November 5th 2018,
It's rare at this point I run across something new as far as scams go, but looks like I did. I was recently contacted by an eBay buyer who frequents the site, and the story he has detailed is unique.
Essentially a seller will post a much sought after item at an extremely high price, one that may not be all it's represented as being. Then the seller will tell you that he will cut that price drastically (50% in this case), if your willing to buy off the eBay platform (a clear violation of eBays terms).
His explanation is that eBays fees and shipping rates cost him a fortune, and then if you send the money via PayPal as a "gift" he can avoid all taxes that would be due on the sale. So he'll share that windfall savings with you and reduce the price.
As I read through the emails, it's obvious this particular scammer does this quite often, and even offered the buyer several more items via the same terms. In this instance, the buyer did receive a genuine product, but it was damaged and inoperable (thus making it worth far less than he paid).
It is a clever scam, but in this case the buyer did at least require the seller send a copy of his drivers license (who knows if its real).
I would warn buyers, if you are going to buy on eBay, use it's system and the few protections it offers; you will also be covered by PayPal if you're scammed.
This same method of luring buyers off eBay to private email and PayPal "Gifts" is likely used frequently for fake/non-existent items as well, I've just not been aware of it until now. I'm suprised the Nigerians aren't doing it.
So at the end of it all, as a buyer, once you're lured away from eBay and enticed into "gifting" money to a person you don't know for an item you've not laid eye's on, you get whatever they send and you have no recourse whatsoever. This guys lucky he didn't get a box of rocks. If the item is legit, but broken, as you can see at the end of the email chain, you're to blame.
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