Ebay Scam..

[kbk]

I found this on ebay awhile ago, I was wondering if it would be a good idea or not? one time i was on Ebay looking for PS2 parts...there was a PICTURE of an XBOX on there...it was just a picture of the system, 4 controllers, and 17 games....It had $450 on it, there was a warning, it said "WARNING: THIS IS A PICTURE OF AN XBOX SYSTEM WITH 4 CONTROLLERS AND 17 GAMES, IT IS ONLY A PICTURE, IF YOU WIN THIS YOU WILL GET THE PICTURE, YOU WILL NOT GET AN XBOX, IT IS ONLY A PICTURE OF AN XBOX, SOLD AS IS, NOT FOR RE-SALE, WE WILL NOT GIVE YOU YOUR MONEY BACK". The print on this warning was very large, and was all in red text. What do you guys think of this...Worth trying?

[KaRMa]

I hope to god that was sarcasm.

[kbk]

I hope to god that you have more to contribute than that. It was on there, why wouldn't it work, ebay couldnt do shit because you said what it was. There are alot of people that would fall for that.

[DIzzIE]

This is a common ebay 'ploy' (I hesitate to call it a scam as that would involve some sort of deception, for instance if you didn't receive anything upon winning a bid/paying the money whereas in this situation you are clearly receiving what is advertised). It has been around for several years in various permutations: an empty playstation box, a picture of a tv, and so forth.

There is at least one instance that I know of in which the seller was arrested: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/print_082804_nw_ebayscam.html

The seller was charged with "theft by deception" (although I would be interested to see if this arrest actually resulted in a conviction).

Thus, if one is going to sell a picture of a high-priced item on eBay (which is what this ploy amounts to) one must be prepared by perhaps securing legal representation in advance.

[kbk]

Yeah, I wondered about that. O well I probably won't do it, thanks for the info on that guy getting arrested, and you're right it isn't really a scam..I didn't know what else to call it. My plan however was to put it on and start bidding at about $0.01 and have my friends bid on it. Not like this guy did where he had the price of it already high.

[KaRMa]

Oh... I misunderstood your question. I thought you were interested in purchasing the item. As for your actual question I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to buy it, so to be able to trick someone you could be held liable. I would say steer clear of this scam just because it's just not worth it IMO.

[Stone]

If it's labeled the same way as what kbk said above, then I'm pretty sure you can't be arrested for it, as have clearly warned the buyer that it is only the picture. It's just human stupidity not to read every detail.

[DoctaD]

It's similar to selling stuff dirt cheap, on ebay, but charging rediculous amounts for delivery. People see something they could have, not even necessarily want, going for a few bucks and think "w00T! Ill have that!!!!!1" and before they know it they're paypal account is missing $52 or something similar.

Money can definitely be made due to human stupidity.

[kbk]

I think I will try it then, I first have to talk to my friend who has a sellers account though.

[DoctaD]

Seeing as we're going from the point of human stupidoty, I think you should try going from a 0% seller rating account.

[kbk]

Eh, then I would have to find someone else with an account...My friend already has one and he has like 100%...

[OsirisGuy429]

As long as their is a readable warning on there of what the actual item is then it's legal. It't the buyers own fault if he did not read what he was buying.

There isn't much trouble in this either. Just make a hundred copies of one of those pictures and you can do it repeatedly. That's the most work you have to do other then mail the picture out. Hell even if you make a few cents off of it it's a few cents extra in your poclet.

[kbk]

Me and my friend are also going to hype up the bidding, people will be more likely to bid on something if there are high bids on it already. We plan on doing this many times with many different systems, including some computers, a PSP, PS2, XBOX, Gamecube, DVD player, and anything else...hell, maybe a car!

[Stone]

It's similar to selling stuff dirt cheap, on ebay, but charging rediculous amounts for delivery. People see something they could have, not even necessarily want, going for a few bucks and think "w00T! Ill have that!!!!!1" and before they know it they're paypal account is missing $52 or something similar.


If you get charged say 20quid but when you recieve the package it says p&p is only a fiver, is it just tuff shit?

[DoctaD]

You could put an item up for auction starting at ?0.01 but have a ?100 delivery fee. This is made perfectly clear when ordering, but I know a lot of people who click first, think later. If you pay ?100.01 for a book or something, then realise how much it has cost you, it's pretty much tough shit.

[kbk]

That's exactly how this would work, people are just too dumb to realize it...

[J_Rock]

I've run into stuff like this all over ebay, for instance, I was looking at Gibson guitars, people all over the place selling pictures, but having very misleading text, you'd be surprised how often some of these fakes go for $30-$50.
Not only that, but i saw a retard sell an "Air Guitar" on ebay...after 5 days of bidding, a 5 differnt idiots bidding on it, it finally went for a total of $10.00 Canadian, so technically, if theres enough stoners on ebay at the time you put up an item, you could sell practically anything. As long as you have a good vocabulary and a long text that no one would ever read to get to the end to, only to find your warning sign, good ploy, works, but it will score you some negs on your ebay account.

[J_Rock]

Everything i said above has probibly already been said, but, i put it up there anyway.
Also, the thing with the shipping cost works all the time, my parents constantly buy things over ebay, and since they misread, or dont read the shipping costs at all out of excitement, they've gotten screwed over pretty good multiple times.

[RELOAD]

The edit button is your friend... USE IT!

but it will score you some negs on your ebay account.

Re-register.

Or, Ghost an account... Always works.

[J_Rock]

Oops, forgot about the edit thing, im not horribly bright, so try to bear with me.
'meh, re-registering,ghosting, i dunno, Personally i think ebays a waste of time, my folks seem to love it.

[Stone]

Don't worry about the double post this time... Welcome to rorta.net

[Fuzi0nX]

I made about a grand doing the Mystery Box scam... Look up mystery box on ebay and you will see. Basicly you gotta make sure you say all the legal shit like "You are bidding on a box and only a box, anything in the box is a gift from me to you" so this is the mystery part. I sent a box with a 1 doller bill in it once.

Anyway heres one of my auctions i did: ROFL!!11! Click Here (http://tinyurl.com/pmgg4)


also, you can add updates to your auction like: THE FIRST PERSON TO BID 400 WILL RECIEVE A FREE XBOX 360!

And of course u dont really send one, it just helps to get the bids goin high :wiggle:

[Satsuma]

Or, Ghost an account... Always works.


Sorry, I'm totally new to this, could you enlighten me?