Three people have been sentenced after being found guilty of an eBay fencing scam. David Oliver, Mindy Oliver and Marcus Abercrombie were all given jail terms after they were found guilty of defrauding home improvement giants The Home Depot Inc. and Lowe's Companies Inc. of more than $200,000 by selling improperly obtained store cards and merchandise on eBay. Additionally, the three have been ordered to pay restitution, with the Olivers being ordered to pay $229,127 and Abercrombie to pay over $186,000. eBay has declined to comment.
The three were accused of operating a scam at stores in five states beginning in March 2002. The scam involved switching bar codes of high-priced items with those from lower-priced items, allowing them to purchase the expensive items at a reduced price. The three would then return the high-priced items for store credit in the form of store debit cards, and then fence the cards and merchandise purchased with the debit cards on eBay.