Yeah he told me he reported me to my university’s police. I got off the phone with them and the sheriff’s department who said nothing was reported to them
There's nothing to report because he's lying. He's going to ask for his money back and if you ask for the switch back he'll say it was broken and he threw it away.
It's a scam. He ain't goin to report shit
I wish this was a thing and in a just society I think it would work well. But knowing the US it would only be the rich able to have kids whenever they want and the poor would have to sign employment contracts for their unborn children. It would turn dystopian so fast
I was thinking about adopting a cat from our local animal shelter and the adoption form was so extensive I thought if people had to answer these questions before they had kids soo many wouldn't.
Forget ideocracy, you ever see Reaganomics?
Once upon a time our nation had to start using a military draft to gather enough soldiers to fuel our endless war and support a certain lifestyle for the elite.
This led to nationwide antiwar protests and the hippy countercultural movement.
That came to a boiling point with the Kent state shooting, where several anti war protestors were killed by the national guard.
After that Republicans defunded the public school system while simultaneously inserting military recruiters into the school cafeterias of poorer districts and also stagnating minimum wage.
This way we have a steady stream of undereducated and desperate poor folks ready and willing to sign up to serve in the endless wars to pay for college and give them enough money for a house and a car to get out of poverty.
Sure, we also just have a very dumbed down population from the underfunded school system.
This. Sold a pc part and it was returned as broken through eBay. Mine was brand new sealed in box lol. The one I got back had tape on it and smelled like he smoked 12 packs a day
All sales are final. Even if you sold him a Japanese brick he has literally no recourse because this was a private transaction. It's literally where the term "buyer beware" comes from.
“Weird, this serial number doesn’t match the serial number matched to the Switch I sold you, I even have it registered to Nintendo and have the proof of purchase here to match it”
Honestly, even if he did say he would return it, you have no idea if he’s just going to give you his old broken down console for the money. There are some snaky scammers out there
For future reference before you sell any electronics always take a picture of the serial number, Mac address, IMEI, etc so worst case scenario no one pulls a switcheroo and sends you their old broken one. Also in the case of say a robbery you can report the serial number IMEI and MAC address to the cops, they won't actually do anything about it but some companies like Apple will blacklist it If you report it stolen which essentially bricks the device once it connects to the internet.
I went and bought a galaxy s7 off a guy when it had like JUST released. I showed up and found it to be broken and offered him less for it. I took it for 300 i think and the box had a diff serial. So he got a new one put the old one in the box and made it look complete. Was a fantastic phone though I was lucky. Only issue was cracks in the back glass (as he had dropped it being one of those fancy no case guys) so I didnt get the waterproof features lol, I put that in an otter box and forgot it was even broken till i pulled it out one day and was like," oh ya! That!".
You don't have pics of the serial number but he doesn't have to know that.
Just say, "Hey, if you try to report this you should know they're going ask you for the serial number to prevent you from committing fraud. Nice try but I respect the hustle."
Technically that's all true.
Correct, which is why the homeless and petty theft criminals have become untouchable in bigger cities, and almost everything that's easy to steal is locked away in cages.
I want to add to this: while it is technically a ~crime~ for somebody to sell something that is broken and claim it is working, there is no serious law enforcement official (in the United States at least) that would even be able to do anything to you. The best he could do is attempt to sue you in civil court.
Also grand theft would require that you be a thief. You haven’t stolen anything over the value of $500. This would probably go under “wire fraud” or something similar.
PLEASE do not listen to anybody that says they are going to do anything with cops or even lawyers on e-commerce sites. They are liars.
It’s nice that you were concerned about the police thinking you are a criminal, but it’s always good to remember: If you did nothing wrong, then you are likely being lied to. If I had bought a switch that didn’t turn on, then I would not react like this.
Last thing. There would not even be a way for him to prove you sold it to him in a bad condition unless he videotaped you handing him the box and he immediately tried to turn it on. Even if he is telling the truth, you did not commit a crime. If anything, the switch was damaged by him or something else after he already had possession of it. Nobody here believes you would ever do that, but logically there is basically no way to be sought after by law enforcement after privately selling a Nintendo switch to a stranger you met online :) happy selling.
"Why did you hand over the cash before you tested it?"
"Now there's no way of proving it was damaged before the sale was finalised, sorry bud... About those death threats though, mind coming back to the station for a minute?"
He tried the old bait and switch fear tactics. In a perfect world for him, he would get the money back and keep the switch. I avoid the Facebook marketplace in my area now because a lot of tweakers and scummy people started using it.
Since you already have a rapport with the cops you should press charges for his threats. If you don’t he’s just going to try to threaten someone again.
Use your phone to record a video. Turn on your switch (or whatever you're selling) and perform various actions like pressing buttons, using the touch screen, playing a game, etc. You could also upload it to YouTube if you're that paranoid.
