# Madone's sure are popular...to Ebay scammers!!



## mr meow meow (Jan 29, 2004)

I've been checking out Ebay for a week or so looking for potential deals on a Madone frame and come accross scam after scam. Luckily, I've been able to report them as they get posted and Ebay is pretty quick at removing the fraudulent ads. Scammers sure love to promote those Madone's!

an example: 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Trek-Madone-SSL...oryZ2904QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

1)private bids ( so bidders cannot be warned that this is a scam)

2)bids only accepted upon e-mailing the seller (I guess to make sure who they're bilking)

3)the scammer seems to have hijacked the id of an innocent seller


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## pspande (Jan 5, 2006)

*Not that I don't believe you*

But I'm curious how you can tell that this is a scam? Like I say, I trust that you're right but are there tell tale signs I'm not aware of?


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## mr meow meow (Jan 29, 2004)

*I guess you can never be 100% sure*



pspande said:


> But I'm curious how you can tell that this is a scam? Like I say, I trust that you're right but are there tell tale signs I'm not aware of?


However....whenever I see a bidder list multiple top end frames at the same time using an id with minimal feedback or feedback from auctions that have nothing to do with cycling it raises a red flag. Also, auctions for high end frames at sick low prices are a red flag even if there's a long time till the auctions completion. In addition, this guy wants you to e-mail him first. In an exchange of e-mails the scammer will convince the poor sap to send money outside of the auction. This will prevent Ebay from going after the seller on their side because to them no crime actually happened. It's all circumstantial but put together, I have no problem contacting Ebay to remove the auction.

FWIW, these same set of 5 Trek Madone auctions were offered under three separate Ebay id's today alone (I had the first two sets removed already).


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## CaseLawZ28 (Jul 14, 2005)

You're right. Check out some posts I made in the Scam Forum for a couple more examples.

I won't ever be buying a bike off ebay unless I pick it up.


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## elviento (Mar 24, 2002)

It's funny how many times (probably a few hundred times by now) Lance's 5900 posted on Cyclingnews have been sold on ebay. The USPS mechanic was shown in the photos on many occassions, and the racing number still attached. 

I think some of these badly designed scam auctions could be a good thing -- to get people to be at least aware of fraud, kinda like small illnesses will strengthen your immune system.


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## mr meow meow (Jan 29, 2004)

*Good Analogy!*

.....................I think some of these badly designed scam auctions could be a good thing -- to get people to be at least aware of fraud, kinda like small illnesses will strengthen your immune system.[/QUOTE]


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