What's with those eBay auctions, "How to get a PS2 for under $25"?

Get 30 people to pay you $5 each to find out "How to get a PS2 for under $25", and you can get one free, plus eBay fees. Stay away from them.
 
Look over the whole description. Usually there's something wrong with it, like disc read error. I saw an xbox for 50 bucks but all it did was show the red light. But if it is an actual, working ps2, by all means, buy!
 
[quote name='CrimsonGeist']Look over the whole description. Usually there's something wrong with it, like disc read error. I saw an xbox for 50 bucks but all it did was show the red light. But if it is an actual, working ps2, by all means, buy![/quote]

The auctions in question are not for an actual PS2, but for "information" on how to get one cheap. 9 out of 9 of these are scams.
 
[quote name='guessed']The auctions in question are not for an actual PS2, but for "information" on how to get one cheap. 9 out of 9 of these are scams.[/quote]

Actually, probably 10 out of 10 are scams. :wink:
 
what they are are "matrix scams"... in theory, a matrix is VERY much like a pyramid.. you pay xx.xx amount of money and get added to the list, then once say, 20 people or so also pay xx.xx the person on the top gets theirs, and the next person moves up, after the next 20 people sign up, the 2nd person on the list gets their items, and the 3rd is moved to the top, obviously, most people NEVER get anything from these scams, even if you are on the top, many sites get shut down or simply 'vanish' and are never heard from again, and say even if you did, think about it.. 20 people must sign up to get 1 item, so just for everyone in the first 20 to get their items, FOUR HUNDRED people would have to have signed up, and even then, 380 people would be left empty handed...
 
It's a variation on the age-old envelope stuffing scam. Look in any 30 year old magazine with a claasified ads section in the back. There is always some ads for how to make some remarkable amount of money monthly just stuffing envelopes. What you received for your money was a set of instructions for taking out classified ads and selling other people on the same scheme.

It speaks ill of eBay that their filters don't automatically delete such auctions.
 
[quote name='eldad9']But those 400 people will all get their item if 8000 people join, so I'm sure it will all work out OK in the end.[/quote]

Then figure out how few PS2s must be obtained before the entire population of the planet is involved. It doesn't take much.
 
[quote name='Scorch']What's the difference between 9 out of 9 and 10 out of 10? It's still 100%.[/quote]

Yes, I'm just being funny. Most people say "x out of 10" instead of "x out of 9". Sorry for my lame sense of humor.
 
[quote name='slidecage']Can someone tell me why these dont work it seems like they should[/quote]

Do the math. It doesn't take very long before your heirarchy has to recruit the entire world's population. This includes a rather large number of people who've never had five dollars at one time in their whole lives.

This is the inherent flaw in any pyramid scheme. Whenever you encounter a 'opportunity' that primarily requires you to sell other people on becoming sellers and in turn recruiting more sellers, in other words, selling sales, do not be sucked in. Even a simple binary progression adds up quite quickly.
http://ccins.camosun.bc.ca/~jbritton/jbchessgrain.htm

Pyramid Scheme Calculator
http://www.homepage.net/pyramidcalculator/

Those free iPods
http://people.bu.edu/jbrock/ipod_analysis.htm

Also see
www.pyramidschemealert.org
 
I did get a "free" Xbox at freevideogames.com . . . I probably spent $25 in some of the offers that you need to complete to get a system.

Still, it did work . . . took about 2 months and I had to cancel all the deals before the trials ran out . . . quite a bit of work actually.

Worth it, because my wife would have given me a hard time if I bought one.
 
if anyone is still so dumb they dont get this, send me $20 bucks and ill make SURE you are put on the list to get your free xbox, ps2, ipod, hell, you can even sign up for all 3!! please send ALL funds to my offshore acount!
 
Scam is...set up a website or something with an email, pretend you review products for a mag, website, company, etc...contact MS, Sony, Mitsubishi, whoever ask for a product sample game, tv, console, movie, etc...you get the idea. Yes I was bored it was 3am i couldnt sleep and I had 5 bucks in my paypal that was burning a hole in my pocket. Please slap me LOL.

Sidenote wonder if CheapyD could email some companies for some product samples....hrmmmm....
 
I know some are pryamid scams but sometimes people sell the "info" about freevideogames.com. That's how I found out about it . . . I ebay emailed one of the past bidders and got the info for free.

freevideogames.com is a legit deal in my book but you need a good credit rating and a tolerance for pain . . . I had enough points left over to get "Armed and Dangerous." I would do it all over again considering the positive results but it wasn't fun.
 
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