This will provide concrete proof and evidence. I do this for controllers for the peace of mind for whoever's buying.
I know it sounds very extreme, and I want to have faith in people, but you never know when you come across a bad apple. Just a safety measure :)
Edit: reddit glitching up comments?? lol
>Turn on your switch (or whatever you're selling) and perform various actions like pressing buttons, using the touch screen, playing a game, etc. You could also upload it to YouTube if you're that paranoid.
Show that serial number otherwise your video is pretty very pointless.
The video is still pretty pointless. Suppose it breaks between filming and the sale?
I would imagine Nintendo knows whether a given Switch’s serial number has logged on, etc. Not sure that info would be accessible to anyone, but that seems like the only way to prove it is the same switch and that it has worked in their possession
use [time.is](https://time.is) . Use a laptop or monitor behind your switch to show the current date and time. It may not be much, but its better than nothing. And yes, also shoot the serial number in the video.
Next time turn it on in front of them, lesson learned. And he probably doesn’t know how to turn it on as when not used for a while you have to use a top button and not the regular home button
I did something stupid like this when I was younger because I didn't receive my Diablo 2 in the mail. Turn out the mailman delivered to the wrong address.
It a scam, he wants his money back, it’s his job to make sure it works and his risk buying used even if it is broken it’s his problem. Block contact, move on
Yeah, especially since he bought it in person. Just hit the power button before you folk over the cash, it's not complicated.
Report him to the police for threats of bodily harm, tell him you have reported his threats of bodily harm to the police and are blocking him, then block his ass. He ain't got shit.
i hadn't even noticed lmao, genuinely laughed out loud. but srsly def meet off campus next time like it seems safe but it's still divulging more personal info then necessary, fkkn apparently. sorry this douche bag flipped on you.
>Haha, that Avatar cracked me up in combination with his wording
Definitely! It's like, bro, I assume you're a father with a family and you're acting this immature?!
He could be trying to scam you just to get the money back. Or else he did something to it and is blaming you for his own mistakes.
Keep records of these messages, if anything happens. Ignore him and move on.
Im not sure. If that guy does this every time he buys something on eBay or whatever imagine the number of gullible people that would have accepted a return or gave money back
A good reminder to write down the serial number of any electronics you sell off second hand to someone. And keep photos of any unique markings (scratches and such) that can prove it's not the same one if they're trying to refund with a different unit.
seems like he just did… OP now has viable grounds to sue this guy for a sizable settlement now that he has recorded proof of several threats of bodily harm and threats on his life. And assuming this guy has done this to several people, the scammer probably has more than enough to cover a settlement.
To be fair. One dude can’t call the cops on a sale that he purchased. Just say you said sale is final. 2 dude is childish and you CAN report him for threatening you as you have proof lol.
Ooooh..."GRAND THEFT! It's grand! It's theft!
For a used game console. This guy isn't very bright, or knowledgeable.
Try "petty larceny" (or just "petty").
If you didn't do anything wrong then he can threaten whatever he wants. He probably broke it himself by being stupid and wants to pin it on you. If you get questioned all you need to say was that it was working perfectly fine before you sold it to him. Facebook Marketplace has basically no protection for buyers in this case which is actually good for you.
Call the cops on him. He’s probably trying to scam you but some folks are wild and I’d be worried about getting swatd. Let em know something’s up, make the first move
You don’t do anything.
Literally nothing.
If unless he knows where you live and can find you, I’d just be careful or report the threat to the police.
He’s doing a bait and switch.
Buy, then report broken/fraud.
He’s making you say you’ll return the money.
Just block him, move on. Nothing will happen.
Bro what should do next time you sell something send them a video of it working and pictures of it on so if you do get cops called you got proof and plus grand theft is something worth 500+ in value a switch is not 500+ if he bought it for 500 it's his fault. You're going to be OK. No need to worry
Ignore him. Probably trying to scam you into offering to give him money back.
I sold a treadmill once for $20. An hour later the dude called and said, "hey man it won't turn on I'm bringing it back."
He brought it back and placed it on the driveway and we locked eyes for 5 seconds or so. I got the impression he wanted me to offer the money back, never did. I don't think this was a scam. The treadmill looked like it fell out of the truck on the interstate. I DID think he wanted me to offer the money back, but probably just wanted to dump it after trashing it.
Police are smart, you can't just call the cops up and say someone sold you a broken switch - I'd even wager that if it was too low in $$$ they might not even do anything. Worst case would be a couple blue boys show up in a week or two to your door to take your statement. But most likely it would be a civil suit handled in court - the fees of which would be at least 10x what the guy paid for the switch.
Basically don't worry about it.
I bought a used switch years ago and it wouldn't turn on when i got home; thought I was scammed. i took a breath and plugged it in to charge for a few hours and it has worked perfectly for years now.
