"utility" phones for sale on ebay

chocdonuty

Well, not exactly phones because there isn't any!
Why is this scam still going and why do so many people fall for it?
in the next hour there are 8 finishing with a total of £300 plus bid for them, (thats just sony models)
Those people are going to be very dissapointed when just a cd pops through their letterbox!
But seriously though, nowhere on the listing does it state that there is a phone available, so why risk a bid? I know the wording can be a bit dodgy but they get away with it because they do not state it is a phone they are selling. easy money, may just try it myself :rotfl: (actually no, my feedback score is too good to destroy and I have a concience!)
Has anyone else fell for this scam?

banger9365

do not understand what your on about

penrhyn

CDs go snap not pop.

vuvuzela

Got a link to one so we can see exactly what it is ?

RHemmings

I presume that the OP means these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-SONY-ERICSSON-XPERIA-Mini-PRO-MOBILE-PHONE-UTILITIES-/280930952237?pt=UK_Mobile_Phones&hash=item4168ca242d

The title clearly says "Utilities". They are posted in the "Mobile and Smart Phones" section, which is misleading as they should be posted in "Accessories" or more accurately (IMHO) "Tools".

Edit: "Item specifics" also clearly indicate a phone.

Item specifics

Condition: New: A brand-new, unused, unopened and undamaged item in original retail packaging (where packaging is ... Read moreabout the condition

Brand: Sony Ericsson
SIM Lock: T-Mobile
Family Line: Sony Ericsson XPERIA
Storage Capacity: 128 MB
Model: X10 mini pro
Colour: Pearl white
MPN: SONYERICSSONXPERIAX10MINIPROPEARLWHITE
Style: Slider

midnightraven3

listing says, first line

Enjoying your SONY ERICSSON XPERIA Mini PRO??? Looking to buy one??? Are you sure you're using this phone to it's full potential????

then

This disk is amazing low price - absolutely crammed full of all current available aplications, games and extra's to get full use out of your amazing SmartFone

some may confuse that i suppose
maybe its because my son has one, the listing makes sense to me i dont know

peter_the_piper

Got to admit, I would have, Storage capacity would convince a bidder.

byjimini

Looks fine to me, I didn't once think I was buying a phone.

RHemmings

midnightraven3 wrote: »

listing says, first line

Enjoying your SONY ERICSSON XPERIA Mini PRO??? Looking to buy one??? Are you sure you're using this phone to it's full potential????

then

This disk is amazing low price - absolutely crammed full of all current available aplications, games and extra's to get full use out of your amazing SmartFone

some may confuse that i suppose
maybe its because my son has one, the listing makes sense to me i dont know

The bolded bit above does not show when I view the listing in Firefox/Mac. Edit: That text does show up if I select the text right to the bottom and then paste into a text editor.

IMHO only a careless buyer will be fooled, but IMHO there is enough there in the auction placement and also the specific details that I personally believe that the seller is deliberately out to trick people, and that a SNAD would be a reasonable response by a buyer. Edit: And I believe that it's possible that the seller knows how to format their listing so that not all their text shows up.

sdduk

The listing title says it all

NEW! SONY ERICSSON XPERIA Mini PRO MOBILE PHONE UTILITIES

it says UTILITIES not that you are buying a phone

I must admit they should be in a different place not in mobile phone section and they are a pain when looking for a phone the other one that gets on my nerves is the contract phones.

RHemmings

sdduk wrote: »

The listing title says it all

NEW! SONY ERICSSON XPERIA Mini PRO MOBILE PHONE UTILITIES

it says UTILITIES not that you are buying a phone

I must admit they should be in a different place not in mobile phone section and they are a pain when looking for a phone the other one that gets on my nerves is the contract phones.

IMHO they also shouldn't fill in the "item specifics" with details of an actual phone. In my opinion the fact that there is text in the listing that correctly describes the item does not excuse the fact that there is text in the listing that doesn't correctly describe an item. I.e. telling truths in some of the text does not excuse what I consider to be lies in other parts of the text of the listing.