Is this sleezy, or what?

**Petzval Paul** · 16-Aug-2009, 18:43

Take a look at this auction which recently ended and pay close attention to the serial number:

http://cgi.ebay.at/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=350214719033

Now look at you-know-which-ebay-spammer's new listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_3025wt_928

Can we all agree that they are the same lens? What happened to the remaining digit on the serial number? Am I missing something obvious here? This appears to be awfully sleezy to me and I just don't see how an engraved digit can disappear like that.

**goamules** · 16-Aug-2009, 19:59

Hey Paul. This seller has been known to doctor photos before. Caveat Emptor as always. But I don't know why he'd do it, buying something and reselling it is a business model that is pretty common. What's he trying to hide? Or maybe make it appear older???? Oh yeah, did I mention caveat emptor?

**BrianShaw** · 16-Aug-2009, 20:15

If it keeps going like that it will be a LOT older and REALLY rare soon!

**Turner Reich** · 16-Aug-2009, 20:46

This seller has one of the best presentations for product display that I've seen, too bad they are deceptive.

**DeBone75** · 17-Aug-2009, 18:09

No connection, nor defending but they are in two completely different locations. Unless my German is really that bad.

**Archphoto** · 17-Aug-2009, 19:15

You are right with that, Graz is in Austria, Europe, the other lens is in Australia on the other side of the world.......

Peter

**Petzval Paul** · 17-Aug-2009, 19:35

DHL delivers worldwide =;-)

**Ginette** · 17-Aug-2009, 20:30

The lens look the same for me. Look at the front dent under the inscription.

To complicate the research ...
The first seller (from Austria) (called him NO. 1) didn't sell the lens to the actual seller of the lens but to this guy (call him NO. 2) you can see the feedback from the Austrian seller (NO. 1) on Jul-03-09 05:43
Is it that guy NO.2 who erase the serial number ???

Now if we try to found the lens reselling... Searching in the lens buyer profile (NO. 2) , we can see no selling later than 18.06.08 (also all sales are done PRIVAT)
Let give a try in the profile of the Australian seller that list the lens actually (callled him NO. 3), curioustly he have no buyer feedbacks!!

Complicated!!! ... not at all.
I forgot to tell you that the guy NO. 2 also came from Australia ...
So the guy NO. 2 and NO. 3 is the same person, under 2 pseudonyms. Maybe he will tell us that he clean the barrel too much !!

**John Schneider** · 17-Aug-2009, 23:41

"cameo_need_ham" is only the latest, as far as I can tell, persona of the same seller. Prior to that there was the infamous pak_harry194, and later ocean_image, cia_love_animal, claes_ms255, and chalen_in_eggbay.

One of my saved searches always brought up his listings (always the same presentation), so I continually had to update the search to block his latest ebay handle. None of these other handles has sold anything in a year or more, so it's entirely possible that he uses still another handle to buy things that he later hawks at silly prices.

**eddie** · 19-Aug-2009, 04:35

he or she does this all the time. buys by one name and sells as another.

the best part is this seller/buyer is also a member of LF forums! i sold him/her a lens the other day. i am waiting to see how the description shows up when he sells it.

a friend sold him a lens also. CNH followed his MO on that one as well.....