Craigslisting ethics

[unxpurg8d]

Argh. I find as I get older that my conscience really interferes. Earlier I bought a current generation 8 gig ipod touch for $60. Seemed like a good deal and the nice woman selling it said her son had gotten two for his birthday from family members. Sounded reasonable to me.

Now she's got a brand new nano posted for a third its value (I answered an ad then recognized her personal email) and I'm having a tough time convincing myself her son was showered with such an excess of electronics that she's giving 'em away practically on craigslist.

On the other hand it's not very kind or fair of me to assume that she's obtained them by other than legitimate means so....

That little voice inside my head stinks.

 

[nick1985]

Theif!

 

[masterxfob]

then go to your local best buy and pay full retail for it...

 

[unxpurg8d]

then go to your local best buy and pay full retail for it...

Going to have to - it's easier to live with.

Not as much fun or economically rewarding though!!!

 

[frostedflakes]

She either wants to get rid of it quick, or couldn't be bothered to spend five minutes on Craigslist or eBay doing research on the going price for this item. Either way, I wouldn't feel guilty. Only thing I'd worry about with really low priced items like that is whether they were stolen.

 

[God Mode]

At least you have a conscience. A lot of people out there with no remorse for anything they do.

 

[unxpurg8d]

She either wants to get rid of it quick, or couldn't be bothered to spend five minutes on Craigslist or eBay doing research on the going price for this item. Either way, I wouldn't feel guilty. Only thing I'd worry about with really low priced items like that is whether they were stolen.

That's EXACTLY what I'm concerned with - the odds of the same woman's selling all these brand new electronics for a third their value being legit are pretty far out there.

Participating in the purchase of stolen stuff and continuing to create a market for thieves to profit from crimes is easier to live with when you don't realize it's happening. Once you suspect and still do it that puts you in the same slimy category.

 

[frostedflakes]

Not to mention that if the items are stolen, the police can confiscate them if they ever get traced to you, even if you didn't realize you were buying stolen property. Probably not worth the risk.

 

[Bateluer]

Not to mention that if the items are stolen, the police can confiscate them if they ever get traced to you, even if you didn't realize you were buying stolen property. Probably not worth the risk.

Polish it with your own jizz and video tape it. Should prevent that from happening.

/sarcasm.

 

[slayer202]

someone else is gonna buy them if you don't. unless you are going to report it, buy it yourself

 

[AstroManLuca]

Be glad you got a good deal and don't buy from her again.

 

[Ichinisan]

Kudos to you, OP.

Thieves deserve to be punished, not rewarded.

 

[Patranus]

Kudos to you, OP.

Thieves deserve to be punished, not rewarded.

Innocent until proven guilty.

The OP isn't knowingly buying stolen electronics.
The OP has no reason (except for paranoia) to believe these electronics are stolen.

 

[unxpurg8d]

Innocent until proven guilty.

The OP isn't knowingly buying stolen electronics.
The OP has no reason (except for paranoia) to believe these electronics are stolen.

That is exactly true - I'm going to pass just because it seems really "off", but I'm not accusing the woman of selling stolen goods.

Just funny how sometimes even though there's no legal or obvious moral reason NOT to do something your head won't shut up and let you do it anyway.

 

[davmat787]

Argh. I find as I get older that my conscience really interferes. Earlier I bought a current generation 8 gig ipod touch for $60. Seemed like a good deal and the nice woman selling it said her son had gotten two for his birthday from family members. Sounded reasonable to me.

If they were gifts from family members, wouldn't it be easier for the mom to return one since the purchaser is family and presumable would have credit card/receipt info? That right there does not seem to add up. *shrug*

Personally, I would move along and skip buying the second one, but don't feel guilty about the first.

 

[unxpurg8d]

If they were gifts from family members, wouldn't it be easier for the mom to return one since the purchaser is family and presumable would have credit card/receipt info? That right there does not seem to add up. *shrug*

Personally, I would move along and skip buying the second one, but don't feel guilty about the first.

That's where I'm at on it right now, but believe me, it's tough when logic like that kicks in 'cause I really wanted that $40 nano!

Guess the true test is going to come if she posts a $200 ipad....

 

[CZroe]

Innocent until proven guilty.

The OP isn't knowingly buying stolen electronics.
The OP has no reason (except for paranoia) to believe these electronics are stolen.

If there are "odds" and they are far "out there" then there is "reason to believe."

 

[krylon]

pics of the woman?

 

[slayer202]

ok either the goods are not stolen and you are passing up a good deal

or

the goods are stolen and you are letting the person off the hook

 

[The_Dude8]

That's where I'm at on it right now, but believe me, it's tough when logic like that kicks in 'cause I really wanted that $40 nano!

Guess the true test is going to come if she posts a $200 ipad....

the 16gig ipad 1 was selling for $299 from verizon b&m stores a few weeks back.

 

[nageov3t]

you may think she's a nice old lady, but she's probably a 20 year-old meth head who stole the ipods from Walmart.

 

[BoomerD]

The RIGHT thing to do is to notify your local police department and let them investigate.

BUT, that might prove "inconvenient" is they are stolen and the police want the one you already bought...
It's easy to know what's "right," but not always as easy to actually DO the "right thing."

 

[unxpurg8d]

the 16gig ipad 1 was selling for $299 from verizon b&m stores a few weeks back.

If I'm going to feel horribly guilty I'd at least hold out for the ipad 2!

 

[unxpurg8d]

The RIGHT thing to do is to notify your local police department and let them investigate.

BUT, that might prove "inconvenient" is they are stolen and the police want the one you already bought...
It's easy to know what's "right," but not always as easy to actually DO the "right thing."

That is entirely true - I wouldn't have a problem turning over the first one, it's a $60 item so not a real test of my integrity, but it is one thing to suspect someone is doing something wrong and avoid them and another to turn someone's world upside down over it. If you're wrong you've done a lot of damage. If this were child abuse or something of the sort better safe than sorry, but in this case it's possibly stolen electronics. Sometimes the right thing isn't as clear cut as it might seem.