Gumtree buying advice

KFW

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a Macbook off gumtree and just wanting some advice as i have heard stories of fraud. I have found one (new sealed box) at a good price and my plan at present is

1. meet at sellers house
2. payment is cash on collection
- prior to paying, i will inspect device and check serial number.
- the seller is willing to sign a receipt.
3. Once I have handed the money, to open the box to make sure it's not empty.

The thing I am wary of is firstly the picture on gumtree seems to be a copy from the internet and says ixbt.com. Not sure if they can't be bother to take their own photo or not.

any more advice that people can give me?
Many thank

KFW

ballisticbrian

If it sounds like a scam and smells like a scam, it's probably a scam.

F&L

I personally wouldn't buy anything like that on Gumtree as there are so many things that could go wrong. Apple offer a student discount of 15% off a macbook via unidays. I'm not a student but a friend's daughter used their student ID to get me the discounted price so that could be an option? People who work in education can also get the discount but I think it's less.

glentoran99

KFW wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a Macbook off gumtree and just wanting some advice as i have heard stories of fraud. I have found one (new sealed box) at a good price and my plan at present is

1. meet at sellers house
2. payment is cash on collection
- prior to paying, i will inspect device and check serial number.


What are you checking for? and against what?

- the seller is willing to sign a receipt.
Unless this is a business its irrelevant

3. Once I have handed the money, to open the box to make sure it's not empty.

The thing I am wary of is firstly the picture on gumtree seems to be a copy from the internet and says ixbt.com. Not sure if they can't be bother to take their own photo or not.

any more advice that people can give me?
Many thank

KFW

Use common sense

KFW

thanks for all the advice

Unfortunately i dont know any students at the moment.

i thought you can check whether it has been registered or not.
i didnt know about the receipt thing. i thought a receipt or acknowledgement would be useful so if it was reported as stolen for example, i can prove i brought it.

Regards
KFW

Flyonthewall

KFW wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a Macbook off gumtree and just wanting some advice as i have heard stories of fraud. I have found one (new sealed box) at a good price and my plan at present is

1. meet at sellers house
2. payment is cash on collection
- prior to paying, i will inspect device and check serial number.
- the seller is willing to sign a receipt.
3. Once I have handed the money, to open the box to make sure it's not empty.

The thing I am wary of is firstly the picture on gumtree seems to be a copy from the internet and says ixbt.com. Not sure if they can't be bother to take their own photo or not.

any more advice that people can give me?
Many thank

KFW

How are you planning on inspecting the item before opening the box?

If you've given them the money and then you open it and find it's empty do you really think a scammer is going to say "oh sorry, here's your money back"? No, they won't.

Gumtree is cash on collection, sold as seen, no refunds. Having a receipt is meaningless. They could lie/fake a signature.

It isn't difficult to take a photo. The fact it's a stolen image isn't good. Avoid.

soolin

KFW wrote: »

thanks for all the advice

Unfortunately i dont know any students at the moment.

i thought you can check whether it has been registered or not.
i didnt know about the receipt thing. i thought a receipt or acknowledgement would be useful so if it was reported as stolen for example, i can prove i brought it.

Regards
KFW

If you buy stolen goods they are still stolen and the original owner can have them back. A receipt will not protect you from that, there is also a very good swapped box scam that a good scammer can easily pull off.

pulliptears

I went to buy a white MacBook a few years ago, I'd been told to take out the battery and check for the serial number. Seller looked ever so shifty when I did this and shiftier still when I noted it wasn't there.

Personally after that I wouldn't touch a second hand one.

debsy42

I've debated with myself whether to post this story or not, this happened not too far from where I work. I know this is an extreme example but please be over cautious in any dealings with the seller http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3169585/Teaching-assistant-stabbed-death-going-sell-laptop-man-met-Gumtree.html

KFW

hmm
i suppose meeting in a public place would be safer

Flyonthewall

KFW wrote: »

hmm
i suppose meeting in a public place would be safer

That story was the seller who got attacked. Regardless, it says people walked past him so it clearly was in public.

You may have more witnesses, it doesn't mean it's safer. Nor does that change any of the above issues such as unknowingly buying stolen property or box switches.