Posted on 05/15/2004 9:39:15 PM PDT by lowbridge
An American Ebay seller realises a European bidder is trying to scam him out of a Powerbook (fake escrow site, hijacked ebay account), so he sends him something far better, a P-P-P-Powerbook!
Now, for you non-techies here, a factory model p-p-p-powerbook weights half what it's competitors weigh, comes with an A4 screen, the latest in internet adventure software, zero boot time, a fullsize keyboard (often with Key RedundancyTM) and a state-of-the-art laser bluetooth mouse. This is technology.
The seller posts to a forum and amongst the chatter people follow the package via the the Fedex tracking page and some even visit the delivery address (a barbershop/internet cafe) and take photos, video, and a seat for their hair cut.
The duty tax on this particular p-p-p-powerbook is around £350 (paid for by the scammer) before he sees the package, and a few days later it's released by Customs as they watch in anticipation. A forum member arrives at the internet cafe, takes a seat and soon the package arrives. The scammer opens the box and there are angry raised voices heard. The barber doesn't understand what's wrong and asks... "Is it broken?"
http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/33088
bump
LOL. Seriously? ROFL!!!
Hey! I wonder if those are some of the same keys that were stolen from the WH pc's by the Clinton staff? ROFLMAO!!!!
Love it!
bump
I just read the 28-page version of this story. This is hilarious. I wish they could get some closure--video of the scammer, or a scathing e-mail after he finds out he's been had, or something.
Bump for a great chuckle!
Stay Safe !
Check out the key arrangements! There are a couple of messages there.
That's a truly funny prank, but dumb.It's dumb because the scammer can now send the $1,700.00 after the fact and then file criminal charges against the kid for ripping him off with the phony laptop.
The kid might not go to jail, but he'll be out more than a few grand in legal fees (best case), with a huge potential downside if his lawyer screws up.
Or conversely, the scammer can threaten to do all of the above...scaring the beejesus out of the kid or even blackmailing him (we're dealing with a known scammer after all, right).
But hey, it's not my butt on the line...so this prank is still funny, at least to me!
actually no. he can't because there would have had to have been the money in the escrow account first.
Even so he has to explain the use of the bogus and hijacked accounts.
Scammer looses. This is no different than a "john" complaining a real prostitute cheated him by taking the money and not providing "services". It is just a question of who is screwing who.
eBay and Macintosh humor PING!
Not your normal Mac ping but hilarious. Check out the P-P-P-Powerebook.
If you want to be included or deleted from the Mac Ping list, please freepmail me.
Swordmaker
Hey, yeah! The word "Ski" is in there. ;-)
The humor detail is amazing, like how he used a pen to cross out the Windows logo key and write in an Apple key.
I just read the 28 page PDF version and then went out and scanned over the thread, where they posted all of that stuff, pictures and all. I was in tears.
The beauty is that, even if the scammer were to try to get the kid in trouble, with all of the time stamped postings, as evidence, from the thread where they posted everything, there isn't a jury in the country that would convict him. In fact, they would probably commend him on a job well done.
Chalk one up for the good guys!
LMAO, Keep up the good work Lowbie!
OK help us less cool freepers enjoy the long version too. Where did you find it?
I didn't go on the thread itself--where they asked me to register. So did they see the guy actually pick up the item?
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