As we all know, the PS5 is one hot commodity and is continuously selling out of stores the moment each time the console goes live online. Let’s not even mention the odds of finding one in a store such as say, GameStop. It seems like the easiest place to find a PS5 online is through third party sellers. Companies such as eBay have got a pretty decent amount of PS5’s for sale, if you’re willing to fork over amounts of money that far exceed the initial retail price. But, there is another type of third seller and if you think scalpers are bad, these sellers are the worst. I’m talking about scammers.
There have been scammers since the dawning of human beings. Even if humans didn’t have an official language in the beginning, they knew how to communicate and I assure you that there were a handful of deceitful scamming cavemen, that probably did awful things in order to get what they wanted. Things like making trades for weapons in exchange for food, except those weapons were probably so poorly made, they fell apart when a hunter needed them most. You can imagine how that might have played out.
Sadly, scams are something that will likely never go away and the PS5 has been no exception in regards to scamming. So, where are these scams and how are they taking place? Well, with a handful of different currency apps online, it’s actually easier than ever for scammers to operate. Let’s start with social media outlets. If you go onto facebook marketplace, You’ll surely be able to find a PS5 console for sale somewhere. Not within your driving range, but they’re willing to ship? Well, I’m not saying everyone is trying rip you off online, but there’s a pretty good chance that if you use an app like Zelle or even PayPal, to transfer money to the seller, they might close their accounts or block you, in order to evade ever sending you the PS5 and avoid paying a refund.
You will also find plenty of scams on websites like Craigslist. I know that isn’t surprising to some, but it still happens on a daily basis. You’ll come across a listing, the buyer says they will ship and convince you to pay ahead of time because you might not pay them when the order arrives, etc. Honestly, these scammers will find a way to make you feel like you’re dishonest if you’re not willing to pay upfront. Even if you suspect they are scammers, they will try and either talk you into it or they will play it off like it’s not a big deal if you don’t buy it from them because it is a PS5 after all and it will sell quickly. That’s what they want you to think, but you are absolutely better off buying from a reputable source, even if it means waiting longer to get one.
I know you don’t want to hear the above sentence, but it is a fact. I would even go so far as telling you that you are better off spending $1000 (USD) to a scalper on eBay than you are trying to do a private online sale. Even meeting in person is risky for both parties. At least if you spend the extra money on eBay, you’re going to either get your money back if something goes wrong or you’ll get the console. Why would you be better off with eBay than a cheaper private sale? Because of you pay a scammer for the PS5 and they keep your money (let’s say $600), well you’re out of $600 and you can’t get it back, so when you do buy the actual PS5, you’ll be out another $500 and you have now exceeded $1100 when you factor in tax, etc.
People are literally getting scammed for their money and worst yet, these scammers are coming from all kinds of places. You can go on Instagram and find a PS5 for sale. The seller has a bunch of positive feedback, everyone comments on their posts claim the seller is legit, so you’re feeling like it’s probably a safe bet this person is going to do right by you. Sadly, some sellers that were once legit are now going to the dark side and that is likely pushback from the financial toll that the Covid-19 pandemic caused so many people. That’s no excuse, though, I’m just saying maybe true colors have begun to shine. Not only have good sellers gone bad, but there are aso sellers that actually create hundreds of fake accounts and use them to give themselves credibility. It is endless, I tell ya!
Bottom line, it is not traditionally safe to buy something from someone online that you don’t even know. Not everyone is a jerk, but the scammers outnumber the honest people in these circumstances. Furthermore, making a time and place to buy a PS5 from someone off the internet, is also very risky. This person is expecting you to have the cash on you. You’re expecting them to have a PS5… They could be bringing you a PS5 box that is loaded with cat food or who knows, they are planning to rob you at gun/knife point and then it becomes something else entirely! It’s just not worth any of the risks.
If you are intent on buying a PS5 from an unknown third party seller, then I would suggest you buy it from me directly. Just shoot me an email asking to purchase a PS5 and I’ll have you send me $450-$550 (USD – total cost depends on which model you want) to my Zelle account or wire it to me, whichever makes you feel more comfortable, and I will ship the console directly to you at your house. You will of course need to pay me upfront, so I can recoup the money I spent on it in the first place, but I’m sure you understand. Unfortunately for you, I’m lying and I will be keeping your money and keeping the PS5 for myself, since you bought it for me. Thanks for the gift, it was really naive of you.
See what I’m getting at here? Just trust that the safest and best option is to either wait until you can buy from an accredited retailer or cut the losses and spend the extra money on a scalper eBay (or similar company) if it means that much to you. I understand completely why someone would want to get one now, but when we get this excited for something, we can easily ignore the red flags of a scammer and allow the euphoria of the PS5 purchase to cloud our judgment. I do hope you manage to get a PS5 if you are in the market, but I hope even more that you don’t get scammed or robbed in the process.
Thank you for reading and be safe out there! As always, I will see you, online!