iPhone eBay Scam!

[daze]

Hi guys,

This is really odd but I've been told by two different eBayers that the iPhone I won the bids for were not available anymore. One said that his wife sold them on Craig's List while he was away for the day. And the other person told me that the item was flooded with water. They each sent me the eBay "agree to cancel purchase" email. I agreed to it the first time, because I was able to find another iPhone at almost another decent price but this second time around, I will not agree.

The reason they have cancelled the purchase is because I won the bids at $666 and $650 including shipping. So the people aren't making any money, and infact, would be losing some after shipping.

Any thing I should know about eBay? Anyone else been through this?

These are the idiots:

chal27
mohsmfbay

Bidders beware!

 

[ravenvii]

LOL I gotta love those eBayers who thought they could buy iPhones and make fortunes off them on eBay. Serves those *******s right.

 

[mallbritton]

Just go to this web page: http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/

Find the nearest Apple retail store, see if they have any iPhones in stock and go there an pay retail for the thing.

There is no reason, if you live in the U.S., for you to be buying an iPhone off eBay. There is retail stock available.

 

[FDX]

report them on item not shipped and watch them as sellers and see if they put up the iphone again if they do report them again.

 

[marksman]

You figure their sales tax they paid and shipping they are screwed. Ebay selling should be left to professionals in cases like this. These guys are clearly amateurs. Why not buy one in a store? With sales tax the price is the same. Ebay can't make them ship the phone.

 

[r6girl]

Just go to this web page: http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/

Find the nearest Apple retail store, see if they have any iPhones in stock and go there an pay retail for the thing.

There is no reason, if you live in the U.S., for you to be buying an iPhone off eBay. There is retail stock available.

if you look underneath his username, his location is listed, showing he is in canada. so he can't just go to a store and buy one.

 

[carfac]

Bad feedback is your friend- do NOT be afraid to use it!!!! And liberal use of the work Scalper in the bad feedback is encouraged!!!!!

 

[rhagen]

report them on item not shipped and watch them as sellers and see if they put up the iphone again if they do report them again.

Yah, don't agree. Report them so you don't get their listing fees back. Stupid idiots, need to do research before they post an item where the supply is way higher then the demand. It is a cellphone for 1 carrier... this isn't a console haha.

A lot of these idiots put reserves and about all the auctions I saw they never met the reserves haha. GG on losing money.

 

[Koodauw]

If I were you, I would simply agree to the cancelation, and be on your way. You can find one else where, and it isn't going to be worth the hassle. There isn't much ebay can do for you, they can't make the guy sell you the item. Its not worth your time.

 

[daze]

You figure their sales tax they paid and shipping they are screwed. Ebay selling should be left to professionals in cases like this. These guys are clearly amateurs. Why not buy one in a store? With sales tax the price is the same. Ebay can't make them ship the phone.

I'm from Canada, and as you may know... The iPhone is not available here yet. So my only option was to purchase it from eBay. Not having success at that either.

 

[mallbritton]

if you look underneath his username, his location is listed, showing he is in canada. so he can't just go to a store and buy one.

Ah, so he is. Then the OP can't get service for the iPhone in Canada anyway.

 

[TimJim]

bid from people wil a really good customer review page and have a picture of the item with their name written next to it.

 

[daze]

Ah, so he is. Then the OP can't get service for the iPhone in Canada anyway.

No sir, the AT&T service is available to Canadians, of course, with roaming charges for data and voice. I confirmed this with AT&T yesterday.

Tip: Instead of the American SSN, you input your Canadian SIN number in the iTunes activation screen. You do not need to have a US mailing address, and therefore, any Canadian Credit Card would work.

 

[Pikemann Urge]

So you live outside the USA? No big deal, just ask a friend who lives in the USA to buy you one. Simple! Better than paying those tossers on eBay.

I almost got my friend to buy me one before I found out that you can't use it for anything until you activate it and select a plan. If I were wealthier though I would have asked my friend to activate it whatever the cost and send it to me.

