Bizarre Ebay Seller Selling Fakes.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

That listing for the CRKT says made in the USA. This isn’t just a case of her not knowing, it’s deliberate deception.
Thanks TFL, remind me to never piss you off. You are fantastic at cyber sleuthing, you uncovered an amazing amount of info and from what you shared, it’s pretty likely that it’s the same person you uncovered. Sent you a PM.

[Madmarco]

I searched one of her knives Mark, and right in her description she's saying, "money go to medication for my patients", so she must think that will tug on the heart strings of prospective buyers right then and there, instead of waiting to tell that story when a buyer complains, like she did with you. She has one of the Warlocks listed again, so I'll try again to report it, although, as I told you, the ebay system wouldn't let me proceed when I tried a couple of days ago, but who knows, maybe this time. Judging from the comments it looks like we aren't the only ones who thought she is just trying to stay one step ahead of her creditors, and that she's been at this scam for awhile. Just imagine the demons she has to deal with every night when she goes to bed! Looks like it'll all turn out in your favor, and that's the bottom line in this situation!

[Sharpnshinyknives]

I searched one of her knives Mark, and right in her description she's saying, "money go to medication for my patients", so she must think that will tug on the heart strings of prospective buyers right then and there, instead of waiting to tell that story when a buyer complains, like she did with you. She has one of the Warlocks listed again, so I'll try again to report it, although, as I told you, the ebay system wouldn't let me proceed when I tried a couple of days ago, but who knows, maybe this time. Judging from the comments it looks like we aren't the only ones who thought she is just trying to stay one step ahead of her creditors, and that she's been at this scam for awhile. Just imagine the demons she has to deal with every night when she goes to bed! Looks like it'll all turn out in your favor, and that's the bottom line in this situation!

I hope so Mark. I appreciate the help you gave me on this. When she told you the same story about selling donations for other people’s health needs, I figured something was amiss. I was already finding it hard to believe or take seriously in the first place but that really revealed the scheme.
I doubt that she has any problem sleeping. I know people like this and every rotten thing they do is totally justified in their minds. There is no moral compass. As M. Scott Peck said “they are the people of the lie”.

[Madmarco]

I was re-reading the comments, and TFL mentioned how unusual it was that some items came from Orangevale, and some from Carmichael, and that was the first thing that seemed very odd to me, so I have no doubts whatsoever that she's a lifelong crook who's been at this a long time, and you're probably totally correct regarding her not losing any sleep over her scams, it's always the other guy's actions, never their own. A very fitting quote you posted from M. Scott Peck!

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Just an update on this. The seller is still listing these Paragon’s on both sites, only she has lowered the prices. On the one that she has for 218, she says this: “This is a gorgeous piece of item. I sold a lot and everyone is quite happy and thankful. This is not Asheville”. And she added this:
“A very thankful buyer who knew I am a physician and the whole sale goes to medications for my patients told me to mention this. I may take this statement off although it is true because I think the item is gorgeous and addictive to play with enough to sell on its own.”
I guess I am the thankful buyer she is talking about. This person is delusional, deceitful and a con artist.
I got a full refund today. Ebay took my side in this transaction.
Here is the listing where she mentions this:https://www.ebay.com/itm/Paragon-Warloc ... SwAx1fCSXr

[Madmarco]

This fool really is a looney-tune! She's has starting prices of US$99. and $95. for knives that sell for US$15.-$28. She must believe us Westerners are complete idiots with prices like that. I'm glad you got your money refunded Mark, now you can wash your hands of her, other than to continue reporting her listings as counterfeits. Ebay can be tough enough as it is without having to deal with sellers like her. She might get away with her cheating ways for awhile, but sooner or later all this underhanded stuff will catch-up with her, at least I sure hope so. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes on Judgement Day!

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

So, now she admits it is a fake, but she still thinks it is worth $200??

[Madmarco]

It looks like that's pretty much the case TFL! She'll get hers one day!

[kootenay joe]

What is "aliexpress" and "dhgate" ?
Are they online sites that sell almost everything like ebay or amazon ?
Are they somehow safer than ebay ? i.e. no fakes there ? or ??
I am the opposite to TFL. I'm double-doofuss on the internet.
kj

[Airborne 1]

Nope both of those web sites sell The fake cheap stuff...Not reccommended.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

aliexpress.com and dhgate.com are online sites based in China. They are not auctions like ebay, and it is not used products. They are where primarily Chinese sellers can set-up a business and sell just about anything, and they will ship worldwide. Think of it as a giant mall with thousands of Dollar Stores selling every type of cheap, off-brand, look-alike and outright fake items.

