eBay XBOX 360 Rip Off

[Horus45]

Check out this auction that was on eBay and the fools who fell for it.
$611 for an EMPTY BOX!

The lesson to learn from this is: ALWAYS READ THE DESCRIPTION!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8236595474

It's a shame that scum like this guy are allowed to rip people off so blatantly on eBay.

[KyndCulture]

1. Well he did say it was an empty box...

I doubt ebay will let him get away with it... but how STUPID can people be?! He said it about 20 times that it was just the box.

[Horus45]

2. AND Not even a real MS XBOX box, a hand drawn box.

[Deja Q]

7. While he even says "EMPTY BOX"...

So no misconstruing that it's the console only, sames joysticks, accessories, and games.

:dunce:

But... BUT: Why did the fucker not show the box and instead show the unit with games instead? Even a lawyer can use the excuse of intentionally~misleading advertising as people do look for pictures before actually reading. That's human nature, regrettably.

Even then, he puts in a long bulletpoint list of specifications for what is not being sold?! Of course that'll only help to fool the foolish!

Still, the fools should have READ IT... but the guy is still vermin for such a gross misleading of the public and should have his account nixed.

[RoyGBiv]

31. Curious ... description changed

In the bidding history, one bidder retracted their bid on Nov. 24 about an hour before the auction ended, noting "Seller changed the description of the item." Based on the way the "this is only a box" description is worded, to wit the bit about "yes it's only a box, so don't ask," I suspect the original description was not quite as clear.

[ghostsofgiants]

3. Didn't this happen when the original Xbox came out as well?

[GirlinContempt]

4. How is it a rip off if he told them what it was

very, very clearly?

[Deja Q]

5. Capitalism is its finest. Caveat emptor. It's just business.

The problem is, those who boast it usually end up getting the worst jive treatment in the end... and some of them own nukes.

[Syncronaut Seven]

6. Naw, the guy's providing a valuable service by pointing out that

Hard core gamers are less likely to read, or think. They just respond to visual stimuli.

Anyone that easily led will make a fine Republican someday, that is, if they don't get their ass shot off in Iraq because some Savvy recruiter told him "it's just like the xbox version!"

Really fucking sad, but P.T. Barnum got rich that way.

[TimeChaser]

10. Thanks, but this gamer loves to read

Of course, it might be the hard core Xbox fans...

[GirlinContempt]

11. "Hard core gamers are less likely to read, or think"

Come here and say that to my face :P

Or at least bother educating yourself on the subject

[DainBramaged]

12. Hard core gamers are less likely to read?????

One, this is my little friend;

Wish you could meet him in my game world. And he isn't just for visual stimuli.

Two, read my thread I started this morning in the Lounge, it is just for YOU. The opening line is After a total of four years here, I find our pettiness no longer funny

Three, I won't hit alert about your post. It IS the poster child for ignorant self-serving posts so far this month. We the People play games too, and if a parent was exposed to this scam, not understanding the quaint tight-ass world you live in, the mistake could easily be made.

The Ebay scum bag depended on it.

[Syncronaut Seven]

13. I actually did read your thread my friend!

And I realize there are exceptions ;)

And most functioning adults can game without risk. My opinion is that video games are like a drug, your choice as an adult but I've seen some pretty dramatic negative effects on children. Just like drugs.

[GirlinContempt]

16. Just about anything can have negative effects on children.

There are books I wouldn't let my kids read, TV shows, movies, web sites, etc etc etc that I wouldn't expose them to. Are ALL TV shows bad? Is the internet inherently evil? Are books a brainwashing drug?

Saying that video games cause people to not think or read is one of the most ludicrous things I've read in a long time.
MANY video games promote skills (including critical thinking) and engage people in more positive ways than a LOT of other entertainment mediums.

Video games are not like a drug. Try reading some studies and actually playing some games before saying stuff like that. In video games, the person that doesn't read or think loses.

[Syncronaut Seven]

18. And precisely how do video games help individuals in the real world again?

Wasted many hundreds (thousands ?)of hours on my first 8-bit Nintendo.

Was it harmless? Most likely. Was it productive? Hardly. Did I learn any skills aplicable to real life? :rofl:

I've had 20 years since to reflect, I can't put my finger on a single positive that came of my obsession.