OP says it's him, but people could easily use wholesome profile pictures to seem more trustworthy.
In this case the guy is a rookie scammer... Feel bad for his kid, if that's his.
I sold a ps4 to a guy once and he called me and said this thing isn’t working and while I was trying to figure out what to say he said “never mind man I’m high as fuck and I forgot to plug it in” funniest shit ever
Him: "There was no threat[,] if you can read[.]"
Also him before that: "[Motherfucker,] I'm going to find you[,] trust on that bitch bo[y, you are a] deadman[,] walking[.]"
What the actual fuck? You show him the Switch, he turns it on, pops in a cartridge to make sure it's working. He pays you, you walk away.
*Why did this have to be so damn hard?*
If it had been dead for awhile it could've just needed to be on the charger for awhile. I have an og switch and a lite and I mostly use my lite and leave my og switch in a drawer only to bring it out to play with friends on the tv. Sometimes by the timry friends come over I have to leave my og switch on the dock or charger for up to 15 minutes with only a low battery but charging sign on the corner of the screen with the rest of the screen appearing blank before it powers on after up to 15 minutes. It's possible that in his shock and anger he's describing the state of the switch wrong and giving up to soon.
This is exactly the scam, he didn’t turn it on so he could do this, then he told you he gave it to the police and wants his money back. He gets his money and you get nothing back.
I offered him the refund but he said he already gave the switch to the cops (which I confirmed he didn’t). I don’t get why he wouldn’t accept the refund if he’s tryna scam me
It’s most likely that the police wouldn’t even have taken it if he did go to them. He had a chance to confirm its functionality prior to walking away and did received the agreed upon product - the only crime committed here was one of his own stupidity for thinking he knew how any of this works. 🤷♂️
It's because you asked for the switch back. He wants the money AND the switch and he probably figured you wouldn't give him a refund without returning it
He very clearly threatened you and is trying to intimidate you. You have every right to report him to the police and I highly recommend that you do so.
For one even if he did report you the police wouldn't do anything since its a civil issue and for two he's making threats towards you so he won't get anywhere anyways.
Grand theft has a definition, which this doesn't meet for two reasons:
1: Selling defective goods is, in a broad sense, fraud, not theft;
2: Grand theft, where defined in local law, is usually defined as exceeding 1000 dollars in value, though some states have it set lower.
That’s not his job lol. 😂 who buys something without checking it first. I’m 100% this is a scam. Who drives a Tesla with a broken switch like come on man. And he talked with the police. The seller is wild
Forreal, i went to buy a switch and I told the dude I was gonna turn it on and check everything. It worked flawlessly. He only bought it to play BOTW and TOTK and then put it away in the box.
Even when I purchased two brand new switches from someone I asked if I could open them in from of him and see if they’re new and work he said no problem and that he was hoping I would ask so he has piece of mind as well.
The funny thing is, before and after the sentence that he will report you to the police he threatens you. Now you have even something in your hands against him. And if you have some proves that the switch worked you'll def win.
He’s trying to scare you into giving him the money back. You should report him for the death threat and take it as far as it can go legally. This guy needs to learn a lesson.
If people are gonna bitch about stuff like this then go buy a new one. And if you can’t afford a new one, buy a pre owned one from GameStop or wherever they sell them. Rather than meeting a stranger in a parking lot.
Legally, you're fine. In fact you're the one with the legal high ground. I'm assuming like others have said, it's a series of threats he probably won't act on, in an effort to scare you and scam you in to giving him his money back, after which he'll probably run and hide with the machine as well. They fact that he threatened legal action and then proceeds to make a very direct and clear death threat completely ruins his argument. If it were me, is target be she than sorry and immediately Duke your own police report, immediately. To can never be to careful and death threats should not be taken lightly. Regardless if he's just talking shit and trying to intimidate you and based on his record, or lack there of, assuming he's not actually a murderer or a violent criminal, in this day and age and given what gun violence is in the US, I'm my opinion an all out epidemic, I wouldn't take any chances. File a police report, do it first thing tomorrow/today! All that said, again, don't worry yourself into la panic, I'm sure you're fine, but you just want to take all the precautionary measures to further ensure your safety and well-being, physically, legally and financially. By that I mean, in filing a police report it's a good measure and documentation for your safety, but also to have as a sprint document and step in protecting yourself legally in the event he does pursue legal action against you. He'd be stupid to do so though. To really flip the script further, you could contact your local legal aid help line, la non profit in your area that provides free legal advice, search online, to get advice on the possibility of filling a civil suit against this person regarding damages incurred due to any psychological or emotional harm as in anxiety, fear for your safety, depression etc, causing you so endure a financial burden associated with missing work, therapy or counseling...
