Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Lawrenceburg Resident Bilked Through Ebay Scam

   A Lawrenceburg man reported this week that he feared he had been bilked out of several hundred dollars through an apparent scam on the popular Ebay auction website.

   Charles L. Robinson, 43, of 26 Horseshoe Bend Road, summoned Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies to his home Monday to file an official complaint.

   Robinson told deputies that he was the high bidder on four Bristol Nextel Cup tickets through an Ebay auction. He won the tickets, he said, with a bid of $705.00.

   Once the auction closed, Robinson said he obtained a money order and mailed it to the seller:  “Derek Sammelman, 401 Fifth Street, Dupo, Illinois.”

   Shortly after he mailed the money order, Robinson said he received an email from Ebay, instructing him not to send money. The email indicated that the auction “could be a fraud.”

   Robinson told deputies he had made attempts to contact Sammelman both by telephone and email, but quickly discovered that both services had been disconnected. The investigating officer reports that he, also, attempted to contact the seller, but was unsuccessful.

   Investigation into the matter is continuing at the current time.

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