Is this a good deal or what?

[scem0]

My mom wants to buy my dad a new computer for christmas and while looking in the classifieds I ran across:

Macintosh G$ dual 1.42 w/ 17" Apple flat panel display, $1,500.

I am calling at 9AM tomorrow morning!

This is perfect! If it has already been bought then my heard will break :(.

scem0

[crazytom]

That's a sweet deal!

Every Mac should be priced that way!!!

Good luck! :cool:

[Gymnut]

Most likely everything inside is stock but a pretty sweet deal nonetheless. Go get um tiger.

[Kwyjibo]

unless they specifically downgraded it the dual 1.42 was top of the line with a really nice config, they would have stripped it but you can look thru it after a test boot ...

[scem0]

yeah.

Even with stock, or even downgraded it is a great deal. And it comes with a 17" apple LCD!

I can't wait!

scem0

[thehuncamunca]

sounds almost too good to be true

[scem0]

I know!

But it is true. I just ordered it:

Dual 1.42GHz
167MHz Bus
280GB Hard Drive
1.5GB of RAM
17" Apple Studio Display
Superdrive
$1,500

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY GOD! THIS IS AMAZING!

I'm going to die of happiness!

The guy on the phone says that they are trying to get rid of them to make room for new G5s.

scem0

[Kwyjibo]

thats awesome scem0

[MacAztec]

Can I buy one? Sounds like he has more. I will pay you and stuff. Or, can you email me his phone number?

My email is jcarian@mac.com

[scem0]

Well, I lied.....

Okay here is the deal.

My mom called about an hour ago to a person named Eric LeBlanc and
-he told us the specs on the computer
-He said he worked for a company named Supercom
-He seemed like a nice enough guy.
-He told us he would only accept a cash money order through the Western Union.
-My mom asked why and he said that that was all Supercom accepted...
-He told us to send the payment to:
Eric LeBlanc
4011 14th Ave.
MarkHam, ON

At this point it seemed very scammish. My mom even told him that and he said that supercom was part of the Better Business Bureau.

Well, we still thought this was a scam... I mean, look at the price, look at the specs, and then look at the method of payment. And once your cash is sent out of the country there is basically no hopes of getting it back if its a scam. Plus, why send the money to an individual. It seems a lot more businesslike to send it to supercom instead of Eric Leblanc...

Well, I decided I would research it a bit.

I searched for supercom, and found out that it was a legitimate electronics distributer from Canada. I also figured out that their address is 4011 14th Avenue in Markham, Ontario... This makes me think it isnt a scam, but you never know.

I couldn't find a person named 'Eric Leblanc' who had a connection to this business in Ontario though. Then again, I couldn't find anyone with a connection to this business.

From the little I have read about Supercom, it looks like they sell products to resellers who sell them to consumers. I am guessing that this Eric Leblanc fellow is a reseller who works through Supercom. That sort of explains why the money is sent to 'eric leblanc' rather than 'supercom' or something.

But for all I know he could be a delivery man who works at supercom who stole the computer or something...

ARGH!!!!! I'm so torn on this.

I don't know whether or not to send the money!

It looks suspicious, but this is a GREAT deal. It is perfect for my dad too (and for myself ;) :p)!

If we got this then I could wait to buy a G5 till they were 3GHz+ and I had more money... (Revision C or D)

What do y'all think?

scem0

[MacAztec]

I don't know that sounds kinda iffy. How many does the guy have?

Could I get his number too?

[iJon]

scammmmmmm. i wouldnt do it.

iJon

[manitoubalck]

Hmm, you could ask for a serial number on a number of the parts and check it out:rolleyes:

Better yet drive accross the border and pay him in person. (may not be fesable if you don't live close to Canada)
Call a frind that lives in Canada and ask them to check it out?

Hope it all turns out.

[QCassidy352]

Why are you even considering this? You're going to wire $1500 to an individual, not a company, that you have no way of tracking, on what, his word that he'll send you the computer?