I do have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome however, makes it a little painfull to type sometimes.

[TimeChaser]

19. Well, what games were you playing anyways?

Any strategy games? RPGs?

[Syncronaut Seven]

20. If memory serves, the early games were pretty lame as far as strategy goes

Do you count Tetris? Mario? I learned more sophisticated strategy with chess, risk, monopoly. D&D for a spell. Man, does that date me!

Beware the games that look like tools for military recruitment.

To be honest, I can't offer expertise in modern gaming, I can only judge by the resulting throngs of video zombies.

In my day we were more obsessed with sex and drugs. :smoke:

[GirlinContempt]

22. Tetris and Mario

were both shown to have positive effects on children in studies. Tetris more so.

[GirlinContempt]

21. Exactly

aside from the hand-eye coordination studies, there have also been studies linking 'puzzle' based games (RPGs included, for some obvious reasons) to critical thinking skills, and can stimulate learning.
Other games were shown to improve spatial logic.

ACT studies found video games helped to familiarize children with computers.

Another study found that RPGs helped to improve reading comprehension skills.

[TimeChaser]

24. FF's active time battle system

helps a lot with thinking quickly under pressure :)

[GirlinContempt]

25. Studies show Tetris

improves driving skills for the same reasons :)

[GirlinContempt]

23. Do I have this right, then?

Because you can't be bothered to actually look in to the effects of video games and don't think anything good came out of it for you, they're a drug and are harmful to children?

[Syncronaut Seven]

26. You may have misread what I said.

Other than the voluminous body of work linking violence in media and violence in reality I basically have nothing. :shrug:

What I do know I can observe by the reams of job applications I used to round file due to the inability to read the phrase "continued on other side" or the inability to add a pair of 2 digit numbers. Or the "ethics test". How smart do you have to be to lie on the question "would you steal from your employer if you were mad at them?".

Seriously! perhaps 8 or 9 out of 10 applications were "filed" because they never made it that far. Most were 17-20 yo middle class kids who didn't read higher than 4th or 5th grade level, if that. We needed applicants who could make change without looking at the register and read training manuals.

But they could tell you about games, as if their whole lives depended on them. The inability to differentiate was stunning.

Other than that, I have nothing.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

32. And clearly, those idiots are representative of all gamers.

:eyes:

[GirlinContempt]

36. So, by that logic

Kids shouldn't read books, cause some books have violence in them. Or watch any TV shows, because some TV shows have violence in them. Ditto movies, the internet, etc.
All forms of media have the possibility of containing objectionable or damaging messages. That doesn't mean that the form of media is inherently bad, it means that that particular show/book/game/whatever is something you consider inappropriate.

All your moaning about applicants suggests less about video games and more about parenting and the education system. I have to question how the 'filed' people ever told you about video games so extensively, but even ignoring that, if kids can't read, blame the education system. It isn't doing it's job. Most of my friends are pretty 'hard core' gamers, and they're also incredibly educated, well read, articulate and employed.

Claiming that hard core gamers can't read or think is ignorant. Judging an entire form of media based on one thing you dislike about it is ignorant.

[Syncronaut Seven]

37. Perhaps we're a bit too close to the problem

Looks like I struck a nerve, ever worked in the educational system? Been a parent, Minor in childhood psychology?

What part of living do your friends exchange for their game time?

I'm usually tipped off by "video games" being listed under strengths or hobbies.

It is an unusually passionate defense you've adopted, I often encounter such defensiveness when confronting alcoholics, gamblers or perpetrators of domestic violence. I have a family member that drinks 24-30 cans of beer a day, nearly his entire caloric input, but he doesn't have a drinking problem. :eyes:

That type of denial is not healthy, perhaps a moment of introspection on your part? Best addressed at your tender age, rather than thru psychotherapy later in life.

Of course I could be completely off base, I'll take a moment to consider that possibility.

Enjoy your investment of time, energy and cash. I'm sure it will pay off in the end. :rofl:

[GirlinContempt]

38. Oh. My. God.

You are comparing me to "alcoholics, gamblers or perpetrators of domestic violence".

You need to get a grip. For serious.

