In Distraught

I am in distraught now and its not helping my cause in this week of examinations. Sorry if I am taking up your time for being such a dumb person. I just feel the need to talk to someone.

I am a student in the UK and saw a motorcycle on Gumtree going at a reasonable price and contacted the seller. Thereafter we corresponded via email and was told that he will list it on eBay for me to buy it off since there is a buyer's protection scheme. Apparently listing it on eBay will cost him money. When the listing was done I received an email from eBay with the invoice corresponding to the motorcycle.

As I was unfamiliar with how motor vehicles are bought and sold on eBay, I went on to contact the live chat officer in the link. The live chat officer explained the process and gave the details for the transactions. I was also told to email the receipt of the transaction. Subsequently discussion with the customer support says delivery should take place on 3 days ago and that the money will only be released to the seller after the bike is accepted, but I have not heard anything since then.

I have a strong feeling this is a case of fraud albeit I was too late to realise. This is going to affect my exams I can't get it off my head. I have reported the incident yesterday to the police but I am not sure if they are able to do anything. What are the chances of me getting my money back? I don't mind however long it takes, its painful to get bleak answers and it just lowers my motivation to forget about the incident.

What else can I do? Should I plead with the person? He knows I am just making ends meet with the cheaper transport and totally knows I am a student. Now that I look back at the emails there were a couple of mistakes made throughout the conversation that make him not who he ought to be and make "ebay" not as professional as it should be. Will my bank be able to do anything? The fraudist uses Barclays. Is it possible to contact Barclay's to see if the money has been withdrawn already? Track the IP address of the email? Gosh I am not even revising my exam.

Should I stop contacting the fraudist/s? I am confused and insecure with what has happened especially since they have my address and name as well. Not to mention the money is really a big thing and I can't seem to get my head around it. I am thinking that they might be amateurs but then again I still fell for it. Do you think appealing to their conscience will help?

It is a scam I am afraid and all the scammers want is your money and they have got it. Scammers have no consciences and sell their souls for money. There is no barrier as to who they rob or limit to the lies they tell. They are criminals. No appeal will help, all you will get is an email from someone telling you they can help recover the money, but it will be another scam and a pack of lies. Your money has gone for good I am afraid , but you should publish as much as you can here with email addresses and emails. Paypal by the way do not hold money for anybody/escrow. I expect you had emails with clickable links diverting to false paypal site, and emails that seem to be official but are not. The currency of scammers is forgery and lies. I am sorry to have given you bad news but better than false hopes and even more sorry you lost money to a dirty little illiterate african boy in Nigeria or Malaysia. It is also useful if you can also give names, the scammers bank account details etc and we can get then shut down. Remove your personal details. Have a relaxed time and concentrate on your exams and good luck.

Does this mean I should stop emailing the person at all? Should I at least continue playing along so that he or she will not delete the accounts? In a way that would help any form of investigations?

Yes, you should stop emailing.

Unfortunately, the scammer is hiding behind completely fake information. None of what you have been told is real. There is a very good chance the scammer is not even in the same country. If you haven't done so, you should certainly contact Barclays and try to reverse the transaction based on the fraud. Unfortunately, only a very tiny percentage of people have been successful with this approach, as the scammers typically withdraw the money immediately.

Remaining in contact with this scammer will only make the scammer more likely to target you in the future. It will not help the investigation (if there is one at all--if the scammer is in another country, it is very possible that a real investigation will not be pursued due to the cost and the obstacles).

This part of your post caught my attention, though.

, I went on to contact the live chat officer in the link. The live chat officer explained the process and gave the details for the transactions.

eBAY doesn't have a process in which they hold money pending examination of the item. This means that you were sent to a fake website. Please post the emails you received that directed you to this website, so that our site killers can take action against the fake.

I am confused and insecure with what has happened especially since they have my address and name as well.

Don't panic there! I can verify from experience no harm or untoward will happen because the trickster has your details. The reason they ask is to make the target feel at ease and the deception much easier to perpetrate.
re: Do you think appealing to their conscience will help? Nope, will be a waste of time.
Unfortunate to say but the scammers job is done. However now the scammer/s have your e-mail address, just be wary in the coming days or couple of weeks of more tricksters making contact.
Do not beat yourself up too much and not think your stupid. No, no, no don't do that. You will need to put it down to one of life's unpleasant experiences and move on.
In conclusion, get your head down, and pass those exams.

Thank you all for your replies.

I tried to call Barclay's but they wouldn't let me do or even know anything until I could verify that I am the owner of the mentioned fraudulent bank account. Its so annoying. I wonder if I am even speaking to the right people on the phone.

Would you publish the account details the scammer uses and any emails sent from them. We can get the fraud shut down. Mail headers should be included. Kindly remove your own details.

