Samsung Mobile Phone Scam(Be aware!)

[iceburgin38]

There is currently a scam being practiced by sellers targeting Samsung Z Fold 7 buyers. The seller lists the phone at a very low price (£770.00GBP approximately).  Very low considering the average price is approximately £1700.00.  Once you pay, you get a message stating that the parcel is with Royal Mail and has been dropped off in a Post Locker. This does not happen . Then, after a few days, they contact you to say the parcel is lost and to apply for a refund. The seller uses the eBay buyer protection to cover them. So you get a refund, and they keep the money. Then they set up a new account and repeat the process. It is actually quite clever!.  You can spot these accounts because they have no history of sales or purchases. If a deal looks too good to be true, then it is most likely to be a scam.

[roger_roger_over_and_nowt]

How do they keep the payment,i didn't think simple delivery covered anything over 750.

New accounts would be subject to payment holds and Ebay would require proof that the item had actually entered the system and not just showing that a label had been bought.

[iceburgin38]

What I have noticed is that the accounts show up as having been around, lying dormant for a long time. I don't know how they do an end run around eBay's terms. But if you do a search, you will see the accounts are all in the same price range, and there is zero history, such as purchases, sales, or feedback.

[jckl1957]

As advised, this would not work.

If the sellers are using 'Simple Delivery', items with a starting price over £750 are not covered.

For high value items, I cannot imagine Ebay would simply refund anyway.  They would, I guess, ask the carrier to look at proof of posting etc. to ensure an item was sent and what became of it.

If the buyer opens a not received claim, unless the seller can prove delivery to the address the buyer chose at checkout, the seller would have to fully refund the buyer.

'Buyer protection' does not come into this; it is not connected to delivery.

[iceburgin38]

Thank you for your response, and the quote by the Danish philosopher! I actually agree with all that you have stipulated. The seller should not be able to bypass eBay's protocols. Yet somehow they still manage to. I personally cannot figure out how the person(s) are doing it. So I thought the first time I was just unlucky, and after reading the responses, maybe I was wrong. So I went back and found another, which was pretty easy, as there are multiple accounts listed at around the same price. I purchased another, and guess what? The same process happened. The parcel was dropped off at a Parcel Locker, then it was missing. The seller says he will look into it, and just as before, advises that I ask for a refund. Now I am officially getting another refund. I don't know about you, but I do not believe in coincidence, especially when it involves money. As for the Danish philosopher, choose whichever version suits.🤔

[opposeller12]

It is just annoying me that Ebay is still allowing these scammers to post fake ads. People who can't see through this are getting conned. There is NO WAY Ebay would constantly refund every scam phone

[papso22]

Ebay will refund the buyers but may look at the sellers. 

Buyers only lose protection if they open too many cases.

[opposeller12]

Fair enough. Just seems strange Ebay doesn't remove the ads when £760 for a
fold 7 isn't genuine. Still, thanks for the answer