nick mercedes
MB Enthusiast
29 August 2006
EXCLUSIVE: THE EBAY STING
Student held at gunpoint as mum hands over £5k she saved for car
By Emily Nash
A TERRIFIED student last night told how a ruthless eBay crime gang lured
him and his mum into an ambush where they were robbed of more than
£5,500 at gunpoint.
Unsuspecting Shahzad Ali Shah, 23, agreed to meet a seller to pay for a
sports car after successfully setting up a deal on the website.
But when he turned up with relatives, four thugs surrounded their car,
pointed a gun at him and threatened to murder him unless his mum Shahnaz
gave them the cash.
Shaken Shahzad revealed: "One said, 'I'll count to three and if you
don't hand over the money I'm going to do something'.
"He started counting and got to two and I shouted at my mum to hand it
over. It was a terrifying ordeal."
Shahnaz, 42 - buying the car as a gift for her son - added: "I saw them
point the gun at him, the man started counting and I was so scared
something would happen to him. I'm relieved my son was unhurt but I'm
still having flashbacks now. I'm still scared."
The raiders also grabbed her phone but accidentally hit a button and
dialled her daughter Zohar, 14 - meaning the girl listened in on the
nightmare hold-up.
It is thought to be the first time armed gangs have targeted UK users of
the online auction house.
Shahzad decided to search for a motor there after two pals bought cars
from the website.
He saw a Mercedes Benz Kompressor C180 before it had received any offers
and emailed the seller directly to grab it before anyone else.
He felt assured as the vendor's eBay profile showed 92.3 per cent
approval from other users.
But the conman appears to have rigged the rating by making several cheap
purchases.
Crucially, although his ad claimed he would accept payment via the usual
means - cheques or online system PayPal - he told Shahzad to settle in
notes. The student, of Crawley, West Sussex, explained: "The man said if
I paid in cash he would not offer it to anyone else.
"He said if I had the cash, the car was available and we could do the
deal straight away. I put in an offer for £5,500 and he accepted."
Later that day brother-in-law Shaharayar Talpur drove Shahzad and his
mum to the meeting point in Dagenham, East London.
Catering assistant Shahnaz had saved up for 15 months to buy her son the
car as a gift for graduating from university this summer.
Shahzad first grew suspicious when he phoned the seller and was
redirected to another Dagenham location.
He added: "While waiting, two youths came towards us as if checking who
was in the car.
"We moved to the main road as something didn't feel right, but when we
parked there, the two guys and two others got out of a Vauxhall Corsa
behind and approached us.
"An Asian guy told my brother-in-law to open the window and when he
refused he pulled a gun from his fleece. He ordered him to open the door
and took the keys so we couldn't drive off. He kept saying, 'You're here
for the Merc - where's the money?'
"I said we didn't know anything and didn't have any money, but he just
walked over and pointed the gun at me. Mum was terrified."
The gang snatched £5,580 and Shahnaz's purse, phone and credit cards.
When Zohar got the call from her mum's mobile she phoned sister Jabeen
in panic.
Jabeen, 24, said: "When Zohar answered all she could hear was Mum
screaming and the man shouting at her to give him her money.
"She was so worried she called me to say, 'Mum's in trouble'. She's
still upset now."
Police confirm they are probing the August 20 robbery. Shahzad said they
have told him data protection laws governing eBay and the fact the
gang's car reg plates were fake have hampered their hunt.
But eBay insisted: "We've an excellent relationship with police and
always provide information and assistance when requested."
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_obj...94762&headline=the-ebay-sting--name_page.html
EXCLUSIVE: THE EBAY STING
Student held at gunpoint as mum hands over £5k she saved for car
By Emily Nash
A TERRIFIED student last night told how a ruthless eBay crime gang lured
him and his mum into an ambush where they were robbed of more than
£5,500 at gunpoint.
Unsuspecting Shahzad Ali Shah, 23, agreed to meet a seller to pay for a
sports car after successfully setting up a deal on the website.
But when he turned up with relatives, four thugs surrounded their car,
pointed a gun at him and threatened to murder him unless his mum Shahnaz
gave them the cash.
Shaken Shahzad revealed: "One said, 'I'll count to three and if you
don't hand over the money I'm going to do something'.
"He started counting and got to two and I shouted at my mum to hand it
over. It was a terrifying ordeal."
Shahnaz, 42 - buying the car as a gift for her son - added: "I saw them
point the gun at him, the man started counting and I was so scared
something would happen to him. I'm relieved my son was unhurt but I'm
still having flashbacks now. I'm still scared."
The raiders also grabbed her phone but accidentally hit a button and
dialled her daughter Zohar, 14 - meaning the girl listened in on the
nightmare hold-up.
It is thought to be the first time armed gangs have targeted UK users of
the online auction house.
Shahzad decided to search for a motor there after two pals bought cars
from the website.
He saw a Mercedes Benz Kompressor C180 before it had received any offers
and emailed the seller directly to grab it before anyone else.
He felt assured as the vendor's eBay profile showed 92.3 per cent
approval from other users.
But the conman appears to have rigged the rating by making several cheap
purchases.
Crucially, although his ad claimed he would accept payment via the usual
means - cheques or online system PayPal - he told Shahzad to settle in
notes. The student, of Crawley, West Sussex, explained: "The man said if
I paid in cash he would not offer it to anyone else.
"He said if I had the cash, the car was available and we could do the
deal straight away. I put in an offer for £5,500 and he accepted."
Later that day brother-in-law Shaharayar Talpur drove Shahzad and his
mum to the meeting point in Dagenham, East London.
Catering assistant Shahnaz had saved up for 15 months to buy her son the
car as a gift for graduating from university this summer.
Shahzad first grew suspicious when he phoned the seller and was
redirected to another Dagenham location.
He added: "While waiting, two youths came towards us as if checking who
was in the car.
"We moved to the main road as something didn't feel right, but when we
parked there, the two guys and two others got out of a Vauxhall Corsa
behind and approached us.
"An Asian guy told my brother-in-law to open the window and when he
refused he pulled a gun from his fleece. He ordered him to open the door
and took the keys so we couldn't drive off. He kept saying, 'You're here
for the Merc - where's the money?'
"I said we didn't know anything and didn't have any money, but he just
walked over and pointed the gun at me. Mum was terrified."
The gang snatched £5,580 and Shahnaz's purse, phone and credit cards.
When Zohar got the call from her mum's mobile she phoned sister Jabeen
in panic.
Jabeen, 24, said: "When Zohar answered all she could hear was Mum
screaming and the man shouting at her to give him her money.
"She was so worried she called me to say, 'Mum's in trouble'. She's
still upset now."
Police confirm they are probing the August 20 robbery. Shahzad said they
have told him data protection laws governing eBay and the fact the
gang's car reg plates were fake have hampered their hunt.
But eBay insisted: "We've an excellent relationship with police and
always provide information and assistance when requested."
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_obj...94762&headline=the-ebay-sting--name_page.html
and what is the world coming to.
