On Fri, May 18, 2007 2:43 pm, Nick Rout wrote: > > On Fri, May 18, 2007 11:51 am, Christopher Sawtell wrote: >> Quoting [EMAIL PROTECTED]: >> >>> On Fri, May 18, 2007 at 09:19:07AM +1200, Jonathan Bell wrote: >>> > ----- Original Message Follows ----- >>> > > Hi, >>> > > Sorry Don, but I tend to agree with Nick. >>> > > >>> > I also agree, for slightly different reasons. >>> >>> I might just cut through all the moral judgments and the Labour-like >>> parenting tips you're currently getting and state two very important >>> points. >>> >>> - Buying a laptop from TradeMe is fraught with *significant* trouble. >>> That >>> is, you have to make sure it's not stolen before you shell out the >>> money, >> I beg to differ because: >> There is the Safe Trader escrow system. >> The police have a database of stolen goods serial numbers which they can >> access >> during a phone call. >> So if you are interested ask the vendor for the serial number, if he >> won't >> give >> it, don't buy. >> If the number on the lappie is different from the one you were told, >> contact the >> Safe Trader system and the local police. > > While that helps, it is not foolproof. > > The theft may not have been reported, and the police don't have a > nationwide database.
Furthermore none of that prevents someone selling you a computer that is on hire purchase, and which therefore belongs to a finance company. -- Nick Rout
