I hope if anyone’s interested in this listing that they are alert to these warning signs of possible fraud. Seller account is a few months old, with low (7) previous feedback history of only $8 in purchases (mostly of electronically delivered items violating eBay’s policy on Digital Delivery), largely from Sellers in China. Item and Seller are listed to be in Sofia, Bulgaria. Listing duration is only 3 days, up soon.
The seller’s avatar is actually taken from the Doyle website…
Yes, so? Lots of people lift images from websites. eBay allows stock photos in listings, too. Not in itself any sort of red flag. It can reflect either an honest interest in a product or activity, or can be intended to mislead or reassure - I’m not sure what their intention is. However, let me say that I do not intend to bid.
This is a scam! 100% sure of it.
I thought that flute and kitchen worktop looked familiar - they are mine!
In fact this is nearly an exact copy of the listing I used to sell this flute last year. It sold to a lady in New York who wanted it for her daughter, a student of Margie Mulvihill.
The photos are mine (NOT from Martin’s site) and some of the text looks familiar (although I described it as his “Celtic” model and this scammer has it listed as “Traditional”.
So thanks for spotting this and bringing it to my attention. I have notified ebay.
DO NOT BID THIS IS A SCAM!!!
Now too close to end of auction (7 hours) for the current bidders to retract their bids. Let’s hope that eBay will finally pull it before it closes.
There are many auctions on EBay for high-end woodwind instruments with the seller based in Bulgaria.
Are many of them fake?
Perhaps no more than elsewhere. I don’t recall seeing any high-end woodwinds from Bulgaria, can you cite an auction #? Some from a known seller in Poland, but that’s all that comes to my mind.
It only appears questionable when there seems to be a pattern of abuse of eBay’s feedback system (buying feedback for 6 mostly intangible items in an hour, leaving positive feedback for a seller within 40 seconds of a tangible purchase yet to be shipped), short auction durations (so they conclude before eBay can take action), new seller recently registered, stolen photos, exceptionally low starting price, below-cost international shipping.
Re the Bulgarian flute sales --if its this seller?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ALFRED-SEEGER-1940-SWISS-WOODEN-FLUTE-Extra-Trill-Keys-/260814757876?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb9c55ff4
He is a very honest man and a good classical flute player . The descriptions he gives are good and if there are any issues you will get a refund if the flute is not up to scratch . That was my experience in any case.
Different name as seller for the Martin Doyle offering.
Best wishes.
Steve
Sold for $281.88.
This is truly sickening. I sold this flute last August so it is not possible to see the original listing (way over 90 days old). So how has this scammer gotten hold of the details? A saved webpage? I remember enough of my original listing to know that this scammer has done some research work on Martin’s site.
Sad for the winning bidder. If they use paypal then they should be covered (but how do paypal pursue the scammer?).
Celtic-style flute, no slide and 1 engraved ferrule, current retail is €625.00.
Here’s your original sale thread. with your high-res pics:
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/fs-doyle-keyless-celtic-flute/70843/6
eBay listing was # 320564066785. eBay archives listings indefinitely, they just won’t let us common folk view them after 90 days (if you have the listing #, 15 days for search unless you subscribe to one of the marketplace research vendors). So, the info is available for eBay to view if you think it would help them throw out the current Seller. eBay will share with Law Enforcement when properly requested.
Here’s another Bulgarian selling something expensive (a 1920s Selmer soprano sax):
Item number: 330584523900
Is that legit? (I’m not intending to bid anyway).
It would seem to be legit. Seller has a long history of substantially positive feedback received as a Seller (a few old negatives and neutrals, so some Buyers perceived problems in past transactions), has been registered on eBay and selling for a long period of time. He does however have reduced buyer ratings (DSR=Detailed Seller Ratings) regarding items being as described, and some dissatisfaction with shipping charges. Positive feedback as a Buyer on the same account, including the types of instruments that are then refurbished and re-sold, which seems perfectly reasonable. Has a limited variety of buy/sell interests, many of which would not seem to be as high-risk as musical instruments, not particularly scam items. I’d buy from them with reasonable confidence, assuming I was satisfied with the photos, description and price, and pay via a method that allowed me to have the best Buyer Protection Policy (not the bank transfer he is allowed as a non-US Seller to accept).