Ouch, sorry to hear this, that’s an expensive lesson. Over the last month or so I’ve bought five pieces of equipment privately (speakers, pre- and power amps, PSU, hard disk player) and collected all of them in person. Even aside from outright fraud I still want to see that I’m getting what I expected. If it doesn’t measure up I can walk and all I’ve lost is some time and the cost of the journey.
In the course of my search for the above I came across a classifieds site called Adpost. It was a real eye-opener in that I’d estimate at least 80% of the hi-fi ads I saw were clearly fraudulent (odd user names, unfeasibly low prices, single photos, descriptions cribbed from elsewhere on the web). The increasing willingness to buy things over the web unseen is giving fraudsters an absolute bonanza.
True that. This fraudulent behavior, no matter the reason, is truly dismantling trust and thus leading to a new and dissapointing moral where disbelief and skeptisicm becomes the moral guide line. It’s even led the EU and various countries and their state machinery to establish institutions specifically handling international fraud in the context of internet trade, both regarding person-person and business-person.
I am aware this is nothing new but possibly agrowing concern being the premise for the above.
Where there is problems there should be money to earn. Are there not companies out there that could act as a middle hand between seller and buyer? I wouldn’t care if delivery is slower, more expensive etc as long as I know I will get what I paid for.
Make agreement with seller
Pay middle hand company
Middle hand collect product at seller
When middle hand deliver product and buyer agree it is what paid for middle hand pay the seller
No risk for anyone. I’l luckily pay 100 EUR above freight for such a service because where I live there is extremely limited amount of high end hifi. I suppose I’m not alone in this situation.
I’ve bought all my Naim gear on eBay and have never had any problems so far. It works well. I think the eBay system works well in that if there is a problem there is a resolution centre and paying via PayPal gives extra peace of mind. I’ve also sold so much hifi on eBay both domestically and internationally. It gives you the widest audience. Obviously the fees are a bit high but it works for me.
I nearly got scammed when ‘buying’ a vehicle via a well known automotive listing site a few years ago. The imaginary vehicle was undervalued vs. market, by about 15%, sufficient to entice the buyer into a quick transaction.
The purported vehicle, UK registered and UK specification, was claimed to be in Southern Spain, and the seller suggested using an escrow service (I.e. temporary holder of money), even using logos of well known internet corporations on the emails, while the vehicle was transported to the UK so I could inspect it. This correspondence went as far as Spanish bank account details being provided - these did not match the name of the supposed escrow service provider and the actual email address was suspicious.
I reported this to the listing site, and, even as I did so, the vehicle listing disappeared.
There have been many people caught out by this type of scam - Aberdeen is another ‘location’ used - sufficiently far away to deter vehicle ( or any other asset) inspection, but with the security of an escrow service (false) being offered.
So, unless you know the seller, or you can underwrite the risk of a 100% write-off, the options appear to be a dealer or eBay. Get an invoice with serial number and full description to be sure…