Fraud on ebay?

[JL]

Hi all,

I´ve just received an ATI RADEON 9700 PRO that bought on ebay for
$210. I've installed it together with the new catalyst 4.1 and I'm
starting to feel I've been a victim of a fraud.

Now here is the story:

1. The card has NO sticker on it (no serial number, no model sticker,
no anything)
2. It boots and works okay but when I check with Atitools or Rivatuner
the default clock speeds it says: 297(GPU) 270(Mem)
3. When I put the clock at what it should be the standard settings
(325-310) the whole screen becomes a big artifact and have to shut
down my computer.

I've been reading that there are a lot of modded cards around and
getting the feeling this is one (could also be a faulty one)

Can you please give me hints about how to be completely sure what I'm
dealing here? (could it be a drivers problem?) I need to know before I
contact the guys and/or my credit card company.

Any prompt help will be more than appreciated. I have this bad stomach
feeling of been ripped off (((

TIA

JL

 

[Skid]

You have been ripped off. It's not a 9700 Pro unless it's clocked at
325/310, and there is no "made-by" ATI card clocked at the speeds you
report.

If you go to www.ati.com there are some product idenfication links that will
help you figure out what you actually got.

 

[Dodgy]

You have been ripped off. It's not a 9700 Pro unless it's clocked at
325/310, and there is no "made-by" ATI card clocked at the speeds you
report.

If you go to www.ati.com there are some product idenfication links that will
help you figure out what you actually got.

There's some pictures at http://softmod.ocfaq.com/faq.php which might
help IDing.

D0d6y.

 

[JL]

There's some pictures at http://softmod.ocfaq.com/faq.php which might
help IDing.

D0d6y.

Thanks. It looks like I have a 9500 pro that's been modded... God damn
it!

Now is time to test how things work in ebay when you run across
frauds.

I'll keep you posted with the outcome (for those out there in similar
situations)

Please let me know if you have any suggestion on how to deal with this
situation. It will be more than welcome.

Any other technical info is appreciated.

Thanks all...

J "Ripped Off like a stupid" L

PS: I'll make sure the ebay shoper doesn't sell a damn item ever.

 

[Andrew]

Now is time to test how things work in ebay when you run across
frauds.

What was the rating for the seller you bought the item from?

Please let me know if you have any suggestion on how to deal with this
situation. It will be more than welcome.

Be polite, the seller may not have been aware of exactly what they
were selling. Express your disatisfaction and ask for a refund.

 

[JTS]

Hey you're not stupid JL. I would have expected to get what was advertised.

One recommendation: GIVE 'EM HELL!!!

Todd

 

[JL]

Thanks for your feedback Andrew

What was the rating for the seller you bought the item from?
314!!!

Be polite, the seller may not have been aware of exactly what they
were selling. Express your disatisfaction and ask for a refund.

Could be but it´s kind of suspicious as they are a "power seller" and
they have sold a lot of "9700 PROs"

What scares me the most is that all stickers where removed and I
can't even tell the s-n which its not normal. Also I've realized that
they took out clock descriptions from the item description @ ebay
(kinda smart)

I've already sent them a "polite" email. Will let you know. You cannot
imagine how pissed off I am! X(

JL

 

[Andrew]

314!!!

How many negatives?

I've already sent them a "polite" email. Will let you know. You cannot
imagine how pissed off I am! X(

I think I can! Fortunately the only time I had a bad buy on Ebay I
managed to get a refund in the end, but it took some work.

 

[GTX_SlotCar]

Contact the seller and ask for a refund, then buy a 9800Pro at newegg for
$224 including shipping.
It may take some time (like 90 days), but in the end you should be able to
get it resolved through eBay without much loss.


Gary

 

[JL]

Contact the seller and ask for a refund, then buy a 9800Pro at newegg for
$224 including shipping.
It may take some time (like 90 days), but in the end you should be able to
get it resolved through eBay without much loss.

The problem is that I have to decide whether I pay the item to my
Credit Card (still outstanding). If I pay for it and return the card
and then I don´t get refund for whatever reason they come up with then
I'm totally screwed.

Also, what happens with the shipping costs and the taxes I had to pay
(I'm in Europe)

Do you think they can refund me first?

Why did you say it would take 90 days?

JL

 

[Chip]

The problem is that I have to decide whether I pay the item to my
Credit Card (still outstanding). If I pay for it and return the card
and then I don´t get refund for whatever reason they come up with then
I'm totally screwed.

Also, what happens with the shipping costs and the taxes I had to pay
(I'm in Europe)

Do you think they can refund me first?

Why did you say it would take 90 days?

JL

Just tell the credit card company that the transaction is in dispute. They
will mark it as such and not chase you for the money. You've got nothing to
lose in doing this. And you should *not* be paying for shipping or return
shipping costs either.

Chip.

 

[JL]

Guys I cannot thank you more for helping me here. It's nice to feel
the backup in situations like this.

Here is the latest
The seller claims they didn't know about it. (its still very
suspicious selling a card with all the id-s/n stickers removed that
happens to be a modded one)

They send they'll refund me once they verify it.

I think that given the fact that I paid with a gold card it's going to
be easier for me to use the insurance and let them deal with the whole
thing. Sending the card back and wait for a refund spells extra risk
(and cost)

Also, I made the payment through Paypal, should I involve them?