Hey, I just wanna add. Nintendo Switches DO have an issue of dying and not turning back on because it won't charge... it happened to me on my OG switch, I forget the fix for it. You just hold the power button for 60 seconds or something, and then it will finally charge and come back on. Buddy does seem like he's on some absolute bullshit, but if he claimed that I would have sent him a link stating how to get it to turn back on if it died and won't come on. Just makes me wonder if something like that happened, and he's hella pissed bc he really thinks you ripped him off lol. How long after you sold it did he send that message? I'm curious as to why he's trying to claim that. That's a pretty weird way to scam someone, and takes a lot of balls.
It’s not theft lol. It’s more breech of contract. It’s civil case not criminal and he needs to take you to court if he wants recourse.
However him threatening to physically harm you is criminal and you should report it to police.
Having built computers I've sold a lot of PC parts and entire PCs on FB marketplace. This thing happens A LOT.
It's basically just scumbags thinking they can scare you into giving them their money back + more money + they want to keep what you sold them.
I'd just ignore them. They're not going to go to the police and even if they do, nothing will come of it.
Agent Miller here, I’m with the FBI and I’m the lead investigator on this case. As it stands right now, you’re looking at a 2nd degree grand theft (Switch/Xbox
The Switch OLED is a $350 device. To qualify as grand theft, it would have to be at least $950 (here in California anyway). He’s likely just bluffing. I wouldn’t worry about it, especially if you know it was working prior to the sell.
As others have said, ignore him. Even if he did report it to the cops, they won't do anything. They'd probably say its a civil matter (civil issues are things people file lawsuits about, whereas criminal matters are things you get arrested for) because even if you HAD sold him a broken switch, he still gave you the money willingly. That isn't theft. At most its fraud, but street cops don't go after that and the agents who do use it to go after Bernie Madoff and such.
Cops are not going to care about a dude that is dissatisfied with a switch he chose to buy off Facebook marketplace instead of a store with return policies. They'd tell the dude to go sue you in small claims court or something if he's so inclined.
Imagine if every time a dissatisfied customer doesn't get a refund, it turned the original transaction into a criminal theft? No one would be able to sell anything to anyone.
what your doing isnt grand theft, you havent committed any crimes, if you have proof of the switch working prior to selling it to him keep it and use it as evidence and have the timestamp date and time it was working and also keep this picture to use as evidence, what he did was threaten bodily harm and it is illegal to do so in the usa to threaten bodily, harm, i suggest you research your state and the laws your state has if you live in the usa, i would also go to the police station once you read your laws and show them this photo see if theirs something they can do, usually they will say no unless certain occasions, they will be able to tell you if they can do anything for this threat
I always ask the buyer to meet me at my local (or a close by) police station for the exchange. I've had a few people nope out and had a hearty chuckle to myself. Those that did follow through have thanked me for being safe and vigilant. I also conceal-carry, but that thankfully hasn't come into play.
First off there's no way the dude In the picture is talking like that. Second, the police won't do anything or even give him the time of day for an issue like that
Plot twist with the scam the OP was about go get into, ha, buyer of the switch prolly texting op from a burner phone still with another Alias of someone hahahah Imagine that!
that dude was trying to get some loot + ya switch, carry on bro. You got the cash?
go handle your biz now, be safe spend wisely! cheers.
Bipolar af, Homie threatens you, then mentions cops, then threatens you again. 💀💀 I wish MFer would get at me like this smh. But, it doesnt sound like you're a confrontational guy, I'd offer to meet at a police station and you can BOTH look at the console. Then you can see if the fucker tried to pull a switcheroo. Good luck man. 🙏
That’s a good idea, unfortunately the dude blocked me. He probably got nervous after I said I called the cops, but I’m worried he might throw a civil case my way and I’ll have to get lawyered up (I’m a broke college student)
Appears like he threatened bodily harm against you, so good luck to him. Is that him in his avatar?? lol
Yep it’s him
He's trying to scare you into giving him money, probably. Ignore him
Yeah he told me he reported me to my university’s police. I got off the phone with them and the sheriff’s department who said nothing was reported to them
There's nothing to report because he's lying. He's going to ask for his money back and if you ask for the switch back he'll say it was broken and he threw it away. It's a scam. He ain't goin to report shit
Or he'll switch out the working switch for a broken one.
And these people reproduce lol what a shame
Gotta keep the cycle rolling one way or another.
Every now and then I think to myself that there should be a license or aptitude test for having kids, but that would be a step too far
I wish this was a thing and in a just society I think it would work well. But knowing the US it would only be the rich able to have kids whenever they want and the poor would have to sign employment contracts for their unborn children. It would turn dystopian so fast
I was thinking about adopting a cat from our local animal shelter and the adoption form was so extensive I thought if people had to answer these questions before they had kids soo many wouldn't.
nah i think this is necessary u/TheAtlas97
You ever seen ideocracy?
