Fantastic Pens From Thailand

[CRB]

I’ve been looking to buy a Targa Golden Filigree (1044) for some time now. I hadn’t ever seen one at auction; so last week I was excited to find two separate listings for the pen on ebay. My excitement soon cooled, as it began to appear that something might be amiss. The listings, both by the same seller, chanunthidashop, located in Thailand, included identical photos of the pen. I could see that it had a broad nib, which is my preference. Wondering just which pen the photos depicted, I asked seller in both auctions to verify nib size. Seller’s answer to both questions was: “Nib size Medium”.

 

I didn’t bid, because it didn’t seem safe to do so. A couple of days ago the auctions ended, at levels like $10 and $13 US, unheard of for a rare and sought-after pen. Today, the seller has two more auctions for the same Targa, using the same pictures of the broad nibbed example. He/she is also currently listing more than 50 rare Parker 75s, Sheaffer Targas, Imperials and ST Dupont fountain pens. Research of the seller’s completed auctions shows numerous rare pens, but I couldn’t find any feedback on any fountain pen transactions. Of the 81 feedbacks, all of the identified items are t-shirts and jackets. Many of the comments look similar, and read like they were written by the same person.

 

I thought I'd share a little reminder to proceed with caution and do some research if an item you’re interested in has something about it that doesn’t seem just right.

 

Take care and have fun,

Joe

 

[BruceR]

Joe's caution was very well founded. chanunthidashop is no more.

The seller from Thailand had a considerable number of interesting pens listed ending today (as Joe indicated), sometimes three with the same description and apparently identical photos. There was a rainbow gold Parker 75, which ended for $510, if I remember correctly, and lots of others. I bid on some, having the same misgivings as Joe, and having seen Joe's warning. Fortunately, in my caution, I bid low, and was not successful. About 12 hours later than the first lot of auctions ended, eBay has removed the remaining auctions, and cancelled the ones that had ended. I presume there was something seriously wrong, and eBay has taken action. Thanks for publishing the warning. Bruce

 

I’ve been looking to buy a Targa Golden Filigree (1044) for some time now. I hadn’t ever seen one at auction; so last week I was excited to find two separate listings for the pen on ebay. My excitement soon cooled, as it began to appear that something might be amiss. The listings, both by the same seller, chanunthidashop, located in Thailand, included identical photos of the pen. I could see that it had a broad nib, which is my preference. Wondering just which pen the photos depicted, I asked seller in both auctions to verify nib size. Seller’s answer to both questions was: “Nib size Medium”.

 

I didn’t bid, because it didn’t seem safe to do so. A couple of days ago the auctions ended, at levels like $10 and $13 US, unheard of for a rare and sought-after pen. Today, the seller has two more auctions for the same Targa, using the same pictures of the broad nibbed example. He/she is also currently listing more than 50 rare Parker 75s, Sheaffer Targas, Imperials and ST Dupont fountain pens. Research of the seller’s completed auctions shows numerous rare pens, but I couldn’t find any feedback on any fountain pen transactions. Of the 81 feedbacks, all of the identified items are t-shirts and jackets. Many of the comments look similar, and read like they were written by the same person.

 

I thought I'd share a little reminder to proceed with caution and do some research if an item you’re interested in has something about it that doesn’t seem just right.

 

Take care and have fun,

Joe

 

[CRB]

Hi Bruce, and

 

The pictures the seller had were so attractive that I was tempted to ignore my own advice; but there were too many flags going up.

 

Today I got an email from ebay, because their records show that I'd received an answer from that seller. So I took a look, and like you say, the seller is gone and there's almost no trace of him. I'm glad they took action, and I can't help but wonder what made them investigate.

 

Cheers,

Joe

[framebaer]

Those Thai Ebay scammers remind me of "Whack-a-Mole".

 

Fast as Ebay whacks one down, another pops up!!!

[BruceR]

Another fountain pen caution.

 

There is another eBay listing from Thailand, offering 5 flat top Sterling Parker 75s, The photos look the same, and one of the photos on each has a unique scratch, and that photo is clearly common to all pens.

250455374764

250455378739

250455380018

250455380238

250455376612

Seller: sampdoee( 4 )

I have reported it to eBay. Using the same photos for different listings is probably not allowed on vintage items.

 

There is another Thai hopeful, bohemiane, who is listing 18 sterling Parker 75s, most with an initial price of 1 cent. His Feedback is from sampdoee, so I wonder. !! One is 260440732422

 

Bruce

[BruceR]

another probable pen scam. Thailand may have moved to Alaska.

 

There are a lot of gold Parker pens on sale nominally from Anchorage in Alaska. (paul97_123( 14) )

PARKER 75 Vermeil crosshatch grid FOUNTAIN PEN Item number: 250483267251

 

The one negative feedback said the broken pen was shipped from Thailand!

 

It looks very familiar

 

Bruce

[CRB]

There are currently 37 items listed for seller odenses, located in Bangkok, Thailand. Of the 37 items listed, 10 of them are a gold plated Parker 75 Cisele; the same photos are used for all the listings. Seller has 14 feedback remarks, mostly from a few accounts, and for items that cost $.01.

 

What must make it difficult for ebay to prove fraudulent activity is that apparently some people who bid on these auctions may actually even receive a pen when they win an auction; if the seller decides the price went high enough to let go of one of their bait pens.

 

But if buyers are paying attention, they're going to see that the abundance of these gems doesn't match their usual occurence in the world, all in one place, at one time. The seller s giving us plenty of clues.

 

 

Joe