# Mini on ebay



## DawnW (Nov 28, 2008)

New: $49 including shipping from France.

Anyone want to take a chance and get back to us on how it worked? 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TiVo-Mini-i...267?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35e4324863

I am thinking stolen.

I remember years ago, probably 9 or so now, I ordered a Directv Tivo and it ended up being stolen and they wouldn't activate it. Thankfully I got my money back.

This looks shady unless I am missing something.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

I can't imagine what a Mini would be doing in France. It has no business being there. Seems fishy to me.


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## DawnW (Nov 28, 2008)

In looking at the sold items I see other listings for $49 that have sold, under 3 different usernames. One in Singapore and two in France.

Very fishy.


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

DawnW said:


> Anyone want to take a chance and get back to us on how it worked?


I will let you know. I ordered one last week that is to arrive on Feb 4.


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## DawnW (Nov 28, 2008)

pfiagra said:


> I will let you know. I ordered one last week that is to arrive on Feb 4.


Awesome, please report back!


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## chiguy50 (Nov 9, 2009)

DawnW said:


> New: $49 including shipping from France.
> 
> Anyone want to take a chance and get back to us on how it worked?
> 
> ...


I don't know what it implies about the legitimacy of the Mini or the seller (I note that he sold 10 of them yesterday), but I see that he seems to have stolen the product photo on his posting from this reliable eBay seller.


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## DawnW (Nov 28, 2008)

chiguy50 said:


> I don't know what it implies about the legitimacy of the Mini or the seller (I note that he sold 10 of them yesterday), but I see that he seems to have stolen the product photo on his posting from this reliable eBay seller.


Oh, yeah.....that isn't allowed. I got in trouble for that once. And the picture I copied was actually a stock photo, but he had cropped it.

So, I had to repost with a stock photo cropped by me.


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## howardval (Jan 20, 2015)

Not sure if this is the same, but it could be a credit card scam. Here is how it works:

The seller has some stolen credit card numbers. When you buy the mini from them, they place the order from a legitimate store here in the U.S. using the stolen credit card. They have the item shipped directly to you. You receive a good Tivo mini from the retailer, and the retailer charges the credit card (for example, $150). The seller gets your $49 from e-bay via Paypal.

Later, either the store or the credit card company gets to eat the bill. 

In this scam, the seller never gets caught. He is out of the country. The store and credit card company don't pursue you either. It's not worth their time or money. You just get to keep the product.

I purchased a Dewalt tool this way (unknowingly). I used the "Buy It Now" to purchase a brand new Dewalt tool for an awesome price. The seller was out of the country. I received a brand new tool directly from Home Depot within 2 days of placing the order. The packing slip showed the buyer as some lady in another state (she probably had her credit card stolen). The "ship to" address on the packing slip was me. The price charged was twice what I paid. 

This was suspicious right off the bat. Why would someone pay double to sell an item to me - brand new - directly from a store. I contacted Paypal and e-bay as I didn't want to get nailed later for possession of a stolen item. E-bay verified the scam and suspended the user's account. Paypal also verified the scam and told me to just keep the tool. 

This scam is now more prevalent on e-bay. It works for both parties (buyer and seller). Most buyers never realize this was a scam as they get a perfectly legit unit from a retailer. They leave a positive feedback and the seller gets cash.


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## DawnW (Nov 28, 2008)

howardval said:


> Not sure if this is the same, but it could be a credit card scam. Here is how it works:
> 
> The seller has some stolen credit card numbers. When you buy the mini from them, they place the order from a legitimate store here in the U.S. using the stolen credit card. They have the item shipped directly to you. You receive a good Tivo mini from the retailer, and the retailer charges the credit card (for example, $150). The seller gets your $49 from e-bay via Paypal.
> 
> ...


Oh, yes, I have been a victim of that scam, but in a round about way. Someone used my Walmart account to purchase about $150 in prepaid phone cards.

They actually used someone else's credit card but logged in to my account.

I contacted Walmart and they didn't really seem to care. They just told me to change my password.

Dawn


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

howardval said:


> Not sure if this is the same, but it could be a credit card scam. Here is how it works:
> 
> The seller has some stolen credit card numbers. When you buy the mini from them, they place the order from a legitimate store here in the U.S. using the stolen credit card. They have the item shipped directly to you. You receive a good Tivo mini from the retailer, and the retailer charges the credit card (for example, $150). The seller gets your $49 from e-bay via Paypal.
> 
> ...


