why do people fall for it

Avoriaz

Blacksheep1979 wrote:

I'm sorry but if people buy this its their own fault - it clearly stated in the auction title and description that it is for a police auction - if people are stupid and greedy enough to think they will get a wii for £125 when they sell for far more than that on ebay they deserve everything they get - an email.

I don’t think you are really sorry. I think you are maybe a tad heartless. Have you never made a mistake in your 27 years?

Even the cleverest and smartest of us fall for a scam once in a while. I consider myself fairly wise and savvy and unlikely to fall for this type of con trick. Sadly, a few years ago I did allow my desire to own a rare CD to cloud my judgement and I lost £18 to a con. And that is by no means the only mistake I have made in life.

Consider the harassed parent with a child desperately wanting a Wii. A parent who is unfamiliar with ebay and not aware that it is a mine field. Such a parent may quite easily fall for this type of scam. They only have themselves to blame but I personally feel a great deal of sympathy for them. In the same way that I feel very sorry for elderly people who allow thieves into their homes posing as Water Board officials. Losing £125 for being foolish is a harsh punishment.

Please don’t tell me the parent should have told the child he can’t have a Wii. You might be right but that is a subject for another thread.


Daddy, Daddy I want a Wii.

Fine, go behind those bushes or wait until we get home.:D

mcwarre

People tend to fall for things like this for two reasons.

Firstly, they don't read the auction. Not hard to rectify that is it?

Secondly, and most importantly, it is all down to GR££D. If it looks too good to be true, it generally is.

That's not being heartless it is plain simple truth

Snooze_Control

bella4uk wrote:

Oh so you think it's funny.....not everyone has great reading ability and the seller has taken advantage......shame on you!!!!!!!!
You and the other idiot who you quoted are heartless imo.....:mad:

Where did I say or even suggest that I thought it was funny?

If people don't have this "great reading ability" that you refer to then they shouldn't be buying on Ebay, period.

And you're right, I have no sympathy whatsoever. Serves them right.

SC

jpvic

Looks to me like a couple of ebay scammers right here in this thread.

"Coz they aint as clever as me they deserve to be ripped off"

Nice attitude.

tawnyowls

I think it's dreadful, and as rightly pointed out above, it's the people who can least afford it (most likely to be elderly and/or less educated) who are most likely to be ripped off. I have every sympathy with them (although perhaps less with people who are motivated only by greed), and well done to syanide for reporting it. I will be reading every ad twice from now on!

Blacksheep1979

jpvic wrote:

Looks to me like a couple of ebay scammers right here in this thread.

"Coz they aint as clever as me they deserve to be ripped off"

Nice attitude.

No I didn't say they deserved to be ripped off because they aren't as clever as me. I said that they deserve everything that happens to them if they are too lazy to read the whole listing and too greedy thinking they can get a product for less than half of its value.

As for being a scammer myself, I have only ever sold a couple of items on ebay, always listed the faults and photographed them and have always had very sattisfied customers.

Avoriaz

Blacksheep1979 wrote:

… I said that they deserve everything that happens to them if they are too lazy to read the whole listing and too greedy thinking they can get a product for less than half of its value..

I agree with you if it was greed or laziness that made them fall for this con but I feel sorry for anyone who fell for it through naivety or ignorance or through being too trusting.

“There's a sucker born every minute...and two to take 'em”

Often attributed to P T Barnum but more likely said by a rival.