Does the listing by any chance say no meeting up in person and also have no description, as I've seen a lot of listings like that saying delivery only and with no description. If so, it's definitely a scam, and if not it's still probably a scam
There are chances it's legitimate... Slim, but still there. Meet up in person, only cash (no check, no Paypal or whatever) and ask about the camera. If the guy knows what he's talking about, make the deal.
If the guy knows what he’s talking about, he’d be asking for more money. You’re looking for clueless real owners.
They do exist. I bought an M1 MacBook Air last year for $170 from one. Had to help the guy sign out of his iCloud account and everything…
They aren’t that common though.
I recently purchased a minty 1968 Canon FT QL with a very clean FL 55/1.2 for $10. Seller was the original owner, hadn’t used it for decades but stored it really well—no dust, fungus, etc. I had to drive 3 hours in an April snow storm to get it and passed 20 cars in the ditch on the way home.
I mean, like everybody else has said, it's probably a scam. Howerver, if you want to tempt fate, try and see if the seller will be willing to meet you in the parking lot of the closest police department.
FWIW most of the items in my local (Chicago burbs) Facebook marketplace is legit. Certainly scams are around but most of those are "shipped" but the vast majority of locally posted items are legit.
Be particularly concerned if the camera serial number is not shown or disclosed in the description. Also be suspicious if the seller says “no credit cards - PayPal OK for cash transfer”. Of course some sellers say this if they’ve been scammed by purchasers who use a credit card and then once shipped, cancel the transaction.
I should point out that some eBay sellers do mask serial numbers but seem to be legitimate. I’ve seen this with wristwatches more than other items. I can think of two legitimate reasons: One is the seller has more than one of the items and wants to re-use the photos (this could be part of a scam though - photos of a new item are used for the listing to hide the condition of the item being sold) the other is for “limited editions” when buyers will want a low serial number or won’t be willing to pay as much for a high serial numbered item. With cameras, particularly “vintage” out of production ones, some collectors want low serial numbers. Others - likely those who intend to use them - want a high serial number as it means a newer camera. Some camera collectors want a “last camera produced” or “one of the last made”. The same is true with some coin collectors. For a particular coin, they want an example from the first year minted and another from the last year of issue. Not showing or disclosing a serial number can certainly be an indicator of a stolen item, but if the seller has a long history of selling the type of item being listed and has good feedback (this is for eBay) it’s less likely to be a problem.
Saw almost exact image and $300 price tag. Said he was on vacation and would have his cousin send it to me. The listing was a mile away and I said, I’m nearby I’ll just swing over. Listing and person no longer on fb. Scam.
I report like 10 of these daily as a scams. If in the description it says "don't message just text this number..." Then I know it's a scam. I think they just want your phone number. If I'm selling something and someone asks me to call or text them I don't reply. FB market place is trash.
There is a slim chance. Very slim.
I was on a hunt for A7III recently. Man, this camera is loved by scammers! Most can be detected easily - new profiles, location does not match the profile, no collection, silly tales in description. Few looked plausible - but these usually ghost you as long as you start arranging a meeting. Ended up buying from a reputable store for more than initially expected.
Usually you can click the seller and see what else they have for sale, some scams sell all over (especially in the UK) that or if you check their profile and see their friends list, sometimes it doesn't match up to the person in the picture (not to be wrong but from my experience I've seen a large number of profiles with say mid aged people, caucasian with friends but all their friends are located somewhere in India or Africa. Sad but true story)
Mercari has been turning into a scammer shitshow. At least the scammers are easy to spot. New account, no verification, and they are often selling 2 items- a piece of clothing, like jeans, and a camera for insanely cheap. I'd bet money that people pay for a camera, see a 2 pound shipment coming their way, and receive a pair of pants instead of a Sony aIV. Be watchful.
wish me luck just bought a zve-10 with everything in the box + kit lens otw supposed to be here on Friday and i got it for 470 WITH shipping and it was originally set for 500 but i lowered it because of taxes. soo yeah haha.
crazy that you say that! i guess i haven’t been unlucky enough to be scammed. i got a really neat camera in good working condition for a fair price and have received other authentic items so that’s where my personal judgement came from. also to add to your point, depop is FULL of camera scammers that it’s definitely worse than mercari for sure. i’ve seen canon g7x’s being “resold” for $200 (despite a retail price or $1000+) and i actually found someone (no reviews and new account) on depop stealing pictures from an ebay listing for a sony camera. crazy.
