lesson one: how to get screwed out of $2000, by jonvespa on Jan 5, 2008 0:49:37 GMT 1, so i was browsing ebay this morning, and came across this:
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300187690311&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=020

ooops, looks like it was removed by the seller. anyways, it was the four foot kaws toy.

i have wanted this kaws piece since its release. it originally retailed for $2500 plus shipping. They typically sell for $5000 or so. The seller (from "west virginia, united states") offers to sell it for $2000 to the first person to email them, so i did.

The seller promptly emailed me back an hour later and said they were "on vacation" in europe and would contact ebay to end the auction and send me an invoice. He says he needs my mailing address and ebay screen name. Not a problem, i send it (i live in a secured building, and he would have gotten my mailing address to send it to me anyways).

Next thing i know, i get a very strange email from ebay_buyerprotection@yahoo.com (hahahaha, why would they think that i would believe ebay used "yahoo email" for correspondence, they must think us art people are morons). The payment request isnt made out to me, and its from:

First Name:
Last Name: Aurelian-ionut
Olteanu
Address: sat Chiscani, com. Chiscani, jud. Braila, nr. 1216
City: BRAILA
Zip code: 6100
Country: ROMANIA

And, they require payment by western union (not paypal or credit card which would have provided me with some insurance at least). But, he used my address and name for the actual request (now i understand why he asked for it in the first place)

Obviously i immediately emailed this douchbag back and told him to rip someone else off.

anyways, let this be a lesson to all of you.....watch your backs and your wallet.

jon