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[killjoy]

Just FYI...

I expressed interest in a 2006 SEEG (FLHTCUSE) up for auction on eBay recently, offered by a slack@ss that goes by eBay ID, "bajansunset", AKA email address, "cheezeeonbread@yahoo.com", AKA given name, "Roger Burton" (probably fake) "allegedly" of Dekalb County, Georgia.

His plan: Convince me that he was selling me his '06 SEEG in mint condition with 1,000 miles for $10,900 USD, but that it is currently located at his "vacation house" in Greece (yeah, the country). He said he would arrange and pay for shipping, but would only use the eBay third party escrow service called "Safe Harbour" - by which I wire transfer a Greek financial institution the money, and they would ship the bike. They would release escrow to the seller after I had confirmed the authenticity of the goods. He even apparently spoofed an "eBay looking" service message directing the transfer of funds to appear as though the transaction was taking place through eBay. Lastly, he indicated his "lawyer" would draw up the appropriate legal documents and forward to be delivered with the bike.

His Fault(s): His listed address is not on record with the tax appraisers office in Dekalb County, Georgia. eBay does not sponsor or acknowledge "Safe Harbour" and warns against this type of transaction behavior. He avoided answering any specific questions pertaining to the actual bike, and finally... when I unequivocally stated that under no circumstance would I transfer a single dollar until he could produce clearly visible copies of the clear title in his name, the actual VIN onthe bike (matching the title), his US drivers license and his lawyers contact info... well that's when he vanished. I haven't heard a peep from him since.

Sure, the adage reads, "if it seems too good to be true..." but sometimes deals are out there. This isn't one of them.

Beware... I don't know why he picked the CVO target, but he's out there and more than likely he's looking for you.

[Twolanerider]

That whole story is a common eBay scam that's been used over and over for a long time now.  Fortunately it doesn't sound you lost a dime to it.

[copout221]

$10,900.00 for that bike should raise huge red flags but people are getting ripped off everyday with these types of scams and there is nothing that law enforcement can do because the offenders are outside of the country. Something similar happened to me and the FBI basically told me there was nothing they could do. I am just glad I did not lose any money.

[killjoy]

$10,900.00 for that bike should raise huge red flags but...

Of course I agree, but there are deals out there. A friend just bought a '05 Fat Boy with $33K invested in chrome and upgrades (verified w/ invoices) with 1,700 miles on it for $14.5K. Sometime people are hurting enough financially to just need to get out from under the debt.

Unfortunately, you're right more often than not though - but I will always check it out from a safe distance. Trick is to see it with open eyes and not make it what you WANT it to be, right?

[CVOwner]

Of course I agree, but there are deals out there. A friend just bought a '05 Fat Boy with $33K invested in chrome and upgrades (verified w/ invoices) with 1,700 miles on it for $14.5K. Sometime people are hurting enough financially to just need to get out from under the debt.

Unfortunately, you're right more often than not though - but I will always check it out from a safe distance. Trick is to see it with open eyes and not make it what you WANT it to be, right?

You cant cheat an honest man.

Yes, there are deals out there. But not 10K for a 25-30K bike! Come on!

[SBB]

An 06 SEEG?

Shouldn't that have been the first clue?

 [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[GC_Super]

We just last week had an ad appear in the local paper for an 06 Autum Haze w/4,500 miles. Said it had never been down, clear title, garaged, etc for $19,500. I'm in N. TX and the area code was in South TX.  I called the guy and he reuturned my call 10 days later. He said he was now in NewYork. He had an accent like an airplane hijacker. Most of my questions he didn't answer to my satisfaction. The only thing that sounded legit was he offered to give me the VIN to run a check on it.  After that ad ran out, another one appeared for an  06 SE Fat Boy, also $19,500, that was written almost identically with a phone number very similar. The area code and the first three digits were the same. I called it also but never got a return call.

[BLM777]

GC....Wasn't an area code and prefix for the Fredericksburg, TX area was it?  Couple of months ago a bike escrow scam was working out of that area.  Long time client of mine from the West Coast got caught up in that one for 10k.  2 of the three a$$holes on that deal are in now the chitter and most of the cash recovered, but am certain the remainder are still in play somewhere down there.

[GC_Super]

GC....Wasn't an area code and prefix for the Fredericksburg, TX area was it?

[BLM777]

[highlight]Area code 210[/highlight]

Yup....

[GC_Super]

Yup....

Good thing I wasn't really looking to buy, just called out of curiosity. Knew it smelled fishy.

[mr_magoo]

Sounds like you did your home work.  Thanks for keeping us informed of such low lifes.  Always leery of EBay.

[Road_Glider]

There has been an advertisement in my local paper here in south texas run for a few weeks.  It was for a screamin eagle electroglide and listed it for $19,500 and had a 210 phone number.  210 is the area code for San Antonion and near there.  Price was way too low for me to even call on, just smelled of a scam.  Wonder if it was the same guys.

[hdfatboy]

Sounds like you did your home work.

[copout221]

Ok, here is what these a-holes do. They fish around on E-Bay with some decent feedback for small items or high priced jewlery that was never really bought or sold. They set up accounts and make fake transactions amongst each other to make it look like they are reputable buyers. At this point they become the highest bidder on a high priced bike, car, truck, etc auction and e-mail the seller. They ask for a copy of the title to make sure the auction is legit and most of the sellers fall right into this trap (like I did) and provided a copy of the title to the high bidder which has your name, address, bike info including VIN. The auction will eventually end with another high bidder/winner and the guy with your title who never intended to buy your bike is off to the races. This idiot will now place personal ad's in local newspapers around the country advertising YOUR bike at a too good to be true price. When some poor sap answers the ad usually they will encounter a male or female with a eastern european or middle eastern accent who is posing as YOU !!! Yes, they pose as you. They give your name, your address, etc. Then they ask for the money to be wired to their bank account and the bike will be shipped to you through a bogus shipping company. Also, most of the people who think they are getting a great deal on a bike will send the money to a name other than the one the seller is using ( Your Name ). After the seller loses 10 -20 thousand dollars they go to the Police who come directly to you. This is exactly what happened to me and how it worked. I learned from my mistake of providing the title and will never do it again. For followup, the guy who lost $16,500.00 in this scam hired a private investigator who is still attempting to get the money back for him. The bad part is the money went to an account with Chase Manhattan Bank and it immediately was transfered to an account in Romania. This investigator found out where the scammers live and notified the FBI who blew it off.