And NO it is not safer than ebay. You have to know what you are buying and if it is not what you expected, too bad. You need to assume NOTHING. Don't assume it runs on 115v, don't assume it has a North American power adapter, don't assume it is legal to be shipped to your location, don't assume it made out of the materials they say it is, don't assume it has been safety tested, don't assume it is cheaper than buying a known brand from Amazon, don't assume ANYTHING. And, good luck sending questions to the seller. They probably don't speak English, and they will be using Google translate on your question and then copy/pasting the translated answer back to you. You can file a complaint with the web site, and they might give you a credit - eventually, but it may take months. Oh, and since the items are being shipped from China, the shipping is SLOW. I have had shipments take anywhere from 30 days to 6 months to arrive in California, and a couple have never arrived at all.

It can be fun to buy things from there - because stuff is SOOO CHEAP! It's like putting quarters into a slot machine. As long as you set your expectations low, and you don't expect the $25,000 jackpot that is being advertised, it can still be fun. Plus, having a package arrive 3 months after you ordered it is kind of like getting a Christmas present in July!

[Madmarco]

Ditto what TFL said, other than the communication with SOME sellers on DHGate, but totally correct for sellers on Aliexpress. Although what was stated regarding communication is accurate in many cases, I established very good relationships with 2 sellers on DHG that replied in good English, and, both were willing to disassemble my autos for me, or, remove the blades and send them in a separate package so that they would get past Customs. When I first started with them they were sending my autos fully assembled via FedEx's "Low Value Program", which is available to sellers who send items valued at $2500. or less, and allows such packages to breeze right through Customs. But, somewhere along the line Customs inspected a package containing prohibited knives, and as a result FedEx(China) wasn't accepting ANY knife packages PERIOD, but, this appears to have changed again because I recently saw FedEx as a shipping choice once again. Using FedEx was quite expensive, but, since I had no other way to get my knives past Customs it was worth it to me. If Customs isn't an issue for you, then many items ship free. The knives they sell are absolute clones, right down to the etches, stamps, etc., but the 10 that I received are all very good clones, and since I buy autos strictly for enjoyment and "click therapy" purposes, they've served me well. If steel type, edge retention, or any of the traditional reasons for buying a knife are of utmost importance to you, then you certainly won't find those knives at these sites, but, if those traits aren't that important to you, you can get some very decent pieces from them. Prior to covid-19 my packages were arriving inside a month of being ordered, but since the virus shipping has slowed to a crawl. Please don't get me wrong, the knives I've received are nowhere near a quality automatic knife, but for what I've wanted them for they've been terrific, and, the price was right! What was said about their "virtual chat", which is called "Tang Tang" btw, and Customer Service, is 100% spot-on, both are USELESS, but fortunately the need for either is very rare. Should you decide to do some shopping there for knives, search for "Allvin" or "Topsellwholesale", and tell them Mark from Canada sent you, and I'm sure either of those sellers will do all they can to accommodate you. Be sure it's just "Allvin" because there is "Allvin 2", "Allvin 7", etc. and I know nothing about those sellers. I've had 5 knife packages from Aliexpress all arrive successfully, although, shipping is VERY long, with much of that time wasted at Customs, but, any US buyers shouldn't have to wait nearly as long due to little or no Customs issues. The only non-knife item I've ordered from DHG was for a seat cushion, and although it was inexpensive it is pretty decent. From my experience Wish.com is to be avoided at all costs. Reviews stating, "package never arrived", "wrong item sent", "only 1/2 of the order filled", are ALL extremely accurate. Sorry I just wrote a book, but I just thought this info might be useful!

[kootenay joe]

TFL & Madmarco, thank you both for your informative and helpful posts. I now have a basic understanding of DHG & Aliexpress and i did not have to shop there to find out.
I have bought a number of knives on ebay from sellers in China. In every case these sellers sent me exactly what i expected to receive and their communication was first rate. The knives received are well made, not junk, and likely manufactured by the same companies that make knives for CRKT and other American businesses.
kj

[bestgear]

the knives I've received are nowhere near a quality automatic knife, but for what I've wanted them for they've been terrific, and, the price was right

I totally agree and to satisfy my curiosity I purchased a cloned Benchmade Mini Infidel from DHG and compared it to the authentic one that I had in my collection at the time. At arms length and out of hand they were identical including packaging, pouches and paperwork. Once in-hand the differences started to manifest themselves; weight was significantly more, feel was clunky and firing was inconsistent for the clone.

My challenge with these imports is what happens when they don't wind-up in the hands of a responsible buyer like what's happening with the bad doctor on eBay. Unknowing buyers can be easily taken by these clones. It's just a matter of time before the U.S. Department of Justice takes the same action they did with handbags, watches and jewelry and the pipeline out of China dries-up for the U.S. market. Frankly, with China so much under the microscope today, I'm surprised it hasn't already happened.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Take a look at this sellers reviews. There is one on there that says: “gave me a thousand dollars for no reason”. I’m guessing that she is also using shill bidders and shill reviews.
I have a request from her to change my review that I gave her. I wasn’t aware that a seller could request that a review could be changed. Her reason is that I returned the item, so I am no longer eligible to review her.
In the mean time she continues to list these and just sold one on the arshia2002 site for 202 dollars.
I called Ebay yesterday and informed them on the phone about what is going on, and they are going to investigate and make a determination whether to ban her or not. Planning on contacting them again next week if she hasn’t been taken down.

