On Feb 27, 2004, at 1:54 PM, Dan K wrote:
LOL, having now read through this thread from its start I've noticed no-one here has offered up an explanation of how this (obvious) scam actually works.
Can it be no lister has popped for one of these 'deals'??
Last year there was a lister who lost $1200 on a 'discounted' new TiBook in a similar deal.
The scam is that for the $235 'fee' you're put in touch with someone who purports to be clearing property from a failed business, a cancelled transaction, a bankruptcy deal, or the ever-popular 'Apple employee with a discount'.
The explanation is that the seller knows full well that the value of the computer is much higher than what they're asking, it's just that they need the cash as soon as possible, so they'll take the small loss to stave off a larger loss; often some sob story about Eastern European gangsters threatening the seller's family is added for color. (Many of these scams are coming out of Romania)
Then you're directed to wire the cash to the seller and the computer will be shipped to you.
Riiiiiight.
The deal with the $235 is that they've suckered people out of that much, even if they get cold feet later.
Another con that is being done is people selling powerbooks in this fashion, but the seller even gets the Powerbook. However, the original one was purchased with stolen CC information, and the buyer is on the hook for receiving stolen property. Most often the buyer is determined to be an innocent in the scam, but you lose the powerbook anyway, and the money you spent, too.
It's a con. Like all cons, they depend on your greed outweighing your common sense.
If it sounds too good to be true it is.
Remember this, repeat as needed.
Shout it if necessary: IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT IS!
-- Bruce Johnson University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Information Technology Group
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