200 worth of satisfaction by making their life a living hell and spend the next few years wishing they had never heard of eBay.
 
cpirtle, you are absolutely right. Its now a matter of principle over the money end of it. I want to see this person prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I have been real busy the last few weeks with paperwork. Right away after finding out positivly that it was fraud I contacted ebay buyer protection and also at the same time submitted the information to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center. I have been issued case numbers and they are also persueing this person.

Makes you wonder how they think they will get away with it? I have there name/address/2 phone numbers.

I have also contacted 3 other people other than myself that were sold the same non exsistent sun glasses. This person now is also being investigated by Visa/Mastercard/Paypal and now the Postal Inspectors. To open accounts like Paypal and get a credit card you need bank records, credit card information, job descripitions, employers etc. So there is a paper trail a mile long and just as wide. Its just a matter of time now. Justice will prevail!
 
Originally posted by Jim Smyth
I have also contacted 3 other people other than myself that were sold the same non exsistent sun glasses. This person now is also being investigated by Visa/Mastercard/Paypal and now the Postal Inspectors. To open accounts like Paypal and get a credit card you need bank records, credit card information, job descripitions, employers etc. So there is a paper trail a mile long and just as wide. Its just a matter of time now. Justice will prevail!
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Make that stolen bank records, stolen credit card information, bogus information and you see what happens. Good luck. I didn't need it, but local forumites can do wonders as a personal visit makes a lot of impact. I am not suggesting violence. It is just easier to steal from some namless address than a person. Heck, if the guy was in Houston I might visit him...
 
I wouldnt ask anyone to do that but the offer is nice. For the $195.00 I wouldnt want anyone getting hurt. I do alot of traveling with work and travel to this persons area quite a bit, but I will let the appropriate law enforcement agencies do there work. I figure if nothing else after I get the ebay buyer protection back the most I'm out is $25.00. Cheap lesson learned.
 
Originally posted by u812
Who is this jurk,I would like to aviod him.
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They are talking about viba_1. I bought several knives from him
and never had a problem until Oct.7. I wound up winning auctions
that totalled $280 and I got nothing but hollow promises and then
Viba_1 quit responding to my emails. I lost $94 because I didn't
know about the 30 day rule, but I've filed with Paypal for the balance.
He ripped a friend off on a Sebenza too around the same time.:mad:

Marauder:grumpy:
 
Thanks Marauder I thought Jim Smyth may have been talking about someone else.
 
Originally posted by u812
Thanks Marauder I thought Jim Smyth may have been talking about someone else.
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He was talking about someone else.
 
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