Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!!

[ChickoftheSea]

People, I have run across a curious situation.

Upon perusing the scuzzy world of eBay, I discovered this listing:

ROLEX - LADIES 18K/SS YACHTMASTER - ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!

I couldn't help but notice that the boxes shown in his various photos are different. The first shows the watch beside the "pearl" box:



And THEN, the watch (a watch) is shown sitting atop a different box:



FURTHER arousing my suspicions, I noted that he has duplicated his own description, only in the second version changing ONE LINE dealing with the dial and when he changed the line, he used a different font. (I am a stickler for details, can you tell???)

SO, I Googled a line from his description and VOILA!! - here is what I found on Craigslist in Sarasota:

ROLEX LADIES 18K / STAINLESS YACHTMASTER - $4900 (Palmetto, FL)

And DARN IT if the description isn't identical, and ONE of the photos in the eBay listing matches a photo from the Craigslist posting.

I e-mailed him (eBay seller) asking for additional photos. Strangely, he replied that "if I bid on the watch I will see that the 'Buy It Now' is $5,100". Well, the watch is currently sitting with a $3,800 "bid" and there is no BIN option, which I advised him in my reply. We will see if the additional photos show up.

Here is a link to the eBay listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...id=p2761.l1259

And to the Craigslist posting:

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/jwl/1663080700.html

I've e-mailed the seller on CL to ask if the same watch is also for sale on eBay, which could be the case - but something isn't right with those photos of watches and different boxes, copied/pasted descriptions, alterations, etc. STINKY POOPY DOOPY!!

[STEELINOX]

Itsa junker sorry.

[ChickoftheSea]

Originally Posted by STEELINOX

Itsa junker sorry.

That is what I think too, wanting to unravel this apparent scam coming at us straight from LOSERVILLE!

[ChickoftheSea]

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!

I heard from the seller and he confirms that both listings are his. STILL...something ain't right!

[sergio27]

I got 5 e-bucks that says he doesn't even own the watch. He probably stole the pics from some site.

Its fun to see these goofs trying to sell fakes/or stolen pics of a watch they dont even own so poorly. It reminds me of the beinning of the season of american idol where you get all the jerk offs that don't even sound good in the shower! I love the battery ones. Yea their are some older Rolex Oysterquartz that do take battery but definitely not the ones seen in watch out lol!

[diversified]

Ok Ciss, If you ever decide to appraise real estate or get involved with mortgage fraud appraisals in PA/Del/NJ, CALL ME FIRST! I know I would never see those things! Good eagle eyes.

[STEELINOX]

This does look okay afterall...



This caseback is what bugs me here...

[ChickoftheSea]

I think what bugs me the most about these listings is the variety of photo settings.

He DID write me back and offered to send me a photo of the/a watch set at a specific time. I haven't written him back as my day is about to get REALLY busy...imagine that, working instead of playing on TRF!!!

[ChickoftheSea]

Originally Posted by diversified

Ok Ciss, If you ever decide to appraise real estate or get involved with mortgage fraud appraisals in PA/Del/NJ, CALL ME FIRST! I know I would never see those things! Good eagle eyes.

Jim, I am already in the real estate business, but if I could combine my love for CSI/investigative/busting bad guys stuff with what I already do, that would be FANTABULOUS!! Is this something I could do long distance/telecommuting/nominal travel?!?!

[STEELINOX]

The funny thing is though in the first picture, his picture is on a real ROLEX box, but Not the box in his other pictures...



Ask him to take some "today pictures" with a piece of paper and on it written are todays date...

[ChickoftheSea]

ANOTHER UPDATE!!

Here is an e-mail I received from the seller:

Greetings,
My Ladies Yachtmaster.
Deleted Item number:320509608771
New Item number: 320510574059
Too many request and questions, therefore...new item.
Thank you,
Teamkoto

NOTE FROM ME: BOTH listings are live on eBay. He did NOT end the first one!

Here is a link to the new listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ROLEX-LADIES-18K...#ht_500wt_1182

AND the first listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_952wt_1167

His CL listing is still up with the photo of the watch on a different box.

[STEELINOX]

I just sent him a query too...

[diversified]

Unfortunately Ciss, its none of the above. Since the appraisal certification laws in 1991, you are pretty much restricted to the states you are certified in with minnimal, if no reprocity at all and getting certified anymore is horrible. A friend of mine recently told me that in the entire state of Illinois, only 6 people became certified in 2008 because of the rigors you are put through.
In my 25 years I've only been involved in 1 high profile case in which the single largest mortgage fraud in PA was committed at the time for $4,000,000.00 and I have to admit it, it was pretty wild with Interpol being involved, all the newspaper accounts( which still surface today from 15 years ago), meeting big name investigators who had some wild stories about their job (including O.J.), but overall its pretty mundane.
Financial institution loss/prevention, while sounding interesting is alot of travel, pushing paper and testifying around the country representing the financial institution. A relative of mine just took an early retirement from a large regional bank as their loss/prevention officer and hated it because of all of the above. What can I say, A job is just a job!

