Why oh why don't people read auctions properly?

Demonic_Angel

In my opinion, the seller IS deliberately trying to mislead potential buyers by having such a high starting price and postage costs. Yes, it states that the auction is for a box - not its contents; however, this scammer is depending on people NOT reading it properly and therefore bidding on it.

Let's be frank - who would want to buy a box for £70 (the starting price)?? The seller knows that NO-ONE would - he's trying to scam legally - hoping that silly people out there won't read the auction details properly.

This 'scam' uses a high starting price as bait for novices, reeling them in. This 'scam' uses a legal means to try to fool unwary and trusting ebayers.

Plenty of scammers stay the right side of the law - but they can come unstuck! Let's hope that, if this is a genuine scammer, they get what they deserve.


Better? :p:p

jan03

real1314 wrote: »

Hmm, I think this view stems from the same source as despising (maybe that's a bit strong even) people who fall for 419 scams (...I'm a lawyer for a deceased who had £30m and no relatives, you can have 25% for helping me....), but those people try to get a lot of money that they know is not theirs.
This case is someone trying to get something they want, for a premium as the item is in demand. That's no excuse for ripping someone off.

AS I said, more fool anyone who doesn't take time to read a listing properly before bidding and for those who have fallen for your quoted scam, you bl:mad: :mad: dy idiots, if it sounds to good to be true, run a mile in the opposite direction!!

jan03

Avoriaz wrote: »

Shelly and Jan, who is really at fault here?

The seller for deliberately setting out to scam people or the TSFE people daft enough to fall for the scam?

It is the seller, who has deliberately set out to defraud, that is to blame.

The innocent victims of their crime may be naïve and foolish, but we were all probably a bit naïve and foolish when we started on ebay. Most of us get lucky and learn the pitfalls before we get conned. Some are less fortunate.

When I hear of a young girl being attacked and raped because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, had dressed provocatively and had had too much to drink, I think she was very foolish. But I also think the rapist who attacked her is the real criminal. I never think she deserved to be raped because she behaved foolishly.

Equally I never think that daft and naïve TSFE people deserve to be conned.

That's a little bit strong don't you think? To compare this scam/buyers stupidity to a girl being attacked?

shelly

Avoriaz wrote: »

Shelly and Jan, who is really at fault here?

The seller for deliberately setting out to scam people or the TSFE people daft enough to fall for the scam?


Equally I never think that daft and naïve TSFE people deserve to be conned.

I still think that ultimately the responsibility lies with the buyer. I don't think anyone deserves to be conned, we agree on that but why can't buyers hit the "ask seller a question" button? Nowhere in the auction was the word console mentioned. Had it not made sense to me I'd have asked the seller if there was actually a console with the box.


I do however think that the second auction I mentioned was misleading to a degree. It stated in the title and the first few lines that it was a pink DS lite console but way down the page at the end of a load of blurb it then said Colour-onyx black. So the info was there, it just had to be looked for.

real1314

jan03 wrote: »

AS I said, more fool anyone who doesn't take time to read a listing properly before bidding and for those who have fallen for your quoted scam, you bl:mad: :mad: dy idiots, if it sounds to good to be true, run a mile in the opposite direction!!

let's hope no pensioners try to buy one for their grandkids eh? Maybe some people TRUST other people not to rip them off or to try to deceive them. I know which sort of person I'd rather meet, I know which sort of person I'd rather support.

jayok

Surely only those who approve of the shady practice of misleading ads will blame the gullible buyer?

mike230652

real1314 wrote: »

let's hope no pensioners try to buy one for their grandkids eh? Maybe some people TRUST other people not to rip them off or to try to deceive them. I know which sort of person I'd rather meet, I know which sort of person I'd rather support.

real1314, I agree with you totally...and from the response to the thread...so do the very great majority of those who've responded.

I sincerely hope I NEVER get to the stage where I say " tough for not reading it properly " or calling people "bloody idiots" for, at worse , being naive and trusting aka HONEST buyers on eBay.

shelly

mike230652 wrote: »

and from the response to the thread...so do the very great majority of those who've responded.

Which I, as the creator of this thread respect. We all have different opinions and just because mine is different to everyone's on this thread (except jan's)doesn't make it any less valid.

Also you will note that I haven't resorted to name calling just because most of you have the cheek to not share my opinion

Before I get flamed for that last comment.....It was a joke by the way :rotfl: trying to lighten the mood of the thread.

jackieb

shelly wrote: »

Nowhere did the auction state bidding was for a console. It clearly said, and I quote from auction "You are bidding on a Pink Nintendo DS lite box." It wasn't hidden in lots of text like you would expect. Couldn't have been clearer IMO.

The seller had a receipt for a Nintendo DS, beside the box, stating that the receipt was there for display purposes only. The seller had a receipt for the Nintendo DS - you don't get charged for just a box! Of course it's misleading.

Avoriaz

jan03 wrote: »

That's a little bit strong don't you think? To compare this scam/buyers stupidity to a girl being attacked?

It is called hyperbole or exaggeration to make a point.

Anyway, the principles are quite similar. If you think the victims of scammers deserve what they get because they are foolish, it is not much of a step to thinking rape victims deserve what they get if they are foolish.