Just thought. Have eBay not realised this guy is opening case after case complaining of the same 'empty box' thing? Surely there should be some red flag on their system?
Well, since any & every military employed Joe Somebody who's ever flown Afghanistan to do a job they knowingly & intentionally signed up for are allowed to run around calling themselves "a vet", the guy, unfortunately, probably isn't impersonating anyone. That's why someone out there needs to come up with a more distinctive term for how real vets vs. other "vets" are classed.
There is. Combat vets vs Non combat vets - regardless of Branch or Job Legally any Soldier, Marine, Air Man, Sailor that serves 180 days or longer consecutively on active duty of Honorable time ( Federal Title 10, not state) during a period of war is technically a vet.
Yes, it's a shame when you don't know whether to trust someone or not like this in this day and age... But I'll tell you this, if my house burnt down and I lost everything, despite the desire to make my son happy, TOYS would probably be the last thing in my list. Actually, I could get him some toys, but in those circumstances, I certainly wouldn't be trying to get collectors grade Transformers on eBay. Scam, period point blank... Or at the very least, this dudes priorities are questionable.
I just reported him to EBay using the "report" link at the bottom of the message. Hopefully they'll get enough complaints and ban his ass
I received the same request from the same user about a listing I have up. I ignored it because it just seemed like it was just too incredible for all of these things to be true at once. If it is, that's a horrible situation to be in. If not, they're a scumbag liar who has no morality.
Awesome thanks Daimao. I just got off the phone with someone at Ebay and explained the whole time line. I mentioned your email from him today as well as Millerman's experience from before. The good news is all of my communications with Infinitylion were through the Ebay messages portal so the rep could read along with me every step of the way. Of course, as I reread everything I just feel like more of an idiot - but I should be used to it by now. On the plus side, he's opening up a security investigation into the buyer so hopefully that will get his account suspended. I doubt any of this is new to the guy though so sellers beware of Jeffrey Wright in Section, AL whatever his new screen name might be.
As a member of the US military, I can definitely say avoid this guy like the plague. If my house burned down, I'd be trying to get the important stuff first, not toys. Also note, not only does the government have help for these situations, but usually ones own squadron will set up fundraisers to raise money to help out one of their own individuals. It's a shame that this person would use the "military" excuse to try and scam someone. Ignore the request and see of you can report him.
This is absolutely disgusting! I was in the Army from 1990 to 1998. A Paratrooper in the Infantry. I am currently the Jr. Vice Commander of my VFW Post. And we do our best to try to report people like this. (The Stolen Valor Act) look in to it. We caught a guy claiming to be a War Vet selling merchandise and asking for donations in a Wal-Mart parking lot. He was lying of course. My fellow Transformers Collectors please BEWARE of these frauds! They are everywhere online.
Yeah, and just this morning I got one from a different buyer on a lego set I have listed. Clearly this is a new scam of some sort: So they're playing on Military sympathy in the other email, and poor dead parents and autism AND joblessness on the other. I mean, seriously, just pick one!
i think it is a scam too. maybe if it wasn't a japanese figure, a robot masters figure, but like just a modern, maybe current beast hunter's line or something, i'd say, go for it, lower the price for him, a little. but anyone can claim things. it's the internet. lots of people say things that are not true. well he did have four kids to feed...
Someone should report his ass to ebay and/or the local news organization to expose him. Impersonating a veteran and fire victim is fraud.
Yeah. I replied basically saying "I sympathize but I am going through some tough times too and need every penny" which is essentially not true, but I don't like pissing off people on eBay because every once in a while you'll get someone who will use fake accounts to bid up your items and never pay, or buy something and say it never came, etc etc. So anyway, she replied again: Egad.
Smells like scamola (and I say this as a veteran myself). Burned house and lost collections? Well, there's renter's/homeowner's insurance for that. As others have said, there are legit organizations that can help the guy too (especially those in the military). No need for sob stories to try to get discounts, but it seems you've already come to the same conclusion after doing a little detective work. Toys For Tots is always a good cause. I just donated two Dark Energon figures to the TFT box at my office this morning, in fact.
