An empty box for sale

daveeeeed

sillygoose wrote: »

And of course a roof mounted bike rack is just the sort of thing that could easily get stolen off a parked car

....and could then get sold on at a higher value if it came "with original packaging"

daveeeeed

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

By paying for it with paypal, collecting then simply opening a goods not received dispute.
By doing this, the buyer is 99% guaranteed to get their payment refunded in full.

Yes but this applies to any item for collection. Why does this make "scams involving empty boxes fairly common on ebay"?

shaun_from_Africa

daveeeeed wrote: »

Yes but this applies to any item for collection. Why does this make "scams involving empty boxes fairly common on ebay"?

Simply because empty box scams are fairly common on ebay.

http://community.ebay.co.uk/topic/Ebay/Iphone-Box-Scam/1700105860

http://community.ebay.co.uk/topic/Ebay/Iphone-Box-Scam/1700105860

http://community.ebay.co.uk/topic/Ebay/Iphone-Box-Scam/1700105860?#msg1700797743

http://community.ebay.co.uk/question/Trust-Safety/Item-Listed-Graphics/18000481915?#msg1700849055


Scammers list something such as an expensive mobile phone or other electronic item, give a full description of it, then at the very end write a small disclaimer such as "this listing is for a box only".
The listings usually get put in an incorrect category and include a photo of the phone/tablet etc to try to mislead further.

Brooker_Dave

You can even buy new empty packaging:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-EU-Version-Packaging-box-Tray-Manual-Sim-Tool-for-iPhone-5-Without-Accessories-Free-Shipping/710813281.html

ceebeeby

I actually hate scammers (that's quite strong isn't it).

ballisticbrian

I find threads like this a form of mass-hysteria. Everyone telling eachother about the worst possible scams and examples which aren't indicated in the eBay sale being discussed. Here we have a 99p item, with one bid for 99p with the seller clearly stating in capital letters up front it is just a box, and yet scaremongers are telling us about scammers, small print and xbox boxes, a scam which went on a decade ago.

shaun_from_Africa

ballisticbrian wrote: »

I find threads like this a form of mass-hysteria. Everyone telling eachother about the worst possible scams and examples which aren't indicated in the eBay sale being discussed. Here we have a 99p item, with one bid for 99p with the seller clearly stating in capital letters up front it is just a box, and yet scaremongers are telling us about scammers, small print and xbox boxes, a scam which went on a decade ago.

It was me that first mentioned the empty box scam but if you read my original post, I clearly stated that the post in question was not one of these types of listings and in fact the seller appeared to be totally genuine and upfront about what was being sold.
It was following this post that I was asked to expand on the empty box / box only scam.

Scams involving empty boxes are fairly common on ebay but this isn't one of them.

And you are very mistaken if you think that the box only scams only went on "a decade ago".
They still appear on ebay nowadays and on a regular basis, usually on 3 day listings starting on a Friday so that there is less chance of them being reported and removed over the weekend.

A quick search on the ebay forum found one post where some won what appeared to be an iphone (listed in the phone category and not in the accessories or boxes section), and also had a photo of a phone in the listing.
This one was a couple of months ago, not a decade ago and the item description stated:

iphone 5 white 32 gb excellent condition box

ballisticbrian

I'm just trying to be helpful man. I'm trying to promote a balanced view on this site.

shaun_from_Africa

How can your post be balanced when your comment that:

small print and xbox boxes, a scam which went on a decade ago

is totally incorrect as this type of scam is still going on now and on a very regular basis.

justapoorboy

I have seen scams like the one mentioned above (but very rarely) and have avoided them by reading the description VERY carefully, which all buyers should do as a matter of course anyway but it helps to be forewarned, so thanks to all posters.
Just bear in mind these scams constitute a tiny % of what's on Ebay.