iPhone Scams On Ebay Start: Emails, Domains, Pre-Orders
In the wake of the Wii and PS3, scammers ran rampant on eBay. There were hundreds of daily auctions for Wii receipts, boxes, and email addresses. Gullible people not reading the auctions before bidding paid hundreds for these items, and PayPal refused to assist the buyer most of the time. With the release of the iPhone, the same thing is starting to appear. Already there are a dozen or so people trying to sell “iPhone email addresses”. They claim these email addresses will assist in future iPhone sales. This auction even has a bid for $50 USD. The sad thing is the email addresses are so lame they aren’t even worth a cent. “apple.iphone.outlet@gmail.com”. Give me a break.
Along with email addresses, people are also squatting domains and selling them on eBay in bulk. Some of bids in upwards of $40 USD. There isn’t even a remotely decent name for sale. For instance the best one is iPhonesDirect.com, which is nothing special.
Even the original iPhone.com domain created in 1995 at GoDaddy is trying to cash in on Apple’s announcement. Their original website has been down ever since the release. Originally claiming high traffic, they’ve now thrown up a few advertisements for web hosting, and an anti virus. iPhone.org resgistered by Apple of course points to the Apple’s iPhone page.
However my absolute favorite scam on eBay is the people selling “iPhone pre-orders“. Yes, they claim they can get their hands on an iPhone the day of release. What gets me is the auction actually has bids. $1,110.00 with $25 shipping worth of bids to be exact. Similar auctions are selling for hundreds, but bound to hit one thousand eventually.
First Off, Please be aware of other auctions claiming to have the Apple iPhone. These units have NOT shipped at this point. I am one of a very few direct suppliers who will receive the Apple iPhone immediately after they ship.
Yea, sure; what’s your company name again?
Why should PayPal protect people who don’t read auctions before they buy? If the auction said they are buying a PS3 box and they got their box, what is the problem? We as a society need to let stupid people learn these expensive lessons for themselves every once in a while instead of always protecting them from themselves. After a while, the dumb people will either be broke (and thus victims of their own stupidity) or the collective IQ of this nation might jump a couple of points.
[quote comment="6156"]Why should PayPal protect people who don’t read auctions before they buy? If the auction said they are buying a PS3 box and they got their box, what is the problem? We as a society need to let stupid people learn these expensive lessons for themselves every once in a while instead of always protecting them from themselves. After a while, the dumb people will either be broke (and thus victims of their own stupidity) or the collective IQ of this nation might jump a couple of points.[/quote]
Agreed for the boxes. But the emails are different. It’s against ebay’s TOS to say “PS3 60 GIG PREMUIM email NR” It’s called keyword spamming. But IMO I still don’t think they should even get refunded for that for the reasons stated above ;)
Yes but I just wonder how many people have actually tried that? Because i think that it is a sad thing to do, but it is as You pointed out very profitable.
I’ve actually tried it, and yes, I made $47.00 for selling an iphone email. But I clearly stated “IPHONE EMAIL ADDRESS” In HUGE RED LETTERS!
So it’s clearly their fault… I think…
[quote comment="7034"]I’ve actually tried it, and yes, I made $47.00 for selling an iphone email. But I clearly stated “IPHONE EMAIL ADDRESS” In HUGE RED LETTERS!
So it’s clearly their fault… I think…[/quote]
Can we get more details? Did he dispute the sale with Paypal? Did he complain at all? Did he even pay you?
More details? Sure. He did NOT file a dispute with paypal. Nor myself.
Hehe. But, um…he hasn’t payed yet. But remember it’s only been since yesterday (01/17/07). I’ll keep you ladies yup 2 date.
I am selling some email addresses right now on ebay, I will not refund if they don’t read it.
thanks,
Josh
You all are an embarrassment. While I would agree that buyers are at fault for not realizing what they are buying, for you all to so blatantly tout that you are engaging in intentionally misleading scamming activities like you are somehow proud of it is what gives eBay and other online forums a bad rap. In the end you will get your just deserves. I will raise my glass and toast when you do.
[quote comment="10717"]You all are an embarrassment. While I would agree that buyers are at fault for not realizing what they are buying, for you all to so blatantly tout that you are engaging in intentionally misleading scamming activities like you are somehow proud of it is what gives eBay and other online forums a bad rap. In the end you will get your just deserves. I will raise my glass and toast when you do.[/quote]
For the record, I’ve never done this, nor plan on doing it. I just reported it ;)
Well well well, hooraaaah to free enterprise!
We all sit back and chear on the genious that comes up with vibrating flosser, or the hair straitener; or perhaps the dude that invented the scateboard. I’m sure someone somewhere got bleading gums, burnt hair, and certainly a coma grinding off a handrail. Welcome to America. As much as I detest scams, shams, and anything that rhymes with ams…this is the world we live in. Morality nowadays doesn’t pay the rent. I’ve been heisted more than once, and I’m sure I’ll get burned again, but I’ve learned the hard way that if there is something for the taking……IT WILL GET TAKEN!!!! I’m out.