Michael
May 14th, 2007, 06:24 PM
<p><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/storyimages/solidgold_iphone.jpg" align="left" alt="illeged 14 kart solid gold iPhone" />According to <a href="http://blogs.business2.com/apple/2007/05/apple_iphones_o.html">Business 2.0</a>, auctions have started popping up on eBay with sellers claiming they can provide the winner of the auctions with an iPhone. One auction that ended this morning at 38 bids ended with a winning bid of US$1,025 plus $10 for shipping. The member who conducted the auction was tommy2224, with an approval rating of 99%. Still others are ranging in price from $2,300 to $5,399. One seller, gperks46, is actually selling a "14 Kart (sic) SolidGold" iPhone for 10 grand.</p>
These sales are legal on eBay, so long as the seller produces the item within 30 days of the start of the auction. However, the auctions are starting today. This means that unless they produce the iPhone <em>exactly 30 days from today</em> on June 14th, they will be illegal and fraudulent.
Also, there is and has been a disclaimer displayed on Apple's iPhone site for months stating that:
<blockquote><em>This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.</em></blockquote>
One member of the MacNN Forums, msuper69 of Columbus, Ohio writes that he believes :"Those listings should be reported to eBay as fraudulent," and that, "If people are stupid enough to bid on vaporware, they deserve what they get -- ripped off!"
I have to say, msuper69 I'm inclined to agree. It's about time that someone did something about this.
These sales are legal on eBay, so long as the seller produces the item within 30 days of the start of the auction. However, the auctions are starting today. This means that unless they produce the iPhone <em>exactly 30 days from today</em> on June 14th, they will be illegal and fraudulent.
Also, there is and has been a disclaimer displayed on Apple's iPhone site for months stating that:
<blockquote><em>This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.</em></blockquote>
One member of the MacNN Forums, msuper69 of Columbus, Ohio writes that he believes :"Those listings should be reported to eBay as fraudulent," and that, "If people are stupid enough to bid on vaporware, they deserve what they get -- ripped off!"
I have to say, msuper69 I'm inclined to agree. It's about time that someone did something about this.