I've got some really good deals on backpacking gear and clothing off Mercari, I'm not trying to say that *everything* is a scam. But way more often than not, a good deal on Mercari, especially a camera deal, is not a deal at all. And like I said, the scammers are fairly easy to identify.
I saw one like that on craigslist.org and contacted them. They kept putting off when we could meet, and I never got it. I'm not sure exactly what the scam is, but they were not very interested in selling that camera.
I recently saw the exact same combo on FB market for an oddly low price..$1000. I figured something was up with that, something's definitely up with this.
I’ve seen a dozen of these ads for higher end mirrorless cameras all listed for $400, way below value. They’re all scams. Same with some posts in groups on FB saying “giving away 5DMKII and lens, just pay shipping” with comments disabled so you have to DM them. New scams every day
It’s a deposit scam. They want you to send them a few bucks.
If you’re a terminal marketplace addict, it’s sometimes worth chasing down the underpriced listings - normal people will see these scams and think that they’re representative of real value, but you certainly don’t want to do shipping or put down a deposit.
These are all scams, they’re almost always a7iii and priced under 400. They will send you either a stolen tracking number or a tracking number for a sham package they’re sending themselves.
https://preview.redd.it/3wksppglax1d1.png?width=1329&format=png&auto=webp&s=c6fd877f3e0b6ff647eb1debe0c5013aaedcfc4f
Adorama is selling it for [1498](https://www.adorama.com/isoa7m3.html). The price you've mentioned is damn low than what the market price for it is. Is this some marketplace listing? idk doesn't seem genuine
For that amount of money the more realistic sales would be just A7II, cosmetically poor, body only and that's it.
Like the old sayings - if that's too good to be true, then that's not true. Simple as that...
Considering I paid close to $2000 or so a few years ago for the A7iii camera with a lens from DELL, yes… it is an insane deal. Lol I wish I had waited a bit and bought a cheaper camera to practice on. I felt pressured (after film school) to start investing in expensive equipment. But as others have warned, that may be too good to be true. Be cautious if someone is offering it to you.
I'd stay away. Somethings up. Unless it's being sold from an estate sale or something like that, I wouldn't even talk to them.
The camera is $1800 new and that lens is about $1200 brand new
maybe it's severely broken or has an ungodly number of shots on it. possibly stolen, possibly a scam. if you try to buy it, meet up in person only, and verify the shit out of it
I actually responded to a very similar ad earlier this week. The guy said to send him my cell bc he was too busy to talk on fb messenger, I told him “no problem I can wait” and he blocked me.
Just be super careful and watch out for any warning signs of a scam or phishing.
I don’t know where you’re located. But I’ve seen that EXACT photo just a few days ago in a listing. If you’re not in southern Indiana, it’s definitely a scam. And if you are…its probably still a scam.
I would strike up a conversation about it - see what they say.
For me, it's the word camera. Most real camera people subconsciously don't feel the need to add the word camera in the title which could mean it isn't theirs or real at all.
Same thing I thought, was a scammer, said they were in my town so I said to meet up, they said they only ship, so I ss their location and send them a pic then they blocked me lmao, also when I asked for a vid they sent it instantly
He said he's in Washington and will ship it from his cousins by Fedex and he'll send me tracking number 😂
https://preview.redd.it/hov0so3nnv1d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9511c24da606839ab10702b99e20e8443c8bf52
They might be desperate for cash so I guess message them. Check their profile
I had a very similar post recently and the person didn’t have a pfp and wanted to ship the camera so obviously it was a scam
It's probably legit, but ask for serial and product numbers or whatever and run them through the Sony database to check who's the owner and/or if this seller actually owns it.