And on edit:
Stop sidestepping the issues and trying to make me in to some crazed video game addict with a joystick for a hand. It won't work, and it makes you appear to know nothing about what you're talking about.

[Syncronaut Seven]

40. Ummm...

I'm only suggesting that you may be linguistically and semantically challenged, nothing more.

[GirlinContempt]

42. And I'm only suggesting

that you may be a completely offensive jerk with no sense of perspective or knowledge. :eyes:

Nice try.

[ghostsofgiants]

43. Since when does pointing out the fallacies in your arguments...

Make a person linguistically and semantically challenged?

[ET Awful]

47. Here's a little hint for you. For many, many years, I was a "hardcore"

gamer. During that time period, I was also a paralegal for serveral years served several years in the military, and became the manager of an IT department (in which capacity I still work today).

The video-games increased my interest in computers, which in-turn increased my employability.

Your myopic viewpoint and stereotyping of those who play video games is obviously coming from a complete lack of real-world experience. You might want to actually open your eyes and examine the real causes for what you see on job applications and the like.

[Syncronaut Seven]

49. Cool! The Zilog Z80 increased my interest in computers, which increased my

employability. But clearly I have a complete lack of real world experience. :rofl: I'm dyin here!

[ET Awful]

50. If only we were that lucky.

Your complete lack of knowledge about the topic shows with every post.

See, a lot of people that play video games start to wonder what makes them tick. They start to wonder how computers work, why they function, how to make them work better, etc.

Then there's the people that know nothing whatsoever about it who chose to tear down everyone who plays video games because they can't comprehend that anything such as that could have real value.

Oh well, your loss.

[Syncronaut Seven]

52. I'm mocking you here son, dont you get it?

Your complete lack savoir faire shows with every post. Normally it wouldn't be worth the effort, but I'm curious, do you have a sense of humor at all?

This is too much fun! :popcorn:

On edit: My first computer was a Motorola 6800. Since dad was on the design team at Motorola, naturally I zapped his chip first.

After much yelling and screaming I decided to try again, but the Z80 was the only chip I could afford on a news agents salary.

Wire wrapped on a phenolic breadboard (with a socket this time) the machine was clocked by a 32.168 KHZ crystal, Registers loaded with micro paddle switches, outputs on red LED's

Ahhh... a simpler time ;)

[Beware the Beast Man]

56. Wow, man, what a completely assholeish thing to say.

:popcorn: indeed.

[ghostsofgiants]

61. Yeah, he's been making a habit of that in this thread.

[ET Awful]

81. Which is why his posts are now invisible to me.

I have no desire to engage in discussion with someone so ill-informed that is also so unwilling ot educate themselves, it's not worth the time and effort involved.

[ghostsofgiants]

39. Wow, that's the most condescending thing I've read all day.

[Syncronaut Seven]

41. Thank you! It's a consequence of living among humans for so long.

;)

[TimeChaser]

44. And why shouldn't video games be listed under hobbies

if it is a hobby?

You've got a serious prejudice against gamers. You like to watch TV? Watch movies? Listen to the radio? Fine. I don't, I play games instead (or watch anime, but that's a different topic). And to be honest, some of the most intelligent people I know like video games. My friends and I play games together, my boyfriend and I play games together. I play games with my siblings sometimes (not my brother so much, he's far to competitive for my tastes and we don't often enjoy the same games).

[Syncronaut Seven]

45. No reason at all.

GiC just asked how I knew applicants were gamers. (or something to that effect)

But your right, I do have significant prejudice. Not against gamers, but against all the worthless shit they market to distract us from real issues. You do remember the original post about how people basically did stupid things for plastic crap?

Just so your impression is complete, I also think that the whole entertainment industry is malignant. TV, movies, video games and, GASP!, professional sports.

So you don't think my own hypocrisy escapes me, the internet can be a colossal waste of time too. Cept maybe for the porn. ;)

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

[GirlinContempt]

55. Clearly, listing

video games as a hobby on interest means that "they could tell you about games, as if their whole lives depended on them", despite you not talking to them.

[Syncronaut Seven]

58. So many assumptions, so little time.

People tend to talk about what interests them with very little prompting. With 4 years of experience hiring entry level folks I got to talk to a whole lot of people.

