Scam, or lazy but legit seller?

[toneknob]

Hi - I posted a pedal on reverb.com yesterday, and just noticed in one of the many Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade groups an advert for the same pedal, different photos but 99% the same text (the 1% is an extra sentence which is 100% nothing like I would say)

 

Should I be flattered that he's nicked my text, offended that he's not nicked my photos, or jotting his name down as a potential scammer?

 

Or is this a common tactic by the lazy but legitimate seller?

 

 

[tauzero]

I have looked at other adverts for inspiration when advertising something. I wouldn't just do a copy and paste though, that's sheer impertinence.

[Mykesbass]

Is it possible that he has used one of these AI descriptions that the likes of eBay now offer, and the AI has got its inspiration from your text?

[Lozz196]

Was my thought too

[toneknob]

Thanks for the suggestion, AI should be cleverer than a word for word copy. 

 

I've contacted admins of the two Facebook pages I've seen the copied version of my ad, just to get their opinion - one of them removed the ad in minutes. No reply from the other. 

 

Edited July 15, 2024 by toneknob

[TimR]

15 hours ago, toneknob said:

AI should be cleverer than a word for word copy. 

 

AI is not intelligent. That's a misnomer. It literally just copies stuff. It's down to the human intelligence to then check it.

 

AI cannot become intelligent until humans understand where intelligence and the conscious comes from and work out some way of recreating it.

[ezbass]

Just now, TimR said:

 

AI is not intelligent. That's a misnomer. It literally just copies stuff. It's down to the human intelligence to then check it.

 

AI cannot become intelligent until humans understand where intelligence and the conscious comes from and work out some way of recreating it.

I've been raving about the term AI since it became the latest buzz phrase. It is, as it has always been, computer generated, but that's not click baity enough for social and mainstream media creators.

[dave_bass5]

9 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

AI is not intelligent. That's a misnomer. It literally just copies stuff. It's down to the human intelligence to then check it.

 

AI cannot become intelligent until humans understand where intelligence and the conscious comes from and work out some way of recreating it.

its more intelligent than a lot of the FB marketplace 'buyers' 😂

[toneknob]

It's now appeared on a third page, the admin there says "dunno really, looks bad but I think it's above board". So score one each for Bad, No Reply and CBA so far.

 

(it's definitely not AI btw)

 

[Woodwind]

I'm afraid devilment would get the better of me and I'd contact the seller using only:

a) copy and paste questions

b) ai generated text

 

Have fun

[rushbo]

On 15/07/2024 at 17:44, toneknob said:

Should I be flattered that he's nicked my text, offended that he's not nicked my photos, or jotting his name down as a potential scammer?

 

Or is this a common tactic by the lazy but legitimate seller?

 

Yep, it's a common tactic.

 

As long as the seller hasn't nicked any unique details from your ad (ie witty anecdotes about Norman Watt-Roy pointing at your bass and laughing) and has just copied the way you've described the technical and generic characteristics of the instrument, I don't see a problem. Anyone who's used the "Have one to sell? Sell it yourself" function on eBay will have done a similar thing.

 

FaceBook Marketplace should be approached with caution in my opinion. I was caught out a few months ago on a fairly cheap (sub £20) item and since then I've been more careful. The "copied text" thing is a bit of a red flag, but if you check the seller's profile you can get a rough idea if they're genuine or not.

 

In the immortal words of Oscar Wilde [citation needed} “Talent borrows. Genius Steals!” To be fair, he was probably talking about the best way to knot a cravat rather than scamming an unsuspecting bassist out of a few quid for a Big Muff pedal that doesn't exist...

[dave_bass5]

I’ve seen people use other people’s photos on here in the classifieds and no one bats an eyelid. Sometimes they give a name check, other times they just copy and paste them. 

[gjones]

I saw my bass on Ebay, for sale, a couple of years ago. Interestingly, it was an Edinburgh seller and  they were very near me.

 

I'd bought the bass from Bass Direct and the seller had used the old website picture. 

 

Maybe it was because he had one similar for sale and was too lazy to take a picture of it, but I messaged to tell him he was using a picture of my bass and he ended the sale.

[Baloney Balderdash]

On 15/07/2024 at 22:52, toneknob said:

Thanks for the suggestion, AI should be cleverer than a word for word copy. 

 

I've contacted admins of the two Facebook pages I've seen the copied version of my ad, just to get their opinion - one of them removed the ad in minutes. No reply from the other. 

 

AI is painfully stupid.

 

If you ever read any AI generated text you would agree.

 

Also I am inclined to believe that it is just a lazy seller, rather than a scammer, but I guess there is really no way to be 100% sure of this, other than actually buying and hoping it is not a scam, and that way getting either confirmed. 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2024 by Baloney Balderdash

[toneknob]

Now I'm back from a few days away, here are the links to mine and his adverts:

original reverb: https://reverb.com/item/83600242-panda-audio-future-impact-bass-guitar-synthesizer-pedal

one of the copies: https://www.facebook.com/groups/992440637527378/permalink/7357463641025014

(shout if the links are broken)

 

anyway I'll be listing on basschat soon at no-fees BC rates so get in now if you're interested!

 

[itu]

By the way, is that 16-35 still necessary, @dave_bass5? No, I can't see it with my phone, but my comp tells me it's **SOLD**.

[Cliff Edge]

You don’t have to go far into FB Marketplace before it becomes apparent most of the sellers have little or no imagination when it comes to writing the ad. So I’m not surprised your text was lifted. 

[dave_bass5]

15 hours ago, itu said:

By the way, is that 16-35 still necessary, @dave_bass5? No, I can't see it with my phone, but my comp tells me it's **SOLD**.

I sold that lens a long time ago. In fact I had a big purge and got rid of a lot of my L lenses and FF camera. Only got the 70-300L left now.