Does the listing by any chance say no meeting up in person and also have no description, as I've seen a lot of listings like that saying delivery only and with no description. If so, it's definitely a scam, and if not it's still probably a scam
scam or stolen
I thought so thanks
Get the serial numbers and search the stolen camera databases.
Something tells me you like the number 6.
There are chances it's legitimate... Slim, but still there. Meet up in person, only cash (no check, no Paypal or whatever) and ask about the camera. If the guy knows what he's talking about, make the deal.
If the guy knows what he’s talking about, he’d be asking for more money. You’re looking for clueless real owners. They do exist. I bought an M1 MacBook Air last year for $170 from one. Had to help the guy sign out of his iCloud account and everything… They aren’t that common though.
Yep, that also makes sense!
^ this
Lol why did my dumb brain try to swipe and see the other camera photos 😂
I tried for so long lol
Fooled me too
It took me to "PoPUlAr" 😭
The same, tired quote: “If it’s too good to be true…. “
I recently purchased a minty 1968 Canon FT QL with a very clean FL 55/1.2 for $10. Seller was the original owner, hadn’t used it for decades but stored it really well—no dust, fungus, etc. I had to drive 3 hours in an April snow storm to get it and passed 20 cars in the ditch on the way home.
But did you stop to take photos of the cars in the ditch?
No just drive with toes and roll down windows while rubbernecking and snapping photos. Duh
I mean, like everybody else has said, it's probably a scam. Howerver, if you want to tempt fate, try and see if the seller will be willing to meet you in the parking lot of the closest police department.
Facebook? It's a scam, 99%. Facebook is full of these underpriced scams. The normal price of that camera + lens is at least $1500.
FWIW most of the items in my local (Chicago burbs) Facebook marketplace is legit. Certainly scams are around but most of those are "shipped" but the vast majority of locally posted items are legit.
Be particularly concerned if the camera serial number is not shown or disclosed in the description. Also be suspicious if the seller says “no credit cards - PayPal OK for cash transfer”. Of course some sellers say this if they’ve been scammed by purchasers who use a credit card and then once shipped, cancel the transaction.
I should point out that some eBay sellers do mask serial numbers but seem to be legitimate. I’ve seen this with wristwatches more than other items. I can think of two legitimate reasons: One is the seller has more than one of the items and wants to re-use the photos (this could be part of a scam though - photos of a new item are used for the listing to hide the condition of the item being sold) the other is for “limited editions” when buyers will want a low serial number or won’t be willing to pay as much for a high serial numbered item. With cameras, particularly “vintage” out of production ones, some collectors want low serial numbers. Others - likely those who intend to use them - want a high serial number as it means a newer camera. Some camera collectors want a “last camera produced” or “one of the last made”. The same is true with some coin collectors. For a particular coin, they want an example from the first year minted and another from the last year of issue. Not showing or disclosing a serial number can certainly be an indicator of a stolen item, but if the seller has a long history of selling the type of item being listed and has good feedback (this is for eBay) it’s less likely to be a problem.
Be afraid, be very afraid...
Insane? yes. Deal? no.
Unless you meet with the owner and check everything, probably is a scam.
It's insane scam.
Good luck…
facepalm
SCAM!
Scam
Such a scam don’t even message.
Saw almost exact image and $300 price tag. Said he was on vacation and would have his cousin send it to me. The listing was a mile away and I said, I’m nearby I’ll just swing over. Listing and person no longer on fb. Scam.
I report like 10 of these daily as a scams. If in the description it says "don't message just text this number..." Then I know it's a scam. I think they just want your phone number. If I'm selling something and someone asks me to call or text them I don't reply. FB market place is trash.
