new LCD 20" monitor or 24" wide aspect

[cornflakes]

Hi,

I am hoping to get some of your thoughts on the following monitors:

20.1" HP LCD monitor
see review and specs here (http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_L2035/4505-3174_7-30632279.html?subj=HP+L2035&tag=feed%E2%88%82=ecoustics-cnet)

and the dell 24" LCD wide aspect
see review and specs here (http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_UltraSharp_2405FPW/4505-3174_7-31335738.html)

also: is payment by western union safe and secure? or is this a good means for con artists to scam you? The buyer wants me to pay using western union.

thanks

[Bogie]

Either one looks good, with my choice being the 24" Dell.

Now sounds like an eBay purchase.
What is the seller's rating?
How long have they been selling?
Are they a business, or individual?
What sort of a "deal" are you getting?

Western Union?
Same as cash, but it will cost a big fee you to use it.

Caveat emptor (buyer beware) .... never seen a seller request Western Union before. Nothing wrong with it, as it could just be the buyer protecting the sale before sending. Why aren't they using PayPal, for example?

[cornflakes]

oops sorry i meant to say "seller" not "buyer"
...i emailed the seller these questions and will find out.

[glitch]

oops sorry i meant to say "seller" not "buyer"
...i emailed the seller these questions and will find out.

What are the prices like? If the 24" is not that much more, then what is there to think about?

[Bogie]

oops sorry i meant to say "seller" not "buyer"
...i emailed the seller these questions and will find out.
The seller's ratings, etc., would be available in their eBay profile for you to review. Don't trust their answers to your questions.

[Deb]

http://www.thecomputermechanics.com/ppclassifieds/showproduct.php?product=67 (http://www.thecomputermechanics.com/ppclassifieds/showproduct.php?product=67) :)

[cornflakes]

well the guy selling the DELL 24" is selling it for only $700USD and says he has 5 in stock to be shipped from Europe in 1-2 days and shipping cost + insurance is paid for. It's brand new sealed in box. I'm thinking it's too good to be true and he wants payment from western union.

[cornflakes]

oh and seller ratings are often a great indicator BUT can't always be trusted.
Only a few months back I bought a digital camera for $400 cdn from a sellar with 99% positive from 600+ feedbacks and he scammed me and about 150 other people on high priced electronic goods. To this day we still haven't gotten our money back and the police, fbi, rcmp won't do anything about it. We had a group created in yahoo but its practically dead now cuz i guess everyone (100+ members) have moved on and forgotten about the $$$$$ we lost to this scammer.

(he was using money order only so that's why now I only trust using verified paypal.....i don't know about western union)?

[Bogie]

well the guy selling the DELL 24" is selling it for only $700USD and says he has 5 in stock to be shipped from Europe in 1-2 days and shipping cost + insurance is paid for. It's brand new sealed in box. I'm thinking it's too good to be true and he wants payment from western union.
Personally - run and hide.

This sounds familiar, but can't remember from where I read it before. Similar set-up, different product.

I wouldn't buy anything via eBay, at high bucks like that, unless the seller was in Canada, verified, so he/she is covered by our laws.

Pay a few extra bucks, buy local.

[cornflakes]

...I don't think I'll buy it from him. This is what he wrote in response to my questions about "how to pay him":

> 1.It is better for you to know that the item is brand new it has
> never beenopened, have international warranty provided by the factory
> and come with all accesories that you need.
> 2. SHIPPMENT ---this is a thing about you shouldn't worry about
> because i belive that it is my responasability to deliver it to your
> home.We can do it through -UPS overnighted
> It will take one day and a half for the package to arrive to your
> door.The shipping costs will be paid by me and i will also pay for the
> insurance in case of any damage happens during the handling and
> shipping,so i will be protected in case of damages and you too.
> 3.THE WAY TO PAY ---as a payment method i have chosen WesternUnion's
> services because they always served our interests in a professional
> manner and helped us gain buyers. i consider promptitude a vital
> condition on the modern e-Commerce markets and a
> guarantee of quality. To arrange the transfer, you must go in person
> to a Western Union office and send the money from your name and
> address to my name and address .Here are the details that you need for
> the money transfer:
>
> First:Claudiu Marian
> Second:Poenaru
> Adress:cartier Brosteni Bl G4 Et 4 Ap 18
> State:Buzau
> Country:Romania
>
> Please be carrefull with my first and last name.
> For sending the money you must find a western union agent location and
> send the money from there because western union don't send the money
> online in Romania
> After that, you will recive an confirmation number and
> I want you to send me the folowing details :
> -the sender name
> -the sender address
> -the amount
> -MTCN (money transfer control number)
> 4. REFOUND ---After the package arrives you have an 7 days period in
> which you can send the package back for an full and NO QUESTION
> refound,but you will pay for the shipping and handlling back to me.
> 5.TAXES ---There may be some customs duties for you to pay, but if
> you wish we can avoid them (if any):
> ME --i have to declare the item as a gift for you and in this way you
> will pay NO costum fees and you will receive the item very fast.
> YOU--have to declare at Western Union that you send the money to a
> friend in Romania that need this money, in this way when our deal
> will be finished and i get the money from W.U. without problems.
> Please let me know when you can make the payment and after this i will
> start the delivery process.
> I hope you agree my terms and we will close this deal
> sucessfully.
> I look forward hearing from you.
> Thanks!


