E-bay Scam. Ukraine Scammers

Every month we got about half a dozen requests from eBay users which are scammed by Ukrainian scammers. The problem of e-bay that pay pal system is not available for Ukraine users. Therefore e-bay sellers from Ukraine prefer Western Union as the only way of getting money from buyers. After money is sent by Western Union you have got a good chance to be scammed. To e-bay users’ regret, Western Union is not available to return money back.

In 2008 we got request from e-bay user to make investigation concerning e-bay scammer from Ukraine. Customer bought laptop for 2500.00 USD, transferred money by Western Union and got neither refund nor notebook. Customer supplied us with scammer’s Western Union billing information; we identified the scammer and applied to the police of Ukraine to start criminal investigation.

The police of Ukraine started criminal investigation but the arguments were too weak to push this case into the court and the police had nothing to do but to close criminal case.

Reasons were:

If somebody pays by Western Union it doesn’t mean that somebody pays for some goods, business services or anything else. Scammer announced that he got charity from some American who decided to help his ill grandfather. Scammer was asked: “How do you think why rich American whom you do not know transferred 2500.00 USD to help your grandfather?” Answer was the most innocent: “First I didn’t catch why. But in few weeks this American asked me to make him a favor: to search and buy historical rarities in Ukraine and make illegal export of them to US. I refused his proposal and wanted to return money but unfortunately I have already used them for recovering of my grandfather. So this American is a real scammer who made charity for my ill grandfather and now makes blackmail.” The police checked and discovered that scammer’s grandfather was really ill.

E-bay messages and via correspondence between scammer and e-bay buyer were shown to the scammer. The police made identity of Ukraine PC from which correspondence was made. But scammer said: “PC has not got digital sign which confirms identity of user. Besides the apartment where PC located was rent by other person from Africa who lived there and maybe made a scam. You are welcome to close criminal case in Ukraine and search your scammer in Africa”. The scammer showed “renting contract”.

Anyway one of Ukraine investigators found the way how to catch this scammer. He rent expensive land rover, took a gun, took dictaphone, hidden camera and met scammer. He informed the scammer that he was representative of criminal world and some corrupted police officer sold information to criminals about the scammer. “Criminal representative” offered agreement in accordance to which:

1. Scammer has to continue scamming
2. Scammer has to specify where he scams and how he scams. This way criminal authority will be available to give exclusivity for this scammer in this field of scam and nobody will interfere the scammer’s business.
3. Criminal authorities have friends in the police and will defend scammer from the police in case of his failure.
4. Scammer has to grant criminal authorities 50% of his profit.
5. Scammer made scam before this agreement, earned money but didn’t pay to criminal authorities. This way the scammer has to pay fine 5000.00 USD immediately.
6. If scammer does not agree with any paragraph of this agreement “criminal representative” will make him injures and will be back in a week to continue discussing this agreement.

The scammer had nothing to do but to inform “criminal representative” how he scams whom he scams and where he scams. Scam scenario was voice and video recorded. Having got this evidence we applied Office of Public Prosecutor to appeal solution of the police and reopen criminal case. The prosecutor of Ukraine satisfied our appeal and scammer was caught.