# Beware of Ebay sellers selling new Minis



## Saturn (Apr 10, 2001)

As also noted here: Mini on ebay

I found an e-bay listing selling new Minis for around $95. The listing was a bit strange, as it was under Lots not electronics, and didn't show up under normal searches, but I found it listed under the "other things like this" or whatever at the bottom of another listing.

Red flag #1, selling a new TiVo Mini for well under market value
Red flag #2, the seller had 0 feedback.

I ignored my better judgement and bought it, and now I'm in the midst of the scam. I received a TiVo Mini direct from TiVo. When I went to activate it, it said it was already activated - which was somewhat expected, given it came right from TiVo. I tried to chat to get it activated but they said I had to call in to activate.

The CSR was very helpful but also said lots of things like "hmmm, that's strange." Bottom line, the TiVo was purchased at full retail price ($150) with a credit card that doesn't match the seller's name in any way, shape or form. It was activated under a new account with my name/address but an e-mail address that isn't mine (nor did it match the one on Ebay/Paypal from the transaction.)

So there's two possibilities, both of which I discussed at length with the CSR:

Note that when TiVo receives a chargeback for a TiVo, they deactivate the box, no matter who is in possession of it.

1) The card was a stolen card. I urged the CSR to contact their payment processor to trigger an investigation of the transaction. In this case I suspect the credit card company would notify the owner of the card, cancel the card, and likely eat the $150. In this scenario, the credit card company gets scammed, TiVo gets their money and I got a deal. But that may depend on TiVo's agreement with their payment processor. TiVo may receive a chargeback from the credit card issuer - in this case, _I_ get scammed.

2) The card is legit, but the seller will initiate a chargeback sometime between 30 and 60 days.  This scam takes advantage of the difference between a typical credit card's chargeback window (60 days) and the E-bay feedback/buyer protection window (30 days.) Again, in this case, _I_ get scammed.

I want no part of this either way, so I initiated a return with the seller, which is obviously not going well. I'll do what I can to make sure the scammer doesn't get his/her $95, but that will probably depend on how E-bay/Paypal react.


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## Riblet2000 (Feb 8, 2005)

Paypal is usually pretty good about this since they have to answer to Visa/MC themselves, and it would be very helpful to have something in writing from Tivo (did you use chat?) to back up the stolen card claim. Unfortunately, the bottom of this rabbit hole may be 'stolen property' which you definitely don't want to be involved in even by accident.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

First recourse should be with eBay.


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## RTNDO128 (Dec 2, 2016)

The last two items I sold on eBay were purchased by scammers trying to con me and take advantage of eBay's Money Back Guarantee. Long story short, eBay automatically sides with the buyer in almost every scenario if they claim the item is "defective" or "not as described", unless the seller goes through great lengths to prove everything is legitimate (which I did). 

I recommend opening a case with eBay if you are within the 30 day Money Back Guarantee. Take a screenshot of the activation page on TiVo's website where you get the error that the Mini is already activated, and get your conversation with TiVo support in email. Upload these documents to the case on eBay and you'll have no problem getting refunded.


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

Saturn said:


> As also noted here: Mini on ebay
> 
> I found an e-bay listing selling new Minis for around $95. The listing was a bit strange, as it was under Lots not electronics, and didn't show up under normal searches, but I found it listed under the "other things like this" or whatever at the bottom of another listing.
> 
> ...


The tip off on these scams is that the new product always comes directly from Tivo. It could take some length of time to get the matter settled, because Tivo may not get the chargeback for some time. Unfortunately this could take a couple months depending on the specifics of the credit card fraud, and the really sneaky guys running many deals at a time have been known to even make a minimum credit card payment to keep the scam alive even longer. Paypal I think will reimburse you up to 6 months out. 
The first sign you may get is to get a message on that mini that the account has been closed or deactivated and to call Tivo CS. The only good news is that you will likely get to keep the remote and power supply in the end.


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## employee3 (Aug 15, 2006)

I am in search for 2 more minis and saw this auction as well... I saw the zero feedback and rightly guessed scam. Good luck to you and lucky for me, I suppose.

At the price used minis are going for on eBay it looks like I'm just going to purchase retail.


