Is this a Mac G5 scam???

[borntoplese]

i dont know if this is the right place to post, but im thinking about getting a G5 for pro tools and i came across this ebay listing... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...172318938&rd=1

i emailed him and got an automated reply as follows:

HI
First I want to tell you that my power mac and cd are brand new, unopened box
all accessories included and also an 3 year apple care and international warranty.
My price is the best you could get: 1500USD(not euro), including the
shipping and insurance taxes. We will pay them because the package
will be delivered from Europe.
As delivery service we use UPS2days air service or overnight (with insurance and
15 days return policy), because it's the faster. And if you will have
a quick payment, we must also have a quick delivery. So that's why we
use as a payment method Western Union money transfer, the fastest and
also very secure way of sending money. I just open a electronics company here in europe
If i will make with you a good deal,you will recommend me ,maybe ,to your friends or to other persons.For me it is very important to have permanent deals on ebay,
any negatice deal will not make good to me,That explain the price
So, if you agree with my terms I'm sure that we can close the deal as soon as possible.
Waiting your quick answer right now,

THANK YOU

so... this has to be a scam right? this computer would be well over 10,000 bucks!! his feedback is 100%... im confused!!

[StukOnBlu]

Sounds like a scam to me. I deal in reptiles as well as recording and I have had MANY emails like that on animals I have posted online. Whats weird, is that email sounds almost Identical to the emails I have gotten. Mine have said: "I will pay to $3000 (on a $250 animal) and you take your 250 then send the rest to a certain bank acct number then I will have another person call you to pick up the animal." Not in that good of english though. ANYWAY good luck...if i were you i would let that one pass by.

Just my opinion,
Mike Jones
[email protected]
StukOnBlu Studios

[pk_hat]

If it seems too good to be true, it is.

Don't do it. Ebay scams have grown exponentially as of late, which now makes them easier to isolate.
Buzzwords and phrases to look out for and avoid being taken: "Nigeria" - "my broker will pay for it on my behalf" - "I accept Western Union and not Paypal"

Combined with those annoying fakely misspelled & over-the-top "I'm from European, pleaze foregive my english" messages, as a result of being from a "foreign country".
Gimme a f***ing break, such bad grammar = I can't take you seriously.

Do yourself a favor and run this checklist before clickin "Place Bid" on any auction:

1- Check seller's feedback.
2- Paypal Verified
3- Ask seller a general question reagrding the item via email
4- Ask if it would be ok to pick-up the item if you win the auction (of course that may not be the case, but you ask anyways).


This auction you mention is very much a scam, IMO:

1- anyone with decent business sense would specify where in Europe he is from
2- check the feedback and prior items sold, look at the 8th item down the list. There's green/+/positive sign, but read what it says next to it. Confused?
3- Look at all the feedback he got as a seller, from buyers.
Why would someone from Europe be selling all these sports memorabilia item which are actually located in the US.
4- And the best part, no obvious misspelling indicating a foreign language is dealing the cards here.

Ebay accounts often get hijacked. Watch your back, and watch your step when bidding.

Now, how badly do you want that G5?

[Slim Shady]

Completely and without a doubt a scam. Macintosh computers are one of the most frequently used items to manipulate ebay scams due to their high price tag, and as PK said, if it sounds too good to be true, it definitely is.

The fact that all his previous items came from within the U.S. (but somehow different parts of the country....) should also be a red flag... all of sudden he's in europe now? Not to mention that Mac's in europe are way more expensive than they are in the states (and have different power requirements), and check out the category it's listed under. You should never buy on ebay from a seller who wants to do the transaction outside of the ebay/paypal world - you need that electronic trail should anything go wrong with the transaction, which most certainly will happen with this particular auction.

[shanabit]

Western Union money transfer, red flag here
Scam city bro, run Forrest run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheMadStudent]

Hey
Check his feedback, funny to look at!
All PURCHASES not sales... all for cheap ass items like $0.99 cards and stuff... All quite recent..
Id just report to ebay to check it out and if their happy go 4 it..
but like the other guys said.. Western Union is a 100% no no on ebay!
nic

[shanabit]

Guys, the G5 is $3,000 USD not including a 30" Cinema Display !!!!!! COME ON , SCAM SCAM SCAM
Heck, Id buy all 3 at that price. Ha HA!!

Free shipping,only 1500 usd if you will buy it in 12 h from now( KEY PHRASE HERE, WITHIN THE NEXT 12 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!1)

3 units in stock mail me now

Description:




• Dual 2.5GHz PowerPC G5
• 8GB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 8x1GB
• 2x250GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
• NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL

• Apple Cinema HD Display (30" flat panel)• Belkin ADC-DVI Adapter
• AirPort Extreme Card
• Bluetooth Module
• 56k V.92 modem
• 8x SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
• PCI-X Gigabit Ethernet Card
• Fibre Channel PCI Card (w/SFP-SFP cable)
• Apple Keyboard & Apple Mouse - U.S. English


• Mac OS X - U.S. English
• Mac OS X Server v10.3 (Unlimited-Client)
• Final Cut Express 2 preinstalled
• Keynote preinstalled
• iPod - 40GB
• iSight
• Logitech Z-680 THX 5.1 Speakers & Monster 2-meter Cable
• AirPort Extreme Base Station (with modem and antenna port)
• .Mac Promotional Bundle
• APP for Power Mac (w/ or w/o display) - Enrollment Kit






""I have 3 units in my stock if you will buy in less than 12 h the price will be only 1500 usd""


HERE IS YOUR SIGN If this aint a scam I dont know what is!!!

[jonas]

Late reply, but...

A couple of red flags there. First the seller writes "I want" and "my Power Mac" but suddenly it's "we will" and "we use". That sounds quite fishy if you ask me.

Secondly, Western Union is anything but safe. I'd say it's like giving your money to a bum on the street. But that's just my opinion. I only bid on auctions I can pay for with Paypal or via a reliable escrow company. That way I would at least have a chance to a refund if the seller is flaky or a con-artist.

Always watch the feedback. Some sellers sell cheap crap for low bucks and deliver only to receive positive feedback. When they have enough they start ripping people off. Some buy loads of small cheap things in order to do the same. If the previous transactions are old enough to be non-viewable in Ebay's database I'd be weary.

There will always be risks involved when buying online from complete strangers. The only fool proof way to avoid being a victim is to refrain from buying at all. But if you do your home work and do it well, your chances to avoid being ripped off have improved a lot.

Remember... if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

[max cooper]

The fact that anyone would even need to ask if this is a bogus auction is a little scary.