Dodgy sellers, I got caught

Richardj

Senior Member
Mar 16, 2011
21
1
Hi all,
My experience with buying a pad from the site we all love to hate.
The story starts on February the 16th when I find what is described as a 7" ePad running android 2.1, CPU, ARM ( platform, VIA WM8505, 533MHz, 256 DDRII, 2GB Flash HDD.

I had to wait as the seller had sold out so it eventually arrived on March the 16th. I unpacked it and checked over for any damaged and found scratches all over the display, not a good start.
I then put it on charge and waited. Once it was fully charged I then turned it on and was greeted by the home screen, one look at it and I was fairly certain it wasn't running 2.1 firmware, so I navigate to about device where it confirms that it is running 1.6, if this wasn't bad enough, the apps that they said came pre-installed were no where to be found on the device, not happy at all.

I contact the seller and listed all the problems with it, 2 days later I get a reply, this is a shortened version of what they said:

Thank you for contacting us,
Regarding the firmware version we can 100% guarantee the device is running android 2.1 , manufacturer updated it. The reason 1.6 shows in about device is because the first OS to be installed gets embedded into the chip, WHAT!!!!
We are sorry to here about the scratches on the display, we check all units before we send out to customers.
Apps that are not installed can be downloaded and installed by customer.

My reply:
Thank you for your reply

No firmware version gets embedded into the chip, the whole idea of about device is so you can check what firmware version any device is running, so as I said this unit is only running 1.6 and not the 2.1 you claim.

You couldn't have checked this unit very well other wise you would have seen all the scratches on the display.

If you advertise something as having XW and Z that is exactly what it should have. I have downloaded a few apps and tried to install them but the device tells me incompatible with this device and I think you will find that this is because of the OS being 1.6

All of this went back and forth for about a week with me getting nowhere, so I decided to write them a letter stating all the problems, at this point I had discovered an app called Android System Infos.
I installed Android System Infos and it confirmed it was running Android 1.6 Donut, API level 4=1.6 Donut, took a screen capture and transferred it to PC and printed it out and included it with the letter.
Sent letter by recorded delivery so seller would have to sign for it. Postman tried to deliver but no one was at the address so postie pushed a card through letter box informing them that there was a letter for them at there local post office, After 2 days they hadn't collected it so knew they probably wouldn't bother.

Took lots of photos of device running before parcelling it up to send back to seller. I also included copies of the the letter and the print out of Android System Infos in with it. I sent it back to them by special delivery signed for. Sent the seller the tracking number and informed them it was on it's way back to them and that I expected them to give me a full refund and to refund the cost of postage. I also told them in the letter that consumer direct had been informed and they would be passing it on to Trading Standards.
All that was 3 days ago and guess what.................................Not heard anything from them. Will leave it a few more days and if I still haven't heard from them I will then contact consumer direct again.

Will update this when I have any more news.
 
Last edited:

pbrauer

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 24, 2010
3,649
561
richard, sorry that happened. which vendor was it? there is more than one we love to hate....
 

feverhost

Super Moderator
Staff member
Nov 26, 2010
868
48
Richardj: I do hope it works out for you. Sounds like a horrible situation, and I'm glad that you created this forum. More people need to know about sellers tricking consumers in buying older versions of Android while they fake the information.
 

Richardj

Senior Member
Mar 16, 2011
21
1
ebay is the site. Don't know if I should say the sellers name at this point, oh to hell with it, it's Citicomputers in the UK. In one of the sellers reply's to me they even said that all android pads run 1.6, I could think of a few choice words to say here about that but I won't. Will keep you all updated as and when I here anything. Tomorrow is the third day since I returned it to them and have not heard anything from them.
 
Last edited:

feverhost

Super Moderator
Staff member
Nov 26, 2010
868
48
Since you returned the tablet, are you going to try to file a chargeback with your credit card company?
 

Richardj

Senior Member
Mar 16, 2011
21
1
No it was a debit card. I will just tell consumer direct and they will pass it on to trading standards (both government depts)and hopefully they will deal with it, that's if I don;t hear from the seller of these items. Wish I could find others that have bought these from them.

Update.
It's nearly the end of the third day and still not heard anything from the seller. Can't do much now until next week, So watch this space guys.

Update.
I'm going to contact ebay about this seller and open a dispute. At the moment I don't think I have much choice. The seller hasn't been in touch or done anything about the refund, so will see what ebay has to say about it, probably not much knowing them.
Will speak to Consumer Direct tomorrow morning and see what they can do to help.

Nothing is ever straight forward.

Update.
It's getting silly now. Spoke to eBay support earlier, and I have to go to the local cop shop, report it to them, get a crime number. Give the police the ebay law enforcement phone number and email address, my user ID. I should then get a crime number.
I also have to contact paypal to see if they can get me the refund.

Update.
Well did what ebay said and went to my local police station, no prizes for guessing what they said. They could help but it would take six months or more. Have spoken to paypal and they say that because it has gone over 45 days they can't help, crap, but advised me to open a dispute on the paypal web site which I have done, had to re-do it about 3 times as the site kept timing out on me, sure they do it on purpose.
So next thing for me to do is go back to consumer direct and give them an update and see if I can push things along.
I have managed to find other people who have bought the same device from this seller and they all have the same issues as me. If you have bought this device from this seller(see post #4) and have the same issues as me or other issues then please contact me, the more people that come forward the better, that way we can give consumer direct and trading standards all the information they need to prosecute these rouge traders.

Another update.

As you can all see I haven't been getting on very well with this. Spoke to Consumer direct yesterday afternoon. Told them everything I had done so far. They have escalated it to Trading Standards who will phone me over the next few days. So I suppose it's good news that they will be involved.


Wednesday 06.04.11 1.15pm

Just had a phone call from Trading Standards and it's not very helpful. They basically said they are unable to help but advised me to make a claim against the seller through the small claims court on line.
So have run out of options now. So at the end of the day these sellers can do what ever they want and get away with it. eBay/paypal don't give a flying fig, no help at all. And a government department set up to protect and help people can't help, go figure.
So this seller has my money and also has the device and I'm left with nothing, apart from a load of aggravation.

SO PEOPLE BE WARNED, WHEN YOU BUY FROM EBAY OR ANY OTHER SITE AND THINGS GO WRONG, YOUR ON YOUR OWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Final update, well at least for a while.
I've basically gone as far as I can with this. The only option I have now is to take legal action through the small claims court. That will cost £25 to recover the £81.69 with no guarantees that I will win the case. If I was to win I would get back the £25 as well as the £81.69. Well the question is do I make a stand and go for it? your thoughts, what would you guys do
 
Last edited:

thek135

Senior Member
Apr 19, 2011
38
1
I reckon the condition of the device means the scammer has caught many more innocent victims previously, and that business about being "sold out"? That's probably him waiting for the previous victim to return the device. I would just let it go, buy a tablet from a trusted seller and get on with life.
 
Top