Advice on Amazon Marketplace purchase

EasyBoy1974

So I think I bought a camera on Amazon marketplace last week ...

OK let me rewind a bit

Last Thursday afternoon I saw a camera on Amazon marketplace that I've had my eye on - a little under msrp, but not suspiciously so. The ad said email me before purchase on [email]---@---.com[/email]

I took this to mean email the seller to let them know I'm ordering, then place the order. I sent an email saying I was going to place the order, then placed the order (revolut + pm )

I got an email back after a couple of hours saying...
If you want to buy this item, please confirm your full name, delivery address and your phone # to have your order placed with Amazon. We will reserve the item for you and you will receive the order confirmation from Amazon, the Amazon order contain all details about the next steps to complete your purchase.

and stating a delivery price higher than the one on amazon ... hmmm ... I replied saying that I've ordered already, and when can i expect my camera please?

I heard nothing and was feeling a bit antsy by Saturday, so I hit "contact seller" on the Amazon order and said "where my camera" - but I got back an email from Amazon saying

Your e-mail(s) to --- (-redacted-@marketplace.amazon.co.uk) cannot be delivered because there was a problem with the recipient's email system. The recipient can still view the message in their message centre on Amazon.co.uk, but they will not receive it by e-mail. We apologise for the inconvenience.

I tried emailing the seller directly on the email they had on the product - and which I had managed to contact them previously, and got no reply

So the order has just been sitting there for nearly a week

I'm not sure what to do - I think I probably should go through cancelling the order. I smell a rat with the whole "email us and we'll send a link to harvest your CC details" thing, but maybe I'm paranoid?

anyone had a similar experience? I've always had very positive experiences with Amazon, including the marketplace, but at best this is shocking service and at worst a potential extortion attempt

I also think I should contact Amazon, but the only option is to raise a dispute to get my money back (which I've no doubt I will be able to), but I really want the camera!

Thoughts or advice?

Cheers!

L1011

Anywhere that asks you to email pre-purchase is doing something unorthodox.


Are you entirely certain that the "order confirmation from Amazon" was, in fact, from Amazon and not a fake?

Contact Amazon, and also be prepared to contact Revolut. Also avoid loading more cash to that card.

EasyBoy1974

L1011 wrote: »

Anywhere that asks you to email pre-purchase is doing something unorthodox.


Are you entirely certain that the "order confirmation from Amazon" was, in fact, from Amazon and not a fake?

Contact Amazon, and also be prepared to contact Revolut. Also avoid loading more cash to that card.

Thanks I ordered through the legit amazon.co.uk website, and I can see my order (just sitting) there, so I'm not overly concerned - if anything, Amazon are overzealous in handing out refunds for marketplace transactions - I got a free TV because I complained that it wasn't quite "as new" and the seller didn't reply in time ... aaaanyway ... just having typed it all out makes me think that I should be getting my cash back and moving on!

SteoL

EasyBoy1974 wrote: »

Thanks I ordered through the legit amazon.co.uk website, and I can see my order (just sitting) there, so I'm not overly concerned - if anything, Amazon are overzealous in handing out refunds for marketplace transactions - I got a free TV because I complained that it wasn't quite "as new" and the seller didn't reply in time ... aaaanyway ... just having typed it all out makes me think that I should be getting my cash back and moving on!

This is worrying as I've read about something similar on Amazon in recent weeks which was a blatant phishing scam. Worrying in that these scammers have infiltrated Amazon which I would have trusted 100% beforehand. L1011 is correct saying anything that asks you to contact them prior to order should raise huge red flags.

If I were you I wouldn't just leave it and move on. I would contact Amazon with the details and let them know this sort of thing is happening on their site. I would hope most people would have the sense not to order but people still get taken in by Nigerian princes and so forth.

EasyBoy1974

SteoL wrote: »

This is worrying as I've read about something similar on Amazon in recent weeks which was a blatant phishing scam. Worrying in that these scammers have infiltrated Amazon which I would have trusted 100% beforehand. L1011 is correct saying anything that asks you to contact them prior to order should raise huge red flags.

If I were you I wouldn't just leave it and move on. I would contact Amazon with the details and let them know this sort of thing is happening on their site. I would hope most people would have the sense not to order but people still get taken in by Nigerian princes and so forth.

I have indeed contacted Amazon and let them know - they contacted the seller and will refund if they don't hear back and if the goods aren't dispatched. The more I think about it the more I'm convinced that the scam is as follows

the item is lower than RRP with a note against it "email us on xxx before you purchase"

(I didn't do this - went ahead and ordered through amazon)

when you email them they send you an email to complete the order "from Amazon" (yeah right) and harvest credit card details

anyone who, like me, tries to order legit through the amazon site gets ignored until they cancel the order, as I am doing

Anyway, one to be on the lookout for - seller was a new seller, no feedback - won't be bothering with any seller with 0 feedback any more

The really annoying part is that a reputable camera shop in UK ad the same model for 50 quid cheaper ex-demo, but i missed it by going for the scammer .. d'oh!

A Dub in Glasgo

Have you used this website to keep track on cameras and lenses?

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/

A Dub in Glasgo

Double post

TerrorFirmer

Amazon is rife with scammers, any seller that asks you to contact them via email before buying is 100% a scam. They're always the same - new seller, little to no feedback, offering expensive electronic items for way below RRP and asking buyers to make contact before sale.