*Anyone* could sell that setup for more than $1500. I don't care if they are trying to unload machines - they could ask for 2k and get it *easily* for that configuration. It's a $600 LCD for goodness sake! So basically, he's selling the dual G4 for $900, the cost of an emac? I don't think so.

And as for the LCDs - why would he have to sell them if they are getting G5s? What's the story there, that 17" apple LCDs don't work with G5s?

I'm sorry man, but this has all the ear marks of a scam. I know you wish it were legit, but there's practically zero chance that it is. You'd be throwing your money away. Do yourself a favor and forget this "opportunity" ever existed.

[scem0]

Originally posted by manitoubalck
Hmm, you could ask for a serial number on a number of the parts and check it out:rolleyes:


How do I know he isnt just reading off random numbers, or even reading the numbers off a box that he never plans to ship to me?

scem0

[Dont Hurt Me]

scem-o how long have you been at the rumors site? unless you can go physically see this machine i would say scam, i would be very careful and one more thing wouldnt a new machine with warranty and box and discs make for a better gift? Scem-O you should know better!

[Kwyjibo]

Why not call supercom and ask them if this guy is an employee

[scem0]

Originally posted by Kwyjibo
Why not call supercom and ask them if this guy is an employee

Im already doing that. But they arent in operation till 9AM tomorrow. But until then I don't plan on buying one.

scem0

[Kwyjibo]

ok
i would ask the guy to use an escrow service. Have your mom tell him that you got ripped off via western union for a $500 LCD last month and then offer to pay all the fees ...

but yeah your best bet is to make sure supercom is legit and that the man is employee there of course

[jxyama]

scem0:

you are a long time member, i simply don't understand why you are wasting your time.

western union sends CASH. C-A-S-H. if someone only accepts western union, it's not because he has some problems with other payment methods, it's because he's scamming you! just for proof, offer to send him a personal check or a cashier's check. he won't accept it because those can be tracked, unlike cash.

if a stranger on a street offered you a Mac for a good price, would you give him cash and take his words that "he will come back shortly with the Mac?" well, replace "street" with "ebay" or "classifieds" and that's the situation you are in...

[Sun Baked]

LEGITIMATE resellers accept credit cards if they do business with the public.

If a reseller accepts only Western Union for transactions with the public, it's a scam.

Yes there are resellers who accept cash, checks, money orders on delivery to their regular business clients. In fact they may require COD.

But a reseller that want to do business through Western Union to the public is screaming...

"I'm a front for a money laundering organization"

Because the IRS and the Canadian taxing bodies have sent out warnings about business that do business through Western Union.

---

If they don't want a US Post Office money order, and are unwilling to complete the transaction through the US Mail -- run.

The criminals know that too many connections to the US Post Office get the nasties after you too quick.

[crazytom]

I agree with everybody that says: It's a scam.

Don't do it! Just say 'no'.

;)

[FuzzyBallz]

Like the other guys said, this is a 100% scam. All businesses accept credit card, large or small. And when a company sell stuff, it's under the company's account, not through an individual. Even if the guy's an actual employee there, I wouldn't send a massive $1500 in cash to him. This is crazy. Look else where unless you like getting con.

[Sun Baked]

http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?postid=179305

Futher proof that too much

Ramen Rots Your Brain

[solvs]

It is a good deal.

As in, too good to be true. I agree with the rest, "send cash for ridiculously low price" equals scam. Sorry.

[scem0]

Originally posted by Sun Baked
LEGITIMATE resellers accept credit cards if they do business with the public.

From the Supercome site:
All sales are to be prepaid, COD by cash, or certified cheque. Preprinted company cheques will be accepted upon credit approval. Personal and bank counter cheques will not be accepted.

But they don't do business with the public.

