U.K. Teen Buys $735 Photo of Xbox One on eBay

[Icehearted]

not surprising considering this guy's stupid enough to have a child at 15

I honestly thought this right off as well. I don't know what it's like in that country, but in America it's pretty rare for a young guy like that to be involved with their kids if they have any. Not surprising eBay acted on this, they have a less than savory reputation for a reason, and more stories like this are the last thing they need.

On the other hand someone got away with selling a photo for some serious bank.

 

[gyroscopeboy]

not surprising considering this guy's stupid enough to have a child at 15

Maybe he bought a condom from ebay and ended up with just a picture of one

THANK YOU.

I was thinking about how to make that joke, and you saved me the trouble!

 

[mysecondlife]

not surprising considering this guy's stupid enough to have a child at 15

Maybe he bought a condom from ebay and ended up with just a picture of one

THANK YOU.

I was thinking about how to make that joke, and you saved me the trouble!

No need to thank me.

Spoiler: just..

...stay safe

 

[Xan Krieger]

not surprising considering this guy's stupid enough to have a child at 15

Maybe he bought a condom from ebay and ended up with just a picture of one

Winner of the thread right here, that's was brilliant.

OT: Dude can't keep his penis in his pants nor can he keep his credit card there, everything just comes out. Gotta side with the seller, his customer wanted the picture

Except it wasn't entirely a con: Clatworthy acknowledged that the eBay listing stated that the item was in fact a photograph. But because it was in the proper category, he thought it was legit and so went ahead with the purchase.

Right there it says he knew the item was a photograph but I guess it was listed under electronics or something like that so he went ahead. I guess it would've been more proper to buy a cheap SD card and put the picture on it and then just sell that, the guy still would've made a massive profit.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

I see a lot of people are just latching on to the fact that he had a kid at 15... or alternatively he got married to someone with a kid recently. In any case, so many people here are definitely embracing this point and simultaneously embracing their strong "blame the victim" mentality.

See if you can spot the similarities:
This story: "This guy has a kid at 15 years old and gets conned? Well of COURSE he did, he's stupid!"

Stories of Rape Victims: "This girl dressed like that in public and got raped? Well of COURSE she did, she's slutty!"

Conning and taking advantage of innocent people is never right, regardless of who the victim is or their lifestyle.

Everyone blaming the victim here is just being disgusting...

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

You know, I actually agree with the conman on this one. If you're willing to put down $735 on something before checking for shenanigans like this, then you deserve to be taught a lesson. Although as I didn't see the listing, perhaps it was a bit difficult to tell.

Also, is that actually how much an Xbone is going for in the UK?

You agree with a thief?

Now stupidity is a crime?

He's not a thief, the listing said it was for a picture. I get that it's misleading, but that's pretty much how marketing works. And if you're going to buy something on ebay for over $700, you should really learn to watch out for that kind of thing.

So, no, stupidity is not a crime, but it can make horrible things happen to you. Hopefully this guy learned a lesson about trusting people on the Internet when money is involved.

 

[Revolutionary]

Good job ebay, doing your job and shit.

 

[praetor_alpha]

Who else but a scammer sells a freaking picture for 735 dollars. The guy is a criminal. Plain as day.

You don't seem to be familiar with professional photographers. For some of them, $735 could be a bargain.

 

[Lightspeaker]

3. He paid 735 USD for a product that is typically 500 dollars

"I bought it there and then because I thought it was a good deal"

How? That's paying at least $200 more for what was already the most expensive next gen console. That doesn't make any sense to me at all.

Psst... hey guys, I've got a secret for you. Come in real close now, lend me your ear...

YES, 700+ DOLLARS! Thanks for reaffirming the unfair business practices apparent in other countries. Did you not see the reveal prices? Well, just for you, because you didn't do a single drop of research or pay attention AT ALL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2zslQ9PWPQ

I really don't know how you missed it... the E3 Press Conference was kind of a big deal. Basically, The price for Xbox One was set at £429. Yes, he paid a little bit more, probably because he thought he was getting a garanteed purchase, but we've already established that he doesn't make the best choices.

I'm specifically pissed at you two because you going "har har what a buffoon spending so much more" (when you don't even know the price ranges) really makes you come off as ignorant, entitled, Americans who can't see beyond their Country's border. You're making the rest of us look bad. Do you also think he atually paid $735 American Dollars? He lives in Nottingham, U.K. and not 'Merica, understand?

Just stop posting until you can wrap your head around the fact the most other countries have to pay more than what we do.

Thank you for pointing out what I was about to point out. Saves me some effort. Though I probably wouldn't have worded it quite that way haha.


