I think I did not understand this auction's subject
#1

Hi, folks;

I'm sorry posting about such an off-line subject, but I saw so many auctions over the same theme I decided to see what was that about. It looks like those "MAKE MONEY FOR FREE!" messages I saw posted at the MoHPC forum sometime ago.

Have you seen this auction? There are some others like this. I tried to figure it out: it seems someone found a way to "acquire" (if it is the right way to use the verb) goods for no cost or about no cost. And now he/she is trying to sale the "way to do it".

Is it the auction's actual "subject"? If so, there is nothing to do with an specific "free HP48GX". This way, is it legal at e-Bay?

I just want to understand.

Thanks.

Luiz (Brazil)

Edited: 19 July 2003, 11:11 p.m.

#2

Hi,

I don't know if it's legal,
but IMHO this 'auction', like many similar ads, is just trash. I think it offers no real gain.
It's like I would charge you money if I told you a way to make your house secure, namely by closing and locking the doors;-)

However, you remember the guy who offered different stuff on eBay for a relatively low BIN price, and then charged the 'winner' a massive amount for shipping...

Regards,

Raymond

#3

Its interesting to note that the seller has been registered for less than 24 hours and already has 16 positive feedbacks posted. If you follow each feedback to the original item, they consist of auctions for $1.00 or less selling an ebook, joke, etc. Each of these auctions openly promise positive feedback will be posted within 24 hours. This seller essentially purchased what looks like a bona fide eBay account in less than a day!

Let's see. Can you spell S-C-A-M?

How do you spell 'scam' in French, German, Korean, etc.?

Mark Hardman

#4

Hi Raymond, Mark, guys;

I remember reading one auction where the seller mentioned his/her Grandma was too slow packing and it would cost...(?)

There are lots of things too much more important in the world than using the Grandma as an excuse, right?

Thanks, Raymond! Anyway, I still think the seller should not announce it as a free HP48GX.

Best regards.

Luiz (Brazil)

Edited: 19 July 2003, 11:44 p.m.

#5

Right. And he was only the buyer?!

#6

Like Mark, I followed some of the items to their origin.
It seems there's something like an eBay feedback pushing gang at work. Most of them do virtually nothing than giving and receiving positive feedbacks.

Maybe this could be interesting for the eBay legal department...

But OTOH, the sellers may just change their eBay pseudos, and start over again. So I fear there will always be some junk kids like those.

Raymond

#7

I too have followed stuff---Like this:


I found a 71B at auction, so I looked in the seller's feedback, and found the auction in which he had bought the unit, then I went into the previos seller's feedback, and found the auction when He bought it....


Interestingly, by the time the trail dropped, tyhree back, The 71b had been purchased for 250 bucks. That buyer sold it for about 130 (so lost some money, seems to me) and then that guy's action went for around 80 bucks----and so two epople in the cahin lost money----

But this was an unusual case, where I think there were actually fully ligitamate people buying and selling (at unwise prices) as I could see both buy and sell transactions in their records.


Most of the "power sellers" show NO buying activity, and most buyers show NO selling.

Further, I think there is a lot of shilling going on--because it is so EASY to do it!


Look at the bidders--almost all the time, you find a bunch of 1, 2, or 3 transaction bidders---now some of these are ligit----just new and inexperienced (I only have 10 feedbacks myself!). But others are surely shills.

Follow the experienced and successful buyers, and you will discover that tehy manage to buy stuff for WAY below the median price----calckidd is an excellent example. I have gone inot a number of acutions where "he" shows up, and he never stays in the running ifit goes anywhere near median price. If you check his records, you dicover that he gets stuff for way cheap---a 7Bfor like $50, a 48GX for like $25 or $35, etc.


So the savvy auction buyer make s a careful study of not only the product, but also the legitimacey of the auction.


Best regards,

Bill

#8

I guess eBay didn't like his way of doing business either...

#9

I checked into this deal (but did not buy it). Basically, they send you contact information for electronics manufacturers. You are to promote yourself as a retailer, and ask for a free sample of the product, which some mfr's will provide. You may in fact receive something free of charge, but every scam has its price.



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