I have had your PM as you know and the subject is being worked on. I want you just to get on with your exams. This isn't going to sleep and once you are through that more important matter then you are freed up to deal with this one. I have asked people to PM you too, but I was on the hunt for EBT Financial Ltd.
I had some choices
IT IS NOT Green Compliance Ebt Ltd Up the road from where I live.
I do have this and hope not !
http://www.naijahotjobs.com/f36/ebt-nig ... ed-146851/
It may just be a name chosen and mean nothing.
EBT could be an acronym -Earnings Before Tax or Electronic Benefits Transfer or nothing except to look real. It doesn't exist in Companies House UK.
It really isn't going further for me.

Your header is fine to post here.

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Subject: Your eBay Invoice: 2006 YAMAHA R6 (19148059225)
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The IP number 127.0.0.1 is a loop back number. No help at all.
@ebay.item-purchase.com is a fake. I tried to check the domain. You wouldn't have heard from anyone else but a legit method you used and it would be visible in your Ebay account messages if you log in to it.
See this.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/pay/methods.html
ebay.item-purchase.com only gives me this.

Registrant Details:
MS PROTECTION PTY. LTD
57 Macgregor Tce
Bardon, QLD 4065
AU

Domain Name: ITEM-PURCHASE.COM

Administrative Contact: [email protected]
Futyma, Maurice
57 Macgregor Tce
Bardon, QLD 4065
AU
+61.0733694375

Technical Contact: [email protected]
Futyma, Maurice
57 Macgregor Tce
Bardon, QLD 4065
AU
+61.0733694375

Name Server: ns1.enetica.com.au
Name Server: ns2.enetica.com.au

Registrar of Record: Enetica Pty Ltd
Record last updated on 2012-05-01
Record created on 2012-05-01
Record expires on 2014-05-02

I can't get much from this above MS PROTECTION PTY.LTD either.

Ms Protection Pty Ltd
(02) 9635 8909
U12/ 15 Phillip St
Parramatta NSW 2150

It doesn't match registrant details either.
[email protected] isn't in any search either but the scammer is now!
I did a phone number check on +61.0733694375 or rather +61733694375 and that gives me this

Company: Avanti Cafe Pasta
Address: 63 Macgregor Terrace , Bardon QLD 4065, Australia
Telephone: +61733694375
web: http://www.avanticafe.com.au/
found: using keywords "Takeaway - Morney QL Australia"

I wonder who Maurice Futyma is, but a restaurant owner probably isn't running a financial, or whatever it is either company, to pay for takeaway food. One is No.57 and the Resaurant No.63
The real matter is that you were successfully diverted from Ebay and all protection and left to the dirty wiles of a scammer along with all the forgeries and fake emails.
ITEM-PURCHASE.COM is a fraudulent domain

Disabled smilies - CW

There we are ingoditrust. I have given it my best shot. I have enough to send to the bank account killer to get it shut for fraud. I can't say for sure if the money will be remaining in the account but doubt it. But who knows what will be the outcome, just wait and see.

Should the domain name registrant lead to anything I wonder. Does shutting the bank account cut all traces from the fraudist? Nonetheless I can only trust in God for a miracle, that I may ultimately get back my money from either the bank account or from prosecution of the perpetrators.

Thank you thank you so much. That is really a lot of work done.

The scammer is probably in Africa and also has removed the money from reach and has it cash under his mattress or back pocket. There will be no connection or evidence to prosecute anyone or any possibility of getting police to act over what is a small scale scam. If there is money in the bank there is very liitle chance of and something but there is a lot of scam money gone in and they know well what happens when they are exposed and ensure they keep it. Unfortunately we are always in the position of running after them once the crime is done and at best we can neutralise existing scams, but they will usually set up again. However we do have information now that could be reused by the scammer. Don't tell the scammer anything about it. He won't come here looking but best not to inform him.. Anyone else who has a suspicion may get here and see the posting and it will have stopped them losing money. The registrant is a liar. He just found a fake address and copied it off internet and used it. It was good enough to be used to do the job he wanted and he can vanish over the hils and leave no trace of anything real. Nothing more can be done.

I've received and reported these bank account details regarding this scam:

Bank's Name: Barclays Bank PLC
Account Number: 63 46 39 90
Sort Code: 20-29-41
Beneficiary: EBT Financial LTD

Checking at Companies House there is no such company registered there. That's important because UK banks are legally obliged to check that companies exist and are properly registered and formed before they can open an account for them. The name you will have been given will be slightly different from the one the account name is in - close enough not to stop the payment going through, but different enough to make finding who it is impossible for anyone checking. It also helps to make any complaint more difficult for the bank to process if you don't know the precise name of the company that defrauded you.

Having said that no bank wants to operate an account that is being used for fraud. It will bring nothing but trouble and, it will likely be used to defraud them in the end.

This is no help to you but these people are clearly professional fraudsters and well versed in banking rules and how to get round them.

It was sent to our bank killer a few weeks back. I assume it is dealt with but no feedback about it.