buying a car thru an online auction - GoFuckYourself.com

Cassie · 05-01-2003, 06:59 PM

why in god's name would anyone buy a car or anything of substance for that matter, thru an auction....

the below is about internet fraud (yet again) and the paragraph about the man who lost more then 50k when attempting to buy a bmw thru an auction really gets me. i mean, there are just some things you DO NOT buy online and cars are just one of the small percentage of things

WASHINGTON, April 30 ? As authorities crack down on online-auction fraud, the deceptions are expanding and becoming more sophisticated, law enforcement officials say.

Con artists are often using safety measures, including escrow services and online payment services, and are turning them into platforms for fraud. Also, as identity theft merges with online auctions, frauds are spiraling outward to ensnare some who have never seen an auction site.

Today, the Federal Trade Commission, along with 33 state and local law enforcement agencies, announced 51 criminal and civil cases that have been filed as part of a coordinated effort against auction fraud. The cases, coordinated by the F.T.C. and the National Association of Attorneys General, offer a glimpse into the world of online-auction fraud.

Online auctions are a success story of Internet commerce, but they are also a success story of Internet crime, accounting for 46 percent of all complaints at the Internet Fraud Complaint Center last year. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have been inundated with complaints over the last five years, and investigators are working to become familiar with the necessary computer knowledge to pursue such cases.

A majority of cases continue to be over failure to deliver an item, most often popular high-ticket goods like computers, plasma televisions or diamond jewelry. But the cases announced by the F.T.C. included victims who never received the dental equipment and collectible demonic figures that they paid for.

Last summer, the commission started hearing about fake escrow services. Escrow services are intended to generate trust by putting the money with a third party while the goods are being exchanged. People posing as legitimate auction participants, both as buyers and as sellers, however, have been setting up fake escrow services and insisting the opposite party use the service.

An Arizona man lost more than $50,000 when he tried to buy a BMW using a fraudulent auction service called Premier-Escrow.com, said Delores Thompson, a lawyer at the F.T.C. The commission filed a restraining order against the service on April 22; the Web site is no longer in service.

Ms. Thompson said there were several telltale signs for fake escrow services. The most important is that the services cannot receive credit card charges or other traditional methods of accepting payments. "They are in the business of taking your money, and they don't have the ability to do it; well, that's sketchy," she said. In addition, many of the escrow services claim to have affiliation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government organizations. The F.T.C. advises that when in doubt, auction customers should insist on finding their own escrow services.

Another emerging trend in auction fraud is identity theft, involving auction accounts set up using other people's names and credit card numbers ? information that is often readily passed around. In the largest online-fraud case prosecuted to date, Teresa Smith pleaded guilty in December to defrauding more than 300 people through $800,000 worth of computer sales, in part using other people's identities.

In one case announced today, authorities said a woman working at a hotel in Chicago stole guests' information. With her boyfriend, she used the information to set up fraudulent auction accounts, bank accounts and Post Office boxes.

Jennifer Gavelda of Chicago was among the hotel guests who had information stolen. Last year, she got a phone call from a man insisting that she send him the Palm device that he had bought on eBay. Ms. Gavelda, who never owned a Palm and had never been on eBay, was stunned. "I had no clue what is going on," she said. "It's totally scary that someone from a random place got my name and used it."

Steve Wernikoff, a lawyer for the trade commission who worked on the case, said: "It makes it more difficult to find the people who are engaging in the fraud. Now we have two sets of victims."

Law officials say they have also seen e-mail messages asking people to lend their online payment accounts to help complete online auction transactions. The messages claim to be from countries overseas where those services, like Paypal, do not operate. Paypal, which is now owned by eBay, advises individuals not to use their accounts to collect and transfer money for someone else, saying it is often a form of money laundering.

--NY TIMES

gruffy · 05-01-2003, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cassie
why in god's name would anyone buy a car or anything of substance for that matter, thru an auction....

the below is about internet fraud (yet again) and the paragraph

I'd buy a collector car (maybe a nice '87 regal t-type or grand national).

But only if I can get the seller on the phone and they know what the fuck they are talking about.

Cassie · 05-01-2003, 07:43 PM

i dont know if i would trust even that. you know people say one thing and mean another especially when it comes to cars. i know cause part of my family is in that biz (rebuildables...salvages, etc...).

a car is something you test sight on seen. oh yes sir, the motor is brand new. meanwhile the motor with 200k miles is still in the car with the mileage kicked back.

buying a tape, small, inconsequental items thru an auction is ok cause if you are gonna get robbed, it will be for a smaller amount (not that it makes it any better but...). a car, jewelry, homes, those things should be seen first.

