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Fake 70-200 2.8 VRII Lens - no, I mean REALLY fake...

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bab99 said:
I'm sure you will experince a great feeling of relief once the refund has been entered into your credit card account! We are all awaiting the word from you, at least I am interested in how Amazon handles this matter, so please let us know what happens.

--Bruce
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Got a message last night (generic/automated) that my return was received (UPS tracking shows they actually got it Thursday night), and to expect another email confirmation "shortly" concerning the refund. There is a link to the returns policy page at Amazon concerning timelines, and it shows 8-10 business days after the carrier has received your item for the refund to be applied. I'll keep you posted, but looks like it will still potentially be several days out.

Can't wait to order/get the real deal - borrowed a friend's VR I lens this weekend, and it was nice but didn't quite seem to have the same magic as the VR II I had rented a couple weeks ago. Could just be in my head, maybe just had an off day, but the VR II seems extra sweet
 
In building my computer six months ago, I ordered an Intel 2600K chip from Amazon and received a sealed but empty box. It seems like I was credited within 3 or 4 days. Amazon is a good model for great customer service.

Good luck.
--
http://www.selkenimaging.com
 
duckburp said:
Petruska said:
He hasn't supplied if there was a serial number on the invoice and box, and weight as requested by other posters.

I hope I'm wrong but the OP could have received the real lens, bought the mug, filled it with sand to match the weight, and now wants to return it......needs CSI here!

Nikon should stop these mugs from being made, is this a copyright issue?

A few years ago on a Ebay when the first D3 came out a buyer bought one for premium, and got a ream of paper and a $2 disposable film camera. Well the whole world heard the story and it was amazing how many Ebayer professional people with ties to the FBI, UPS, etc. hunted this seller down in Chicago, he said UPS did the switch, but they didn't as the weight was wrong for a D3 from the dya it shipped, he gave a refund! It was great reading the posts for days until they found this guy. Ebay did not get involved!

Bob P.
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I like you guys, shooting down a fellow photog, from the start! Thank you to the few people who actually have some sympathy. My wife was asking why I wanted to unpack the thing one more time, and I told her that this could easily be turned around and have the burden of proof put on me. As some my fellow photogs are so graciously doing.

I'm not stupid (or desperate) enough to break the law. People pretty much always get caught, and if not on this side, I ain't gonna take a chance on busting Hell wide open over a stupid $2400 lens that I could pay for with one decent wedding. I have a wife and 3 2/3 kids to take care of, kids at church to teach, and weddings booked that wouldn't be well served from a jail cell.

I didn't post to get sympathy, or to try to get detectives on the case, though I do appreciate the advice I have gotten concerning ways to resolve this. It was actually what I considered to be a service to the community and a warning for others as to what is going on out there. The weight was the best help - the real lens weighs 7 lbs., the UPS tracking shows 5.4 lbs., so I think I am in luck that the real criminals didn't match the weight. I will supply the needed info to whoever the real investigators are - hopefully not members here :), but for the conspiracy theorists, nothing I say will satisfy you. If you were good investigators you would draw this out as long as you could to get more information, but you guys are trying to make a jump to fame too early. The drug thing was a cool thought, maybe I should have tried to pry the cap off. My only thought was anthrax.

I didn't even know the fake mug existed until Bruce's post last night, and now that I do I can probably never buy one since that will immediately have me tracked down by the authorities. How sad!
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Well count me in as one of your true believers!

I had purchased a new lens from one of the largest mail-order photography retailers in the US and got ripped off in a similar way when I received a beat-up used lens in a new box! I was incredulous when I opened it up and took a look at it that pitiful piece of junk. Unbelievable! I eventually received a refund, but the whole thing shook my confidence in mail order purchasing and I have never ordered a lens from that company again. Too many employees are dishonest these days, so I believe someone pulled a switchover on you, as they did me.

I hope you get satisfaction ASAP.
Good luck!

