QTH.COM Swap Chat

Hello all, I posted a WANT a ELECRAFT KPA500 HF Amplifier.

Here was a response from a SELLER:
2E0CJA
Lee Mcgaughey

ELECRAFT KPA500 HF AMP for sale
Saturday, April 7, 2012 7:19 PM
From:
"Lee Mcgaughey" <leemcag>
Add sender to Contacts
To:
[email protected]
Hello Rob,
I have the ELECRAFT KPA500 HF AMP for sale.
73
Lee

So I asked for a Price:
and got this message:

Hi Rob
Mint Condition Elecraft KPA500 HF/6m 500watt amplifier. Fully integrated with the K3
but a great amp for any rig. Bought last week of January 2012. It's a really
cool amp and it's integration with the K3 is outstanding. It comes with all
the original stuff and has a really cool dust cover
S/N:164
ASKING 1400 usd shipped to

Do you need my QTH to make payment to so I can send you a tracking number and my payment info.
73
Lee

The Seller sent 2 Pictures
Strangely they were exactly the same pictures that another ham had listed, a KPA500 , they were exactly the same.

I got very suspicious:


Than I got this email from him:

Hello Rob,
I have sent the unit to Courier service.
Tracking No.: FF6543678946
Website : http://firstflightshipping.co.cc

Payment is via Western Union Money transfer to my QTH info.
Name:Lee Mcgaughey
Address:10 Blyth court
Barton upon Humber Dn18 6et
England,UK.

Item will be on a 2nd day delivery to you immediately I confirm your payment info.
73
Lee.+447024018189
2E0CJA.

I looked up his call sign , and it does not EXIST in QRZ
I thought what a great price (to good to be true)
I Read Qth Warnings about sending a Western Union Money, another Flag went up.
Than no QRZ info on his call sign (another Flag)
The pictures the seller sent were exactly , those that another ham had used to sell his KPA500.

Anyway I did not complete this deal because of all the ISSUES, but thought I would post the info here , for all to read.
Rob n8rt

You did well to be suspicious.

It seems I get 2-3 of these a week sometimes. The scam changes a bit from time to time but is always basically the same.

NEVER send payment via Western Union. If you do your money will be gone forever with NO HOPE of getting it back. .

http://chat.qth.com/viewtopic.php?t=111 ... ght=2e0cja

BUYERS be careful

I also found this info about 2E0CJA here on QTH feedback

That First Flight Shipping web site is a scam shipping company. If I remember correctly the scammers even set up the web site. They have been linked to many a ham loosing money.

Ronald is correct about that first Flight being a scam site as i recall not that long ago of a Ham posting on here about being taken by a scammer using First Flight as the shippoing company.