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Very cheap MacBook Pro on ebay?

I think the worst case scenario is you might never receive it. Or it might be stollen.

The description and pictures seem legit. The seller not so much, it received 100% positive ratings but they all seem fake.
 
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Glmnet1 said:
I think the worst case scenario is you might never receive it. Or it might be stollen.

The description and pictures seem legit. The seller not so much, it received 100% positive ratings but they all seem fake.
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Well, I bought it via PayPal of course. I'll keep you up to date.

My biggest guess is that the seller has installed Keylogger onto it or some malware and hopes that I won't reinstall the new OS.

The description is very well written. It might as well be a PC with macOS installed. I am very curious about it, so I'll keep you up to date.

If I'll ever receive it I'll check the serial number immediately. If it turns out to be stolen I'll issue a refund and return the item.
 
T909 said:
Well, I bought it via PayPal of course. I'll keep you up to date.

My biggest guess is that the seller has installed Keylogger onto it or some malware and hopes that I won't reinstall the new OS.

The description is very well written. It might as well be a PC with macOS installed. I am very curious about it, so I'll keep you up to date.

If I'll ever receive it I'll check the serial number immediately. If it turns out to be stolen I'll issue a refund and return the item.
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If a keylogger/malware is their big master plan then you just got a pretty good deal for a quick reformat!

Making a fake with such a legit-looking packaging seems like a lot of trouble for that kind of money.

I've never done something like that before but I'm really tempted to try buying one... Do you know how hard is it to get your money back if it's a scam?
 
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Almost pulled the trigger, then the old "If it's too good to be true, it probably is" wisdom popped into my hand. A few other warning signals: The sale is in Canadian dollars, which makes me wonder what buyer protections we would have in the U.S? Also, all feedback from previous buyers is in German. So where is this seller, really?

Saving my money for now.
 
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Glmnet1 said:
If a keylogger/malware is their big master plan then you just got a pretty good deal for a quick reformat!

Making a fake with such a legit-looking packaging seems like a lot of trouble for that kind of money.

I've never done something like that before but I'm really tempted to try buying one... Do you know how hard is it to get your money back if it's a scam?
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Pay via PayPal. Whatever you do pay via PayPal!
If the seller refuses for you to pay via PayPal (or accept the payment) then look out for sure. Also never pay to "Friends or Family" (option on PayPal).
Getting your money back is fairly easy if you pay via Paypal. Ebay is usually on the buyers side as well.
[doublepost=1516639426][/doublepost]
donklaus said:
Almost pulled the trigger, then the old "If it's too good to be true, it probably is" wisdom popped into my hand. A few other warning signals: The sale is in Canadian dollars, which makes me wonder what buyer protections we would have in the U.S? Also, all feedback from previous buyers is in German. So where is this seller, really?

Saving my money for now.
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That was my first thought that popped into my head! I checked out his profile and everything and I had the same thoughts as you did.
Curiosity kills me on what I'll receive or what will happen.:) I've bought items from the US on eBay as well and they got sent to me from China…

Well, I know that eBay and PayPal and the EU laws will be on my side. I'll keep you up to date.

I place my bets on a keylogger as I thought what would I do if I sold MacBooks that cheaply.
 
T909 said:
Pay via PayPal. Whatever you do pay via PayPal!
If the seller refuses for you to pay via PayPal (or accept the payment) then look out for sure. Also never pay to "Friends or Family" (option on PayPal).
Getting your money back is fairly easy if you pay via Paypal. Ebay is usually on the buyers side as well.
[doublepost=1516639426][/doublepost]
That was my first thought that popped into my head! I checked out his profile and everything and I had the same thoughts as you did.
Curiosity kills me on what I'll receive or what will happen.:) I've bought items from the US on eBay as well and they got sent to me from China…

Well, I know that eBay and PayPal and the EU laws will be on my side. I'll keep you up to date.

I place my bets on a keylogger as I thought what would I do if I sold MacBooks that cheaply.
Click to expand...

Well... that username popped up as a scammer on a German forum. So I wouldn't have my hopes up.

https://www.auktionshilfe.info/thre...er-trotz-paypal-gibt-es-keine-ware/?pageNo=24

Search for his username and you'll see.
 
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km9898 said:
I think you'll receive nothing but a PayPal case to be honest. :)
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Shame. I was hoping to receive at least a picture of a MacBook.
The link that you posted doesn't open for me by the way. My download speed is 50mps.:/
What did it say? I saw the PayPal on the link.
 
It's obviously a scam. I think you'll never receive anything...99% certain of that. I give a 1% chance that you might receive an empty box so he can prove that he delivered something.
 
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T909 said:
Shame. I was hoping to receive at least a picture of a MacBook.
The link that you posted doesn't open for me by the way. My download speed is 50mps.:/
What did it say? I saw the PayPal on the link.
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It was a German site with "hacked" accounts. Somebody hacks a legit eBay account and connect their PayPal account to it. Looks legit, but it's obviously not.
 
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km9898 said:
It was a German site with "hacked" accounts. Somebody hacks a legit eBay account and connect their PayPal account to it. Looks legit, but it's obviously not.
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Oh so my ebay account might get hacked by him or what?
 
T909 said:
Oh so my ebay account might get hacked by him or what?
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Nah I don't think so, more that the scammer uses someone else's account to scam you. But since PayPal and eBay should get your money back I wouldn't worry at all. Just open a case.

