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Amazon GH4 fake/scam?
  • I've been looking for good deals on GH4 for quite some time now, not that I can afford the camera I just really want it :-)

    From time to time deals show up on Amazon with used/refurbished GH4's at around 900 dollars.

    Always from new seller with something along the following information:

    READ !!! - BRAND NEW - IN SEALED BOX - FULL WARRANTY=> CONTACT US ONLY TO IDGMAIL=> HOLIDAYMARKETT Please CONTACT US BEFORE Make the Order, ELSE all the orders will be CANCELED

    To me that smells like scam but I actually thought Amazon was solid.

    Any thoughts?

  • 6 Replies sorted by
  • Amazon is marketplace. Same as ebay, so lot of scam and counterfeit items.

  • Becoming a seller on Amazon takes a bit of work so it's harder for scammers to get on there. Amazon also usually refunds/replaces items without much hassle if the item is wrong or not in the condition described. That being said, asking to you contact them before purchase is a bit sketchy. Check their seller rating, if they're new (no ratings) forget about it. Also check shipping costs - often times sellers will draw you in with less than market value price and then make up the difference on shipping. Personally if I buy used on amazon I only do warehouse deals, the seller ships to amazon, they inspect, then ship to you (in theory anyway). Buying direct from Amazon or used through amazon is your best bet to avoid hassle or be covered if you get ripped off.

  • @Brumbazz I think best priced offered for GH4 by legit places has been ~$1419 or something like that, so to see it down to $900 seems fishy. Plus when they say "Please CONTACT US BEFORE Make the Order, ELSE all the orders will be CANCELED", that could be an attempt to get in you in an email conversation and somehow then ask you to order outside of the Amazon system (which may offer you some protection) as part of a scam. I've sold stuff via Amazon, and as a seller, you WANT the buyer to place the order. So if they're saying "if you order with Amazon, we'll cancel order"...that would really strike me as bit suspicious. With a Brand New in Box unit, there's nothing to discuss...it's not like a lens with "cleaning marks that don't affect the image" where the seller may want to chat by email with buyer to make sure he understands something about the product in order to avoid confusion/conflict after the receipt of the item.

  • Any time a seller tries to engage you in an email a conversation to make the sale outside Amazon that should be setting fly RED FLAGS!

  • I ordered directly from Amazon EU an received an empty box talk about bad luck :-)

    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/12284/problem-with-missing-camera-from-amazon#Item_10