HAMS AVOIDING SCAMS
(buying online without ripoffs)
by
Ivan Shapiro
WK1W
Presented at AARA Meeting
April 4, 2013
P.T. Barnum
“There’s a sucker born every minute”
He did not say this, though often
attributed to him.
There is some truth to it, however,
We must be vigilant!
We want a bargain
We hams look for bargains on websites:
Qrz.com
Qth.com
Ebay.com
And hamfests
So….Let’s avoid scams
HAMFESTS
*** Lots of “goodies” out there ***
Other hams’ stuff they don’t need or want
Do you NEED it
(Impulse buying is a problem)
You bought it and it doesn’t work…tough luck
because you bought it and no recourse
Can you send it back if it doesn’t work
Is it a bargain? Know comp pricing before
Can the seller demo the item
HAM LISTINGS ONLINE
• Get reviews from hams who bought it:
• New Equipment Reviews
• Used Equipment Reviews
• Reviews of Services
• Visit www.eham.net/reviews
eham.net/reviews
general categories
eham.net/reviews
general categories
eham.net/reviews
example of specifics: transceivers
DON’T GET RIPPED-OFF
Pay attention to the wording
Try to know the seller
Don’t fall for foreign scams
Don’t send payment by Western Union
If paypal don’t use “personal” unless…..
Try to find reviews of the seller
not always possible)
Only buy from licensees (make sure-here’s how
qth.com
example of wanted ad
AMPHF - WTB: Peter Dahl Transformer
77SX/DX
– Looking for an internal Peter Dahl Plate
Transformer for an Alpha 77SX/DX.
– Listing #1048076 - Submitted on 02/18/13 by
Callsign KA1J - IP: host253-136.excalibur.tvcconnect.net
– Click Here to Email -- Send this Ad to a Friend
qth.com
example for sale ad
AMPHF - Alpha 77SX Hf Amp Beautiful!!!!
– Alpha 77SX Hf Amp. Looks Beautiful!!!!
New panels and looks great inside.
Works 100 Percent!!
Tubes are new with warranty which Iam keeping or if you pay more I will
sell the tubes with amp.
So selling without tubes. But works 100 percent!!
Will ship or can be picked up at my shack in NJ.
4400.00 Plus shipping. Great deal for someone that wants a great amp.
With tubes 5600.00
Thanks.Rich
973-857-1195
– Listing #1053087 - Submitted on 03/15/13 by Callsign KF2GG - IP: ool45769925.dyn.optonline.net
– Click Here to Email -- Click Here to View Picture -- Send this Ad to a
Friend
Ads: Wanted vs. For Sale
Scammers are lurking for suckers
Scammers respond to wanted ads
For sale may be scam, but at least you
can verify the IP address and check
him out
Response to my ad
What is wrong here?
• Name: juan
• Callsign: EA0JC
• E-mail: juan17880@gmail.com
• The response is:
• if still interested ,i will email you some
pics and details as soon as i hear from
you,thanks
So I look up the call sign on qrz.com
EA0JC Spain
King of Spain Juan Carlos de Borbón
Royal Palace
Madrid
Spain
Juan Carlos is King of Spain. Verified on
qrz.com and google and by a ham from
Spain. King has this call…..but
(next slide tells the story)
Call Sign Stolen
The scammer finds a call on qrz where
there is no email. He takes the call and
creates a
“generic email”
callsign@yahoo,com
callsign@gmail.com
Pictures of For Sale equipment
Copied from others on line
I have at least three sets of same pictures
Three showing same serial #
Could be from three sellers….or same seller using
generic email with call sign
Is that a giveaway or what ?!?!?!?
Same serial # I’ve seen before
QTH.com
•
• Ham Radio Classified Ads
A Free Service by KA9FOX & QTH.com
• QTH.COM Home - Classifieds Home - Swap
Chat Board - Callsign Lookup
Search - Place Ad - Edit Ad - Delete Ad Feedback Forum - Safe Trading Tips
Banner Advertising - Web Hosting - Domain
Name Registrations - Make Donation
Counterfeit Money Order
•
•
•
•
•
EST 123
Counterfeit Money Orders
by N5LON » Sat Mar 26, 2005 4:02 am
I have been "dealing" with a guy named Hank Thomas (or Hank Thoms) on a radio that I had for
sale. It was one of those deals where he wanted to send me a Money Order for $1000 for a $75
radio, and I was to cash it and he'd arrange pickup of the cash and radio (he was supposedly
sending the radio to his client in Malta and that was the smallest denomination of MO they could
get). Of course I knew the scam and got the post office involved right away. They have had a rash
of fake MOs lately and really have no interest anymore. I even got the guy to relinquish control of
this deal to me, where I was calling all the shots when I refused to Western Union the money to
him...claiming I was an invalid and couldn't get to Western Union. He finally agreed to have Fed
Ex pick up the package of money and radio (they even came here today for it), so I know the
address it's going to is legitimate (in NY). Do you think the PO would even act on this? Not even
chasing shadows here, we have a definate pickup point, and they don't even care. Guess this
fake-money-order-thing would be a great business to get into...it's apparent it's not against the law
if enough people do it. At least that's what the PO told me indirectly, ("there's so many people
doing it now that we just can't follow up on the leads.") I guess if everyone shoots someone, then
it's a crime that becomes legal by default!
N5LON
–
–
–
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2005 3:53 am
Scammer w/ callsign (?)
• Scammer representing himself as KG4TUP, Has ad on here also
• by bgtatum » Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:24 am
• Recently I posted a wanted ad for a nice TS-130S. I received a reply
from a scammer posing as KG4TUP. It is very obvious by his
wording and offering of the equipment he is a scammer. He also has
an ad on this site( Listing #1040235) offering a new in box IC-7566
Pro III. In his response he was offering me a nice, in the original box,
TS-130S with all accessories, and told me he was selling it to obtain
money for medical bills. In his ad on this site he says he needs the
money for a project at hand.
• bgtatum
–
– Posts: 2
– Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:42 am
• Top
Good Luck
•
•
•
•
Vigilance
Attention to detail
Suspicion
Check qrz.com and FCC, though not
totally reliable. Could be misrepresentation
•
fin