Thanks again guys!

JL

 

[WEST]

I would definitely get PayPal involved.

 

[GTX_SlotCar]

I've only glanced at the rules for disputing eBay claims, but they seem
pretty much the same as Yahoo Auctions and I've gone through it with them.
It went something like this: Notify auction people, email the seller and
wait 2 weeks for a reply, call the seller and wait for reply and mail the
seller and wait for reply. Contact adjuster with all your backup and letters
from the credit card company saying they won't cover it, and wait for reply,
go through everything again then wait 45 days for payment.
Basically, they tried to make it so it's not worth pursuing.

I'd make eBay and PayPal aware of what's going on, but if you can stop
payment with your credit card and work with the seller that way, it might be
better.

I really feel bad for you. I remember how I felt.

Gary

 

[Tod]

I agree that you (JL) should call your credit card company (or bank) and
dispute the charge.
Credit card companies will side with the card holder.
And you only have a limited time to dispute a charge (15-30 days from date
product was ordered ?)
Ship the card back to the seller, ship it at your own expense (not COD),
make sure you get confirmation of delivery.
Take some close up pictures of the card before you shipping it back,
you may have to prove that the seller is a fraud.
(no markings or serial numbers, really sounds like fraud to me)

As long as the seller has your money, they might just sit on their ass.
They might want things drag out , while you go though the "EBay system"
so as it will be to late for you to dispute the charge.

 

[McCrack]

Just tell the credit card company that the transaction is in dispute. They
will mark it as such and not chase you for the money. You've got nothing to
lose in doing this. And you should *not* be paying for shipping or return
shipping costs either.

Chip.

You have to still pay the CC transaction until the dispute is
rectified, then the CC company will refund you the money. I know this
because I have been through the process.

 

[McCrack]

I think that given the fact that I paid with a gold card it's going to
be easier for me to use the insurance and let them deal with the whole
thing. Sending the card back and wait for a refund spells extra risk
(and cost)

All CC's are insured. You just have to contqact the CC company and
explain to hem why you need to do a charge back, they will send you
the papers you have to fill in. Try the refund route through the
seller first though as it will be less grief in the long run.

 

[JL]

Some news here...

Looks like the guys didn't know either as they had bought it from a
third party. (although again I still think it's suspicious the fact of
not having S/N stickers and wrong default clocks)

The good news is that they understand and they are willing to refund
me as long as I ship it back.

I'm going to wait for the refund and when I see it appearing on my
on-line balance I will ship it back. No need to use my insurance
policy.

I still have to figure out how to get the VAT taxes back from customs
but that's a minor problem.

Well... I'll keep you posted about how things unfold. The guys seem
nice and there shouldn´t be any problem (and hopefully have my faith
on ebay restored)

Thanks for all your comments and, for all those reading, be careful
about buying Radeons with all this modding around.

JL

 

[Tom Lake]

Just tell the credit card company that the transaction is in dispute.
They

You have to still pay the CC transaction until the dispute is
rectified, then the CC company will refund you the money. I know this
because I have been through the process.

Not with my card (National City Visa) I bought a P4 3.06GHz on eBay and the
seller never shipped the goods. I called the CC company and they removed
the charge immediately, no questions asked. That seller had done the same
thing quite a few other buyers of the same CPU (it was a Dutch auction).
PayPal threatened to cut me off, though, since I used them to pay the seller
using my CC.

Tom Lake

 

[Steve Colburn]

Hi all,

I´ve just received an ATI RADEON 9700 PRO that bought on ebay for
$210. I've installed it together with the new catalyst 4.1 and I'm
starting to feel I've been a victim of a fraud.

Now here is the story:

1. The card has NO sticker on it (no serial number, no model sticker,
no anything)
2. It boots and works okay but when I check with Atitools or Rivatuner
the default clock speeds it says: 297(GPU) 270(Mem)
3. When I put the clock at what it should be the standard settings
(325-310) the whole screen becomes a big artifact and have to shut
down my computer.

I've been reading that there are a lot of modded cards around and
getting the feeling this is one (could also be a faulty one)

Can you please give me hints about how to be completely sure what I'm
dealing here? (could it be a drivers problem?) I need to know before I
contact the guys and/or my credit card company.

Any prompt help will be more than appreciated. I have this bad stomach
feeling of been ripped off (((

TIA

JL

I bought a 9700 Pro some time ago from a web retailer. The card arrived and had a 9700 Pro sticker on the back. I'm not real up on
video cards so I didn't think it was anything else. Well it did not benchmark quite what I thought it should. I thought this was
due to it being an OEM "Built For". I talked the wife into letting me buy a 9800 Pro "Built By".

I then sold it to a very nice guy (Brent, I'm still real sorry!) that I met through this group. He is a few levels above me, and
knew right away that it was NOT a 9700 Pro, it was a 9500 Pro. He pointed me to photos of the two cards. That convinced me! I
sent him his money back, & I got the card back. I did reimbursed for the card, and they gave some flimsy excuse. But, I got my
money (less shipping to & from times 2) back, Brent got his money back, and they got their 9700 Pro, I mean 9500 Pro back.

This whole nightmare lasted about 3 months! But, I certainly learned in the process. I really wished I had checked into it BEFORE
I sold the thing.

Good luck in your "journey".

Steve