hey,
have just been swindled out of £640 on e-bay, as I gave my son a cheque for a laptop which  he sent to a woman, who he's very stupidly  lost the address of,and the cheque  cleared on the 13th of this month , but no lap top. She hasn't replied to any of his e-mails, and e-bay don't seem bothered. This woman's details are no longer visible to buyers on the website, but e-bay must know her details?? My silly son also lost the name of the woman that he put on my cheque, but I presume my bank would know this detail...any of you clever lot know what the hell we can do??? We have e-mailed e-bay explaining the situation, but have any of you had this sort of experience? My son is so heart broken and angry, and I don't know what we can actually do about this. I know he was foolish in deleting her details by mistake, but he didn't think he'd need them.   Thanks for any help.

I suppose it depends on which ISP you have but on AOL all details of e-mails are kept in the personal filing cabinet (look under file in top left corner) even deleted ones are still kept unless you go in and delete them specifically.  Look in incoming and saved e-mail, e-mail you've sent, etc.

Hope this helps some
Good luck
Dill

Personal filing cabinet usually still has details of past and deleted emails

log in to Ebay
then click on the "My Ebay" button at the top of the page
that should bring a page up with some options
click on the "Won" link at the left hand side of the page
that will bring up a list of the items you have won recently
you will see the users ID above the laptop auction description
click on the ID
that will bring up their feedback and you can see if you are the only person to be affected by this or not

then go here  ---    http://cgi3.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MemberSearchShow

scroll down till you see ""Contact Info - Request a member's contact information""
put the persons ID in the one box and the auction number of the wayward laptop in the other box
you should then be sent an email with the persons contact details including their phone number

then phone them up !!!

threats of police knocking the door should help you to get your lappy or your money back

Z

I seem to remember this being a fairly well known scam on Ebay ...I will do some research and come back to you on it

Okay ..have a look here : http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Ebay+scam+laptop and check out some of the threads there ...

There may be a page amongst those which will give you some help...fingers crossed

Edited : Sorry ..another one of those links that WILL NOT make a clicky link ..just cut and paste it.

thanks to all who replied...will keep you posted...

Hi, any luck getting the contact details? Unfortunately thats the problems with cheques, I always use PayPal and go and see and pickup anything of value on eBay - I know thats not what you want to hear.

You might be able to get her phone number from the ebay contact details and contact her that way.

thanks, greatbritgirl, but I'm afraid no luck..all dead ends...she unregistered herself from ebay, and ebay are being truly pathetic going on about ringing her and trying to sort it out amicably, but we don't have her number, ebay will not give us any details, even though she's run off with the £650.  I've asked the bank for her name, and they're going to send me a copy of my cheque, but we still have no address, so it looks like we're stuffed....we can't get the original email address, but she didn't reply to that anyway....very sad as my son can't afford another laptop and he needs one so desperately for his studies at uni.....I feel a right mug....how can people do that ....and it looks like she's going to get away with it....

Hi Bobo

I must admit that I don't know much about the subject, so am just giving my thoughts, for what they're worth :)  But surely this woman has committed a fraud and that would be a matter for the police?  I think I can remember someone on here before mentioning that the police have a unit looking into internet fraud and the like, if I wasn't dreaming it, can someone who knows tell Bobo the details and whether it would be worth getting in touch with them?

It's quite sickening to take advantage of people in this way - I feel so sorry for your son to have been conned like this.

Lesley

Get in touch with the police. An identical thing happened to a girl I know recently (different scammer - this was a bloke) and the police have been very helpful, taking all the details etc.

Hi I work for Natwest, We are able to look at the cheque and print a copy front and back, if a good copy you can see the account details of the account it went into this should help you if you do go to the police,don't know if other banks can do this they might be able to get the cheque back from the clearing centre. It should have the same info on it.I hope this helps.

Just a thought, but have you had a look at her feedback?  You might be able to contact some other ebay users who have traded with her, and they may have kept her details?  you could also try posting on the ebay user forum and see if anyone else has had a problem.  And I think contacting the piolice is a must.

bye
Gwen

hi, have had a copy of the said cheque sent to me by my bank, and it does have some info on the back, so maybe that might help....my son said she only had one feedback, and that was from someone who she bought something from....that is a dead end, as this person's details aren't available either....I know, I know...my son was unbelievably trusting, or stupid, to buy from this scum....he's been using ebay for so long, that he never thought this would happen...he's now a lot more cynical( and broke)...now I have the cheque copy I shall contact the police tomorrow....thanks for all who tried to help, and please no-one ever get caught out like us....

fraud.alert@met.police.uk
is the email address of the squad that deals with internet fraud, but I would report it to your local police as well. This person has committed a fraud/obtaining money by deception so they should certainly be interested. Hope you get this sorted, all the best, Sue

thanks to all...will go to local police station...let you know if they're of any help...thanks again

Taken from IH Board - click on Discussion Group

Subject : URGENT WARNING
From : On behalf of Police
Date : 13.08.04 9:43:00 AM
 
Becareful when buying from ANYONE on-line.

There is someone operating a scm - "selling" goods & not posting them out despite cashing your cheque!

They are operating from Stoke on Trent.

If you think you have been conned - please ring Lancaster Police on 01524 63333 & ask for PC Barry Leese at Carnforth. (He is investigating this after I have brought this to his attention)

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE COME FORWARD - REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT.

THIS INDIVIDUAL IS CONNING MANY HORSE POEPLE & HAS ALREADY BEEN ARRESTED FOR THIS CRIME BACK IN JANUARY.

THE MORE THAT COME FORWARD, THE BIGGER THE CASE WE HAVE AGAINST THEM & THE MORE LIKELY WE ARE TO GET A RESULT.

MANY THANKS

thanks ChloeH, will look into it...