Sony's next-gen console launch has been a bit messy to say the least, with many gamers still trying to secure a PlayStation 5. For one lucky player in Utah, the hunt had seemingly come to an end, only for the player to discover that his PS5 had been swapped with a cinder block.
People hunting for the new PlayStation console has become mainstream news and a massive internet meme over the past several weeks. With even SNL doing a PS5 skit, the struggle for many to claim a console for themselves has clearly become a major topic of conversation. Still, one man in Utah thought he had gotten lucky, only finding out he had been duped when he opened the box of his console.
Using eBay for the purchase of expensive new items like consoles is extremely risky, and gamers have been getting scammed often when it comes to PlayStation 5 deals. With some scammers even selling photos of the PS5, eBay has promised to do all it can to stop the trickery. Still, some scams still slip through the cracks, with this Utah gamer’s purchase of the PS5 being a prime example of that. Still, this eBay user seems to have gone a bit further with the ruse, using a cinder block to mimic the weight of the new Sony system.
Likely following in the footsteps of the infamous PS5 scalper group, the scammer sold the console on eBay for a marked up price of $878. With this being on the low end of the re-priced PS5 deals, the Utah man took a risk and bought the new system, paying over $350 more than they would normally need to for the PlayStation 5. However, the player clearly should not have taken the risk, as they found the large building block inside the PlayStation 5 box the scammer’s console came in.
While authorities arrived at the Utah man’s house and assured him that he would get a refund for the fake PlayStation 5, citing eBay’s buyer protections, they gave him the advice to be more careful with the website. Specifically, the PlayStation fan should have avoided buying a big item from a user with no reviews, as this is usually indicative of a scam being in place. With the PS5 scalper group having more consoles to sell, fans should be extremely careful with eBay purchases of the PS5, as situations like the one suffered by the Utah buyer have not been that uncommon.
With the PlayStation 5 being Sony’s biggest console launch ever, it is easy to understand why the systems have been so hard to come by. Still, even with demand being so high, hopefully this Utah player can secure a PlayStation 5 soon and find a real console inside the box as opposed to a cinder block.
The PlayStation 5 is available now.
Source: Fox 13
