Possible scammer on ebay selling lots of G1 MOCs

[Sternenstaub]

I saw the auctions as well and I was bidding on a lot, too - because there is a grail Moc in it that I wanted for a long time.

I asked the seller if the bubble or the pony have any issues and I got a simulare answer like Brightglowpony... the seller told me that she don't know and that she will double check for me - but that I must accept to pay by money order when I win the auction.
I told her that she listed her items with paypal payment method and that she must accept paypal then as well - anything is against ebay rules...

Then I got the same story in a message from her - that paypal closed the account and that she is using her sons account.

My answer was - when that is really the truth she normally must stop her auctions until she cleared things with paypal - she can't list her items that way and after auctionsend she only accept money orders...

That seems very fishy to me, too.

[Baby Sugarberry]

New seller + highly desirable items + backing out of allowing a secure payment method = Major Red Flags.

I would not bid on any of her auctions no matter how tempting it may seem. You have almost zero protection if going through money order (and absolutely none for money transfers); it's just not worth the risk.  There's a reason the saying goes "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is."

Sorry for everyone who has to deal with this mess now. 

[plushroo]

Thanks for the heads up! I did a search on her completed auctions and saw the same 3 MOC Rockin' beat ponies in two separate auctions! Seller may have multiple moc's but still something to look out for. I was going to bid on a lot, but not now!

Edit: they are also currently auctioning the brush n' grow and happy tails in another auction that they recently sold!

[Sternenstaub]

Yes it seems better to stay away from these lots.

[Brightglowpony]

I contacted ebay again and had a very positive experience this time.  Ebay is now aware of the concern and is going to look into the situation.

Blonde2themax: I feel your disappointment-  Has the seller mentioned anything to you about no paypal?  My suggestion to you is what ebay has told me- stay firm in saying that you wil pay by Paypal only, and if they absolutely refuse, ebay suggested to me to cancel the transaction for my protection.  Their reasoning for not having Paypal is not a valid one, and if they are selling on ebay, they should have Paypal.  Hope all goes well for you  

Plushroo: I know the exact lisitngs you are talking about.  I saw them before I bid, and thought of that too, but then thought maybe it was a non paying bidder case.  So hard to know, but I do feel now that it is very suspicious.


To anyone who is bidding on these lots, please take caution and do not agree to pay by money order!   

[Sternenstaub]

I just got this message from her - after I wrote her a day back that she normally must stop her auctions otr that she must open an own paypalaccount when her sons is blocked...


thats fine, and I did have my own paypal account but paypal can do what they want and because my son and sent money to my account and they blocked his they decided to limit mine because of it. And that is the only reason they will give me, and I don't understand it either so sorry

[Brightglowpony]

Just another update: I had not replied back to the seller's last message yet, but she sent me another message similar to Stern's


If you still want the ponies please let me know but paypal has limited my account and will not allow payment made to it, and I can't get an answer from them except that it was linked to my sons account.  Sorry if you do not feel comfortable sending a money order, I understand and I will sell the ponies to someone else.  Please let me know and I will send my address if you want it.  Thank you


I am going to stand firm in that I will not send a money order.  It's too much of a risk 

[blonde2themax]

She hasn't mentioned anything about not accepting PayPal so I'll ask about it. And I'll let her know that I won't be doing a money order. 

[DazzleKitty]

The auctions made me feel iffy even before all this. I noticed the different backgrounds and the fact the seller is new and has all these rare MOCs......seems too good to be true.

And the stories here make it sound highly suspcious. I think you are all doing the wise thing by not sending them a money order.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Thanks for letting us know! 

[babylicketysplit]

way too risky, steer clear dolls.    i would never send a money order to someone i didnt know personally.

[StarFaerie]

Just another update: I had not replied back to the seller's last message yet, but she sent me another message similar to Stern's


If you still want the ponies please let me know but paypal has limited my account and will not allow payment made to it, and I can't get an answer from them except that it was linked to my sons account.  Sorry if you do not feel comfortable sending a money order, I understand and I will sell the ponies to someone else.  Please let me know and I will send my address if you want it.  Thank you


I am going to stand firm in that I will not send a money order.  It's too much of a risk 

Can I suggest that you also actively refuse any transaction cancellation so that she doesn't get her final value fees back and you can leave her a negative to warn others? If she offers to cancel advise eBay within 7 days that you don't want to cancel but want to pay via Paypal. And leave her a negative now.

[ponylady]

Oh goodness!! I am so sorry to all involved.

It definitely is shady and I would by no means send her a Money Order. A seller though is allowed to ask for other means of payment, they are just not allowed to state it in their listing. The catch is that you are NOT protected under EBay's Buyer Protection if you do so.

Anyways I am glad you reported it BrightGlow  it may help prevent someone for being taken for a ride.

[Nana-Rena]

But is a seller allowed to not accept paypal, even if they do list other methods of payment? because that would mean that eBay allows seller to provide only a method that is unsafe for the buyer and puts the buyer outside of the Buyer Protection of eBay.

I am a bit confused now, but it's good to know nevertheless that this kind of thing can occur and the seller is allowed to do so.

[Brightglowpony]

Last night I received another message from the seller: 
 
If you still want the ponies please let me know but paypal has limited my account and will not allow payment made to it, and I can't get an answer from them except that it was linked to my sons account.  Sorry if you do not feel comfortable sending a money order, I understand and I will sell the ponies to someone else.  Please let me know and I will send my address if you want it.  Thank you


Per the ebay rep's suggestion, I sent one more reply kindly stating that I will pay her through paypal, and also encouraged her to contact ebay and/or Paypal so they can help her with any difficulities she is having.  I by no means want to be rude if this person is truly having trouble with Paypal and not a scammer, but at the same time, I can't send my payment in an unsafe way and she should be aware of selling policies. 


StarFaerie: That is a good point, because I feel like I should leave feedback for this transaction. 

PonyLady:  Thanks for adding that information   I am a little confused about the policies, because the ebay rep told me that it is a violation for a seller to ask for payment by money order on ebay due to no protection.  I guess anyone could agree to a money order though, but that would mean it would be going outside of ebay's policy and outside of ebay completely?   What's also confusing is the ebay rep told me a seller must have a Paypal account to open an ebay account and sell, so that seller should be able to take Paypal.  :/

Thanks again everyone for the support and advice