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UV-Nikkor for $1900.-? ... Likely a SCAM! - Be VERY careful!


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It would have been indeed too good to be true! However, following some PMs with Zach I decided to double-check, just in case:

Please find below my e-mail conversation with a person who claims to be offering a UV-Nikkor for the price mentioned above.

After the last mail from "Adam" I sent a message to DPD. They told me, that they do not offer an Escrow service. (Their answer in German is also included at the end of the post.) - So it is definitely a SCAM. The exact same wording has been use also in other communications that can be found online.

 

Best, Nico

 

 

####################################

Here is the e-mail conversation with "Adam":

####################################

 

 

-------- Original-Nachricht --------

Betreff: Re: UV-Nikkor?

Datum: Fri, 4 Apr 2014 13:43:22 +0100

Von: Adam Gardella <adam.gardela@gmail.com>

An: xxx

 

Hello,

 

I would prefer pounds since I am in England. 1900 US dollars will be around 1120 pounds. Attached are more photos of the lens. They are in mint condition, working as it should.

 

The company DPD - Dynamic Parcel Distribution offer a unique escrow service, which provides more security for transaction. Here are the steps we need to take in order to do this (based on what they told me):

 

1. I will go to a DPD office and deliver the package. They will inspect and test the package content. Than they will send you an invoice with all details (including the result of the inspection, payment methods and delivery time).

 

2. Once you receive the invoice, you will have 48 hours to send the funds to the DPD manager (they accept bank transfer like all escrow companies). Once they will receive your payment, they will start the delivery of the package and send you a confirmation email with all delivery details, including tracking number.

 

3. Once you receive it, you will have 10 business days to inspect the merchandise and the option to accept or reject it. If the merchandise is not as described by me, you will receive a Full Refund in 3 business days.

 

4. If the merchandise is as described by me and you accept it, their manager will send the funds to me.

 

If you agree with these terms, please email me your complete name,address and phone number so I can go and start the transaction.

 

Thanks,

Adam

 

 

 

On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 12:24 PM, chalnicolas <xxx> wrote:

 

If you mean this company: https://www.dpd.com/ then it looks good to me. I just couldn't find a link to their escrow service. Can you point me to that?

Also, can you describe the condition of the lens and send a few photos of the sample that you are offering?

Since you are in the UK. - What would be your exact conversion to Pounds or €, or do you want explicitly $?

 

Many thanks,

Nico

 

 

2014-04-04 12:34 GMT+02:00 Adam Gardella <adam.gardela@gmail.com>:

 

Hello,

 

In the past I used a couple of times a very good shipping/escrow company for international purchases which I made from Germany and Canada. They offer a good delivery/escrow service with 10 days inspection period. The name of the company is DPD - Dynamic Parcel Distribution and they have a good reputation in the United Kingdom for fast delivery and safe escrow service. Would you be interested in using this service for both protection?

 

Thanks,

Adam

 

 

On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 11:21 AM, <xxx> wrote:

 

What way of transaction would you suggest, that protects your security AND mine?

Thanks, Nico

 

Am 04.04.2014 12:15 schrieb "Adam Gardella" <adam.gardela@gmail.com>:

 

Hello,

 

Unfortunately I do not use eBay and PayPal. To many scams.

 

Thanks,

Adam

 

 

On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 5:16 AM, xxx wrote:

 

Would you mind listing it on eBay, (fixed price),, so that I can pay via insured PayPal? I am located in Germany and will be visiting Sheffield, UK on 12-14 May. Your price is ok if the lens is in good and functional condition.

 

 

Am 04.04.2014 02:04 schrieb "Adam Gardella" <adam.gardela@gmail.com>:

 

Hello,

 

yes I still have the Nikon UV-Micro-Nikkor AI-S 105 mm f/4.5 105/4.5 Lens. I want US $ 1900 and I am located in Cullen, Scotland, England.

 

Thanks,

Adam

 

 

On Thu, Apr 3, 2014 at 4:18 PM, Nicolas Chalwatzis xxx wrote:

Hi,

 

I've been told that you have an UV-Nikkor for sale. Is that still available?

If yes, how much do you ask for and where is it located?

 

Best,

Nico

 

 

########################################

and the German conversation with DPD Germany:

########################################

 

 

-------- Original-Nachricht --------

Betreff: AW: DPD Contact - Comments

Datum: Fri, 4 Apr 2014 11:46:15 +0000

Von: Info 167 <Info@depot167.dpd.de>

An: xxx

 

Sehr geehrter Herr Chalwatzis,

 

vielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage. Leider bietet DPD keinen Treuhandservice zu Bezahlung an. Bitte wenden Sie sich an den Versender. Es gibt als DPD-Kunde die Möglichkeit, Pakete höher zu versichern.