I mean seriously guys...you really couldn't take two minutes to go to amazon.co.uk and check the UK prices for the XBone? And are not aware how for the most part we over here have been screwed by the game industry for YEARS? Here, I'll make it easy for you:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00BE4OUBG/ref=s9_pop_gw_g63_i7/279-2128563-0438403?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1DD61GPNPZ1YMGKP3BQ4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=358550247&pf_rd_i=468294


Xbox One Console
by Microsoft UK Ltd
Platform: Xbox One
Price: £429.99 & FREE Delivery
Edition: Standard Edition

Day One editions obviously aren't being sold there directly by Amazon anymore. But a quick check over the "other purchase options" for the FIFA and Forza 6 Day One bundles shows they're going for about £600 (about 980 USD, for reference).

 

[Erttheking]

Wait, a 19-year-old is a "teen" now? ...what's the legal age of majority in the UK, again?

...and he's buying it for his four year old son? I...


...there are things about this news article. Things that are wrong, and in more than one way.

The legal age of majority is 18 over here in the UK, but the term 'teenager' and it's derivatives can apply to anybody aged from 13 to 19. That may be different in other countries.

I don't know about elsewhere but I know we do it here in the states too.

 

[Dimitriov]

I see a lot of people are just latching on to the fact that he had a kid at 15... or alternatively he got married to someone with a kid recently. In any case, so many people here are definitely embracing this point and simultaneously embracing their strong "blame the victim" mentality.

See if you can spot the similarities:
This story: "This guy has a kid at 15 years old and gets conned? Well of COURSE he did, he's stupid!"

Stories of Rape Victims: "This girl dressed like that in public and got raped? Well of COURSE she did, she's slutty!"

Conning and taking advantage of innocent people is never right, regardless of who the victim is or their lifestyle.

Everyone blaming the victim here is just being disgusting...

Just curious, but people always say "don't blame the victim." But why? Why is it wrong to point out that people suffering from the natural consequences of their own actions is their own damn fault?

That being said, your comparison is completely unfair: RAPE IS A CRIME, and possibly one of (if not the worst) crimes. Whereas selling someone a photograph is not a crime. Yes the seller was pretty obviously intending to scam someone, but it DID actually say in the description that it was just a photo. Do you see the difference here?

 

[Ticklefist]

Hey, the kid was overtaken by his hormonal urges and fucked up when he was a stupid teenager (we were ALL stupid teenagers once), cut him some slack.

Why are people hung up on a 19 year old with a 4 year old child? He manned up and owned his shit at an age when most people would likely run from it. You judgmental people and your unqualified opinions.

"Manning up" would have been keeping it in his pants, because "Men" aren't animals who can't control themselves.

You'd be hard pressed to argue that he's handled his situation poorly.

"Hormonal urges" and "oh he just couldn't help himself! It's kind of endearing!" are the kinds of things you'd say about a bloody dog!

Nobody said any of this. You're having an argument with yourself.

Edit: I take it back, they did. Point stands. Why are you even angry about it?

 

[Mr C]

Buying a Xbox One for his son? Himself I think.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

Yes the seller was pretty obviously intending to scam someone, but it DID actually say in the description that it was just a photo. Do you see the difference here?

The situations are, basically, the same. You're preying on someone's weakness/trust. And that's never right. Scamming actually IS a crime itself. Conmen get sent to prison same as rapists, and on some level, they both do the same thing. They take advantage of someone, and forever make them more wary of the world around them.

Besides, you said it yourself. The intention WAS to scam someone. Being slightly more up front about your slimyness does not preclude the disgusting nature of it. The fact that SOMEwhere in the product description was a note saying that it was actually a photo doesn't mean anything. It could have been edited later, it could have been worded in a confusing manner that meant it could have been interpreted as not saying, specifically "This is actually a photo that you are paying for." Or it could have been tucked away in the recesses of the product description so as to "hide" it. I'm betting it was a combination of the 2nd and 3rd. The guy DID check the seller's rating, so it's not like he lacked common sense, and he probably thought that no one would actually be cruel enough to play that kind of scam, which he was wrong about. Fact of the matter is, this just SHOULDN'T HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. No one should EVER be misleading as the scammer was. The asshole scammer is completely in the wrong here, just as a rapist or any other conman is completely in the wrong.

How can any sane person with any level of empathy even BEGIN to sit there and defend the criminal/perpetrator/scammer? The facts of the case are: A person made a listing on ebay that was clearly meant to mislead someone and con money out of them, it happened, the scammer got banned. Why in the hell is anyone defending the scammer?

 

[Dimitriov]

Yes the seller was pretty obviously intending to scam someone, but it DID actually say in the description that it was just a photo. Do you see the difference here?

The situations are, basically, the same. You're preying on someone's weakness/trust. And that's never right. Scamming actually IS a crime itself. Conmen get sent to prison same as rapists, and on some level, they both do the same thing. They take advantage of someone, and forever make them more wary of the world around them.

