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Frankenstein phones being sold in Australia
Summary: The discussion focuses on the concern regarding 'Frankenstein phones' allegedly being sold in Australia, as highlighted by irogov96. The term 'Frankenstein phones' might refer to devices assembled from mismatched components or unauthorized refurbishments. Various participants, including sandypebbles, *casey*, and others, engage in the conversation, suggesting a mix of curiosity and skepticism about the quality and legitimacy of these phones. The thread indicates a shared interest in understanding the implications and potential risks of purchasing such devices.
I purchased a mobile phone, Samsung S23 Ultra advertised as "New" by a seller with 100% feedback rating.
Upon receiving the phone, I noticed that the screen does not look right; it has large borders and rounded corners, not quite fitting with the shape of the bezel.
I went checking the specifications - all seemed to be legitimate. The casing, the box with seals, the IMEI stamp on the back, etc, all were seemingly OK and matching SAMSUNG specs.
It was all good, except - when I checked IMEI, it returned bad news:
IMEI: [redacted]
Fire: Samsung
Phone model: SM-S918U (DM3)
Serial number: [redacted]
Model code: SM-S918UZEFATT
Warranty status: EXPIRED
Warranty expiration: February 20, 2024
Country: United States Carrier: AT&T - USA
So, what I figured out has happened: The original phone was sold 3 years ago in the US. Then, for whatever reason (stolen, lost, broken) it ended up in some third-world workshop, where the original screen was replaced with some other model. Then it went to a wholesale supplier in Alibaba or Aliexpress, with resellers in Australia picking up batches of these FrankenPhones and selling them as "New" in Australia.
The phone is anything but new. It hardly even qualifies as "refurbished". It is a kind of deep fake, pretending to be new.
OK. So I went to seller, explaining the situation. First I was offered $50 to keep the phone and shut up. I refused. Then I was offered a return and refund. OK I said, but shall we report the fraud as well? Seller went silent. So I reported the "not matching the description" problem to eBay. The reply I got:
What happened:
We looked into your report and didn’t find the listing to be in violation of our policy. This determination was made by a customer service agent.
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I reckon this is an outrage.
What do you think?
kh_safal
·6 months agoHello everyone,
This thread has been locked as the discussion has moved away from the original buying issue and into personal, political, and inflammatory commentary.
Please keep conversations respectful, on topic, and aligned with the Community Guidelines. If you have a new or separate question, feel free to start a new thread.
Regards,
eBay moderation
davewil1964
·6 months agoI bought a Samsung phone today as my previous one died.
I went into the shop, selected the model I wanted, paid for it, went home, spent 2 hours setting it up.
Works like a real one, which it is
irogov96
OP6 months agoThe most interesting question for the police would be - are these people posting disparaging remarks blaming the victims of the scam/fraud, actually part of the criminal network?
davewil1964
·6 months agoAsk the police.
Or better yet, Interpol. Given that Australian police only have jurisdiction in, you guessed it, Australia.
Where the seller is not located
countessalmirena
·6 months agoI wrote a long post with detailed points and an action plan to be refunded in full and to avoid being fooled by shonky sellers in future… but realised it would be of no avail. Cancel button employed.
I shall make myself a coffee instead.
irogov96
OP6 months agoColonial Hong Kong is what made Hong Kong a business engine, sure. It had many criminal syndicates, but the police were fighting them nonstop, not making alliances with the underworld.
Unlike the current Chinese system.
Would Melbourne turn into the modern Hong Kong of the post-colonial era, under our Leftist government? I am terribly curious to see that.
davewil1964
·6 months agoThis has nothing to do with your complaint, except that you didn't bother to check where the seller was located.
eBay business boards (eg buying) are hardly the place to discuss politics or history.
irogov96
OP6 months agoHere we go, third-world approach to reality.
Trust no one.
I guess the "diversity" of Melbourne's suburbs taught people something new and not what the government had expected.
High trust society is gone. Brave New World is upon us.
100% reputation of the seller and hundreds of positive feedback on eBay mean nothing.
All and everything can be faked.
Extend this logic a little further.
If you are cheated, robbed, your car is stolen or some bad people attack your family, it is your own fault - you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hoisted on your own petard. Everyone just laughs, and life goes on.
It was not like that on eBay nor in Melbourne not so long ago.
domino-710
·6 months agoIt's been that way in Hong Kong for decades.
irogov96
OP6 months agoNo it was not. Until recent, "Hong Kong" location was falsified by mainland Chinese criminals as a mark of legitimacy. Hong Kong police was quick and ruthless.
Besides, again - the seller is physically in Melbourne. I am still keen to learn if our local police is as actively disinterested in this case as eBay administrators.
domino-710
·6 months ago1997 - Hong Kong is Chinese.
irogov96
OP6 months agoFormally so. The full-blown pseudo-communist style of corruption is quite recent. A generation had to die.
domino-710
·6 months agoI'd suggest a little more research into colonial Hong Kong - under the Brits.
Good grief.
padi*0409
·6 months agoIf what you say is true then why is the seller registered in Hong Kong ?
They might say the goods are in Melbourne, but that doesn't mean they're not lying. Delivery ETA will often blast that bubble apart.
Try Caveat Emptor on for size.......................
domino-710
·6 months agoThe seller who left feedback is registered in Hong Kong - this is not a suburb of Greater Melbourne.
