Warning: Elecraft KX3 and Accessories

W6KKO · Oct 21, 2018

KF2E said: ↑

I made a cautionary comment on this ad and it was removed. Should we not comment when an ad is obviously a problem?

Jon
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I would simply click on the "Report" link that is available on every post, so that whomever is moderating can review the concern.

WB0MPB · Oct 21, 2018

AA7BQ said: ↑

This is a special swapmeet administrative thread. Replies and comments ARE allowed.

CAUTION

It has come to our attention that scammers are still trolling the swapmeet area and they are making direct contact with our members outside of the website. Why is this article titled Elecraft KX3 and Accessories? Its because that was the title of the scammer's email of a false offer. For some reason, the Elecraft brand of gear seems to be a new favorite for scammers. Perhaps owing to its popularity and higher average price, we have noted that the brand Elecraft comes up in scam reports frequently.

In a recent scam attempt, the scammer watched the comments and buyer-seller conversations on the board and then independently contacted one of its participants via email with a fantastic offer for an Elecraft KX3 setup. Fortunately, this user was astute and quickly recognized the "scamminess" of the materials provided and no deal ensued.

My worry is that others may not be as lucky, because it's a safe bet that the scammer had no KX3 in his possession. Despite this, the lure of possibly getting a great deal on one can be irresistible for some.

Here are a few suggestions that might save you a couple of thousand dollars:

1. Be wary of anyone who contacts you via email offering something for sale.
2. Know that any time you post a Want To Buy (WTB) online that a scammer WILL review it and target you.
3. Know that scammers always have exactly what you're looking for.
4. When conducting private deals outside of QRZ, consider adopting some of the same rules we have, i.e. demand photos with call signs.
5. Do not deal with widows, children, family members, etc., who are selling off an SK estate unless you can meet them face-to-face.
6. Under NO Circumstances, never, ever, send payment to other than the FCC call sign address.
7. Never send payment to a third party. Not ever.
8. Got Skype? Ask the seller to join you in a Skype video chat, and show you the gear.

I surely hope that more people will read this and take great pause in dealing with unsolicited offers for ham equipment over the internet.

73, -fred AA7BQ
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I have a question for you Fred. This is something that makes me nervous. Please tell me if I am being to paranoid?
When the Paypal email address does not match the seller or buyers QRZ page email that makes me nervous. Am I being too paranoid when I think that?
I have been selling items and am working on a complete station ad on QRZ and I am always nervous. I come from parents that worry about everything so I may just have learned to be worried from my parents.

Thanks Fred, de John, WB0MPB

WB2LBV · Oct 21, 2018

It's not wrong to be worried but that alone isn't necessarily a red flag. People commonly have multiple email addresses so it wouldn't be unusual for someone's Paypal address to be different from their QRZ profile address, especially if they use an address with their callsign for ham-related business and a more generic one for Paypal and other things.
More of a concern would be if their Paypal shipping address and QRZ/FCC address don't match. That IS a red flag.

N4GKS · Oct 21, 2018

AA7BQ said: ↑

This is a special swapmeet administrative thread. Replies and comments ARE allowed.

CAUTION

It has come to our attention that scammers are still trolling the swapmeet area and they are making direct contact with our members outside of the website. Why is this article titled Elecraft KX3 and Accessories? Its because that was the title of the scammer's email of a false offer. For some reason, the Elecraft brand of gear seems to be a new favorite for scammers. Perhaps owing to its popularity and higher average price, we have noted that the brand Elecraft comes up in scam reports frequently.

In a recent scam attempt, the scammer watched the comments and buyer-seller conversations on the board and then independently contacted one of its participants via email with a fantastic offer for an Elecraft KX3 setup. Fortunately, this user was astute and quickly recognized the "scamminess" of the materials provided and no deal ensued.

My worry is that others may not be as lucky, because it's a safe bet that the scammer had no KX3 in his possession. Despite this, the lure of possibly getting a great deal on one can be irresistible for some.

Here are a few suggestions that might save you a couple of thousand dollars:

1. Be wary of anyone who contacts you via email offering something for sale.
2. Know that any time you post a Want To Buy (WTB) online that a scammer WILL review it and target you.
3. Know that scammers always have exactly what you're looking for.
4. When conducting private deals outside of QRZ, consider adopting some of the same rules we have, i.e. demand photos with call signs.
5. Do not deal with widows, children, family members, etc., who are selling off an SK estate unless you can meet them face-to-face.
6. Under NO Circumstances, never, ever, send payment to other than the FCC call sign address.
7. Never send payment to a third party. Not ever.
8. Got Skype? Ask the seller to join you in a Skype video chat, and show you the gear.

I surely hope that more people will read this and take great pause in dealing with unsolicited offers for ham equipment over the internet.

73, -fred AA7BQ
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I say castrate the crook.

K8JST · Oct 25, 2018

WB0MPB said: ↑

I have a question for you Fred. This is something that makes me nervous. Please tell me if I am being to paranoid?
When the Paypal email address does not match the seller or buyers QRZ page email that makes me nervous. Am I being too paranoid when I think that?
I have been selling items and am working on a complete station ad on QRZ and I am always nervous. I come from parents that worry about everything so I may just have learned to be worried from my parents.

Thanks Fred, de John, WB0MPB
Click to expand...

My paypal email address is my family's email (wife and I use that) while my QRZ address is my personal. I think this is fairly common.

AA7BQ · Oct 25, 2018

WB0MPB said: ↑

I have a question for you Fred. This is something that makes me nervous. Please tell me if I am being to paranoid?
When the Paypal email address does not match the seller or buyers QRZ page email that makes me nervous. Am I being too paranoid when I think that?
I have been selling items and am working on a complete station ad on QRZ and I am always nervous. I come from parents that worry about everything so I may just have learned to be worried from my parents.

Thanks Fred, de John, WB0MPB
Click to expand...

Offhand, I can't blame people for having multiple email addresses, as I, myself, have several. It seems fairly prudent to have a unique email just for Paypal use.

Here on QRZ, we maintain TWO email addresses for every user, the primary email and the listed email. The primary email is the one which we use to validate the user's existence, and for any administrative notices that need to go to the user. This could also be called the user's account email address. We NEVER disclose this address to anyone outside of QRZ HQ. Then, we save the email address that the user chooses to list on their public call sign page. We do not verify this latter address at all, and users are free to put anything in there. This gives rise to the obvious question of "how much do we trust what is shown on the user's call sign page"?

Paypal doesn't disclose the ownership of its accounts, however, you can ask the seller to send you a PayPal Invoice. The invoice should give you some info about the seller. Another test would be to send the seller one dollar ($1) and then ask him to refund it. This kind of two-way transaction, while not necessarily all encompassing, can you make your decision.

Also, I pay attention to writing skills and grammar. If the seller is poor in his command of English, or is an extraordinarily bad speller, I take pause.

Finally, I can't help but consider that the vast majority of transactions here are conducted without issue.

73 -fred

Warning: Elecraft KX3 and Accessories

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