In my recent ebay browing Ive come across a lot of items that claim to the provide information where items such as ipods or laptops can be had for rediculous prices. To me this screams scam but what confuses me is that usually the seller has a good feedback score



Is this a SCAM?

 

Hard to tell. Probably his auction is legit but the web site has a catch (multi-level marketing or similar).

A Google search produces this...

"eBay is currently being swamped with a range of surprisingly cheap offers on Apple's iPod and other desirable electronics, such as games consoles and mobile phones. The reason why the devices are so cheap is because the whole thing is just a way of getting people to sign up for a "matrix" scheme, a new form of pyramid scheme. "

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2004Feb/...40212023837.htm

A more complete search...

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=eBay+iPo...F-8&hl=en&meta=

The old rule.... "If it sounds too good to be true it usually is".

 

isn't the answer to be found in the seller's comments: "You are not bidding on an actual Ipod. I don't have one for you."

SCAM, doubtless

 

Check this one out....


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...3828480163&rd=1


You are bidding on a SONY DCR-DVD201 CAMCORDER for $100 EBOOK!! THIS IS NOT A SCAM, PYRAMID, OR MLM!!

Your buying Information how to get a SONY DCR-DVD201 CAMCORDER for $100!!

HERE IS HOW IT WORKS:
1) PAY Me $10.00 via PayPal.
2) I EMAIL YOU A WEBSITE LINK to get your SONY DCR-DVD201 CAMCORDER (or pick any product of your choice).
3) Go to the website & follow the easy directions found there.
4) Wait to receive your SONY DCR-DVD201 CAMCORDER !!!
It can't be any easier.



PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!

IF NOT SATISFIED I WILL REFUND 100% OF YOUR PAYMENT!!


__________________________________________________

fisty its clear that the seller is giving info only, Im trying to find out how the scammer is making anything out of it and still keeping good feedback.

Thanks for those links Muz I'll give them a read this afternoon.

 

Here's another iPod 'offer'. This one looks legit but from what I can see I don't think it applies to non-us citizens.

http://www.freeipods.com/Default.aspx

 

I emailed the seller this morning and this is the response that I received.....
_________________________________________________
Basically mate you add your name to a list. When someone adds their name to
the list you go up a level and so on untill u get to the top. When u get to
the top...u get an ipod....takes about 6 weeks.


From: xxxxxxxxxxx
>To: riot_boy1988@hotmail.com
>Subject: Message from eBay Member
>Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 05:29:47 -0700
>
>
>Marketplace Safety Tips:
>
>
>Never respond to an unsolicited email that includes incentives to buy or
>sell an item off the eBay Marketplace.
>. If you get such an email, please report it to eBay at
>http://cgi3.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayIS...ckId=110593013
>
>Never pay for your eBay item through instant cash transfer services such as
>Western Union or MoneyGram -- such services offer Internet shoppers no
>protection against fraud.
>
>
>For more information about Safe Trading, please go to
>http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/basics/n-is-ebay-safe.html
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>Dear riot_boy1988,
>
>Hi,
>I was wondering how items like this work could you explain it for me before
>I bid please?
>
>Does the information require me to buy anything other than the ipod to get
>the low price?
>
>Thanks for the help.
>
>
>Thank you,

_________________________________________________

He doesn't mention that you have to buy a product from the site that he links to but from what I have read that is the gist of it.

Looking at thephonematrix.co.uk this is how I read it.....

They are selling items (in this case a CD) at a large profit and a portion of that profit goes into their pocket and the rest of it somehow funds the ipod. The only way that I can see this happening is if not everyone on the list got their ipod otherwise they are still letting out the ipod for a value < or = their profit margin which is less then wholesale.

Here's a good site for anyone else that wants to read into it

www.matrixwatch.org

 

sounds like a scam to me.

And geez, could he *be* anymore rude?

"Basically mate....etc. etc. etc"

 

As far as I can tell the only thing that these people are gaining is the ebay sale price and an increase in traffic to the site where people can purchase goods to bump them up the list. So why would a legitimate Ebayer jeopardise their feedback for as little as 1pound? I suppose you could say that they aren't actually ripping people off because they are delivering the link as promised but the details of what is found at the link aren't fully disclosed. I even specifically asked if I would have to purchase anything to receive the ipod and that question was ignored, or rather the answer was omitted

Perhaps not as dishonest as some scams but all the same it is a scam. The only scam though is that they are selling free information and not disclosing the full requirements of eligibility.

I still dont see how the matrix operators stay above the pyramid scamming laws and provide products to each purchaser though

 

So what happens if you never get to the top of the list?

What I'm guessing is this. When you add your name to the list (by doing whatever it is you have to do) you get given a unique link that identifies you and you then have to "sell" this to someone else (maybe more than one person?). You are then relying on other people to continue the distribution of links to that list. You have no control over this. If the chain is broken because someone gives up trying to bait someone new or couldn't be bothered you will never reach the top and never get your product. All they have to do is work out what proportion of lists make it to completion, and I bet it's not a lot. If they are selling other products for each person who joins the list they get a double bonus.

 

I wouldn't touch that with a 20 ft pole...because i dont have money...

Sounds like a bunch of confusing riff raff. When i was browsing for my t500, there were several austions saying "you are not bidding on the phone, but an address to get the phone at a spectacular price blah blah..."...I didn't understand it! I only became familar with ebay recently. When i first got onto it, all the phones i wanted were $1, little did i know alot of people wanted them within the 10 day auction! I got the phone for $350 in the end