My method was to let applicants talk about what interested them freely as it loosened them up and gave me a sense of who they were, to help break down the interview jitters.

Some had balance, some were obsessive. The obsessives were less frequent at the interview stage, having faild to demonstrate basic reading, writing and math skills.

My purely unscientific observation was simply that those with a healthy mix of hobbies, not video oriented, tended to make better employees. More ground based and realistic.

It is a valid assertion that youth not obsessed with video (TV or games) were better rested and had more time to excercise, read and interact with peers on a more reality based platform. Just basic math here, only 24 hours in the day, how it's spent matters.

Flame away.

:hide:

[GirlinContempt]

59. Assumptions, that's right!

Have a cookie.

You said, and I quote:
"What I do know I can observe by the reams of job applications I used to round file due to the inability to read the phrase "continued on other side" or the inability to add a pair of 2 digit numbers. Or the "ethics test". How smart do you have to be to lie on the question "would you steal from your employer if you were mad at them?"."

"But they could tell you about games, as if their whole lives depended on them. The inability to differentiate was stunning."

YOU said that you trashed their applications but they could tell you about games as if their whole lives depended on them. I'm not assuming you said that. You did.

Just as you also said "My opinion is that video games are like a drug" and then accused me of misreading your post.

You'd better hide, I might run off and start my career as a alcoholic domestic abuser with a gambling problem any moment, and you don't wanna get in my way until I have a chance for some psychotherapy, which I clearly need. :eyes:

[Syncronaut Seven]

60. Sigh, like pearls...

On edit:
"You'd better hide, I might run off and start my career as a alcoholic domestic abuser with a gambling problem any moment, and you don't wanna get in my way until I have a chance for some psychotherapy, which I clearly need."

Seems your the one thoughtfull enough to include violent imagery in every post. Perhaps it's not far from the truth.

[GirlinContempt]

62. Another person who's missed the

100s of posts about that img.

Repeat after me:
I will not start typing until I know what I'm talking about. I will not start typing until I know what I'm talking about.


Hopefully that's helpful to you.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

64. ROFL! Great Response!

:rofl:

That should be the DU creedo LOL

[Syncronaut Seven]

66. Well that's awfully condescending!

A good teacher would clue the student in. I bow to your superior position, but have learned nothing. I am ashamed.

[GirlinContempt]

68. A good student

is willing and eager to learn, a teacher is only an assistant. Go on out and find your answers.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

69. Owwwwwww, another great zing!!!!

[Syncronaut Seven]

72. Um yea, in grade school

Unfortunately the real world will eat this kid alive.

[GirlinContempt]

73. You can't find your own answers

because the 'real world' will 'eat this kid alive'?
:rofl:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

74. Sorry, That Didn't Cut It LOL

And just for the hell of it, I challenge you to find me any grade schooler who could come up with a line that witty, wise and intellectual.

It's not like the poster said "yeah? well neener neener neener". No.

The poster said something quite intelligent, and perfect in response that was dead on in its effect.

Cracked me up LOL

[GirlinContempt]

76. Well now, kind sir

I just calls em like I sees em

[Omphaloskepsis]

67. This Fax machine feels no pain...

damn.. relax.

[Syncronaut Seven]

28. And yes, adulthood seems "quaint" these days, that may be a problem

Would have tacked this on to my other post but I ran out of edit time.

If I was a better gamer I'd KNOW how much time was left on the clock! ;)

[ContraBass Black]

29. "Hard core gamers are less likely to read, or think."

Absolute garbage.

Gamers think and read just as well as (and sometimes better than) the rest of the population.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

48. And non-gamers clear like to talk out of their asses.

Ever think that this was an idiot soccer mom who was too busy to stand in line and too busy to actually read what she was buying?

Stop being a jerk.

[Syncronaut Seven]

51. Ever think that this was a typical greedy stupid kid with a history of not

reading auction details? Who's talking out their ass? Do the research son, and try to be less reactionary.

There are so many more subtle and effective ways to use the english language for rebuttal than "your talking out your ass".

Just sayin. :rofl:

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Syncronaut Seven]

54. I rest my case!

:rofl:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

63. Rest what case?

Did you or did you not make the original idiotic assumption, based upon absolutely NO evidence, that this was a rich kid gamer? And then didn't you also make another idiotic assumption that gamers don't read?

