Do you offer international shipping on your items? Then, this guide is for you. I'm going to explain a scam I recently encountered with the hopes that I can attract a lot of attention and stop the scammers from attacking innocent, and most importantly honest, eBayers.

I'm going to show you exactly what the scammer wrote and you can do with this information whatever you'd like.

This ID has already been reported to eBay, however, the scammer first contacts you about a generic shipping question. This is to obtain your email address. Once they have it, they contact you outside eBay for the acutal scam scenerio.

Here's what the scammer wrote:

"Hi, do you ship internationally (Russia)? I need a gift for my cousin. Thanks!" - This is exactly what they wrote by clicking the Ask a Seller button in the auction.

This looks like an authentic question, doesn’t it?

Ok, after I wrote back that I happily ship internationally, he tells me:

Hi, thank you very much for your response! Let me tell you what I need exactly.
My cousin is having a birthday soon and I would like to make a present for him.
I want it to be something special. For example your sunglasses packed in gift wrap with a card inside.
Please let me know what you can offer. Also I want to send $900 via Western Union wire transfer as an additional money present
 for my cousin. The only problem
is I want to make them surprised and don't want them to know that the present is from me
to let it remain a surprise.
I am looking for a seller who could help me with that.
I will pay for item, packaging, express shipping and WU fees of course.
As I said they  live in Russia.
Please let me know if you could help me with that!
I will send the money for everything via PAYPAL upfront ofcourse.
I could even pay you for a trouble let's say $200 - please understand it's very
important for me!
I hope to hear from you soon! GOD bless you!
Have a nice day!!!

Then, as if the scammers hadn't said enough, they had the audacity to say "God Bless!"

I knew this was a scam because of all the Western Union attention on TV as of late, but I'm really hoping this information will help someone who's unfamiliar with these types of scams.

Lesson: PLEASE NEVER EVER ENTER INTO A WESTERN UNION TRANSACTION WITH ANYONE, EVEN IF THEY SEEM LEGIT. TOO MANY UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE ARE FALLING FOR THIS, AND LOSING THEIR MONEY.

If this guide has been helpful, please click yes below. Thanks.