Question Re: iPhone purchase - possible scam? in Member To Member Support DO NOT DELETE

iPhone purchase - possible scam?

pinkychukkles — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 09:20:24 GMT

I purchased an iPhone, supposedly sealed / new, from a seller who's feedback indicates that they have only sold mobile phone accessories & DVDs before. If this is a scam, I am wondering what the endgame is for them & how they plan to successfully make off into the sunset with all the buyers money.

Background

BIN iPhone 8 Plus for a good but not unbelievably cheap price.
seller also had lots of other iPhone models for sale + an iPad 7th gen & a couple of Samsungs - similar deal, new / sealed, all BIN.
in each case, the description said by way of explanation: *Seller* HAS PARTNER WITH A LARGE MOBILE PHONE REFURBISHED COMPANY
purchased & paid on 24th June

I have sent numerous messages since then, often with contradictory or confusing replies. E.g. the listings said the shipping method was normal 2nd Class, I queried this and the reply I got was "Ttackable ups or dpd sorry for late reply" even though they replied within minutes and, today, the item was marked as shipped with a RM tracking ref.

Prior to receiving notification of shipment today, I had been continually stonewalled when asking when it was going to be shipped. If this isn't a scam, then they obviously never had the goods when they put the listings up. Indeed, from keeping an regular eye on their feedback, a seasoned buyer with over 1k+ f/b, left a negative for them this morning with words to that effect... that was then removed for some reason (was unable to see what they had left f/b for, as the f/b was for a Private Listing.

Anyway, after seeing that a tracking number had been uploaded and it was marked as shipped this morning, I asked for the IMEI number since their own listing stated that "IMEI NUMBER WILL BE STORED FOR A TOTAL OF 12 MONTHS AFTER YOU RECEIVED YOUR.ORDER" and this was the reply I received:

Our own couriers will be taking control if the deliveries
As soon the arrive they you will be able to to check the imei before signing the paperwork.
And you can check the phone out also you must provided valid id in the name of the sale

They will call you on.the number you have provided

Regards

***

So now I'm even more confused. They say their own couriers will be delivering yet have supplied a RM tracking ref?

What's the play here if they are scammers? If they have got the money from all the sales sitting in their PayPal, why continue to engage with my queries or do they need to prove delivery before they can move the money?

Will I be sent an iPhone-sized brick in the post?
Should I refuse delivery or video the postman walking up the driveway, leaving the package on the doorstep then, without pausing, record opening the package in case what has been sent isn't what it is supposed to be?
Is this even a thing? I mean, I heard and read about the reverse happening with fraudulent scam buyers returning bricks instead of what was purchased.
Will I be able to claim back my payment if so & the seller can prove delivery?
Are fake Royal Mail tracking numbers a thing?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Re: iPhone purchase - possible scam?

papso22 — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 09:30:27 GMT

This is quick Q&A board, and you are over complicating things.

Read the ebay MBG which protects you against not receiving anything, receiving something you didn't order, or receiving something that is what you ordered but doesn't work.

The only risk is that they have tracking showing delivery and you haven't actually got anything. If that happens come back here. In the meantime, the day after estimated delivery, open a case for item not received.

Re: iPhone purchase - possible scam?

pinkychukkles — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 09:41:34 GMT

OK thanks - so I'm at minimal risk then as a buyer and protected by the eBay MBG?

Just seems to be a few red flags hence thought it may be wise to post to solicit some other opinions. Do seller scams for (relatively) high value electronics not happen on eBay at all?

Apologies, I navigated my way here, haven't used the Community forums for years and wasn't offered a choice of forum with which to post to, just a new post screen. Please let me know the more appropriate forum where I should have posted this, perhaps a mod could move it there. Thanks.

Re: iPhone purchase - possible scam?

papso22 — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 09:47:03 GMT

The best place for long posts or discussions, would be the Buyer Central Board. But you are right, buyers are well protected with the exception of an item which shows delivery but hasn't been. We recommend people open a paypal case then as paypal look at delivery addresses and tracking more closely than ebay.

Seller scams and buyer scams do happen, the current seller scam is garden furniture!

Re: iPhone purchase - possible scam?

pinkychukkles — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 09:58:52 GMT

Thanks again. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. I hope you won't be offended if I re-post this there, even if any replies merely conform to what you have already told me.

Re: iPhone purchase - possible scam?

papso22 — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 11:43:57 GMT

Not at all, I am quite hard to offend!