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Author Topic: Swapping Scams  (Read 915 times)

W6JAK

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Swapping Scams
« on: September 07, 2022, 05:55:32 PM »

This isn't about any particular seller, but I have seen numerous items for sale where the seller won't accept returns due to "swapping scams."  Is this a common problem or just a convenient excuse to not accept returns?
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W6SWO

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2022, 06:41:35 PM »

I don't doubt that it has happened to someone.  Never happened to me though.  I'm thinking it's right up there in commonality with AIDS needles in the coin returns of vending machines though.
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N4PY

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2022, 04:57:50 AM »

If I see something for sale and it says "no returns due to part swappers" I immediately rule out purchasing the item.  To me it says the seller is not honest.  My dad always said a thief always locks his own door.
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KD6VXI

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2022, 05:05:19 AM »

If I see something for sale and it says "no returns due to part swappers" I immediately rule out purchasing the item.  To me it says the seller is not honest.  My dad always said a thief always locks his own door.

Yeah, I'm sure some people have been burned.  There are stories here of people selling a radio, it getting to the new owner, them filing a not as described claim and they send it back.

Original owner gets his radio back, money is autorefunded to the other guy.  Opens up radio and all the filters are gone.

Same goes for tubes.  Send an amp out, it comes back with a dud tube.

There was a guy doing that with some expensive Collins equipment years ago, I believe that's where the "parts swappers" crap came from.

Me, I won't buy from someone who pulls that crap, unless it's a can't live without item.  I have hundreds upon hundreds of ebay good feedback, never a bad one, in use since the late 90s.  That should tell you the type of buyer and seller I am.  If you don't trust me, I don't trust you.

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI
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AF5CC

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2022, 07:26:45 AM »

It probably happens as often as a politician telling the truth.  As others have said, I won't buy from any seller with that in their ad.  If you don't trust me, why should I trust you? 

73 John AF5CC
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GRUMPY2021

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2022, 11:46:35 AM »

On the other side of the fence...  It's handy to say no returns because of part swapping.   I get it really.  It's an electronic device that may have some age.   Given the overall IQ level of most people today I would say no returns on electronic devices because of your ability to blow things up.   I would however give a video of it completely operational.  I trust absolutely no one and don't expect you to trust me.   But we sure as hell can verify.   
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K1VSK

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2022, 11:59:40 AM »

Other than stories which begin with “there was a guy….”, I don’t recall ever reading anyone to whom this actually happened. Not to say it never happened but that phrase “parts swappers” has become a euphemism for ‘no money back’.
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W9FIB

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2022, 03:17:01 AM »

It probably happens as often as a politician telling the truth.  As others have said, I won't buy from any seller with that in their ad.  If you don't trust me, why should I trust you? 

73 John AF5CC

Actually I find that to be a good thing. If there is no trust, then somehow the deal just isn't going to go right.
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73, Stan
Travelling the world one signal at a time.

W0BKR

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #8 on: September 14, 2022, 06:33:24 PM »

Almost as good (bad) as a deceptive seller stating "worked fine here" when in fact item has a hard failure.   You ask about repairing it and they tell you to "read the book".  Of course much of their communication with you contradicts one lie after another...sad.
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AC7CW

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2022, 08:36:00 AM »

Every radio [heathkits] that I see advertised on ebay is described as "untested for parts only" and with complete photos and "seller does not accept returns". I'm supposing that shuts down the parts swappers' game, no? If the seller has a good feedback rating it seems to me that buying said item should be safe enough, assuming it's packed well enough to survive UPS rough treatment...
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Novice 1958, 20WPM Extra now... (and get off my lawn)

KG4RUL

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2022, 04:58:39 AM »

My favorites: "I don't have a power supply so I can't test it but cosmetically good" OR "I can't test it but the dial lights up" OR "I am selling this for the Widow of a SK"  That one raises the hair on the back of my neck.
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KG4LAC

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2022, 01:48:05 PM »

Geez... glad I found these posts. I'm obviously naive as I would have never thought of such a thing. Now I know.
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W4QG

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2022, 09:11:23 PM »

It has certainly happened before.
As mentioned, the dud tube swap and the missing filters are some of the more common.

Others are a bit more sublime. I once sold a TS-450 that I overhauled myself. Guy returned it saying "no receive audio"
Well, just so happens that I replaced a couple defective caps in the audio amp circuit while I was working on that radio (a common problem with those rigs).  It was returned and it was mute, so naturally, the first thing I did was pull the covers and look at that circuit. Lo and behold, there was a different board in there and it had the stock bad caps that I had replaced! In this case, the guy knew roughly where the problem was with his radio and just swapped the card out from the one I sold him.

Of course I could prove nothing. $2 worth of caps and 15 minutes later the rig was up and running again. Hopefully karma got him later.

That said, I am certain this kind of thing happens VERY rarely. Anyone who has a post "bla bla bla part swappers" I run in the other direction.
There are good and bad hams just like every other segment of the population, be cautious, but don't live with the fear that everyone is out to rip you off.
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KC6RWI

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #13 on: September 21, 2022, 07:18:59 PM »

Good post, that operator didn't know basic troubleshooting. When I worked on tv, lost audio, completely dead was normally a piece of cake, you could always look up the output chip and search for the audio with a small battery amp. first thing would be to check any headphone jack.
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LNXAUTHOR

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Re: Swapping Scams
« Reply #14 on: September 29, 2022, 08:18:26 AM »

here is a swapping scam i ran into on Amazon:

found a used/returned mfj swr meter on Amazon's warehouse... when the meter arrived, it was in a beat up, old-style mfj box, broken meter face, one uhf connector floating around inside... dead as a doornail... it was bad, really bad with what looked like a botched repair

how the scam works: a LID has a beat up, non-functional POS gear found for scrap at a hamfest, but with a current model number... then the LID goes on line, buys the item new off Amazon, making sure that the item is stocked and sold by Amazon, and then files a return claim for a damaged, unwanted item, but then sends back the POS item, which ends up in Amazon's used listings... the Amazon worker at the receiving end has no clue about ham gear, Amazon doesn't give a romeo alpha, and the LID scammer gets a brand new piece of gear and a refund, just for hamfest scrap price

fortunately i was only out time, as Aamzon refunds quickly... i wrote up a long loss-prevention email to Amazon, but doubt that anything will be done

just thought i would pass on a little bit of fun i had... what bothers me more is that some LID/scammer would do this
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