Facebook scam: a PS5 bought for €1,000 in counterfeit money
Since their release on 19 November, PlayStation 5s have been in short supply. Despite the fact that Sony is restocking its next-generation consoles, it can't keep up with the demand for PlayStation 5s, especially given the number of clever people who have been pre-ordering or buying PlayStation 5s in order to sell off their stock at high prices. Some professionals in this field have even emerged. Known as scalpers, they manage to obtain thousands of next-gen consoles, while others wait weeks to get their hands on one. This is what happened in Gueures, Seine-Maritime, when a man bought his games console for 1000 euros... but in counterfeit money!
A scam on Facebook Marketplace
The release of Sony's console last November has led to every possible extravagance in the quest to get one, which is still very difficult. Unfortunately, a resident of Gueures, near Dieppe in the Seine-Maritime region, paid the price when he thought he was getting a bargain. A 45-year-old man wanted to sell his almost-new PlayStation 5 via Facebook Marketplace. This extension of Facebook acts as an online shop, allowing you to buy or sell new or second-hand items via the platform.
So the man wanted to use Facebook to sell his games console. He decided to set the sale price on the advert at 1,000 euros, double the price of the PS5 when it was officially launched, thinking that he would make a good deal thanks to the difficulty of obtaining a PlayStation 5 in normal circumstances.
The buyer pays him in counterfeit notes
The seller of the PS5 was soon contacted by a potential buyer who said he was very interested in the console. The buyer wanted to meet the seller as soon as possible to exchange the console in person. The two individuals made an appointment to meet at the seller's premises at 6.30pm that same day.
Once at the seller's, the buyer wants to pay the 1,000 euros for the console in cash. Although this may seem surprising in view of the large sum involved, it is a fairly common method of payment for hand-deliveries between private individuals, even if it is not recommended. The seller accepted, and the buyer handed over the €1,000 in banknotes and went home with his new games console.
But the seller, who thought he had made a good deal, realised once the buyer had left and the notes had been counted that they were completely fake and that he had been duped. In fact, they were replica banknotes that are usually used as film props. The seller was quick to lodge a complaint with the gendarmerie.
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When you're looking for a good deal, whether to buy or sell, on classified ad sites such as Leboncoin, it's essential to avoid using payment methods such as cheques or cash, as scammers love to use them to trap you. Particularly given the growing number of online scams at this particular time of year, it's best to use a secure payment method such as Obvy for transactions between private individuals.
With Obvy as a trusted third party in your transactions, you can buy or sell with complete peace of mind and simplicity on classified ad sites. So you can get a great deal without worrying about scams between private individuals!