eBay/Craigslist This Can't be for Real (Ebay Lidsting)

dirtworksequip · Aug 20, 2006

There are lots of scams on eBay, but there have been a few machines that I suspected as fraudulant and they turned out to be legit auctions.Ebay is usually diligent about ending any scam auctions.
When I first stumbled across tractorbynet there was a scam on Kubota tractors in the classifieds here. Some guy from the Czec(sp)Republic wanting you to send money into an Escrow Europa account somewhere in Europe.

knute_m · Aug 20, 2006

Two points about these types of listings:

I recently sold a tractor over EBAY. I thought the buyer was really looney about how he wanted to pay for it, how he wanted to check meout, and a whole bunch of other things. Turns out, he had previously won a bid on one of these types of listings. The tractor actually existed in North Carolina on a dealer's lot. The dealer knew nothing of the ebay listing until this guy showed up to claim his tractor. I'm not sure how they got it all straightened out. Thankfully, he paid me in $100 bills.

I've used the "ask the seller a question" on a number of these. Such as, I'd like to inspect the tractor. Can you tell me where it is located. Every time I've done that, I've quickly gotten a security note back from ebay telling me not to communicate with the to report, to report all contacts whether through ebay or through some other means, and that the listing has been discontinued by ebay.

Knute

Iowachild · Aug 20, 2006

Redneck_Randy said:
What I don't understand is why this person just didn't use the Buy it Now buttom. I noticed he has the Buy it Now text listing at the bottom of all his other items on Ebay. Wonder if that's just some type of advertising slogan he uses and this seller could be legit. Maybe just a bad choice of words.

I am by no means a Ebay pro. LOL Never bought anything off Ebay. Don't even have a account there either. I just like to look at various items and what they are being sold for.

After my tractor purchase on E-Bay (not a scam, just hidden damage) I consider E-Bay as "For Entertainment Purpose Only!"

MIKE

California · Aug 20, 2006

Redneck_Randy said:
What I don't understand is why [the seller] just didn't use the Buy it Now button.

Cause he wants to 'sell' the same tractor to several people by private email negotiation. The first BIN bid would end his auction.

roxynoodle · Aug 20, 2006

They are all scams. Have fun and bid them up over a million dollars, some of the bidders do. Either that or email the actual person whose account it is to tell them they have been hijacked.

George2615 · Aug 20, 2006

When I brought up the link it said Ebay has removed the item consider it cancelled.

ovrszd · Aug 20, 2006

George2615 said:
When I brought up the link it said Ebay has removed the item consider it cancelled.

My first ebay buying experience was just a couple weeks ago. I bought a quickhitch, saved myself about $50 off buying the same hitch at a name brand store. I emailed three questions to the seller before I bid. He promptly answered all three. Used Pay Pal, had my hitch at my door in four days. Same hitch brand as the local store for $50 less money. I am very satisfied.

I looked at a different seller's hitch. When I emailed him three times, I got no responses. His hitch was ridiculously cheap. I think he was a crook.

Lesson here, when something is too good to be true, it usually is!!!

Musclford · Aug 21, 2006

If you ever suspect something on Ebay to be questionable, especially tractors, look at the sellers feedback.. On these, too good to be true listings, most of the time, you can check out their feedback and look at the last 10 or so items they've sold and they are pottery, clothes, or something not even close to a tractor....

That is my first step on any purchase on ebay, then I will e-mail the seller through ebay..

My 2 cents,

Like others have said, if it's way too good to be true, it usually is...Sometimes you are lucky, but most of the time not....

Good luck..

Musclford

roxynoodle · Aug 21, 2006

I have had some very good luck with ebay. Remodeled my kitchen last year and managed to buy the sink and faucet I wanted on there for nearly half what they sold for in my local stores (Lowes, Home Depot and Menards). I got the sink for $259 ($518 at Lowes) and the faucet for $114 ($208 at Lowes). I always check the seller's feedback and look to see he/she is selling the same items to other customers. If I were to consider buying a large item like a tractor I would confine my search to local listings and go see it in person before I bid. If the seller isn't willing to let you see it, something is wrong! I would assume either a scam or that the tractor was misrepresented in the listing. I did find my tractor because of ebay. There was a Deutz-Allis in my price range though it didn't make reserve. After the auction I emailed the seller and it turned out he had 150 used tractors, most of them in my price range. I went there and drove several tractors and bought one.