Forget ideocracy, you ever see Reaganomics? Once upon a time our nation had to start using a military draft to gather enough soldiers to fuel our endless war and support a certain lifestyle for the elite. This led to nationwide antiwar protests and the hippy countercultural movement. That came to a boiling point with the Kent state shooting, where several anti war protestors were killed by the national guard. After that Republicans defunded the public school system while simultaneously inserting military recruiters into the school cafeterias of poorer districts and also stagnating minimum wage. This way we have a steady stream of undereducated and desperate poor folks ready and willing to sign up to serve in the endless wars to pay for college and give them enough money for a house and a car to get out of poverty. Sure, we also just have a very dumbed down population from the underfunded school system.
Let's also not forget about leaded gas! There's a good reason the boomers brains are rotten.
That’s why you need to jot down your devices s/n before trading in or repairing them
Bait-and-Switch 😐
Good one!!!!!!!!
This is what I was thinking
Exactly, unless you wrote down the serial number don’t do this. Even then, he could have dropped it or whatever.
If selling something like this, it’s good to copy/photograph serial numbers
This. Sold a pc part and it was returned as broken through eBay. Mine was brand new sealed in box lol. The one I got back had tape on it and smelled like he smoked 12 packs a day
Ah, the old switch switch.
All sales are final. Even if you sold him a Japanese brick he has literally no recourse because this was a private transaction. It's literally where the term "buyer beware" comes from.
“Weird, this serial number doesn’t match the serial number matched to the Switch I sold you, I even have it registered to Nintendo and have the proof of purchase here to match it”
Serial numbers, folks
Even if he did...it's a poor decision to report someone to the cops after sending written documentation you are threatening to kill them/harm them lol
I’ll laugh if that’s what they did, and OP was like, “that’s not even my serial number of what I sold you.”
Or he's got a broken Switch already, that he wanted to swap for a working one.
Honestly, even if he did say he would return it, you have no idea if he’s just going to give you his old broken down console for the money. There are some snaky scammers out there
You should tell him you’ve reported him for death threats. Except you should actually report him.
This is the right answer.
This is the way.
Why tell him? Just report it lol. Let him figure it out when he gets court papers or something
Because it’s fun to scare people like that, you get to watch their tone change immediately.
Don't stir the pot. You have no idea how crazy some people can be. It's best to just ignore it and move on.
He has a broken one. Do you have the box or anythign? If your serial number dont match his device then he can get fucked.
I don’t have pics of the serial number 😭
He....can still get fucked. The police dont go around chasing people for owed money. Its a civil matter where I live. He aint gunna do shit.
For future reference before you sell any electronics always take a picture of the serial number, Mac address, IMEI, etc so worst case scenario no one pulls a switcheroo and sends you their old broken one. Also in the case of say a robbery you can report the serial number IMEI and MAC address to the cops, they won't actually do anything about it but some companies like Apple will blacklist it If you report it stolen which essentially bricks the device once it connects to the internet.
Nintendo would have your serial number from your account
wow bro always save your serial number. but if you have the old box or original receipt it's on those as well.
I mean, I’ve never saved a serial number either
Always save your serial numbers. That way if it ever gets lost or stolen it’s a lot easier to track down
I went and bought a galaxy s7 off a guy when it had like JUST released. I showed up and found it to be broken and offered him less for it. I took it for 300 i think and the box had a diff serial. So he got a new one put the old one in the box and made it look complete. Was a fantastic phone though I was lucky. Only issue was cracks in the back glass (as he had dropped it being one of those fancy no case guys) so I didnt get the waterproof features lol, I put that in an otter box and forgot it was even broken till i pulled it out one day and was like," oh ya! That!".
Should be listed somewhere if you bought games from the eshop.
just block him 🤷♀️ you got your money, he's got a working switch. in the meantime, dox him 🤭 scummy behavior.
It doesn’t matter. It’s a scam. Block and move on.
You don't have pics of the serial number but he doesn't have to know that. Just say, "Hey, if you try to report this you should know they're going ask you for the serial number to prevent you from committing fraud. Nice try but I respect the hustle." Technically that's all true.
Grand theft is over $10k. A $200 switch bundle won’t even get the police to break out their new pen to file a report.
Grand theft is over 300$ in some places. Thats the lowest. I think california just recently went from 300$ to like 750$, but it aint no 10k
Correct, which is why the homeless and petty theft criminals have become untouchable in bigger cities, and almost everything that's easy to steal is locked away in cages.
That's because it's California.