[Madmarco]

I just went back to see what you were talking about Mark, and I too believe she's using phoney reviewers. If you read the reviews, many are in the same broken English that she uses. If she's depending on knife donations and sales to help her patients, then it's highly unlikely she'd be giving away $1000. gifts to complete strangers for no reason. She's an experienced grifter who's using all the tricks in the book to fool unsuspecting buyers. I saw 1 negative review under her arshia2002 name, which is undoubtedly her other personality, that stated that the product they received had a large hole in it, and the seller wouldn't do anything about it, and that sounds much more like an accurate assessment of this seller. I tried AGAIN to report the item, but got the same result of a frozen report page. Could be that so many people are reporting her items that ebay has shut-off the report page due to so many duplicate reports. If you scroll down on a sellers feedback page, you will see under the "Suggestions" column a link saying, "Request a feedback revision", so that's where it is should you ever need it. I really hope your efforts to have her banned come to fruition, because it's hard enough having to deal with all the other ebay rules, without having to deal with scammers as well. Good luck!

[Madmarco]

Just an update on the phoney Paragon seller "apes2647/arshia2002"! She was at it again about 2 weeks ago, listing her counterfeit Warlocks, and Mark(SSk)pointed this out to me. He said he was going to file another report on her, and suggested I do the same, which I did. This time I used different reasons for filing the report, and, put in a request for a "Call Back" from ebay, which they promptly did. I explained what this seller was doing, and was reassured by the agent that a full investigation would take place, and if she was found to be violating ebay policies, a suspension or complete shut-down of her ebay account would be initiated. I checked again a few days later and she was still up and running, but, upon checking again today I see there are no Paragon Warlocks listed. I haven't checked if she still is selling her other items, because I don't know how to "Search" for a specific seller, but I'm trying to figure it out. At least it seems she is no longer duping anyone with her Paragons, but I'd really like to know if her account is still active. If I find any new info I'll post it here!

[just bob]

Go to My Ebay - Up at the top right by the search box click advanced - when you get there over on the top left you can select seller and enter the seller ID. Let us know what you find.

[Madmarco]

Go to My Ebay - Up at the top right by the search box click advanced - when you get there over on the top left you can select seller and enter the seller ID. Let us know what you find.

Thanks Bob, I appreciate your help! I did what you suggested and found both of her listings, 71 items under the "apes2647" name, and only 1 under her "arisha2002" name. There were still no Paragon Warlocks listed, but that doesn't necessarily mean they were taken down, they might have been sold. She seems to have some unusual folders listed that I personally have never seen before, although, many of her listings are for items purchased at DHGate.com or Aliexpress.com, and she has bumped-up the prices. Nothing wrong with doing this, as long as she doesn't try to pass them off as originals, which unfortunately we all know she is capable of doing. It would seem that ebay is quite liberal with their sellers, only acting when an item REALLY breaks their policies. I should have searched her "Sold items" to see if the Paragons are in there. I'll do that next and let you guys know. Thanks again, Mark! EDIT: Upon checking this seller's "Sold Items", it appears that ALL 5 of her Paragon Warlock listings were sold for various prices. So, it looks like ebay really doesn't care about counterfeit items being offered, either that, or all the listings were sold BEFORE ebay investigated her, if indeed they did. I guess we have to pay due diligence to ANYTHING being sold on ebay, otherwise we risk an item being a copy or counterfeit with no recourse through ebay. A sad state of affairs indeed!

[1967redrider]

It's a sad state of affairs that eBay allows this to go on. DHGate offers a lot of high dollar modern knife knockoffs, and this seller has decided to work this angle.

Thanks Mark and SNS for working to report and remove this bad business.

[Madmarco]

Just a quick update on apes2647 guys! Over the last month she re-listed her counterfeit Paragon Warlocks and Mark(SSk)and myself both filed new reports. Ebay took the listings down for a short period of time, perhaps while they investigated her, but, she has them listed again as of today, and this time she states in the listing 4 or 5 times "they are not automatic", and, she describes them as, "Paragon STYLE knives", but nothing about them being counterfeited "gravity" knives, so, I filed another report using different terms in the report than last time. The report page only offers so many types of violations, and gravity knives isn't one of them, and, there's no "Comments" box so I could only use what options were available. Hopefully, if we complain enough times Ebay will finally do something about this crook, although, I'm not gonna hold my breath!