As for your local Police - they do not have jurisdiction in HK.
sandypebbles
·6 months agoWasting your time, Dom
Op clearly has no interest in taking any responsibility for their own buying choices
irogov96
OP6 months agoNo interest in criminal activity in Melbourne suburbs around here, as I see.
You will get what you deserve.
irogov96
OP6 months agoExactly, that's the "globalisation" of crime. Or Intifada or whatever.
I am terribly curious about these developments.
sandypebbles
·6 months agoWhat case do you have with 'eBay administrators' exactly?
eBay administrators have exactly zero clue about your 'case'
Reporting the item does not get the item vetted
Reporting the item does not send anything about the phone you were sent Vs the phone that was described
Reporting the item does not go to 'eBay administrators' it goes to either a bot or to base level staff who make decisions based on what their script tell them to do
And no, your local police station will not do anything about a seller who plain as day shows as registered in Hong Kong
By all means self report to the police for buying and importing non-compliant batteries if you so wish
irogov96
OP6 months agoThe case is that there must be questions raised against the seller which would (perhaps) lead to a criminal network supplying forged/counterfeit goods to Melbourne.
Sure, it is troublesome. And less than profitable.
Yet it is a proper way of action if eBay wants to maintain its tenuous good reputation.
domino-710
·6 months agoNaivity does have limits. LOL
irogov96
OP6 months agoLol indeed. Some people have very short memories. No idea what it was like just ten years ago. Attention span like of a goldfish. Permanent "now".
irogov96
OP6 months agoThe phone and seller were physically in Australia, by the way. Here, in Melbourne suburbs.
irogov96
OP6 months agoSo, everyone seems to be OK with an apparent criminal activity, as soon as they are guaranteed to get their money back.
Would they sell counterfeit items too? Perhaps yes, as soon as they return the money to the dissatisfied customer and keep the money of the satisfied fools.
Zero moral backbone nowadays in the eBay community.
Appalling. UnAustralian too.
padi*0409
·6 months agoYou were the one to decide to buy from a seller registered in Hong Kong, so it's all on you as others have pointed out.
"Hoist with your own petard"
sandypebbles
·6 months agoHow do you figure all this?
Nobody here is responsible for your buying choices
You and only you are in control of what you bought
You and only you opted not to open and follow through with an eBay not as described dispute
And no, they are not in Australia. First thing it says in the feedback page is that they are registered in Hong Kong
Attack other members for your poor choices all you wish
You were the one supporting said activity, not us
You are the one putting others at risk by buying knock off batteries etc from sellers in China and Hong Kong
Nobody else who replied here are happily buying knock offs and supporting dodgy sellers and then blaming everyone but themselves for doing so
Not even going to dignify the other comment with a response
springyzone
·6 months agoI'm trying to get over the fact that you seem to have been an ebay member for 24 years and you have not come across the ebay money back guarantee. You are extremely lucky you have got this far, with well over 1000 purchases and have never run into any problems.
You probably need to hang around these boards for a while, at least to browse buying/selling posts, even if you don't want to actually post again. You'll get a feel then for the sorts of things that can go wrong and what to avoid. It has helped me a lot.
To answer your question-Do I think it is an outrage that ebay didn't find fault with the listing? Ebay in my opinion allows a lot of dodgy listings and can be slow to pull them even after they are reported.
To be fair, sometimes ebay is in a difficult position and cannot always know if an item is falsely described. It doesn't have the item & has never seen the item. You obviously didn't think there was anything wrong with the ad either when you read it.
But you're worrying about the wrong thing entirely.
Forget about the ad, concentrate on getting a full refund. Follow sandy's advice and open a claim if that phone arrived within the last month. Follow through for a refund.
As for the seller offer of a return and refund, never try that outside of an ebay claim. In fact, if you have trouble with an item, you are usually best to solve it without contacting the seller or at best with a short contact/solution time.
The seller is supposed to pay return postage costs, by the way. You've made it more difficult because you've bought from an overseas seller, but keep in contact with ebay till it is resolved.
And sandy and casey are 100% right. Don't buy phones, batteries etc from overseas. Just don't. Never.
*casey*
·6 months agoALL of the batteries you've been buying from sellers registered in China and Hong Kong are VERY dangerous.
They can catch fire, burn down your house, injure or kill your family and no insurance company will cover you
lezned-toycollector
·6 months agoIt's a great trade off though... who gives a rat's about human life as long as I save a couple of $$$
Gotta get your priorities straight, hey 😲
sandypebbles
·6 months agoYep
Their neighbours might not be so understanding if they are taken out with the OP who clearly does not care about themselves or anyone else in the home
sandypebbles
·6 months agoNot a good idea to buy something like a phone off some random on eBay
You could have opened and followed through with an item not as described dispute and gotten a full refund
You can still do so if you are within the time limit, no need to play games with the seller
The seller is registered in Hong Kong (clearly shown on their feedback page)
Hence 99.9% chance the phone will be a dodgy piece of rubbish
eBay staff have no idea by the listing what the phone is, just as you didn't
Open the dispute NOW
The seller has no intention of refunding you, they are hoping you don't know how things work so they can string you along until it is too late to open a dispute
Don't play their game
And don't buy a phone from a random in Hong Kong and expect it to be real