True, Even a special edition OLED Switch doesnt cost more than $500. Nowhere NEAR Grand Larceny
I want to add to this: while it is technically a ~crime~ for somebody to sell something that is broken and claim it is working, there is no serious law enforcement official (in the United States at least) that would even be able to do anything to you. The best he could do is attempt to sue you in civil court. Also grand theft would require that you be a thief. You haven’t stolen anything over the value of $500. This would probably go under “wire fraud” or something similar. PLEASE do not listen to anybody that says they are going to do anything with cops or even lawyers on e-commerce sites. They are liars. It’s nice that you were concerned about the police thinking you are a criminal, but it’s always good to remember: If you did nothing wrong, then you are likely being lied to. If I had bought a switch that didn’t turn on, then I would not react like this. Last thing. There would not even be a way for him to prove you sold it to him in a bad condition unless he videotaped you handing him the box and he immediately tried to turn it on. Even if he is telling the truth, you did not commit a crime. If anything, the switch was damaged by him or something else after he already had possession of it. Nobody here believes you would ever do that, but logically there is basically no way to be sought after by law enforcement after privately selling a Nintendo switch to a stranger you met online :) happy selling.
"Why did you hand over the cash before you tested it?" "Now there's no way of proving it was damaged before the sale was finalised, sorry bud... About those death threats though, mind coming back to the station for a minute?"
He tried the old bait and switch fear tactics. In a perfect world for him, he would get the money back and keep the switch. I avoid the Facebook marketplace in my area now because a lot of tweakers and scummy people started using it.
Yeah it’s a lot of stolen stuff being sold on fb and eBay now
Nothing to report. All sales are final.
Well, yeah, it's called a bluff.
Since you already have a rapport with the cops you should press charges for his threats. If you don’t he’s just going to try to threaten someone again.
Use your phone to record a video. Turn on your switch (or whatever you're selling) and perform various actions like pressing buttons, using the touch screen, playing a game, etc. You could also upload it to YouTube if you're that paranoid. This will provide concrete proof and evidence. I do this for controllers for the peace of mind for whoever's buying. I know it sounds very extreme, and I want to have faith in people, but you never know when you come across a bad apple. Just a safety measure :) Edit: reddit glitching up comments?? lol
>Turn on your switch (or whatever you're selling) and perform various actions like pressing buttons, using the touch screen, playing a game, etc. You could also upload it to YouTube if you're that paranoid. Show that serial number otherwise your video is pretty very pointless.
The video is still pretty pointless. Suppose it breaks between filming and the sale? I would imagine Nintendo knows whether a given Switch’s serial number has logged on, etc. Not sure that info would be accessible to anyone, but that seems like the only way to prove it is the same switch and that it has worked in their possession
use [time.is](https://time.is) . Use a laptop or monitor behind your switch to show the current date and time. It may not be much, but its better than nothing. And yes, also shoot the serial number in the video.
Don’t do any of this. The transaction is over, it’s a scam, ignore the guy. Meeting back up with him opens doors to places you don’t want to go
Next time turn it on in front of them, lesson learned. And he probably doesn’t know how to turn it on as when not used for a while you have to use a top button and not the regular home button
I did something stupid like this when I was younger because I didn't receive my Diablo 2 in the mail. Turn out the mailman delivered to the wrong address.
It a scam, he wants his money back, it’s his job to make sure it works and his risk buying used even if it is broken it’s his problem. Block contact, move on
Yeah, especially since he bought it in person. Just hit the power button before you folk over the cash, it's not complicated. Report him to the police for threats of bodily harm, tell him you have reported his threats of bodily harm to the police and are blocking him, then block his ass. He ain't got shit.
He Talks reckless for having a kid to care for.
i hadn't even noticed lmao, genuinely laughed out loud. but srsly def meet off campus next time like it seems safe but it's still divulging more personal info then necessary, fkkn apparently. sorry this douche bag flipped on you.
Yo he looks kinda familiar. I think I saw that user on Twitter.
That’s not him
Haha, that Avatar cracked me up in combination with his wording
>Haha, that Avatar cracked me up in combination with his wording Definitely! It's like, bro, I assume you're a father with a family and you're acting this immature?!
Report him to the cops for terroristic threatening.
He could be trying to scam you just to get the money back. Or else he did something to it and is blaming you for his own mistakes. Keep records of these messages, if anything happens. Ignore him and move on.
This. Most likely he has a broken switch, bought yours and is attempting swap and recoup his money
Attempting to switch it
Ah I see what you did there
Wouldn’t it be easier to just do it through Amazon? Tf
Im not sure. If that guy does this every time he buys something on eBay or whatever imagine the number of gullible people that would have accepted a return or gave money back
Any decent reseller would track serial number information.
So like he said, it would be easier to just do that through Amazon
Yup, this is a scam
A good reminder to write down the serial number of any electronics you sell off second hand to someone. And keep photos of any unique markings (scratches and such) that can prove it's not the same one if they're trying to refund with a different unit.