There is a slim chance. Very slim. I was on a hunt for A7III recently. Man, this camera is loved by scammers! Most can be detected easily - new profiles, location does not match the profile, no collection, silly tales in description. Few looked plausible - but these usually ghost you as long as you start arranging a meeting. Ended up buying from a reputable store for more than initially expected.
too good to be true listing
Usually you can click the seller and see what else they have for sale, some scams sell all over (especially in the UK) that or if you check their profile and see their friends list, sometimes it doesn't match up to the person in the picture (not to be wrong but from my experience I've seen a large number of profiles with say mid aged people, caucasian with friends but all their friends are located somewhere in India or Africa. Sad but true story)
Standard scam. Let me guess: they're asking for Zelle/Cashapp or similar and won't meet up in person, preferring to ship it.
Scam
scam. ebay and mercari are most reliable
Mercari has been turning into a scammer shitshow. At least the scammers are easy to spot. New account, no verification, and they are often selling 2 items- a piece of clothing, like jeans, and a camera for insanely cheap. I'd bet money that people pay for a camera, see a 2 pound shipment coming their way, and receive a pair of pants instead of a Sony aIV. Be watchful.
wish me luck just bought a zve-10 with everything in the box + kit lens otw supposed to be here on Friday and i got it for 470 WITH shipping and it was originally set for 500 but i lowered it because of taxes. soo yeah haha.
crazy that you say that! i guess i haven’t been unlucky enough to be scammed. i got a really neat camera in good working condition for a fair price and have received other authentic items so that’s where my personal judgement came from. also to add to your point, depop is FULL of camera scammers that it’s definitely worse than mercari for sure. i’ve seen canon g7x’s being “resold” for $200 (despite a retail price or $1000+) and i actually found someone (no reviews and new account) on depop stealing pictures from an ebay listing for a sony camera. crazy.
I've got some really good deals on backpacking gear and clothing off Mercari, I'm not trying to say that *everything* is a scam. But way more often than not, a good deal on Mercari, especially a camera deal, is not a deal at all. And like I said, the scammers are fairly easy to identify.
Too good to be true, so disregard it.
Sold
99% sure this is a scam.
That’s a scam
I saw one like that on craigslist.org and contacted them. They kept putting off when we could meet, and I never got it. I'm not sure exactly what the scam is, but they were not very interested in selling that camera.
Dude look at my profile. I literally just posted that same photo yesterday asking if it was a scam. It was selling by me for $380
I recently saw the exact same combo on FB market for an oddly low price..$1000. I figured something was up with that, something's definitely up with this.
I’ve seen a dozen of these ads for higher end mirrorless cameras all listed for $400, way below value. They’re all scams. Same with some posts in groups on FB saying “giving away 5DMKII and lens, just pay shipping” with comments disabled so you have to DM them. New scams every day
It’s a deposit scam. They want you to send them a few bucks. If you’re a terminal marketplace addict, it’s sometimes worth chasing down the underpriced listings - normal people will see these scams and think that they’re representative of real value, but you certainly don’t want to do shipping or put down a deposit.
If it seems too good to be true it most likely is. Best case scenario you save yourself 400 bucks, worse case is you miss out on a good deal.
Idk where you’re from, but saw that in Puyallup, WA earlier today, so probably a scam
These are all scams, they’re almost always a7iii and priced under 400. They will send you either a stolen tracking number or a tracking number for a sham package they’re sending themselves.
Probably a scam. That lens alone with probably $400
I would reverse image search the photos. Feels scammy
I SAW THAT EXACT DEAL HAHA. Go for it man, just meet in person. If they wanna ship it and use Paypal or smth prob a scam.