[Syncronaut Seven]

71. Never used nor implied "rich"

That's your hang up. Never assumed or stated that gamers don't read, there's that mirror again. Sort of a modern day Rorschach I suspect.

Try not to become to emotionally invested in the topic, phrases like "idiotic assumption" are judgmental and don't advance your position.

Embrace the subtleties of the language and you will be able to form more cohesive arguments.

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Syncronaut Seven]

80. ...

"Hard core gamers are less likely to read, or think. They just respond to visual stimuli" is quite a bit different than "didn't you also make another idiotic assumption that gamers don't read?"

You see, in my statement I asserted, based on my own observations, that gamers are LESS LIKELY to read, a simple assertion to prove since game time can and often does detract from reading time.

Your assertion is that I claimed gamers DON'T READ.

See the difference? Those subtleties can change the whole meaning of a post.

On edit: In order to be semantically correct, in stead of the statement "my position that you are an ignoramus" You may wish to rephrase as "my position is that you appear to be an ignoramus" -or- "my position is that you're behaving like an ignoramus"

Your original statement seems lacking in light of evidence available to you.

[In_The_Wind]

78. ...

oops ...

[Deja Q]

8. Will the buyer use PayPal's 12 month credit program?

:rofl:

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

9. Well here's

part of that 35% who supports *



PLUS SHIPPING!

"US $15.00 - US Postal Service Priority Mail®"

[DS1]

14. Compared to some of the scams out there, this is a damn public service!

Hopefully, people will READ.

I've seen XBOX360 related websites, email addresses * [e-mail] *, pictures of xboxes.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

15. No Rip-Off Whatsoever. He is being creative and humorous.

Calling him scum and a rip-off is wayyyyyyyy off the mark.

I actually give him credit for the creativity and concept and think he did a great job with the auction.

And for the record, he is mocking the capitalistic rampage of xbox 360 marketing. Much the same as we do here.

I don't know, but I'd say you owe him an apology LOL

[KyndCulture]

17. Exactly and I think he taught some people a lesson in greed!

they are so desperate to make sure their kid has one of these fool things before everyone else does that they lost their minds and bid on a box! Caveat Emptor, indeed.

[realisticphish]

27. Not a rip-off at all

if he can get 600 bucks by legally and openly selling someone an empty box, than more power to him

[Nevilledog]

30. Buyer has a previous negative because he can't "read"...ROFL

Showed this to hubby and he happened to click on the winning bidder's feedback.... seems this guy has a history of not reading the listings...LOL

[Rabrrrrrr]

34. LOL! Good catch! And it was for a pair of tweeters!

Wonder what the idiot didn't read correctly on that one. Probably thought that since it said "tweeters for car stereo" that the auction was for a car.

[Rabrrrrrr]

33. LOL! I bet the jackoff fucking idiot who bought it will wisen up

At least, I hope so!

The fucking morons deserve to lose their $600+.

Shitbrains.

[Left Is Write]

35. For those who think he's just funny, he DID do something wrong...

It is against eBay rules to use the brand name of something you are NOT selling (this pops up all the time in clothing ads: "Like Banana Republic" or "Not BCBG"). It's called keyword spamming and is a no-no.

Also, you cannot use pictures that do not depict what you are selling. He can use Xbox stock photos if he is selling the Xbox product pictured. However...he isn't. So the photos are also a no-no.

And, as always: caveat emptor.

[JI7]

46. i kind of feel sorry for this guy

[Guy Fawkes]

57. And the seller...

"no longer a registered user"

[Horus45]

70. I guess eBay did not think this was humorous.

That "Not a registered user" was not there yesterday.
Looks like they yanked his account.
Good to see they took some action.

[Left Is Write]

75. The listing broke at least two eBay rules, if not more.

I'm glad they took action too.

And the seller being NARU does let the buyer off the hook.

[henslee]

65. This is priceless and briliant. But anyone who pulls this kind of crap

probably has to sleep with one eye open.

[In_The_Wind]

77. I agree with you! It's a shame that eBay even allowed the obvious Rip Off!

x(