Techsurvivors
Archives => 2003 => Topic started by: Peter on February 10, 2003, 03:49:00 PM
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I am Tracking the followig laptop on ebay
The iBook
I was wondering if anyone has had dealings with the seller? It currently is a $41.00 at 4:45 est.
Does it look legit?
Thanks Peter
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puettiner(0)
View seller's feedback | view seller's other items | ask seller a question
High bidder lax22playa(0)
Nope! Can't say I do
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Guess I'd be careful.... seems like a awful lot of 1st time buyers there...
Just my opinion...as a long time ebay'er...
Bob K.
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Looks like a newbie... Careful about those sunglasses.
Personally, I go by the old adage, "If it seems too good to be true...
...Buy it!" So I did. Sorry, buddy. I always wanted a 10GB brand new Power iBook in the box, for $41.
Just kidding, of course. But two things to remember:
(1) You're definitely taking a chance on a brand new eBay seller, like this one. I'd skip it. And
(2) the really, really swell deals go at the very last second. I've bought a couple of items myself by waiting until -- literally -- the last 30 seconds before pushing the final "confirm bid" button. Won one, lost one. But you'll see the price jump way up at the end, too.
Good luck!
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Been going on some scams on ebay concerning Mac laptops, so I'd be very careful and only buy from people that's gotten many reviews (and good ones).
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NEVER, EVER, pay via wire transfer. Especially to somewhere like Western Union. It's one of the favorite methods of payment of the scam artists - not that this one necessarily is, but just as a note. If you can, use a credit card.
I never deal with first time sellers on big-ticket items. In fact, living near Boston, I usually don't bid on big ticket items I can't go and pick up myself. I've bought a G3 and my 22" Electron Blue monitor that way - but not everyone has that option, if they don't live near a large urban area with lots of ebay auctioneers!
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Going a step further, from where CyberPet left off, I would say that having a large number of positive feedback is only helpful (in Apple laptop auctions, where fake ones are more than legit ones) if the feedback is referring to auctions where this guy was a Seller and was selling similar stuff. I have seen many Sellers with a very high positive feedback, BUT they were either buyers or they were selling Star Trek model dolls for $5.99, which is quite far from selling $2000+ items. Some of them go the extra step and set up fake auctions with their buddies, they end them normally and get positive feedback from them even though no transaction actually took place.
Fake auctions on Powerbooks is of epidemic proportions on ebay, especially after the new machines were announced. People are leaving (fake) positive feedback on pre-sale auctions from machines that they could not possibly have received (like th 17" G4).
On high ticket items like these, especially since Powerbooks seem to be the crooks' favorites, one should do the following:
1. Check the feedback carefully and see if the Seller has received positive feedback on the sale of similar (and similarly priced) items.
2. Ask to pay either COD or using escrow and offer to pay the escrow fees, or arrange for a personal pickup and money exchange if convenient. There is no reason for a legitimate Seller to say no to any of these options, as they provide the highest degree of security for everyone.
I have been burned before (with a Nokia 9210 Communicator auction) but luckily I was able to recover my money, so I am extra careful now. Hope this helped:)
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IAGW all of the above. Be careful!
Just recently some person tried to sell the same item three times on ebay using two different ebay user names (his girlfriends once and his twice) in three separates categories within days of each other.
He was turned in of course but it took ebay to long to stop the first sale with a 'buy it now' transaction. Have no idea what became of it but I sure hope the buyer covered his back somehow.
Yeah, ebay is going rapid with fraud lately.
CAREFUL!
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Fradulent Mac Sales: Part 3
http://www.macintouch.com/fraudreports3.html#feb10
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Hey Kelly,
I cannot seem to get into the url you have posted. Is it just this silly work computer I am on or is the site having issues?
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Don't know Marie.
Can you go to their Home Page?
http://www.macintouch.com/index.shtml
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O.F., I'd be very careful; I've used e-bay, and have not yet been burned, but for big ticket items, I'd definitely use the escrow that they have set up. It'll cost you a couple of extra bucks, but nowhere near what you'll suffer if the guy is a scam-artist!
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Kelly,
Nope server error. To weird. I will check when I get home on my ibook. At work right now.
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Thanks All-
That one did fly through the roof
Watching others now
is $550.00 to much for a 500Mhz Imac w/ 250MB zip and lexmark inkjet?
thanks again- very good advice, I will take it
Peter
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If it's in good shape that's not a bad deal.
http://new.lowendmac.com/imac/ideals.html
Those imacs keep their value, but some have video problems, as we've seen here.
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F.Y.I. Kelly,
I was able to get into the link you posted here at home on my ibook.
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You know, guys, I've been thinking about buying a notebook for a long time, and I have been reconnoitering eBay off & on to see what's available. But after reading through this string, I think I'll just wait for the next really good sale at Comp USA or Circuit City or even Mac Sales. Prices drop as soon as the next generation rears its gorgeous head, so I may just do that.
I wouldn't buy a computer from a new seller on eBay, but after reading this, I don't want to buy one from a veteran either!!
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Lorraine. The laptops have just been updated. Only waiting on the 15" AlBook.
You need to get into an Applestore and at least look at them.
Which one is closer?
http://www.apple.com/retail/oakbrook/
http://www.apple.com/retail/woodfield/
When you figure out what you want Smalldog is a good place to save money on a Refurbished mac.
http://www.smalldog.com/
If you have about any affiliation with a University you can probably can get an Education Discount.
http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/r...outingpage.html
And no, you don't need to mess around with e-Bay.
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I have a neighbor that bids on laptops a lot, and has been burned a lot of times, his last 4 were duds and he used a credit card.
I would be careful when it comes to making any purchases from eBay, I got taken only one time and I just don't bother with their site anylonger.
I would try and look for something in Yahoo, or Apple refurbs or go to a local Apple retailer and see if they carry any used computers that come with a warranty.
Goodluck, be careful...