Ebay being flooded with LX Mig 29 rtf kits

[Bas La Bois]

I've been following with interest (and documenting evidence) a recent flood of ultra cheap LX RC Mig 29 rtf kits that have appeared on ebay since the begining of November. The listing uses the photos and description of the kit taken from the Banaba Hobby website and even shows a picture of Pete Young.

The MO started off as a listing of 270 kits, averaging a final price of about £50 each and free p&p from China, normally retails in the UK at about £350-400 each. That's about £14000 if they get the money from Paypal.

I contacted one of the buyers (in Chelmsford), who apparently bought five kits that arrived in 4 days from China (!? - I didn't get a reply) and the listing promptly dissappeared. But reappeared under a different seller name. Total number of sales up to 369, nearly £19000.

There are now two new sellers also selling other Lang Xiang kits and using the Banana Hobby photos/descriptions, some offering the kits for a buy it now price of £20 + £10 p&p. Too good to be true...well yes.

I suspect this is one seller using several ebay names or a small gang of fraudsters, basically scamming Paypal through Ebay.

This is for information only as I haven't found any discussion of this subject online and would like to make potential buyers aware of the risk.

There are going to be a quite a few disappointed Xmases I suspect.

NB: Anyone who has successfully received one of these ebay kits please reply as I would prefer to be in error. By the way I contacted Paypal to inform them of this potential scam and was told that any buyers are protected against loss, but they didn't seem very concerned about being robbed.

[John Privett]

Hmmmm, just looked at one of these sellers. Until about a week ago all their feedback was for baseball caps and headphones, now suddenly they are selling model planes???

I commented on another thread on here about a couple of weeks ago when a seller had suddenly switched from selling baseball caps too. I'd be very wary of this, but that's obviously just my opinion.

[John Privett]

Posted by John Privett on 23/12/2012 11:34:04:
I commented on another thread on here about a couple of weeks ago when a seller had suddenly switched from selling baseball caps too. I'd be very wary of this, but that's obviously just my opinion.

Oh dear... My comment (mentioned above) on this thread was about another seller of what is probably the same Mig 29. The item another poster had linked to is now "no longer available" (ebay-speak for the sale was "pulled') but the description is "MIG-29-fixed-wing-ducted-remote-control-aircraft-Including-battery-new"

At that time I commented on it;

Hmm, maybe I'm being over suspicious, but I smell a rat...

The feedback for this seller is rather low for someone who appears to be shifting a fair bit of stuff, and is all (that I've seen) for hair straighteners, DVDs, baseball caps and even more baseball caps. Now suddenly they're selling hundreds of mascot costumes and a few mis-described model planes.

I leave you to draw your own conclusion, but I know what I reckon...

[Bas La Bois]

Hi John

Yes you are right, the now, no longer trading seller who sold 270 Mig 29s had previously sold mostly baseball caps, electronic hair straighteners and beads strangely enough. I wonder if it isn't a female scammer as they all seem to have previously sold beads and other jewellery type trinkets and have now suddenly changed to fur coats, Lang Xiang RC kits and scale model cars. Some are also adding the odd tablet for rediculously low prices and gaming consoles. I've just clocked another new seller with the same MO and the same kit for auction.

They also all seem to have registered as ebay members between April, May & June of this year. I reckon that they planned to sell cheap trinkets to get their seller feedback scores up and then make the 'play' for the big money in the run up to Xmas. I just hope there weren't too many people relying on getting their purchases for Xmas. Although of course these won't be the sort of kit that would be bought as a childs present. Not a beginners flyer.

[Dizz]

I saw the buy-it-now £20+£10 listing on Friday. Thought it was too good to be true therefore probably a scam.......................but have protection buying through PayPal so for £30 took a punt, as have several others.

Will report back what arrives idc (if anything).

Pete

[Pete B]

Looking at the feedback from one of the sellers, it seems like the first on the list to buy one would like to know when his model will be shipped........so what has he been told?

Doesn't look good, does it?.............

Pete

[kc]

Why buy something that is obviously too good to be true? What protection do you have for your money in Paypal? What would it take to bring Paypal down? Why does Paypal take no action when somebody informs them of a probable scam?

These are the questions you should be thinking about before buying this sort of too cheap goods.

My guess is the buyers will eventually get some item but it will be some rubbish plastic toy which is almost worthless.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

No problem with this thread folks - yet - but if you are considering posting can we ask that you please remember to maintain a clear difference between what is conjecture and what is known fact!

Thanks

BEB

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 23/12/2012 20:48:09

[Jeff-C]

It looks like the chap asking when his model will be shipped bought the model yesterday and left feedback straight away.

[Pete B]

Obviously a novice with a feedback of 1 - he'll learn.........

Pete

[Dizz]

Actually one of the guys who bought one has a China Post tracking number and his box has left Beijing

[Pete B]

Well, if it all works out fine, I'll raise a glass to you, Dizz.........and kick myself!