 

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

 

i. A. xxx

 

*********************************************************

DPD GeoPost (Deutschland) GmbH

Frontoffice

Mittelrheinstraße 19, 67550 Worms

Deutschland

Telefon +49 (0) 6242 909-0

Telefax +49 (0) 6242 909-149

E-Mail: info@depot167.dpd.de

Internet: www.dpd.com

 

Sitz der Gesellschaft: Aschaffenburg

 

DPD GeoPost (Deutschland) GmbH

Vorsitzender der Geschäftsführung: Boris Winkelmann (CEO)

Geschäftsführer: Bernd Friedel, Thomas Loock, Thomas Ohnhaus, Dr. Jörg Schmeidler

Amtsgericht Aschaffenburg HRB 8887

*********************************************************

 

Von: kontaktanfrage@dpd.com [mailto:kontaktanfrage@dpd.com]

Gesendet: Freitag, 4. April 2014 13:18

An: Info 167

Betreff: DPD Contact - Comments

 

Form posted on the DPD.com website

==============================

 

Ihre Frage:

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, ich möchte eine Artikel für $1900 aus England kaufen. Bieten Sie einen Treuhandservice zur Bezahlung an, der mich vor Betrug schützt? Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Nicolas Chalwatzis

 

######################################

These are the images that were in the last message:

 

post-14-0-38131000-1396625879.jpg

post-14-0-03381600-1396625881.jpg

post-14-0-04087700-1396625882.jpg

post-14-0-01639900-1396625883.jpg

post-14-0-59122400-1396625884.jpg

post-14-0-30533400-1396625890.jpg

post-14-0-06012100-1396625896.jpg

post-14-0-07749800-1396625897.jpg

Link to comment

Nico and Zach, thank you for your investigation into this scam. Good work!

(Perhaps you would consider putting the word "scam" into the title of your post. Just to make the point even clearer? Thx.)

 

I have today posted a Warning about Lens Scams into the UV Lens Sticky as follows:

 

The original UV-Nikkor 105/4.5 has become a very high-priced collectible. Prices have skyrocketed to the $4000-5000(US) range, maybe more. The lens has been seen offered at a much lower price in several lens scams across the internet.

 

Do not fall for these scams!
No one who is reputable will be selling the UV-Nikkor or any other rare UV-capable lens at a price under its current market value.

Link to comment

I am located in Cullen, Scotland, England.

 

Thanks,

Adam

 

Hmmm, since when Scotland became part of England? I know geography is changing quickly in the Eastern Europe, but in UK???

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Always ask to have a personal inspection of the item in question, either by yourself or a helper nearby. That should make the scammers nervous and help smoke them out.
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his initial post says he is in Ann Arbor...so i said I will drive there to inspect. then he emailed me back the same as the trombone one saying he is doing some good deed in UK now.

I asked him to send it to a friend in Ann Arbor. he said he has NO friends here.

he stopped replying when I asked him to confirm that the photos were taken by him....if he said yes, I will then proceed to ask why the same photos were posted in a Japanese site in 2011? :D

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Always google people's email address before buying...

And if they present an image use google image search to search for similar

Scammers tend to be very lazy

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The sad fact is that these scammers operate because someone, somewhere, always will fall prey to their operations. They also understand market psychology. Who can resist a genuine UV-Nikkor for "merely" $1.900,- ? Had the lens been sold for $100,- everyone except the most gullible had smelled the rat.
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the only reason I did not suspect [initially] was because, a friend of mine actually got a real one for $2495 used...so I thought 1900 was close enough. I saw his lens and he even sent me a receipt recently. he got it from a company that sells used equipment, it seems.

 

The sad fact is that these scammers operate because someone, somewhere, always will fall prey to their operations. They also understand market psychology. Who can resist a genuine UV-Nikkor for "merely" $1.900,- ? Had the lens been sold for $100,- everyone except the most gullible had smelled the rat.

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Lucky guy! We also have a member who found a UV-Nikkor for under the going price. (same guy?) It can happen. But is pretty rare.

 

The Noct-Nikkor is another rare lens that you see scammed from time to time.

Wonder if these scams happen with Leica lenses ? Probably so.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Bill De Jager

Lucky guy! We also have a member who found a UV-Nikkor for under the going price. (same guy?) It can happen. But is pretty rare.

 

That might have been me, but the dealer is extremely reputable which made it a credible purchase.

 

I have standing searches on eBay for both the UV-Nikkor and the Noct-Nikkor and I'm amazed how every listing for these two lenses is at a fixed price or a high starting price. In that price range, nobody seems to want to take a chance on something going wrong with the bidding.

 

Even for more prosaic items that sell at far lower prices, it's amazing how many sellers on eBay use a fixed price or starting bid that's too high. I'm "watching" several items that already sold via actual bidding (but where I didn't bid for whatever reason) just so I have a record of actual selling prices in a true bidding situation to guide me when I finally go for it.

 

Somebody in Oz has a well-used Nikon 800/8 with CU-1 focusing unit offered for $1600 Aus, or you can make an offer. After a number of months and six offers it's still sitting there. Hmmm... might be the less-than-stellar reputation, or the price, or both.

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  • 1 month later...
the other $2,500 UV Nikkor lens was bought by a friend of mine. he got it from ebay, a company that sells used medical equipment...
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