05-01-2003, 06:59 PM	#1
Cassie Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NJ Posts: 3,139	buying a car thru an online auction why in god's name would anyone buy a car or anything of substance for that matter, thru an auction.... the below is about internet fraud (yet again) and the paragraph about the man who lost more then 50k when attempting to buy a bmw thru an auction really gets me. i mean, there are just some things you DO NOT buy online and cars are just one of the small percentage of things WASHINGTON, April 30 ? As authorities crack down on online-auction fraud, the deceptions are expanding and becoming more sophisticated, law enforcement officials say. Con artists are often using safety measures, including escrow services and online payment services, and are turning them into platforms for fraud. Also, as identity theft merges with online auctions, frauds are spiraling outward to ensnare some who have never seen an auction site. Today, the Federal Trade Commission, along with 33 state and local law enforcement agencies, announced 51 criminal and civil cases that have been filed as part of a coordinated effort against auction fraud. The cases, coordinated by the F.T.C. and the National Association of Attorneys General, offer a glimpse into the world of online-auction fraud. Online auctions are a success story of Internet commerce, but they are also a success story of Internet crime, accounting for 46 percent of all complaints at the Internet Fraud Complaint Center last year. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have been inundated with complaints over the last five years, and investigators are working to become familiar with the necessary computer knowledge to pursue such cases. A majority of cases continue to be over failure to deliver an item, most often popular high-ticket goods like computers, plasma televisions or diamond jewelry. But the cases announced by the F.T.C. included victims who never received the dental equipment and collectible demonic figures that they paid for. Last summer, the commission started hearing about fake escrow services. Escrow services are intended to generate trust by putting the money with a third party while the goods are being exchanged. People posing as legitimate auction participants, both as buyers and as sellers, however, have been setting up fake escrow services and insisting the opposite party use the service. An Arizona man lost more than $50,000 when he tried to buy a BMW using a fraudulent auction service called Premier-Escrow.com, said Delores Thompson, a lawyer at the F.T.C. The commission filed a restraining order against the service on April 22; the Web site is no longer in service. Ms. Thompson said there were several telltale signs for fake escrow services. The most important is that the services cannot receive credit card charges or other traditional methods of accepting payments. "They are in the business of taking your money, and they don't have the ability to do it; well, that's sketchy," she said. In addition, many of the escrow services claim to have affiliation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government organizations. The F.T.C. advises that when in doubt, auction customers should insist on finding their own escrow services. Another emerging trend in auction fraud is identity theft, involving auction accounts set up using other people's names and credit card numbers ? information that is often readily passed around. In the largest online-fraud case prosecuted to date, Teresa Smith pleaded guilty in December to defrauding more than 300 people through $800,000 worth of computer sales, in part using other people's identities. In one case announced today, authorities said a woman working at a hotel in Chicago stole guests' information. With her boyfriend, she used the information to set up fraudulent auction accounts, bank accounts and Post Office boxes. Jennifer Gavelda of Chicago was among the hotel guests who had information stolen. Last year, she got a phone call from a man insisting that she send him the Palm device that he had bought on eBay. Ms. Gavelda, who never owned a Palm and had never been on eBay, was stunned. "I had no clue what is going on," she said. "It's totally scary that someone from a random place got my name and used it." Steve Wernikoff, a lawyer for the trade commission who worked on the case, said: "It makes it more difficult to find the people who are engaging in the fraud. Now we have two sets of victims." Law officials say they have also seen e-mail messages asking people to lend their online payment accounts to help complete online auction transactions. The messages claim to be from countries overseas where those services, like Paypal, do not operate. Paypal, which is now owned by eBay, advises individuals not to use their accounts to collect and transfer money for someone else, saying it is often a form of money laundering. --NY TIMES __________________ ICQ: 309756847 ]

05-01-2003, 07:43 PM	#3
Cassie Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NJ Posts: 3,139	i dont know if i would trust even that. you know people say one thing and mean another especially when it comes to cars. i know cause part of my family is in that biz (rebuildables...salvages, etc...). a car is something you test sight on seen. oh yes sir, the motor is brand new. meanwhile the motor with 200k miles is still in the car with the mileage kicked back. buying a tape, small, inconsequental items thru an auction is ok cause if you are gonna get robbed, it will be for a smaller amount (not that it makes it any better but...). a car, jewelry, homes, those things should be seen first. __________________ ICQ: 309756847 ]