Keep us posted....

Pete

[John Cole]

I have drawn the matter to Ebay's attention.

[John Hickson]

Just took a punt on one which I won for £28!!

funny thing is I get an error when I try and pay via eBay. I bought something else cheap just to test and that went through fine so it's definitely a problem with this item or seller. I contacted him or her saying I couldn't complete and they have invoiced me through PayPal. Now you might think all is well, but unless you complete the sale via the "pay now" button on eBay you don't get any buyer protection from PayPal. Which means if it doesn't turn up you don't get your money back.

Shame really, for £28 shipped I would have been chuffed!!

[John Hickson]

Wow! Just checked his other items for sale, there must be 200 of the Migs!

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 26/12/2012 15:52:20

[Frank Skilbeck]

Might be a scam, might not. A few years back I knew a guy in the UK you had a business buying and selling end of line/cancelled orders or excess stock, he would pick things up for pence and sell them on to market traders. 200 units sounds like it maybe a cancelled order or end of line run, rather than sell them on as a job lot maybe the seller has taken a punt at selling them individually on E Bay. Timne will tell..

[John Hickson]

I hope so Frank. It will be a great Xmas pressie

[John Privett]

I can see this panning out in one of 2 ways.

Maybe the seller is genuine, they've started off small selling small/cheap items and with increasing feedback and capital are now able to source and sell larger quantities of more expensive items.

Maybe the seller is a scammer, they've started off small selling small/cheap items and with increasing feedback are now able to lure lots of people into sending them lots of money before they disappear.

Like Frank says, only time will tell - but I haven't changed my mind whch way I think it will go. I just hope I'm wrong!

[PHILIP WATSON]

i took a punt @ this and they sent cheap earrings lol got a refund its a SCAM

[John Cole]

This guy has "sold" 265 so far, some for as little as £12.50 including postage, and has a further 164 currently listed. He is starting them at 6p each, including free postage from China.

All those who still believe in Santa: bid away.

I have had a reply from Ebay in Hong Kong, thanking me for the Emails I have sent them via Ebay UK, but because of their confidentiality restrictions we will never know exactly what happens.

[John Hickson]

I just "won"'another one but there's no way I'm paying until a) I have spoken to PayPal as to why I can't complete the sale in the normal way and b) spoken to eBay. Maybe I will then pay once the eBay checkout problem has been resolved.

[Pete B]

Hmm, looking distinctly sus! Curiosity has got the better of me. For my Boxing Day entertainment (after a bracing walk designed to use up some of yesterday's calorie intake) I bid and 'won' one for £40. Go to checkout and get this:

niuroumian55's PayPal account is unable to accept your payment at this time.
Contact the seller to assist you with completing the order at this time.
If you encounter this message more than once, please contact PayPal Customer Service for further assistance

I get the 'You've Won' email and there's a note attached:

Sorry! My PAYPAL address clerical errors, this is the correct PAYPAL address: [email protected]

A bit of research and it seems that if you pay to this email address, you're outside the Ebay/Paypal Buyer Protection, so I'll tread carefully from now on.......

I've now emailed him through Ebay Messages with the following:

Hi, I've received your message which appears to be asking me to make payment to a different email address ([email protected]) from that connected to the listing.
I would suggest you contact Paypal to correct the clerical error and I will then pay through Ebay, thank you.

We'll see what happens next.....
By the way, niu rou mian means 'beef noodle soup'.......is that Chinese slang for 'sucker'??

Pete

[Bas La Bois]

Don't be fooled by being given a tracking number as they can easily be faked or can be the tracking number of a pair of earing that's being sent instead (see feedback posts of some of the buyers) or even of an item that is sent within the country.

The person with only 1 feedback score who bought a kit for £30 inc p&p and who replied to the seller asking about when it would be delivered, is a young lad from Brazil. I've let him know that he should make a claim to Paypal asap.

There have now been seven sellers with the same mo, previously selling more or less the same types of trinkets, beads, hair straighteners, baseball caps etc and then suddenly changing to high value items. Five of them are still active. Put in a search for the Mig kits and you will find them.

[steve granger]

I have just purchased one of these ebay planes at £40 and it seemed to go through paypal ok and didnt display a message.

Im aware this is one of those "too good to be true"things but il wait and see what happens but should i contact ebay or anything?

just incase i get a bead or earing

il keep you posted on its arrival

[Harry Wilson]

Hi,

I know this is in relation to a different purchase item but my daughter recently bought a wedding dress from a guy in the UK and the paypal destination was China! We never got the wedding dress and because delivery was quoted outside of the paypal complaint window we never got a refund either. Paypal were not interested in helping us quoting only the small print. If you think you are not going to get the goods - get your Paypal claim in early - that is my point.

Harry Wilson