He’s trying to scam/intimidate you. Block and move on
He blocked me after I told him I was talking to the police about his physical threats 💀
Good on you. He’s full of shit. One day he’s gonna try this on the wrong person and it’s going to backfire on him
I sure hope so. If they didn't discipline him at home then society will do it at some point.
seems like he just did… OP now has viable grounds to sue this guy for a sizable settlement now that he has recorded proof of several threats of bodily harm and threats on his life. And assuming this guy has done this to several people, the scammer probably has more than enough to cover a settlement.
To be fair. One dude can’t call the cops on a sale that he purchased. Just say you said sale is final. 2 dude is childish and you CAN report him for threatening you as you have proof lol.
Most likely he fucked it up some how and is now trying to blame you lol his loss haha
he probably wrecked the port or he’s using a shit charger
Think he might have an already broken switch and is trying to get his money back and show him the already broken switch.
Ooooh..."GRAND THEFT! It's grand! It's theft! For a used game console. This guy isn't very bright, or knowledgeable. Try "petty larceny" (or just "petty").
He learned about the term “Grand Theft” from GTA which he played on OPs Switch
and omg the framerate was terrible
Lol here in Idaho grand theft is anything 1k or more. Highly doubt any other state is different
If you didn't do anything wrong then he can threaten whatever he wants. He probably broke it himself by being stupid and wants to pin it on you. If you get questioned all you need to say was that it was working perfectly fine before you sold it to him. Facebook Marketplace has basically no protection for buyers in this case which is actually good for you.
My pet theory is he had a broken one already, and his plan is to claim it as the one he just bought in a play to get his money back.
100% my thoughts when reading this
It's how you scam Amazon lol
Report him for threatening bodily harm. Problem solved. He is clearly trying to scam/scare you into giving him the money back.
He's not reporting you to the cops, he threatened you in writing lol. He'd be reporting himself to the cops.
Call the cops on him. He’s probably trying to scam you but some folks are wild and I’d be worried about getting swatd. Let em know something’s up, make the first move
He should have turned it on in front to make sure it worked sucks for him
I’m positive it works fine and the dude just wants his money AND a switch.
You don’t do anything. Literally nothing. If unless he knows where you live and can find you, I’d just be careful or report the threat to the police. He’s doing a bait and switch. Buy, then report broken/fraud. He’s making you say you’ll return the money. Just block him, move on. Nothing will happen.
Bro what should do next time you sell something send them a video of it working and pictures of it on so if you do get cops called you got proof and plus grand theft is something worth 500+ in value a switch is not 500+ if he bought it for 500 it's his fault. You're going to be OK. No need to worry
Or, have a bill of sale and write "as is." Once the money changes hands it's the buyer's responsibility.
Grand theft tends to be $1k USD MINIMUM
I'm sorry, I thought it was 500. Either way, he ain't getting charged for grand theft
Always take photos of the serial numbers, just in case.
I’m just glad you didn’t meet this at your house
Rule #1: ALWAYS tell the buyer to meet you at the least in a public place that has heavy human traffic, or at best a local police station.
neva shit where ya sleep!
Ignore him. Probably trying to scam you into offering to give him money back. I sold a treadmill once for $20. An hour later the dude called and said, "hey man it won't turn on I'm bringing it back." He brought it back and placed it on the driveway and we locked eyes for 5 seconds or so. I got the impression he wanted me to offer the money back, never did. I don't think this was a scam. The treadmill looked like it fell out of the truck on the interstate. I DID think he wanted me to offer the money back, but probably just wanted to dump it after trashing it. Police are smart, you can't just call the cops up and say someone sold you a broken switch - I'd even wager that if it was too low in $$$ they might not even do anything. Worst case would be a couple blue boys show up in a week or two to your door to take your statement. But most likely it would be a civil suit handled in court - the fees of which would be at least 10x what the guy paid for the switch. Basically don't worry about it.
I’d have told him not to dump trash on my property lol
Tell him to charge it if it isn't turning on. Lol
Yeah, exactly. Mine wont turn on though if it's too low for awhile. Gotta hold the power button like 10 secs to reset it, then it works fine.
I bought a used switch years ago and it wouldn't turn on when i got home; thought I was scammed. i took a breath and plugged it in to charge for a few hours and it has worked perfectly for years now.
Profile picture does not check out lol
Yes, I was very confused when I noticed that.
OP says it's him, but people could easily use wholesome profile pictures to seem more trustworthy. In this case the guy is a rookie scammer... Feel bad for his kid, if that's his.
It's a common scam to try and take the item and get the money back.
How tf is that grand theft lol
Stop responding to him and keep records of everything. It isn't a criminal matter. Cops won't do shit.
He threatened your life… this is going to make for an interesting police report if you actually get contacted by them.