Besides, you said it yourself. The intention WAS to scam someone. Being slightly more up front about your slimyness does not preclude the disgusting nature of it. The fact that SOMEwhere in the product description was a note saying that it was actually a photo doesn't mean anything. It could have been edited later, it could have been worded in a confusing manner that meant it could have been interpreted as not saying, specifically "This is actually a photo that you are paying for." Or it could have been tucked away in the recesses of the product description so as to "hide" it. I'm betting it was a combination of the 2nd and 3rd. The guy DID check the seller's rating, so it's not like he lacked common sense, and he probably thought that no one would actually be cruel enough to play that kind of scam, which he was wrong about. Fact of the matter is, this just SHOULDN'T HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. No one should EVER be misleading as the scammer was. The asshole scammer is completely in the wrong here, just as a rapist or any other conman is completely in the wrong.

How can any sane person with any level of empathy even BEGIN to sit there and defend the criminal/perpetrator/scammer? The facts of the case are: A person made a listing on ebay that was clearly meant to mislead someone and con money out of them, it happened, the scammer got banned. Why in the hell is anyone defending the scammer?

Yes, yes. But there is a difference. It's a difference of degree if nothing else, but that can be an important difference. Poking someone on the chin or punching them and dislocating their jaw is also a difference of degree, but it's a big difference.

So yes scamming someone and rape are perhaps on a continuum of preying on other people, but the difference is so great that to speak of them in that sense is utterly ridiculous.

Also neither I, nor any of the posters I've read, have defended the scammer. We simply recognize that some blame belongs to the idiot that fell for it. Believe me I am well aware that anyone who posts a scam like that is an asshole and deserves to reap an appropriate punishment for his own actions as well.

But that's the point: people should be expected to suffer the consequences of their own actions. So yes the scammer should be punished, but no I don't think this idiot should have gotten his money back.

 

[Brian Tams]

Setting aside the having a child at fifteen thing, who the fuck buys a gaming system for a four year old???

I mean, I am glad the guy got his money back since he had been clearly conned, but it seems he's missing a few -or few thousand- brain cells!

 

[Caiphus]

Clearly a con. I was expecting more empathy in a gaming community thread, but oh well. Good that he got his money back, as he should.

There's a good chance that the listing was deliberately misleading. These things happen fairly regularly, and it's not terribly difficult to see why someone might fall for:

You are Bidding on a picture of a Apple iPod Video Black 30 gb that is BRAND New In BOX. As you can see in the picture it has never been opened. I Only Ship to the continental United States. I do not ship to PO Boxs. This is an as is sale There will be no returns. Payment is due within 3 days of sale ending. Thank you for looking at my sale and Happy Bidding!

http://consumerist.com/2007/05/15/ebay-scam-people-still-trying-to-sell-pictures-of-things/

 

[Azaraxzealot]

But that's the point: people should be expected to suffer the consequences of their own actions. So yes the scammer should be punished, but no I don't think this idiot should have gotten his money back.

Again, how do you know just how misleading the original listing was? Were you there? Did you see it? This guy said he checked the seller's profile to see if they checked out, and he said that they did (that in and of itself proves that he had some common sense/smarts). And ebay at LEAST requires that you put the correct condition, components, and the shipping information. We also know that it was listed in the correct category. Other than that, details are just being extrapolated. Details that just... aren't there. Like the guy is an idiot (the "evidence" provided is that he had a 4 year old and is 19. My grandfather was 19 and my dad was at least 8 at the time. My grandfather also owns his own construction company and took third place in a national martial arts contest while also going to college, so that's hardly good evidence). He deserved his money back. He was taken advantage of, and he deserves restitution.

Clearly a con. I was expecting more empathy in a gaming community thread, but oh well. Good that he got his money back, as he should.

There's a good chance that the listing was deliberately misleading. These things happen fairly regularly, and it's not terribly difficult to see why someone might fall for:

You are Bidding on a picture of a Apple iPod Video Black 30 gb that is BRAND New In BOX. As you can see in the picture it has never been opened. I Only Ship to the continental United States. I do not ship to PO Boxs. This is an as is sale There will be no returns. Payment is due within 3 days of sale ending. Thank you for looking at my sale and Happy Bidding!

http://consumerist.com/2007/05/15/ebay-scam-people-still-trying-to-sell-pictures-of-things/

Glad SOMEone has some empathy in this thread.

 

[Robot Number V]

I don't know why people are using the whole "15 year old dad" angle to say he's an idiot. That strikes me as awfully judgmental and unfair. No, the thing that proves he's an idiot is that he KNEW the description stated that it was just a picture, and bought it anyway, somehow thinking it would be an Xbox.

Also, the fact that he was paying more then the console usually costs, and thought it was a "great deal".

 

[Azaraxzealot]

I don't know why people are using the whole "15 year old dad" angle to say he's an idiot. That strikes me as awfully judgmental and unfair. No, the thing that proves he's an idiot is that he KNEW the description stated that it was just a picture, and bought it anyway, somehow thinking it would be an Xbox.

Also, the fact that he was paying more then the console usually costs, and thought it was a "great deal".

Someone earlier explained that the whole price discrepancy thing was due to the same reason why games are so expensive in australia and PS4's are so expensive in Brazil.