Best regards,
Jon
 
Just wondering if anything has been resolved, or if things are coming together for you yet? The whole issue must be frustrating for you!
 
GOOD NEWS!!!! :)

Got an email from Amazon Sunday night saying they had issued a refund, and it finally showed up on my credit card account today. Was a "no-hassle" situation, thankfully, and I just ordered another lens a few moments ago - from B&H. I actually went to Adorama as well to check it out, and they had a refurb unit on sale for $300 less. I was crazily tempted, but a 90-day warranty just couldn't work for me. Doesn't make sense (to me) that Nikon would basically zap their warranty for a lens that is supposedly "good as new". I talked to the guy at the store, and they offered a 3-year warranty for $59, but that would push it to just $240 less (and still 2 years fewer warranty).

Just couldn't take a risk that 3 years and 1 day from now I would be posting asking if anyone had a lens randomly fall apart, and I would be put on dpreview forum trial and cross-examined for sanity. "Duckburp....hey!! That's the fake thermos guy!! Go get 'em, boys!!!"

Thanks for all your support, advice, suspicion & good will.

-Donald

--

'Never argue with an idiot - they will drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience'
 
Major result, glad you got your refund.

reckon your post may make a few people think and be extra vigilant .

Nice one

Kudos to amazon, good show.

Tony
 
Good, glad you got fit sorted out.

Thanks too for the heads up, from now on, anytime I have something sooo expensive coming, I will make sure to open and check in front of the delivery person (and another lol).

But, I expect that someone will get the rotten end of the stick, if the lens was stolen, when whomeever buys it subsequently, tries in a year or two to have it serviced or something.

Serial no will catch it.

So, second moral of story from now, always ask for a receipt when buying something so expensive second hand.

Thanks
--
.....Just from an amateur......
 
duckburp said:
GOOD NEWS!!!! :)

Got an email from Amazon Sunday night saying they had issued a refund, and it finally showed up on my credit card account today. Was a "no-hassle" situation, thankfully
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Good for you! I'm glad you got your money back, and without any hassle. It speaks well for Amazon. I would love to know if they are investigating, if police are involved, and how they came to ship a fake lens to you, but it is probably a story that will never be told.

I hope your "reorder" with B&H goes smoothly! You will love the lens (the REAL lens).

--Bruce
 
theft, and fraud, with all the buyers paying for it indirectly. I doubt that they would spend 1 cent investigating this unless it happened more than a few times.

I worked a a large coporation and sent a $3000 stepping for motor for repair, Fedex lost it and it was insured, I told shipping to get the $3000 back, they said that they don't waste time on such small issues and just go buy another one.

So do you think that the giant Amazon is going to worry about this fake lens problem, NO! They probalby had a good laugh over it and boosted employee moral in doing so....

Bob P.
 
I found a used rat trap at home depo one day. I noticed it on the shelf just because the smell was horrible in that are. I can't believe they never noticed it. There was still some stuff on it.......
I reported it of course too worried that someone would buy it ;-)....
 
When I was younger, I worked for a major company that had a major exposure to fraud by customers, vendors and employees. Because all transactions were under $200, it was nearly impossible to investigate any single incident for fraud. For that reason, our anti-fraud systems were built around detecting fraud rings and/or employee theft.

On an individual claim basis, about all you can do is ask enough questions to make the fraudster nervous and drop the claim. (Assuming they aren't morons who confess - which does happen)
Petruska said:
theft, and fraud, with all the buyers paying for it indirectly. I doubt that they would spend 1 cent investigating this unless it happened more than a few times.

I worked a a large coporation and sent a $3000 stepping for motor for repair, Fedex lost it and it was insured, I told shipping to get the $3000 back, they said that they don't waste time on such small issues and just go buy another one.

So do you think that the giant Amazon is going to worry about this fake lens problem, NO! They probalby had a good laugh over it and boosted employee moral in doing so....

Bob P.
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