What if you actually receive it anyway. That would be cool! :D
 
km9898 said:
Nah I don't think so, more that the scammer uses someone else's account to scam you. But since PayPal and eBay should get your money back I wouldn't worry at all. Just open a case.

What if you actually receive it anyway. That would be cool! :D
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I knew from the beginning (before I bought it) that I won't receive it, but I am wondering what I'll receive. Maybe it's some other laptop in MacBook's case and Hackintosh installed? I have so many theories already. That's why I made this post, to predict what might be the other and the worst case scenarios, because obviously if he won't send anything I'll get my money back. He'd at least have to put some work into it.
I'll keep you up to date!:)

If I receive the actual MacBook and even if it's stolen it'd be awesome. I'd be impressed, honestly.
 
My last visit to an Apple store, I witnessed a MBP get ripped off. Sales person went into the back to get the item, and put it down on the table to run the credit card. As they both watched, a third person (with a running start) sprinted [ast, grabbed the computer, knocked over someone while running out, and got away. The Apple store wasn't too shocked, kind of shrugged their shoulders, went in the back and got the customer another MBP, manager came forward and apologized, etc. Made me think of where these "unopened box, brand new MBP" come from on Craigslist, and Ebay. Your gut kind of tells you when too good to be true, is indeed, too good to be true. Usually the costs you save aren't worth the trouble.
 
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UPDATE:
PayPal just contacted me:
You were recently involved in a transaction for the following item:
222806268847 - Apple MacBook Pro 15.4" Touch Bar/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/Space Grey/Sealed&Brand New

We’re writing to let you know that an unauthorized third party may have accessed the seller’s account to list this item. The item has been removed from the site, and the transaction was cancelled.
 
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T909 said:
We’re writing to let you know that an unauthorized third party may have accessed the seller’s account to list this item. The item has been removed from the site, and the transaction was cancelled.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I thought so. When I went to the link you provided, eBay had already removed the item. Anyway, your thread is a good lesson for all of us. It's too bad that eBay lately has become a "Den of Thieves". :(
 
chscag said:
Yeah, I thought so. When I went to the link you provided, eBay had already removed the item. Anyway, your thread is a good lesson for all of us. It's too bad that eBay lately has become a "Den of Thieves". :(
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I am sorry, but I don't understand why would anyone do such thing? I mean I will probably get my money back (at least eBay told me so and I just contacted PayPal about it).
I most likely thought it's a Hackintosh in a box… I mean if I was a scammer I would've done so.:D Sure it'd be pretty obvious it's fake but yeah…I don't understand why would anyone do such a thing. eBay is clearly on my side now. We'll see about the PayPal (They'll be probably on my side as well).
 
You're assuming because you have integrity and honesty, that others do too. It's unfortunate that eBay and other venues like Craig's List have become that way. As far as eBay and PayPal are concerned, you clearly were cheated by a dishonest person. You'll get your funds back. May take a few days, but you will get a refund.
 
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T909 said:
I am sorry, but I don't understand why would anyone do such thing? I mean I will probably get my money back (at least eBay told me so and I just contacted PayPal about it).
I most likely thought it's a Hackintosh in a box… I mean if I was a scammer I would've done so.:D Sure it'd be pretty obvious it's fake but yeah…I don't understand why would anyone do such a thing. eBay is clearly on my side now. We'll see about the PayPal (They'll be probably on my side as well).
Click to expand...
Yeah, you'll get your money back but it is possible however, if the thief got its hands on the money, that ebay/paypal will never get their money back. They are willing to lose some money over this because they don't want you to be afraid to use their platform in the future.
 
Glmnet1 said:
Yeah, you'll get your money back but it is possible however, if the thief got its hands on the money, that ebay/paypal will never get their money back. They are willing to lose some money over this because they don't want you to be afraid to use their platform in the future.
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Or maybe there are people on eBay that don't use PayPal and use credit cards / virtual credit cards so the scammer will run away with the money?
I hope I'll get my money back since I don't think I'll receive a crappy hackintosh or a stolen MacBook. I was so excited to see what I'll receive. Especially when I read that someone bought a MacBook from eBay and received a picture of it.
 
On a similar note...
I keep seeing adverts in the Facebook Marketplace - always very similar, a 15" MacBook Pro with Touchbar/16GB RAM/etc.
The price is always £650/750, which is absurdly underpriced. The description is always the same, words to the effect that "just finished University, don't need it anymore, need it sold quickly". Two of the adverts, from different Facebook Accounts, had the exact same photographs of the alleged item. They claim to be in my local area, but the Facebook pages say the poster lives elsewhere in the UK. The first time I saw this advert I was very tempted and contacted the seller who, it turned out, was in a tiny village in the wilds of Scotland, but who promised he would post it that day and needed the cash as he was going on holiday that evening and wanted it sold by then. I invited him to invoice me through Paypal and never heard back. That started the alarm bells ringing. I've seen the same/very similar advert several times since.

I was selling an iPhone 7 on ebay and had three separate attempted scam purchases. That was shortly after being ripped off for £700 in an iPhone sting (Paypal admitting they knew the account I invoiced was being used for fraudulent activity but didn't bother to warn me or close the account and now claim they owe me no protection).
It's getting quite nasty 'out there'. More protection for buyers than sellers.
 
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OP wrote:
"I knew from the beginning (before I bought it) that I won't receive it, but I am wondering what I'll receive."

Why would someone pay money to buy something they know in advance that they won't receive, from a seller they know in advance is a scammer?
 
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