Samsung Fake Phones on Facebook Marketplace

ratoloko on 18/08/2020 - 23:03

Hi guys,

Long story short so nobody makes the same silly mistake as I did, Facebook Marketplace is selling dozens of fake Samsung mobiles.
The easiest way to identify them:

  • Plastic wrap: Genuine Samsung boxes do not have plastic wrap. Only a genuine Samsung seal.
  • Box writing and details tells you it's not genuine
  • Do not buy anything without checking the mobile in person. Its camera lens will tell you that it's not genuine. Stay away from deliveries.
  • There are a bunch of videos on YouTube showing how to identify them

There is no much I can do right now, the scam was as stupid as I was since the person used a Commonwealth Bank Account so I'm hoping the Fraud team since I'm CommBank client can hunt the low life down.

Cheers

Mobile

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Comments

  • spackbace on 18/08/2020 - 23:06
    +5

    New phone and bank transfer

    I mean, the red flags were there…

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/9146881/redir

    I'm waiting for a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G 512GB from an store in QLD, I'm from NSW

    And you bought from a different state!

    sigh

  • bobbified on 18/08/2020 - 23:07
    +7

    Long story short so nobody makes the same silly mistake as I did…

    You've been a member here since 2018 - haven't you seen all the other posts about Facebook and Gumtree?

    It's the same advice repeated over and over again:
    Do not buy stuff off Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree unless you can meet face-to-face to inspect the product. If you have no idea what you're looking for, just don't.

    • spackbace on 18/08/2020 - 23:11
      +4

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/8576918/redir

      As a buyer and from stores — eBay for example —-, I always use PayPal for security reasons, especially against sellers looking to make easy money.

      (not that it woulda helped in this instance, but yeah…)

      • bobbified on 18/08/2020 - 23:12

        I really have nothing to say! 😑

  • pegaxs on 18/08/2020 - 23:17

    Sooooooooooooo…. how much did you pay for it? Did you pay Samsung prices or, to add insult to injury, did you get it for a “too good to be true” price?

  • CyberMurning on 18/08/2020 - 23:49

    I hope you did pay with fake.money too

  • MS Paint on 19/08/2020 - 00:15
    +1

    Stop. My sides hurt.

    Too much whiiiskyy before the purchase?

  • crashloaded on 19/08/2020 - 06:28
    +2

    I'd never buy an expensive new or 2nd hand device from anywhere but a reputable store because the original owner can just have the IMEI blocked.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2020 - 06:51

    so I'm hoping the Fraud team since I'm CommBank client can hunt the low life down.

    Highly unlikely.

    You are the victim of a scam (civil fraud). The banks' fraud teams investigate bank fraud (criminal fraud).

    • dust on 19/08/2020 - 07:46
      +1

      Yep, you'd probably have better luck getting justice with the bikies.

  • GangGang on 19/08/2020 - 07:20

    If the box mentions its fake, camera says its fake, then what's fraudulent about it?

    Just a silly mistake that you will learn from.

  • Davo1111 on 19/08/2020 - 08:20
    +1

    who buys phone from gumtree or facebook?

    There's your first mistake,

  • CyberMurning on 19/08/2020 - 09:28

    ok need to confess here i done the same long long long time ago.
    from ebay. samsung s4 i think? or s6
    hindsight, the photo actually gave some fake hints (seller tried to hide those on the listing).

    arrived, straight away smell fishy. booting will shows some Chinese characters for a second or two.
    camera quality was sooooo bad

    ask the seller he said
    i am not aware that is fake hahahaha

    ebay refunded in full after i submmitted complain.
    happy ending for me but lesson learnt

  • ratoloko on 19/08/2020 - 12:24

    Hi guys,

    You cannot judge everybody the same just because of a bad experience.

    I did what I did because it was a store, well, supposed to be a store with feedbacks and so on.

    I bought a Toshiba Business laptop from Facebook Marketplace IN PERSON and the laptop is out of this word in so many ways. You cannot find it in-store with the same specs and without paying 4x more.
    Friends buy high-end laptops, iPhones, consoles, with no problems but all IN PERSON.

    I would never do what a did with a person!!
    My mistake was to let my guard down because it was a store.

    There is no problem in buying goods from a different state, or do you think that Amazon, MWave, MegaBuy aren't from other states?? The guy who said this comment is as stup1d as I was.
    I buy 2k videoconferencing equipment from a company in Perth, they are one of the best in the market. This comment makes no sense. MWave is from Victoria I believe.

    About the fraud, since the person used a Commonwealth Bank account, it might be easy to track, but yes, I am not counting too much on that.

    I learned my lesson. I rode 2h today to go to a store in Parramatta to buy the mobile phone.

    Sometimes you learn in a hard way.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2020 - 12:31

      So did you use PayPal for dealing with this store?

    • CyberMurning on 19/08/2020 - 13:09

      hopefully the store is mobilecity, i like that store.

      • ratoloko on 20/08/2020 - 14:16

        Yep, https://www.mobileciti.com.au/ in Parramata.

        I got one of the remaining Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G 512GB they have there, even so, it is Telstra branded, the boot does not come with the stup1d carrier logo and only 2 Telstra apps that you can uninstall. The mobile is a beast, way better than the expensive 2020 models.

        Great store, I never heard about them before. Will definitely check them in the future.

        • spackbace on 20/08/2020 - 14:32

          Great store, I never heard about them before.

          Really?

          • ratoloko on 20/08/2020 - 15:40

            @spackbace: Really! hahaha

            They are in Parramatta almost touching Eastern Creek, so if you leave in the Eastern Suburbs it is more likely for you to look for local stores, they always do price match anyway so there is no difference really buying online. I took M4 to get there, long trip haha

            I decided to buy online THIS TIME, because that model is a beast and basically gone from the market, and it is not worth the plus 1k for the Note 20.
            Because of what happened, no more online, I went there in person.

            • kerfuffle on 20/08/2020 - 22:10

              @ratoloko:

              They are in Parramatta almost touching Eastern Creek

              Eastern Creek is like a 20 minute drive away from Parra; wouldn't call it almost touching. Westmead, sure.

    • spackbace on 19/08/2020 - 15:48
      +1

      There is no problem in buying goods from a different state, or do you think that Amazon, MWave, MegaBuy aren't from other states?? The guy who said this comment is as stup1d as I was.

      Do any of them run a FB Marketplace business, and demand payment by EFT…? No.

      At least in your own state you'd have an address to go knock on the door if things went sideways, but ya can't.

      So no, not everyone is as stupid as you

    • Davo1111 on 24/08/2020 - 19:19

      There is no problem in buying goods from a different state, or do you think that Amazon, MWave, MegaBuy aren't from other states?? The guy who said this comment is as stup1d as I was.

      These are establish stores, with a full website/reviews and some even have a brock and motar store.

      facebook marketplace/gumtree/forums are not the same thing.

  • Baysew on 19/08/2020 - 12:38

    the scam was as stupid as I was since the person used a Commonwealth Bank Account so I'm hoping the Fraud team since I'm CommBank client can hunt the low life down.

    You certainly have high hopes with Commonwealth Bank. (Not to mention Facebook Marketplace)

    Crown moved to CBA when ANZ shut 'money laundering' accounts, inquiry hears

  • solidussnake on 24/08/2020 - 20:10

    This was a very great read after a hard day at work, thanks OP !

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