I received a new Roamio (when they first came out) that way, shipped from Best Buy, called Best Buy with the order number and was told that the item had been paid for at list price, and I could return it for a refund if I wanted to, I guess I could have purchased 10 of them and made $2000, but that not my bag.
I guess E-Bay and other web sights have put fences out of business, purchase from the truck of a car on the street and you have a problem, purchase from any web vender (inc. E-Bay) that takes PayPal and your safe from the law.


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## kettledrum (Nov 17, 2003)

DawnW said:


> Oh, yes, I have been a victim of that scam, but in a round about way. Someone used my Walmart account to purchase about $150 in prepaid phone cards.
> 
> They actually used someone else's credit card but logged in to my account.
> 
> ...


Walmart has got to be one of the worst. We had something similar happen a couple of years ago. A purchase of a Hawaiian shirt made by the crooks got approved, but a subsequent purchase for a bunch of prepaid cards got flagged and denied. On the phone Walmart didn't seem to care much about it, like it happens all of the time. The shirt got delivered to us and when we tried to return it to Walmart they thought we were crazy.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

howardval said:


> Not sure if this is the same, but it could be a credit card scam. Here is how it works:
> 
> The seller has some stolen credit card numbers. When you buy the mini from them, they place the order from a legitimate store here in the U.S. using the stolen credit card. They have the item shipped directly to you. You receive a good Tivo mini from the retailer, and the retailer charges the credit card (for example, $150). The seller gets your $49 from e-bay via Paypal.
> 
> ...


Interesting. Thanks.


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## leo38cheng (Feb 1, 2015)

any updates?


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## leo38cheng (Feb 1, 2015)

will TIVO suspend your account if the items were later deem stolen? just afraid of a permanent ban.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

leo38cheng said:


> will TIVO suspend your account if the items were later deem stolen? just afraid of a permanent ban.


TiVo would never know unless the stolen unit had already been registered with TiVo, take it from my home you would have a problem after I reported to TiVo and the police, a new one comes from say Best Buy using a bad credit card, Best Buy does not keep track of each sales TSN so no problem with Best Buy, and if you use PayPal to pay for the item on E-Bay you will have no problem. People making a purchase on E-Bay are protected from that, just like any purchase from a normal store, even if the store owner had stolen the item you purchased.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

It is back on E-Bay $49 from France http://www.ebay.com/itm/251819425458?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Good luck, a new model is now out A93, I assume this is the A92 model


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## howardval (Jan 20, 2015)

leo38cheng said:


> will TIVO suspend your account if the items were later deem stolen? just afraid of a permanent ban.


As Lessd said above, Tivo will never know. Believe me, credit card companies and the retailer just write it off their books as "cost of doing business". And Paypal will protect you as well.



lessd said:


> It is back on E-Bay $49 from France http://www.ebay.com/itm/251819425458?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
> 
> Good luck, a new model is now out A93, I assume this is the A92 model


Ok...thanks. I just ordered one. I don't need one, but just really curious to see where it will come from. I'm betting I'll get this within the next 2-3 days directly from a U.S. retailer. I'll report back.


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## leo38cheng (Feb 1, 2015)

seems like people has been buying from this seller for a while -- but only 4 feedback?


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

Has anyone on the forum actually received one and activated it?


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

HarperVision said:


> Has anyone on the forum actually received one and activated it?


I have one coming in the 15th to the 24th of Feb., we will see.


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

pfiagra said:


> I will let you know. I ordered one last week that is to arrive on Feb 4.


Nothing. I had contacted the seller a couple of times over the past few weeks, but received no reply. I've now sent the official request for a refund through eBay's Resolution Center, but don't anticipate any reply from the seller.


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

lessd said:


> I have one coming in the 15th to the 24th of Feb., we will see.


I suggest you get ready to familiarize yourself with eBay's Resolution Center.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

pfiagra said:


> I suggest you get ready to familiarize yourself with eBay's Resolution Center.


10 sold. Listing ended. I'd be curious how long before a resolution.


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## WVZR1 (Jul 31, 2008)

pfiagra said:


> I will let you know. I ordered one last week that is to arrive on Feb 4.





pfiagra said:


> Nothing. I had contacted the seller a couple of times over the past few weeks, but received no reply. I've now sent the official request for a refund through eBay's Resolution Center, but don't anticipate any reply from the seller.


I believe it's only the 5th so I doubt that eBay will even consider checking into it on your behalf "YET". Unless there have been multiple issues with the seller.

