Ebayers Beware
By moomincat
@moomincat (321)
May 30, 2007 6:40pm CST
On our Crime Watch program last night, they related the story of one poor Ebayer that purchased a car. He took his payment in cash to meet the vendor and take delivery of the vehicle he was purchasing. He was lured to a dark garage and nearly beaten to death by a gang of three men, his money stolen. They said it was a rare incident but nontheless very worrying. Has anyone heard of such a thing happening in their locality?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@biwasaki (1745)
• United States
30 May 07
I've never heard of such a thing happening here. And I have to agree that this was probably an isolated incident. We purchased my husband's truck from a reputable dealer off of Ebay. I made sure to research all of the feedback that had been left for them and phoned/emailed them a few times before making the purchase. We actually bought it sight unseen and had it shipped from the dealer (in Texas) to us (in Hawaii) with no problems.
I think as long as you are careful about what you purchase, and you do you research on the seller, it is possible to make big purchases safely off of Ebay.
@moomincat (321)
•
30 May 07
Im sure most people like yourself have a good experience and no problems. It just frightened me that things can go so terribly wrong. Its always better to go with someone if your picking things up, better to be safe.
@biwasaki (1745)
• United States
30 May 07
I agree, if you're meeting a stranger to do any kind of monetary transaction you should always bring other people along.
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
31 May 07
Oh my God, that is terrible what happened to that person who went to collect the car. We live in a sick world, and this instance should make us more aware of what could happen. Always take someone with you when doing a deal like this, where money is concerned, and especially when the person you are dealing with is a stranger. You can't be too careful these days. I hope ebayers take notice of this.
@moomincat (321)
•
31 May 07
The incident was so bad that it hit national TV. The poor man was badly maimed and disfigured. It rarely happens but like you say it always best to go with someone else and meet in a public place to finish the transaction. It upset me because just lately two family members happily went of to collect ebay items and it didnt cross my mind although they didnt go alone.
