Aleksei – stock.adobe.com
CEL Solicitors made a full recovery, plus interest, for a client who fell victim to a sophisticated eBay purchase scam.
How the eBay purchase scam occurred
Matt, a 52-year-old Production Manager, was in the process of building a house for himself and his family when he came across a digger for sale on eBay. Eager to complete the work on his property, Matt contacted the seller over eBay, who then asked to communicate with Matt over email.
Scammers will often ask to communicate outside of the platform where they originally found their victim. This way, they can avoid the protections and safeguards offered by the platform, making it harder for victims to dispute transactions or seek financial recovery.
Our client assumed that eBay had a vetting process for their sellers, and since he had not run into any issues previously, he believed that the listing was legitimate. Furthermore, Matt was provided with plenty of information and images of the vehicle before deciding to make the purchase.
The scammer informed our client that he would be able to deliver the digger within five days. He then sent Matt an invoice and explained that he would be refunded if he was not pleased with the vehicle upon arrival.
Matt sent over a total of £3,990 and waited for the vehicle to arrive. After the fifth day, he attempted to contact the seller but was unable to reach him. At this point, Matt sadly realised that he had been scammed.
Getting money back from a purchase scam
After learning that he had fallen victim to an eBay scam, Matt contacted Santander, who informed him that they were unable to help recover his losses.
Devastated at the news, Matt made one last attempt to regain his money and contacted CEL Solicitors who are experts in fraud and scam recovery.
We were successful in recovering the full £3,990 lost, plus additional compensation, which came to £4,825 in total.
Are eBay purchase scams common?
James Crossley, the Fraud Paralegal who handled Matt’s case, said:
“Online public marketplaces are rife with these kinds of purchase scams, especially eBay – where it is much more difficult to view the items before you purchase them.
“When using eBay to purchase goods, it is essential to pay on the platform. Never make bank transfers or use external payment links. This gives you more protection should the worst happen.
“Using a card to purchase the item, rather than a faster payment or bank transfer also gives you more regulatory protection should you fall victim to a purchase scam online.”