I wouldn't have anticipated that the seller would have carried on any correspondence with you regarding the transaction. To have assumed they would have is very foolish.


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## howardval (Jan 20, 2015)

pfiagra said:


> Nothing. I had contacted the seller a couple of times over the past few weeks, but received no reply. I've now sent the official request for a refund through eBay's Resolution Center, but don't anticipate any reply from the seller.


I believe the person you ordered it from had his account disabled soon after the listing. So I don't think he has any control anymore. And did you ever receive a tracking number? Or was the date just estimated by e-bay? They usually don't send a tracking number. Either way, you're safe. Paypal is usually pretty quick and simple to get a refund. Since (and if) his account was disabled, it's clear cut.

The guy I ordered it from still has his account active. But as of this morning, he has a negative feedback from someone who didn't get their mini I got an e-mail from the seller stating item had been shipped (no tracking provided), but I haven't written back. I'll wait a 2 weeks or until his account is disabled to ask for a refund from paypal.


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

WVZR1 said:


> I wouldn't have anticipated that the seller would have carried on any correspondence with you regarding the transaction. To have assumed they would have is very foolish.


I expected the seller wouldn't respond, but did so just to have some proof to eBay that the seller was not responding. _Not having been through the resolution process with eBay, I didn't know if having attempted some previous communication with the seller would be beneficial or not._


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

howardval said:


> I believe the person you ordered it from had his account disabled soon after the listing. So I don't think he has any control anymore. And did you ever receive a tracking number? Or was the date just estimated by e-bay? They usually don't send a tracking number. Either way, you're safe. Paypal is usually pretty quick and simple to get a refund. Since (and if) his account was disabled, it's clear cut.


No tracking number; only an estimated date. The seller (jonpremosch) just recently (last week?) put up another batch listing of tivo minis, so if the account was suspended, it must have just been recently. Also noticed the seller's feedback now shows negative ratings, so there must be other buyers from the first batch also not getting any tivo minis.


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## blacknoi (Jan 23, 2006)

I saw these same ones on ebay, coming from singapore.

The red flag went up when I knew TiVo didn't service that market. And I didn't feel like playing the refund game with Paypal so just skipped it.

...should have bought 2 on Amazon when the pricing dropped / lifetime became included instead of just 1. It was nice to get one for $85 shipped.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

pfiagra said:


> I expected the seller wouldn't respond, but did so just to have some proof to eBay that the seller was not responding. _Not having been through the resolution process with eBay, I didn't know if having attempted some previous communication with the seller would be beneficial or not._


eBay can tell if you have communication. When you give feedback, it won't let you rate the seller's communication if you haven't actually had any.


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## DawnW (Nov 28, 2008)

Any resolution?


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

DawnW said:


> Any resolution?


The Mini I purchased was taken down from E-Bay sometime after my purchase, but E-Bay said that if I paid let the unit ship to you, today I noticed that PayPal had open a dispute with the seller (not initiated by me) and has E-Mail the seller for some answers, I am assuming if no answers come I will get my money back without doing anything, or I will get the $49 Mini, or maybe both. Ha Ha


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

DawnW said:


> Any resolution?


In my case, I filed a complaint via the resolution process with eBay on Feb 5th, and they must allow the seller 4 business days to respond, so i have until Feb 11th before eBay will officially be involved in getting me a refund.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

I can't believe some of you actually went through and plunked down your money for these. 

You folks are enablers.


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## joewom (Dec 10, 2013)

trip1eX said:


> I can't believe some of you actually went through and plunked down your money for these.
> 
> You folks are enablers.


What do they say. If its too good to be true it usually is. I tried to bid on a 6tb Tivo ready HDD on ebay. Sold for 212.00 and I missed it by 2.00. I thought the whole time I bet this won't work. It made reference to DVRdaddy but was not sold by them. Just said came with a warranty from them and WD. But 212 for a 6tb was a deal in a half if it worked as stated.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

trip1eX said:


> I can't believe some of you actually went through and plunked down your money for these.
> 
> You folks are enablers.


No loss, PayPal started a dispute with any input from me!!!


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

pfiagra said:


> In my case, I filed a complaint via the resolution process with eBay on Feb 5th, and they must allow the seller 4 business days to respond, so i have until Feb 11th before eBay will officially be involved in getting me a refund.


Refund received. Was without $49 for a few weeks, but it would have been a great deal.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

pfiagra said:


> Refund received. Was without $49 for a few weeks, but it would have been a great deal.


Just got my $49 back also, the deal was too good to be true.


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