 

[daze]

So you live outside the USA? No big deal, just ask a friend who lives in the USA to buy you one. Simple! Better than paying those tossers on eBay.

I almost got my friend to buy me one before I found out that you can't use it for anything until you activate it and select a plan. If I were wealthier though I would have asked my friend to activate it whatever the cost and send it to me.

You can activate it yourself, but will cost you the roaming fees for voice/data. Edit: Atleast in Canada.

I did ask a friend to purchase it for me, but he had no luck find one in the small town he lives in. No Apple stores there, and all the AT&T stores were sold out. Now, if someone here agrees to help me out, that'd be another story. <hint-hint>

 

[daze]

It gets better, the guy chal27 has two listings for the iPhone 8GB on eBay Buy It Now for a nice profit ($1000), yet he has none to send me. On top of that, he sent me an email saying that if I want to get him to purchase an iPhone from an Apple store, I have to pay him $650 for the phone, and $100 for shipping handling. Here are the listings, in case you want to check them out:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/BRAND-NEW-IN-BOX...ryZ64355QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
320132774118

http://cgi.ebay.ca/BRAND-NEW-IN-BOX...ryZ64355QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
320132774666

 

[Twinkie]

On top of that, he sent me an email saying that if I want to get him to purchase an iPhone from an Apple store, I have to pay him $650 for the phone, and $100 for shipping handling

As much as I hate to defend shady eBayers, that isn't terribly unreasonable.

If I were to get the phone for you, it would look something like this:
iPhone + 6% sales tax = $634.94
Packaging = $12 at a UPS Store / Mailboxes Etc. type place
USPS Priority Mail w/$600 insurance = $30.30
Subtotal: $677.24

Assuming you use PayPal, they're going to take a 4.3% cut since you're from Canada. Base it on $750, and he's going to be left with $717.75.

I'd then have to drive a half hour to an Apple Store, deal with mall parking, then drive to a UPS Store, then drive to the Post Office, where I'd have to fill out customs forms and wait in line. I'd probably wind up spending $10 in gas, leaving me with $30.51, give or take.

Considering the amount of time and hassle involved, I wouldn't bother for $30, unless you were a friend of mine.

 

[dangleheart]

$642.43 with taxes for me where I live. I have two on order from AT&T. Daze, if I happen to pick one or two up before that from an Apple store nearby, I will be returning them to the AT&T store. May be we can work something out. It all depends on if I happen to go to the Apple store before the AT&T shipment reaches me.

 

[/dev/toaster]

If I were you, I would simply agree to the cancelation, and be on your way. You can find one else where, and it isn't going to be worth the hassle. There isn't much ebay can do for you, they can't make the guy sell you the item. Its not worth your time.

I totally disagree. When you scalp an item, there is a risk when you do this. There is a chance you will make no money or lose money. It is a gamble. When a seller weasel their way out of losing money thats being shady. I agree that there is little eBay can or will do.

However, bad feed back should be used against them. That is what it is there for, to warn other buyers of cases of fraud or just being a shaddy seller.

 

[daze]

I totally disagree. When you scalp an item, there is a risk when you do this. There is a chance you will make no money or lose money. It is a gamble. When a seller weasel their way out of losing money thats being shady. I agree that there is little eBay can or will do.

However, bad feed back should be used against them. That is what it is there for, to warn other buyers of cases of fraud or just being a shaddy seller.

Absolutely agree. I did provide the guy negative feedback and reported his two items to eBay. Don't care if anything is done or not. At least I feel slightly better...

 

[daze]

$642.43 with taxes for me where I live. I have two on order from AT&T. Daze, if I happen to pick one or two up before that from an Apple store nearby, I will be returning them to the AT&T store. May be we can work something out. It all depends on if I happen to go to the Apple store before the AT&T shipment reaches me.

Just sent you a PM.