Could this have been stolen?

[Cycleops]

I'm in the UK for a while and decided to pick up a new phone while here. Always wanted to go back to a pixel so after a bit of research decided on a 7a. Price was £450 everywhere so thought I might save some money by going used so looked on Gumtree to see what was on offer.
We're all used to stolen bikes coming up on advertising platforms but what about other things?
Several came up but one in particular caught my eye stating it was brand new in the box, just a boring charcoal colour but I was willing to forgo colour choice for the very reasonable asking price of £250. Advertised by 'Dona'.
So a meeting was set up with me traveling to Burton to Dona's house to purchase. To cut a long story short I met Dona outside the station instead. Dona it turned out was young lady in her twenties driving a newish BMW and from her accent from Eastern Europe.
I asked her where it came from thinking it was an unwanted upgrade or similar. 'I'm selling it for a friend '. Putting an ad on Gumtree is so difficult is it? Hmm. Box was sealed and looked new.
My mind went into overdrive.I don't like buying stolen goods but it sounded very suspicious. I had no real reason though so I went ahead.
So CCers what do think, a genuine sale or hooky? Would you have been suspicious or was I being a victim of my prejudices? Would you have bailed?

 

[classic33]

"Selling for a friend" would have had me asking more questions, or just walking away.

 

[wiggydiggy]

It's very common in the UK for stolen phones to be sold cheaply online, it doesn't even have to be stolen - a CC member was recently victim of a Credit Card scam where someone took a phone contract out in their name, they found out when the new phone was delivered to their house. The scam is someone tried to collect the phone later 'wrong address mate' and the victim would be left paying for the contract. That phone can then be sold.

This has a lot of red flags and I would have bailed as soon as they tried to change the location.

 

[Cycleops]

Dona had in fact revealed the location her address through the ad so not too smart if it was stolen.
By the way I can thoroughly recommend the Pixel 7a if anyone is in the market for a good mid range phone. 😊

 

[Dave7]

@wiggydiggy ....not sure who you refer to but similar happened to me.
Nutshell.
The scammer somehow convinced Virgin that he was me and had lost the password.
Virgini stupidly allowed him too change the password AND then to order a new i phone, delivered to my address at a specific time.
He was sat outside, intercepted the delivery and walked away with a £700 phone.
1st I knew was when I got the bill.

 

[vickster]

May not be stolen, but if it is an upgrade tied to a contract, presumably if the bill isn’t paid, the phone will get blocked by the provider so may cease to work.

 

[Big John]

Maybe it's a sign I'm getting old but the world seems a much dodgier place these days. Hooky gear, scams in all shapes and sizes.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Dona had in fact revealed the location her address through the ad so not too smart if it was stolen.
By the way I can thoroughly recommend the Pixel 7a if anyone is in the market for a good mid range phone. 😊

Just the address on the ad, might not be hers!?

@wiggydiggy ....not sure who you refer to but similar happened to me.
Nutshell.
The scammer somehow convinced Virgin that he was me and had lost the password.
Virgini stupidly allowed him too change the password AND then to order a new i phone, delivered to my address at a specific time.
He was sat outside, intercepted the delivery and walked away with a £700 phone.
1st I knew was when I got the bill.

Ah no thats a new one, Community CC Cafe - General Chat Fraud advice needed was the one I was thinking of. In that case the scammers missed the delivery and the OP refused their request for it, ended happily for them with charges reversed on CCard so I hope ended happily for you.

 

[Cycleops]

Phone was unlocked out of the box so no chance of it being blocked unless by Google.

 

[biggs682]

Always fancied a Pixel phone.

Are you sure it wasn't the same Donna that left a cake out in the rain

View: https://youtu.be/GWFHVBnR7G0?si=q5iBqPQv2SgCQvKM

 

[Dave7]

Just the address on the ad, might not be hers!?



Ah no thats a new one, Community CC Cafe - General Chat Fraud advice needed was the one I was thinking of. In that case the scammers missed the delivery and the OP refused their request for it, ended happily for them with charges reversed on CCard so I hope ended happily for you.

Virgin refused to refund me, insisting that I must have left info/paperwork in my bin........no chance as I shred everything.
It was my bank that refunded everything.

 

[annedonnelly]

Maybe it's a sign I'm getting old but the world seems a much dodgier place these days. Hooky gear, scams in all shapes and sizes.

I think it's not helped by everyone wanting a bargain. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Virgin refused to refund me, insisting that I must have left info/paperwork in my bin........no chance as I shred everything.
It was my bank that refunded everything.

I presume you've now left Vigin?

 

[Cycleops]

I think everyone likes a bargain that hasn't changed and there will always be tricksters but the cost of living crisis has done more to influence illegal activities.

 

[Cycleops]

I'm just wondering if the seller were a British Anglo Saxon woman in a beat up Mini with a plausible reason for selling would we all have had the same reaction?.