An author from our cooperation partner checked4you recorded the scam in a field report.

The saddle has to go, I thought and finally got myself together to advertise the good piece on Ebay classifieds. Selling used saddles is not always easy; the selection online is simply huge. I was all the more astonished when the first potential buyer came forward after just two hours. However, not by email but directly via WhatsApp. The buyer's profile picture showed a young couple - she was obviously pregnant. They look nice, I thought.

Ebay courier service? Never heard!

“Hello, is the ad still valid?” “Of course! Just advertised today,” I wrote back. My new chat partner immediately asked me to pay for the goods in advance via Ebay and also have them delivered via Ebay - via a courier who even provided the packaging. Oops, there is such a thing, I thought and was still completely amazed that there were no further questions about the saddle.

Spoiler at this point: The Ebay and Ebay Classifieds platforms are operated by two different companies! So that generally means: What Ebay does doesn't have to apply to Ebay classifieds!

The buyer seemed pretty sure. But I don't care at all. Because I had never heard of such a service with an eBay courier service before. Sounds too good to be true, I thought. You don't have to find a suitable box and you can also save yourself the trip to the post office. Fine. The person interested in my saddle also sent along a screenshot. The payment and collection procedure was then explained in detail again. On the side there is also the typical Ebay logo with the four colorful letters. So it looks like the screenshot is from an official Ebay classifieds page. There is also talk of a link with which receipt of payment can be confirmed.

Buyer pays on my credit card? Funny!

However, I was somehow skeptical because the buyer said something about credit card: “Payment will be made in advance on your credit card.” Huh, how is that supposed to work? He probably means my checking account and made a typo. I'll ask again. But then: no more answer…

This eBay page is fake

OK, I think. Time to do a little research. Enter into Google: Ebay, credit card, courier service. And I actually immediately found a lot of posts on the topic. Tens of newspaper articles, comments in various forums and the police have long been warning about this and similar scams online. In the end, behind the advance payment and the super practical courier service there is fraud involving requests for credit card details. The alleged eBay page that explains the new payment method is a fake. Criminals have faked the site. If I had accepted the deal, I would have been redirected to a page where my credit card details were supposed to be collected.

Withdrawals from Russia

“The perpetrator sends the seller a link where the seller is supposed to enter their credit card details to receive payment. Ultimately, however, debits are made from the credit card abroad, especially from Russia. Of course, the expected payment does not arrive,” warns the Berlin police, for example, and adds: “Sellers are never asked to enter credit card details by eBay classifieds.”

Ebay: Don't get involved with external links

And what does eBay classifieds say? On the homepage I find the following note: “Ebay Kleinanzeigen does not offer a courier service or payment service outside of the 'Pay Securely' function! So please do not engage in a transaction via external links.”

I would have liked to tell Ebay Classifieds about my suspicions, but I can't find a telephone contact or an email address on the site. Just an FAQ that answers many questions - including those about secure payment.

Police warn: Stop payment immediately

For laypeople, the scam is difficult to understand at first glance. Because: “Everything gives the impression that it comes from the real classifieds portal and the associated payment service,” warns the Lower Saxony State Criminal Police Office, for example.

Tips from the consumer advice center

  • If you have a credit card, you can often be notified of debits by email or in your bank's app. You should definitely use this function so that you can act quickly in an emergency.
  • If something is unintentionally charged to your credit card, immediately call the bank or company that gave you the card, stop the payment and have the card blocked. If you can't find the phone number quickly: You can also call the emergency number 116 116 (in Germany) to block your card.
    It is of course best if you recognize the attempted fraud and do not provide any credit card details or any other information about yourself.
  • If you have provided access data for your account on Ebay or eBay classifieds on a third-party website, you should change your password on the real pages of the portals immediately!
  • Good to know: Ebay and Ebay classifieds are two different companies. This means that Ebay services do not automatically apply to Ebay classifieds. Both use the Ebay logo, but in Ebay classifieds there is the word classifieds surrounded in red behind the colorful logo. If someone on Ebay classifieds tells you about a “service” that is explained on an Ebay page, you may be skeptical.

I then wrote to my supposed saddle buyer again. But he doesn't want to communicate with me anymore. What I see, however, is that he is permanently online on WhatsApp. Probably to handle the next “business”.

You might also be interested in: Beware of false “Edeka Deutschland” pages on Facebook!

Source: checked4you


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