Am I being scammed on E-Bay?

[cgb]

I just purchased my first PDA (x51v) off E-Bay tonight (money still has not been sent). However, the price seems very low, and there are a few things I consider odd about the add and the seller's feedback. However, I have next to no experience on E-Bay and it could be that I am paranoid over nothing.

If you are a regular E-Bayer, I would appreciate it if you could tell me whether or not I should be paranoid. The link to the purchase is here:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200087838687

Thank you,
CGB
P.S. If you think this was a good purchase, there were still a couple Buy-It-Nows for similar items when I wrote this post.

[ADBrown]

I find it rather odd that a cell phone store would stock Dell Axims, since they're not cell phones, and never had significant retail distribution.

Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable about making a buy of this size without PayPal. Although if you were to be defrauded, in my experience PayPal isn't worth squat for getting your money back, actually. However, it does present some roadblock against outright scamming.

As of this writing, he's got no other items for sale.

I honestly don't know. It could be legit, but it could also be somebody running a scam. The previous feedbacks don't really matter much, since if somebody was going to do a scam they'd most likely steal somebody else's eBay account.

[MarcFou]

My first impression was MO only could mean no intension of shipping the item. But then after looking at positive feedback from other people who bought similar items under the same terms I have to assume this person is on the up and up.

A single negative dosent mean anything to me. So many people have a few it seems.

Actualy this person won, paid and got thier axim from the seller: http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200087091124

It is an excellent deal. To good to be true, yet everyone else seemed to have gotten thier goods. So I have to base the decision on that. Enjoy your new Axim!

[ADBrown]

Actualy this person won, paid and got thier axim from the seller: http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200087091124

Shrug. I find it a little hard to believe that that person got 1-2 day delivery for the $6 shipping figure that's listed on the auction page. On the other hand, maybe they did, or maybe they paid for faster shipping... I don't know. Until and unless somebody makes a complaint, there's no way to be absolutely sure in this sort of case. It doesn't have any of the dead giveaways of a pure scam.

[Cybrid]

I just purchased my first PDA (x51v) off E-Bay tonight (money still has not been sent). However, the price seems very low, and there are a few things I consider odd about the add and the seller's feedback. However, I have next to no experience on E-Bay and it could be that I am paranoid over nothing.

If you are a regular E-Bayer, I would appreciate it if you could tell me whether or not I should be paranoid. The link to the purchase is here:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200087838687

Thank you,
CGB
P.S. If you think this was a good purchase, there were still a couple Buy-It-Nows for similar items when I wrote this post. I have to say that this has scam all over it. Has only feedback from sellers, only three from buyers. has a ebay name change. On some of the items "she's" got my "paypal got hacked"?.
Recently some guy tried doing the same to me. A 50'ish feedback seller who I paid by Paypal was a scam. It took two months of speedy action but I got my refund from paypal.

My suggestion, get a feel for the buyer by taking the address and running it through ww.411.com by address and name and even google earth the area. See if anything interesting turns up. Multiple listings for address=mailbox/apt/ . Phone # reverse lookup might turn up different data than who she claims to be.
Google earth might have "Yo' dats where the trailer park meth lab's at yo" as a tag :roll:

[cgb]

I am posting an update in hopes it can help someone else.

After reading the comments here, I got really nervous, and did a lot of research into the seller. No seller went by the name of my seller as determined by 411.com.

Before I bought the device, I looked at the sellers other items that were for sale. She had a half dozen similar PDA's for sale. I also read her feedback. My biggest mistake was not researching her completed items (which had not received feedback yet because they were sold in the last few days). There was around 60 completed items each for $200. She was selling the x51v and some Sprint Smart Phone. It didn't make sense that a small bankrupt company would have this amount of stock of only two items. I asked her to send a photo of the inventory, but there was no response. Additionally, she indicated there was only 10 PDA's left, and then proceeded to list over 20 devices. She did something similar with the Smart Phones. I registered my concerns with E-Bay. The next day, E-Bay had shut down all of her auctions, and told me not to send money. Because of privacy concerns, they couldn't share what they found.

Again, thank you.

[cgb]

Just curious if there are other good sources from which to buy PDA's besides E-Bay? I have never used a PDA. My primary use is to read books on crowded transit. I have been worried about my ability to read a small screen, so I have been limiting my search to VGA screens. I have also been trying to buy technology that is 2 or 3 years old just to keep the costs down. Consequently, that is why I am looking to buy used, and why I have been looking for an x50v or hx4700.

Chris

[Cybrid]

Because of privacy concerns, they couldn't share what they found.

Again, thank you.Glad you helped catch them :)
For more local 2nd hand stuff, Craigslist, Kijiji, and the buyandsell? You could then view and assess whether to buy it in person.
Don't let the experience put you off eBay, just research the buyers.

[fsadallas]

Wow thats a scam alright! 0X

[pmgibson]

Ditto on not letting this put you off ebay.

Stick with your instincts. Something told you this one wasn't right - you asked in this forum and did some more research.

So you've got good instincts about what seems right and what doesn't. Give ebay another try and follow your instincts.