The Off Topic Topic

[DGuller]

Why doesn't your dad listen to you?

Good question.  He does ask me for advice all the time, though, he just never listens to it.

[The Brain]

Ordered.

[DGuller]

What's the range of possible outcomes?  Could it be a new site that is very incompetent, and actually legitimate?  Do they send out a refurbished iPad even while claiming it's new?  Do they send out a fake?  Or do they just not send out anything at all?  Is there any hacking potential, if they use PayPal?

[The Brain]

What's the range of possible outcomes?  Could it be a new site that is very incompetent, and actually legitimate?  Do they send out a refurbished iPad even while claiming it's new?  Do they send out a fake?  Or do they just not send out anything at all?  Is there any hacking potential, if they use PayPal?

Dunno. Unlikely. Dunno. Dunno. Dunno. Dunno.

[DGuller]

What's the range of possible outcomes?  Could it be a new site that is very incompetent, and actually legitimate?  Do they send out a refurbished iPad even while claiming it's new?  Do they send out a fake?  Or do they just not send out anything at all?  Is there any hacking potential, if they use PayPal?

Dunno. Unlikely. Dunno. Dunno. Dunno. Dunno.

Thanks!  Does anyone have anything to add?

[Ideologue]

Yep, I knew it.  Called my dad again to share the fact that this site has no phone and address, and he told me "he took a risk".   I know my dad too well.  For an intelligent man who grew up in Soviet Union, his gullibility knows no limits.

It's a good thing he grew up in the kinder gentler Soviet Union.  "DO YOU WANT TO COME TO ANTI-STALIN MEETING? FREE APPLE." "OKAY."

[Phillip V]

What's the range of possible outcomes?  Could it be a new site that is very incompetent, and actually legitimate?  Do they send out a refurbished iPad even while claiming it's new?  Do they send out a fake?  Or do they just not send out anything at all?  Is there any hacking potential, if they use PayPal?

http://whois.domaintools.com/saleoffplaza.com

Does the address and phone number registered to the domain name seem legit?

456 high st
california, ca 90089
+1.6767676767

[DGuller]

   Good God.    I hope he just loses $250 and gets a lesson out of it.  Is there any way to have PayPal cancel the payment, or is it too late?

[garbon]

Paypal does have a dispute resolution center. They got me my money back once.

[DGuller]

Paypal does have a dispute resolution center. They got me my money back once.

So you can wait until a slab of clay arrives, dispute it, and still get your money back?

[garbon]

Well I don't know what happens with total scams but I know that back in the day I'd ordered a flatscreen monitor that either didn't arrive or arrived banged up (can't recall ). Put in a dispute claim on paypal and within a few weeks had my $140 back in my paypal account.

[Syt]

Paypal does have a dispute resolution center. They got me my money back once.

So you can wait until a slab of clay arrives, dispute it, and still get your money back?

Or if there's non-delivery. I had that once. Contacted the shop twice, asking them for shipment info/ETA of my order. Then informed them that I'd hand this over to PayPal. I explained the case to PayPal and sent them my emails. PayPal then had things sorted out within a week.

[Josquius]

I can recall using paypal dispute resolution once but the shop it was with was very co-operative about it all and gave me my money back. They just hadn't sent it because it was out of stock and something had gone wrong somewhere with me not getting an email to tell me. The system didn't seem it would be too great if there was a real conflict.

I guess though if this is a scam its a pretty big one which won't just be getting your dad. Will be lots of people wanting their money back and the whole thing will seem rather obvious. The key in the scam I guess will be that they don't send anything and when customers ask whats up they'll keep making excuses until the 28 day (IIRC) period during which transactions can be disputed will expire.

[DGuller]

Could it be a PayPal scam itself?  They make it look like you're paying with PayPal, but actually it's a fake site to get your password for PayPal?

[garbon]

I don't think that's it. It does send you to a paypal secure site.