what do you think of his email?

[BEM]

You are very smart making the decision not to buy from him. If you have done your home work you can see all the red flags in that letter.
1. Country Romania: lots of good people there but, more trouble than you need to deal with when purchasing goods as history has shown.
2. Why do you think he wants all the extra info about the western union transaction? Because western union has red flagged that country as problems with fraud and he will be scrutinized .
3. Why does he want you to declare you are sending the money to a friend? As he said so he gets the money with no problems, then why should there be a problem on a legitimate sale? A history of fraud maybe!
4. Willing to declare it a gift to you so as to avoid taxes. Problem here arises should you not get your goods. To take any action against him in the future would reveal the illegal activity of trying to avoid paying taxes and may well get you into even hotter water yourself.
Note: US and Canadian gov. now taking hard look at this activity and sounds like everything sold on e-bay may well be taxed soon.
5. International warrantee. First is he a legitimate retailer of this product? If not then he can send you any receipt he wants but it will get you no warrantee from the manufacturer as he is not a registered reseller known to the manufacturer. You are buying used goods even if they have not been opened and the warrantee is to the original purchaser unless transferable but still the product must have been purchased through a legitimate manufacturer authorized reseller the first time!
Note: some electronic manufacturers are now selling off outdated products to liquidators and auctioneers but first scanning in the bar codes that contain the serial number of the product as to have the product in there database so to exclude it from warrantee. I suspect much of this is ending up on e-bay and other such sites.
Buyer beware!

[Bogie]

LOL - run and hide - as I said before. If you buy this, I've got someome in Nigeria who wants to give you millions for handling his money into Canada :D

[cornflakes]

...yes i've decided to look pass this one. There is another offer but this one is from the US (nevada) and this seller uses paypal for payment AND has the paypal buyer protection coverage (up to $1250 cdn) on his item too. The selling price is the same.

Do you think that a seller using paypal and having the paypal coverage on his item makes this one a more legit and secure buy or is it still "red flags"?

thanks

[Bogie]

...yes i've decided to look pass this one. There is another offer but this one is from the US (nevada) and this seller uses paypal for payment AND has the paypal buyer protection coverage (up to $1250 cdn) on his item too. The selling price is the same.

Do you think that a seller using paypal and having the paypal coverage on his item makes this one a more legit and secure buy or is it still "red flags"?

thanks

Well, it makes it more credible. Personally I wouldn't be coughing-up that much bread for shopping on eBay. Although many good deals are obtained that way. Is it the same guy, different routing? I ask because these scams do use tactics like that. If identical, product and price offering, it would be suspect. Is the description/wording just as poorly put-together? At that price, are you able to telephone the seller? Send an email and ask for their telephone number.

[glitch]

If he/she is going to use UPS for shipping, then you might as well buy the monitor locally because the price is most likely going to come out to more than the MSRP for this thing.

Edit:Check out RFD forums...you can get a price of a little over a grand + tax for the 24 incher. You just have to talk to the Dell reps personally.

[Deb]

Good thing you passed on that one cornflakes, We just got an email from someone he apparently burned on this very same "deal". He's currently trying to track him down...

[awesomejs]

if its 700usd why not just buy from dell.ca i believe the same lcd is 1100cdn and that way u know u are getting a new product,warrenty..

[awesomejs]

opps nevermind its 1399cdn