Ordered an iPhone 11 Pro Max and got semolina!

Our news item of the day takes place in Switzerland, and the sale took place on Ricardo, a major Swiss e-commerce site offering online sales of new and second-hand items in the form of auctions. The facts: a man orders an iPhone 11 pro and receives semolina.

Bargains like these are not to be missed...

The advert read "iPhone 11 Pro Max 256 GB Gold for 1,000 Swiss francs (around 930 euros)". Our victim saw this as the perfect opportunity to own the latest iPhone and feel completely at home in our consumer society.

The offer seemed attractive, since it offered a latest-generation iPhone at a lower price than that usually offered on the market (currently, in Switzerland, around €1,200). On the contrary... this is where the adage 'it's too good to be true' comes into its own.

The advert posted on the Swiss site

Incredible but true

Anyone would have done it... as soon as he saw the advert, our Swiss friend rushed off to place his order. So far, so good. When he received the parcel, he was in for a shock. Inside the package were a packet of semolina and a tin of tomato paste.

Inside the parcel: a bag of semolina and a tin of tomato paste

No satisfaction, no money back

The money, already recovered by the fraudster, is now irrecoverable. This wasn't the first time the scammer had tried her hand. Two other people had already fallen victim to the same scheme.

The buyer tried to contact customer service to make a complaint, but to no avail. The scammer had already got away from them too.

Choose Obvy: opt for optimum security

Scams of this kind are very common on private sales websites.

Obvy 's system not only allows you to check the identity of the person with whom you are making the transaction, but also to test the product on receipt and certify its conformity. Only then is the money released and the seller can collect what is owed.