Is this scam guys?

I am looking to buy an air fryer and this one (eBay item number: 313594498569) is sold by other sellers from $80-$260 here on ebay, but this new seller lists it for just $23.98 for "Buy it Now", more than a dozen has been sold. Is it legit or a scam, can any1 tell? I don't wanna buy it and the item never arrives. Thanks. Cheers. 

 
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Re: Is this scam guys?

I'm glad you will be happy. And that you think a seller has many of them that they are prepared to sell for 30% of the price anybody else is charging. Where do you think the seller got so many? Why do you think a seller would be able to source genuine items and sell for 30% of RRP? Do you believe there is actually a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?

 

Where is the seller registered? Not where they claim the item is located, but where the seller is registered. Your issue is not non-arrival, it is that the item will not be Devanti. Almost guaranteed.

 

You seem to be in a bubble. Unfortunately your bubble will almost certainly be burst.

 

Here's a scenario. I list a  1ct diamond for $200, provide pictures of a 1ct diamond, neglect to provide a COA. You buy and get a cubic zirconium that looks like the pic.

 

Have you been scammed? Yes.

Message 11 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

So you asked the question.

 

The overwhelming consensus is that it's a scam.

 

You chose to ignore the advice of the experienced board members because you couldn't resist getting a 'genuine' item for 30% of realistic price.

 

Why did you ask the question, as you had no intention of following the advice?

 

Can we expect a further thread asking how to resolve the problem of not receiving, or not receiving what you optimistically thought you bought, in the near future.

 

Do you think there will be any sympathetic members? Given you ignored our warnings.

Message 12 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

It appears your seller's only past selling experience is for selling temporary tattoos.

 

If a listing is too good to be true -- such as a new item that is selling for a fraction of its retail cost -- that is certainly a warning sign. And if a relatively new seller is suddenly selling thousands of dollars worth of multiple quantity listings at fire sale prices with free shipping from overseas with extended handling times and very long shipping estimates, you should be very concerned, particularly if the items are expensive electronics, cameras, musical instruments, tools or outboard motors.


In general, you can avoid a lot of headaches by choosing to purchase only from established sellers that have recent and past positive feedback as a seller for selling items in the same category that you intend to buy. If someone is selling a dozen apple watches, but has no feedback, or only has feedback as a buyer, or only has feedback for selling dress patterns or fishing lures (actual examples I have seen), perhaps wait until they have a track record of positive feedback for selling electronics before you buy from them.


Some scammers have gotten cleverer -- and now appear to be completing a few  transactions to provide positive feedback. If you know what to look for, this is easy to spot. Particularly if the seller has just sold a few dozen items in the last couple of days and has already received feedback. In some cases, scammers will provide incentives for buyers to provide feedback immediately to entice other buyers, so if you notice red flags, do not assume everything is legitimate because there are a few recent positive feedback ratings -- look at the overall pattern of seller behavior, and how long they have actually been selling such items.


You might miss out on a good deal from a new seller once in a while, and nothing can guarantee that you won't still run into a scammer anyway, but you can avoid a lot of potential problems by choosing to do business with established sellers. Anyone can put together a listing that looks nice -- it is not hard at all to simply copy an existing listing -- but it is much harder to create a history of consistent sales and positive feedback.


It is always better to avoid giving your money to a scammer in the first place, rather than have to go to great lengths to get it back.


Typically you have to wait until the last estimated delivery date has passed to start an Item Not Received claim on eBay; if the seller is removed and eBay does not send you a message about that, and if you can no longer find the item in your Resolution Center, you can start a similar process through your PayPal account (if you used PayPal) or your credit card account. There are various deadlines that have to be met at each stage, and you must take care not to make more than one claim about a single transaction through eBay or PayPal at a time or your claim may be dismissed. Generally you are better off trying to go through eBay first, then PayPal, then your payment source.


If the seller actually ships something (but not your item) and can provide a tracking number that shows delivery, you must file a Significantly Not As Described claim (and typically return the item), as a valid tracking number that shows delivery would cause you to lose an Item Not Received claim. There are other scams that involve shipping an item to another location in your postal code which can complicate matters further.


Bookmark the seller's feedback page so that you can monitor that to see if the seller's account has been removed from eBay, just in case the item listing disappears.

Message 13 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

The second item you mentioned is still available, but the first one is not and returns 0 results in an advanced search (even for sold listings or completed listings). 

Free postage too... Hmm, too good to be true. It is not a small item and postage costs money too, regardless of the service they use.

If possible open the parcel in front of a witness if it arrives, possibly the person who delivers it, just to be sure there is the right item inside.

Let us know how it goes.

Message 14 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

This is weird... The seller also has an expensive reflective wristband (an auction starting at $85.57), and these wristbands usually sell for just a few dollars.

Something is not right. An expensive item is cheap, and a cheap item is expensive.

Message 15 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

Ok,  you suspect it is a scam (otherwise wouldnt ask),  you ignored the advise of people you have asked,  you went ahead and purchased.

 

I hope that Ebay and/or Paypal reject your dispute when you raise it,  based on stupidity.

 

Why should honest Ebay and Paypal users cough up to fund your refund,  because you were irresponsible and went ahead and purchased.  Yes They offer buyer protection, but it is all sellers who actually fund that via higher fee's.

Message 16 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

 

 

 

Message 17 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

Don't know what happened? This could WELL be a scam as listing already disappeared from ebay and seller is no longer registered, but delivery info says item posted and expected to arrive by Thursday 15 Jul. If not arrive by then sure will claim paypal refund, so I will not lose any money - just a bit frustrated!

 

Just wondering if this was actually a scam then can the seller run away with any money (at least 25 units have been sold)? If yes, it's good for him/her. If no, then what the hell did s/he do it for?

Message 18 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

What happened is that somebody reported the seller and eBay realized the seller was a scammer or that the account had possibly been hacked. I seriously doubt you will get your item, sorry.

You might want to contact eBay via live chat and see what they have to say and if you have to wait until the last day of the estimated delivery to get a refund or if you can get it now.

Message 19 of 26
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Re: Is this scam guys?

Could well be a scam? No, definitely a scam. Something else you need to consider is what category was the item listed in? Often scammers will list in an automotive category, as there is no buyer protection for those categories. Popular categories are spare parts and pocket bikes. If it was listed in one of those, a refund is very slim.

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