WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Ebay Scam Victim Loses Thousands of Dollars

Ebay Scam Victim Loses Thousands of Dollars

By Roslyn Anderson
roslyn@wlbt.net

The old adage "Buyer Beware" holds true, especially when it comes to online purchases.  A Clinton man learned an expensive lesson about shopping on Ebay.

Thirty one year old Charles Weakley has been posing these questions since he thought he'd purchased a motorcycle on Ebay.

Weakley asks, "Where did my money go, and where is my bike?"

January 26th was the first time he used Ebay.

Weakley found a 2006 Suzuki for $2,900.00.

He said the seller was Eric Berry, who he learned through exchanged emails, needed to sell the bike because he'd undergone knee surgery and was going through a divorce.

Weakley said, "I had to send the money to Spain where he was and he was going to send the bike out of Santa Cruz California. He said that his brother worked for DAS which is a shipping company for Ebay."

The retail store department manager wired over $3,000.00 through Western Union and after hearing nothing for several days, he contacted Ebay.

Weakley said, "But I still don't understand how Ebay can not be held accountable for any of this because they said he didn't have an account with them, but I have an account with them and you have to have an account with them to sell or buy."

Experts suggest that you always use Ebay messages and not their or your personal email and use paypal to pay for your purchases.

That way Ebay will be able to keep track of your transactions.

Christie White is assistant manager of It Sold Easy in Brandon.

She said, "They pretty much take the money and run once it's wired."

The company sells merchandise through Ebay and offers buyers and sellers advise on on-line purchases.

White said, "You always need to look at their feedback and make sure they at least have 95. Look at their page and make sure it looks legit that there's everything on it, a good description and stuff like that."

Weakley has contacted the Attorney General's Office who said there was nothing the state agency could do.

Ebay's website does not recommend wiring money for purchases.

Bill Moak with Mississippi's Better Business Bureau reports that Ebay has 100 million subscribers and 2,980 complaints nationwide.