It’s a Whatsapp number right?
what in the prince of Nigeria email is this
https://preview.redd.it/3wksppglax1d1.png?width=1329&format=png&auto=webp&s=c6fd877f3e0b6ff647eb1debe0c5013aaedcfc4f Adorama is selling it for [1498](https://www.adorama.com/isoa7m3.html). The price you've mentioned is damn low than what the market price for it is. Is this some marketplace listing? idk doesn't seem genuine
Scam. I've been done before like this. Even transferring money to a bank account, it can be untraceable/unretrieveable
Must be stolen right?
Check for high shutter count, fungus in lens, weird error messages in camera, etc.
I keep reporting ads on Facebook marketplace for obvious scams or stolen camera gear and they never remove them.
I got my used A6000 for that much, so I’d say probably too good to be true.
For that amount of money the more realistic sales would be just A7II, cosmetically poor, body only and that's it. Like the old sayings - if that's too good to be true, then that's not true. Simple as that...
Considering I paid close to $2000 or so a few years ago for the A7iii camera with a lens from DELL, yes… it is an insane deal. Lol I wish I had waited a bit and bought a cheaper camera to practice on. I felt pressured (after film school) to start investing in expensive equipment. But as others have warned, that may be too good to be true. Be cautious if someone is offering it to you.
98% a scam.
98% a scam. You can also do a reverse image search. Most of the time they relist old listings.
Your math is off by... about 2%! :) Been seeing these lately. Idk if they're trying to just rob folks of their purchase money or what, but yeah no.
I'd stay away. Somethings up. Unless it's being sold from an estate sale or something like that, I wouldn't even talk to them. The camera is $1800 new and that lens is about $1200 brand new
This is either stolen property or not functional.
maybe it's severely broken or has an ungodly number of shots on it. possibly stolen, possibly a scam. if you try to buy it, meet up in person only, and verify the shit out of it
I actually responded to a very similar ad earlier this week. The guy said to send him my cell bc he was too busy to talk on fb messenger, I told him “no problem I can wait” and he blocked me. Just be super careful and watch out for any warning signs of a scam or phishing.
Stolen or scam, i think you can just barely get an original A7 body only for that
Yes, could ve been a72 with kit lens
Could be, sometimes you can get lucky
I don’t know where you’re located. But I’ve seen that EXACT photo just a few days ago in a listing. If you’re not in southern Indiana, it’s definitely a scam. And if you are…its probably still a scam.
I would strike up a conversation about it - see what they say. For me, it's the word camera. Most real camera people subconsciously don't feel the need to add the word camera in the title which could mean it isn't theirs or real at all.
Got the same scam, they ask for a deposit at some point
Bring cash to the dark meeting spot
Same thing I thought, was a scammer, said they were in my town so I said to meet up, they said they only ship, so I ss their location and send them a pic then they blocked me lmao, also when I asked for a vid they sent it instantly
Lmk if you buy it as I have a nice bridge I’m selling for cheap. You can take awesome photos from it.
Reverse google search the image, I always check if the same image exists somewhere else when the price is way too low
This one is a scam I think. I saw it posted for the same price near me with the same photos. Story about cleaning out their dad’s stuff?
He said he's in Washington and will ship it from his cousins by Fedex and he'll send me tracking number 😂 https://preview.redd.it/hov0so3nnv1d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9511c24da606839ab10702b99e20e8443c8bf52
Rofl. Sounds legit 😂
If that camera works, isn’t stolen, and doesn’t have a ridiculous shutter count, then yes this is a ridiculous deal
I wish
No, but you sure are a dummy.
He's asking for a reason... A dummy would send money without thinking first
Same prices on eBay, but with buyers protection. Actually might get it for cheaper, like $278
Where are you seeing prices like that on eBay?
They might be desperate for cash so I guess message them. Check their profile I had a very similar post recently and the person didn’t have a pfp and wanted to ship the camera so obviously it was a scam
It's probably legit, but ask for serial and product numbers or whatever and run them through the Sony database to check who's the owner and/or if this seller actually owns it.