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## compnurd (Oct 6, 2011)

There is so many red flags there it isnt funny. if anyone actually tried to buy one based on all of that they should be banned from ebay also


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

Saturn said:


> As also noted here: Mini on ebay
> 
> I found an e-bay listing selling new Minis for around $95. The listing was a bit strange, as it was under Lots not electronics, and didn't show up under normal searches, but I found it listed under the "other things like this" or whatever at the bottom of another listing.
> 
> ...


I purchased my first Roamio from E-Bay at about 1/2 price, but it was not activated. I received the unit directly from Best Buy new in the box, with an invoice. I called Best Buy and said this was a gift I did not want could I return it, they looked it up and said I could get the full retail price back for this Roamio, so I new it was some type of scam, but because I had the unit and Best Buy does not keep track of the TSN I paid TiVo for lifetime service and after many years I have received no problems from Best Buy.


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## hytekjosh (Dec 4, 2010)

Saturn said:


> As also noted here: Mini on ebay
> 
> I found an e-bay listing selling new Minis for around $95. The listing was a bit strange, as it was under Lots not electronics, and didn't show up under normal searches, but I found it listed under the "other things like this" or whatever at the bottom of another listing.
> 
> ...


Long story short you shouldn't have wasted one more second once you saw the auction page and all the red flags but you still proceeded. Maybe best to keep this embarrassment to yourself?



lessd said:


> I purchased my first Roamio from E-Bay at about 1/2 price, but it was not activated. I received the unit directly from Best Buy new in the box, with an invoice. I called Best Buy and said this was a gift I did not want could I return it, they looked it up and said I could get the full retail price back for this Roamio, so I new it was some type of scam, but because I had the unit and Best Buy does not keep track of the TSN I paid TiVo for lifetime service and after many years I have received no problems from Best Buy.


What makes that a scam? Many retailers will offer you back full retail (usually in the form of a gift certificate) if you return without a receipt and they carry the same product. I've done several no receipt returns over the years on various items.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

hytekjosh said:


> Long story short you shouldn't have wasted one more second once you saw the auction page and all the red flags but you still proceeded. Maybe best to keep this embarrassment to yourself?
> 
> What makes that a scam? Many retailers will offer you back full retail (usually in the form of a gift certificate) if you return without a receipt and they carry the same product. I've done several no receipt returns over the years on various items.


I did not purchase the Roamio from Best Buy, and the E-Bay seller could not have gotten that good a deal from Best Buy just after the Roamio came out, the scam was on Best Buy not me, as I don't think Best Buy ever collected the money for the unit.


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## hytekjosh (Dec 4, 2010)

lessd said:


> I did not purchase the Roamio from Best Buy, and the E-Bay seller could not have gotten that good a deal from Best Buy just after the Roamio came out, the scam was on Best Buy not me, as I don't think Best Buy ever collected the money for the unit.


employee discount?


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

hytekjosh said:


> employee discount?


At 50% + the E-Bay & Paypal fees, Best Buy does not give that much discount to their employees and why would Best Buy give me the full retial amount back in cash, they knew from their invoice that it was not any employee discount unit.


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## sathead (Jan 12, 2008)

Now that Amazon sells items from 3rd party sellers- scams happen there too.

I purchased a Bose Soundlink Mini from one of their Amazon Partners that never materialized.
After purchase, I noticed the "just launched" note on this sellers store. 
Well, it was my bad for purchasing from that seller... and I did get a full refund, but it took many emails, and almost a full month to get my refund.


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## hytekjosh (Dec 4, 2010)

sathead said:


> Now that Amazon sells items from 3rd party sellers- scams happen there too.
> 
> I purchased a Bose Soundlink Mini from one of their Amazon Partners that never materialized.
> After purchase, I noticed the "just launched" note on this sellers store.
> Well, it was my bad for purchasing from that seller... and I did get a full refund, but it took many emails, and almost a full month to get my refund.


good reason to buy from reputable sellers such as amazon directly or elsewhere


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## Saturn (Apr 10, 2001)

Well, after asking Ebay to step in, they issued me a return label. Someone in VA is going to get a TiVo on their doorstep that they aren't expecting, but Ebay refunded my money already.


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## hytekjosh (Dec 4, 2010)

Saturn said:


> Well, after asking Ebay to step in, they issued me a return label. Someone in VA is going to get a TiVo on their doorstep that they aren't expecting, but Ebay refunded my money already.


congrats man


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## !-HenryH-! (Sep 17, 2004)

Did you ever get your money back?


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