I'm not sure what to think, but if the guy actually works for Supercom then it seems legitimate enough.

scem0

[radhak]

i guess there are two types of people : those that are brave enough to try something like this, just to see if it is for real, :cool:
or those that would drop this like a red-hot iron, happy to be safe than sorry.

me, with my tail between my legs, am squarely in the 2nd camp. i'd not dare risk $150 here, let alone $1500 :rolleyes:

you seem to be on the fence here, between the two types ;). which way are you gonna jump?

btw, i wonder if that gentleman (LeBlanc) is lurking among us, reading all this? :eek:

[jxyama]

well, since you are a public purchaser, tell him that the only way you'd send him money is either via escrow or a check. if he cannot offer to take either, then he has no business selling anything. don't send cash under any circumstances unless you want that $1500 gone for no reason.

i personally think you are starting get your brain messed with, trying to find reasons to believe that this deal is legit. that's not right. if you need to do so much to discover the proof of legitimacy of the seller, that should be enough of a reason to not send $1500.

[jxyama]

Originally posted by scem0
But they don't do business with the public.

by the way, what makes you or the seller so special that merit this exemption from the "public" status?

:rolleyes:

don't do it, give it up, or that dual 1.45 will end up costing you extra $1500.

[Powerbook G5]

Just search online, you may not find a deal quite that good, but good enough to warrant buying through a company that you can trust for a good price than risking $1500 down the drain. I know you want a Mac really badly, but losing $1500 would make that possibility even more remote than it may already seem now.

[winwintoo]

Look at the product list that Supercom offers - they don't list any Apple products.

Also, look at the picture of the Supercom headquarters. That's a photoshop rendering if I ever saw one.

Anybody can make a slick web site - I've done it myself - and all that stuff about corporate mission statements etc. could be just lifted from another corporate site.

The guy says that Supercom is a member of the BBB - a check of BBB in Canada reveals THERE IS NO BBB in the Toronto area (Markham is nearest to Toronto)

Have a look at http://www.rcmp.ca/scams/scams010510_e.htm you might be able to report this creep through one of the links on that page

Run.

m

[winwintoo]

I just talked to a ligitimate Apple service guy (I've known him and dealt with him for years).

Supercom is a ligitimate business. They sell only to resellers. They don't deal in Apple products.

M

[scem0]

The guy doesn't work for Supercom.

My mom called crime watchers or something like that.

So hopefully this guy will be right where he belongs - jail. :rolleyes: ;)

scem0

[townie]

:( This guy Eric LeBlanc is definitely a scam
artist. I got caught up in this crazy deal and lost
$2000 Canadian. At that point his company was
so -called Campbell Brokerage. Everyone please
beware. Boy do I feel crappy. Bill

[flyfish29]

Originally posted by scem0

At this point it seemed very scammish. My mom even told him that and he said that supercom was part of the Better Business Bureau.

Well, we still thought this was a scam... I mean, look at the price, look at the specs, and then look at the method of payment. And once your cash is sent out of the country there is basically no hopes of getting it back if its a scam. Plus, why send the money to an individual. It seems a lot more businesslike to send it to supercom instead of Eric Leblanc...
scem0

100% scam. THERE IS NO COMPUTER TO SELL YOU...EVEN IF HE SHOWED PICS, GAVE SERIAL NUMBERS, ETC THERE IS NO COMPUTER...DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND SAVE LOSING $1500 CASH TO SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW!

I have read about these many times over...there have been web sites made up to look legit, but they only take WU for payment. Even if they say you hold the WU number until delivery...Not all WU offices need that number to give the money to someone. SCAM SCAM SCAM. YOU WILL NOT GET A COMPUTER IF YOU DO THIS. STEP BACK AND LOOK IT OVER.

Just because he says he is a part of better business bureau doesn't mean anything.

[flyfish29]

Originally posted by scem0
From the Supercome site:


But they don't do business with the public.

I'm not sure what to think, but if the guy actually works for Supercom then it seems legitimate enough.

scem0

Holy crap...if they don't do business with the public then why are you saying they would do business with YOU! Are you a reseller? If not, then they DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THE PUBLIC! Enough said.

By the way, are you "this guy"? trying to convince us to use you????:D