Petzl rack at over ?300. !!

[topcat]

This is why I don't use a rack!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Petzl-D11-RACK-Variable-Friction-Descender-with-Brake-Bars/284105688022?hash=item422604c3d6:g:XMUAAOSwwlNfzLYR

?324.96.  They have some other kit at interesting prices too.  Etriers for ?126.81 .  Anybody?


Begs the question why?  What's going on ?

 

[2xw]

Given they've received no buyer feedback and selling other things at ludicrous prices I'd assume some sort of money laundering

 

[topcat]

That crossed my mind, but I couldn't see how it would work.

 

[2xw]

That crossed my mind, but I couldn't see how it would work.

You set up a an ebay profile. You have an ounce of weed to sell at ?200. Your buyer pays ?200 for a petzl rack, you give them the drugs and the money has entered your account legally. PayPal and eBay get their cut and nobody is any the wiser!

 

[topcat]

Ok, I can see that as a way to shift illegal goods, but is that laundering?

And why choose caving gear?  Do we have some dodgy characters in our mists?  On second thoughts :dumb question, don't answer it !

 

[PeteHall]

Money laundering is about making illegally gained money appear legal. If the above example isn't money laundering, I don't know wat is.

 

[royfellows]

Seems eBay think so as well seeing as how the page has now gone, assuming the above link is correct.

 

[mikem]

All their items appear to have gone.

Why caving? - you want items that sell in small, but sufficient numbers, so people don't buy them by mistake (& if they do you source a standard priced one & shift it on at profit)

 

[HardenClimber3]

Various designer drugs (MDMA analogues etc) were sold as 'Alloy Wheel Cleaners'. I'm sure there must have been a few puzzled petrolheads.

 

[royfellows]

Money laundering, well.
You advertise a product at a price that nobody will pay, and buy it yourself under a succession of aliases.
If anyone does buy one you supply at a vast profit, bit of extra icing on the cake.

 

[AR]

That crossed my mind, but I couldn't see how it would work.

You set up a an ebay profile. You have an ounce of weed to sell at ?200. Your buyer pays ?200 for a petzl rack, you give them the drugs and the money has entered your account legally. PayPal and eBay get their cut and nobody is any the wiser!

My initial reaction was "Two hundred quid for a wizard??? How much???" but then stopped to think about how long ago it was since I knew the going rate so to speak, I suppose inflation has moved prices quite a bit since then...