First time eBay scam victim

Oh well, it had to happen eventually, I fell victim to an eBay scam

Well, scam is perhaps too strong a word for it, but I was had. Take a look at this eBay seller's shop:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/ZorgShop

I was after a replacement battery for my ancient Nokia 8810 phone (you know, the chrome one). It's still a great little phone I use instead of the P800 sometimes (for size reasons) but the battery was shot.

So, this guy looked like the perfect place. New original Nokia batteries at an unbelievable price, and based in the UK too. All the other 8810 replacement batteries on eBay were 3rd party copies.

So, I ordered one and it arrived today. In an envelope from.....Malaysia .

It was brand spanking new and even had the little plastic cover to protect the chrome from scratches, but when I compared my original with the replacement more closely it became clear that I'd just bought a well made fake. Still works mind you (we'll see for how long) but it's not original Nokia.

Instead of "Made in Hungary" like the original, it says "Made by Nokia". All the fonts are just slightly wrong and some of the lettering doesn't quite line up. It also feels lighter than the original. Very clever though.

I would imagine that everything else that guy is selling (esp. the Tag watches) is likely to be fake too. Is it against eBay rules to say that something is located in the UK when it isn't? He must have a UK contact because his PayPal, Nochex and FastPay accounts are all UK ones (you can't get an account with the last two without a UK address).

So, as scams go, I did OK. I got a product, that seems to work, for a good price, but it's not what I thought I was getting.

Michael.

 

I don't want to alarm you but there have been a couple of stories in The Register about fake nokia batteries exploding. Specifically this and this.

The reports were a while ago though

 

I wouldn't use it.

Its always the easy answer to assume the big companies are ripping you off, but typically they have done a bit of R&D to protect the consumer, I doubt a rip off at half the price will have the same policies.

 

I'll use it until it blows up

Seriously though, it's nigh on impossible to find genuine Nokia batteries (or Ericsson or any other make for that matter) for phones released more than about 2 weeks ago

Michael.

 

why not strip the old nokia battery pack down and replace the individual cells,done it with my laptop cost me around £30, instead of £150 for a new (refurbished) battery pack

 

So where do I get the replacement cells then? In any case, I need the new battery because as well as being shot electrically, it also wouldn't stay attached to the phone without a bit of sticky tape . The new one is a lot better.

I've e-mailed the seller and told him he'd get -ve feedback unless he could prove the battery's originality....I've a mind to report him to eBay though for advertising something as being in England and it then arriving from Malaysia

Michael.

 

If you want one Mike, Id suggest going into a CPW.
Their computer systems show the stock level of each item in every shop in the country.
Some store is bound to have one secreted at the back of an old store cupboard.
They would then just need to do a branch to branch transfer, which wont cost you anything.

ex CPW superstore mgr bottleneck!

 

ring these guys [sample page]:

http://www.mainlinegroup.co.uk/mless/main.php?act=Catalogue&id_sort=31&page=1

They have a paper flyer with loads of old batteries. Give them a ring, I will pick up, and post on, if it suits you - I need to visit them soon anyway

 

i get most of mine from cpc

 

TMH - I don't think the cells in the 8810 battery are of any standard size, but I may be wrong. I'll see how I go with this fake one for now.

Michael.

 

Michael,

I'm pretty sure we've got some gen UK ones at the warehouse, I'll check on Monday.

Don't use the counterfeit if you can avoid it, we have seen a number of handsets iredeemably damaged by these.

Maybe in future you will ask around before gambling on ebay?

 

Thanks merlin - that would be great if you have any. And "yes mum, I'll ask around next time"

Haven't heard back from the seller. Am very tempted to give -ve feedback but the only downside is that he'll just respond likewise and ruin my 100% record

Michael.

 

Taking a closer look at the fake battery, I see another mistake: It's labelled as a Li-Ion battery when the BMP-1A was always a NiMH battery. Nokia did make a Li-Ion battery for the 8810 but it was called the BLH-1A.

I've left negative feedback and sod the consequences, he can't legitimately leave negative for me, I paid for the product afterall!

Michael.

 

Here's the picture of the fake battery from the auction. I've reported him to eBay for selling counterfeit goods aswell. We'll see if they take any action

Michael.

 

If they are selling fakes then UK trading standards should be able to put a stop to it. It breaks the UK trade description act (1963??) more than anything else.

Also has other's said if the batteries are badly made then it is possbile for them to blow up.

 

As predicted, he left negative feedback for me (for no good reason, I paid him for the goods) but now he's offered for a mutual feedback withdrawal. Even though the negative I recieved hurts me much more than him (I have 15 and 100% and he has well over 3700 and 99%) I'm inclined to leave it.

He's presumably worried that my stating it was fake goods would not be good at all for his business...

Michael.

 

I don't suppose you could also see if there are any ye olde 3210 batts going begging (for a price, obviously???)? My 3210 (clubbing phone) is equipped with an original, and a cheapo 3rd party replacement. The replacement isn't fully conditioned yet, but doesn't have anywhere near the oomph of the old one, when it was new; about 60% of the talk time/standby time...

 

it doesn't mention anything about being posted from malaysia in the ebay listing.
you were right to -ve feedback him. the other 3000+ are obviously not as keen-eyed as you !

 

OT, but since this is vaguley related to ebay, how long do cheques take to clear? I won an auction for some speaker cable on the 25th of June, sent the bloke a cheque, and he told me he'd received it on the 29th and would bank it on the 30th. Yet no word since, and no cable...I was under the impression cheques only took 3 working days to clear these days?

 

With my bank it takes 5 working days before the money is credited. ie pay it in monday, get it on friday, pay it in tuesday, get it monday