[Earl Camembert]

Originally Posted by ChickoftheSea

Here is a link to the new listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ROLEX-LADIES-18K...#ht_500wt_1182

He has a combination of stock photos and stolen photos. There are two different watches pictured. eBay doesn't care, TRF doesn't care and I don't buy watches on eBay form obvious scammers.

[ChickoftheSea]

Originally Posted by Earl Camembert

He has a combination of stock photos and stolen photos. There are two different watches pictured. eBay doesn't care, TRF doesn't care and I don't buy watches on eBay form obvious scammers.

Well then, there you have it.

[ChickoftheSea]

Originally Posted by diversified

Unfortunately Ciss, its none of the above. Since the appraisal certification laws in 1991, you are pretty much restricted to the states you are certified in with minnimal, if no reprocity at all and getting certified anymore is horrible. A friend of mine recently told me that in the entire state of Illinois, only 6 people became certified in 2008 because of the rigors you are put through.
In my 25 years I've only been involved in 1 high profile case in which the single largest mortgage fraud in PA was committed at the time for $4,000,000.00 and I have to admit it, it was pretty wild with Interpol being involved, all the newspaper accounts( which still surface today from 15 years ago), meeting big name investigators who had some wild stories about their job (including O.J.), but overall its pretty mundane.
Financial institution loss/prevention, while sounding interesting is alot of travel, pushing paper and testifying around the country representing the financial institution. A relative of mine just took an early retirement from a large regional bank as their loss/prevention officer and hated it because of all of the above. What can I say, A job is just a job!

Oh darn, I was hoping I could quit the mundane business of selling high-end real estate! Thank you for the clarification and I will continue to notice detail until I can no longer see. Have a great night!

[diversified]

Hey Ciss, If you're hiring let me know!!!

[ChickoftheSea]

Originally Posted by diversified

Hey Ciss, If you're hiring let me know!!!

Jim, it seems that the only ones hiring are sellers who want 2006 prices for 2010 property! You probably don't want any of that; many times I wonder if I do. Thankfully there is other business to keep the home fires burning! We here in Texas are pretty fortunate.

[tudorman8276]

Originally Posted by ChickoftheSea

ANOTHER UPDATE!!

Here is an e-mail I received from the seller:

Greetings,
My Ladies Yachtmaster.
Deleted Item number:320509608771
New Item number: 320510574059
Too many request and questions, therefore...new item.
Thank you,
Teamkoto

NOTE FROM ME: BOTH listings are live on eBay. He did NOT end the first one!

Here is a link to the new listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ROLEX-LADIES-18K...#ht_500wt_1182

AND the first listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_952wt_1167

His CL listing is still up with the photo of the watch on a different box.

...as opposed to what it SHOULD BE, 16 9 62...

...need a couple other opinions on this.

[diversified]

Well believe it or not, I think the bottom hit in March of 2009. Now we are just in a few years of stabilzation of the bell curve. 2007, 2008 and the first half of 2009 My offices were do 40-50 pre-foreclosures a week. The last half of 2009 we are down to 4-6 preforeclosures a week. A know alot of my clients wanted to bring the sheriffs gavel down over this last winter. Hell, I think the 1990 real estate debacle was 3 times worse then this one!

[tudorman8276]

[Czechman]

Originally Posted by ChickoftheSea

he replied that "if I bid on the watch I will see that the 'Buy It Now' is $5,100". Well, the watch is currently sitting with a $3,800 "bid" and there is no BIN option

Just FYI, a seller can revise his listing to include a BIN option.

[idk01]

OK here we go on the photos.

The second listing first:

http://www.aandewatches.com/rolex-la...htmaster01.htm


those photos are all over the damn place, info looks cut and paste, this smells like noting sniffed before

[ChickoftheSea]

Originally Posted by idk01

OK here we go on the photos.

The second listing first:

http://www.aandewatches.com/rolex-la...htmaster01.htm


those photos are all over the damn place, info looks cut and paste, this smells like noting sniffed before

Great job Dave!! Reckon we can hit the "Eject" button and jettison this mess out of here??

[ChickoftheSea]

Originally Posted by Czechman

Just FYI, a seller can revise his listing to include a BIN option.

You are correct; however, he told me he didn't know why the BIN wasn't showing up. He is an idiot and a dishonest one at that!

[STEELINOX]

LawrenceB has a "red boxed" Yachty on the SC here...

[diversified]

Ciss, you're going to get Pep jealous with that fish in your avater!

[ChickoftheSea]

Jim, that's the idea!

[CoopJr]

Originally Posted by diversified

Ciss, you're going to get Pep jealous with that fish in your avater!

Originally Posted by ChickoftheSea

Jim, that's the idea!

good one! I think Figbo fishes too. I trout fish in local streams up to me knees...that's about as deep as I care to go.

[ChickoftheSea]

Originally Posted by CoopJr

good one! I think Figbo fishes too. I trout fish in local streams up to me knees...that's about as deep as I care to go.

I don't know Allan, it gets pretty deep here on TRF!!