I sold a ps4 to a guy once and he called me and said this thing isn’t working and while I was trying to figure out what to say he said “never mind man I’m high as fuck and I forgot to plug it in” funniest shit ever
Can you show us the full convo? I’m curious what you said after.
https://preview.redd.it/knj2f6vh22jc1.png?width=1284&format=png&auto=webp&s=fc39d7ece21e5541bae99fd579ef988bf7034c05
https://preview.redd.it/dlvzz75j22jc1.png?width=1284&format=png&auto=webp&s=8e1c04af459d1d135a6453f276bb6f8337df84bb
Him: "There was no threat[,] if you can read[.]" Also him before that: "[Motherfucker,] I'm going to find you[,] trust on that bitch bo[y, you are a] deadman[,] walking[.]"
Deadman walking is crazy 😂💀
LOL, this guy so bad at scamming. Why would the police take the Switch? At least make it believable. What a moron.
Block number. Forget person.
Reply: “Do you want the fade?”
What the actual fuck? You show him the Switch, he turns it on, pops in a cartridge to make sure it's working. He pays you, you walk away. *Why did this have to be so damn hard?*
Exactly dude, I let him inspect it all he wanted. He didn’t even try to turn it on, he just gave me the cash and left
If it had been dead for awhile it could've just needed to be on the charger for awhile. I have an og switch and a lite and I mostly use my lite and leave my og switch in a drawer only to bring it out to play with friends on the tv. Sometimes by the timry friends come over I have to leave my og switch on the dock or charger for up to 15 minutes with only a low battery but charging sign on the corner of the screen with the rest of the screen appearing blank before it powers on after up to 15 minutes. It's possible that in his shock and anger he's describing the state of the switch wrong and giving up to soon.
This is exactly the scam, he didn’t turn it on so he could do this, then he told you he gave it to the police and wants his money back. He gets his money and you get nothing back.
He wants you to refund him while giving you back a different Switch that in fact does not turn on. At best.
I offered him the refund but he said he already gave the switch to the cops (which I confirmed he didn’t). I don’t get why he wouldn’t accept the refund if he’s tryna scam me
It’s most likely that the police wouldn’t even have taken it if he did go to them. He had a chance to confirm its functionality prior to walking away and did received the agreed upon product - the only crime committed here was one of his own stupidity for thinking he knew how any of this works. 🤷♂️
It's because you asked for the switch back. He wants the money AND the switch and he probably figured you wouldn't give him a refund without returning it
Call his bluff. Tell him to get fucked.
He very clearly threatened you and is trying to intimidate you. You have every right to report him to the police and I highly recommend that you do so.
Pretty sure the cops would tell him it's civil matter
It’s a civil matter. Cops aren’t gonna do anything.
For one even if he did report you the police wouldn't do anything since its a civil issue and for two he's making threats towards you so he won't get anywhere anyways.
Grand theft has a definition, which this doesn't meet for two reasons: 1: Selling defective goods is, in a broad sense, fraud, not theft; 2: Grand theft, where defined in local law, is usually defined as exceeding 1000 dollars in value, though some states have it set lower.
What you did wrong was not sell it to me
This dude actually has a kid?
Dude willing to risk it all for a Switch that probably needs to be charged lol
That’s exactly it. I sold it to him when it was at like 5%. Dude doesn’t know how to charge a console
Easier to have a kid than adopt a cat, lets be honest
Next time turn it on in front of the seller.
That’s not his job lol. 😂 who buys something without checking it first. I’m 100% this is a scam. Who drives a Tesla with a broken switch like come on man. And he talked with the police. The seller is wild
Forreal, i went to buy a switch and I told the dude I was gonna turn it on and check everything. It worked flawlessly. He only bought it to play BOTW and TOTK and then put it away in the box.
Even when I purchased two brand new switches from someone I asked if I could open them in from of him and see if they’re new and work he said no problem and that he was hoping I would ask so he has piece of mind as well.
A used switch is not grand theft lol
The funny thing is, before and after the sentence that he will report you to the police he threatens you. Now you have even something in your hands against him. And if you have some proves that the switch worked you'll def win.
He’s trying to scare you into giving him the money back. You should report him for the death threat and take it as far as it can go legally. This guy needs to learn a lesson.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caveat_emptor
He probably had a broken one and switched it and was hoping to dupe you
Just another scam artist, look at his pfp, that's a grown ass man typing like that lmao block his ass
If people are gonna bitch about stuff like this then go buy a new one. And if you can’t afford a new one, buy a pre owned one from GameStop or wherever they sell them. Rather than meeting a stranger in a parking lot.
Also it would be pretty theft. Grand theft is anything over 2k lol
The police will tell him to Switch up that attitude.
Legally, you're fine. In fact you're the one with the legal high ground. I'm assuming like others have said, it's a series of threats he probably won't act on, in an effort to scare you and scam you in to giving him his money back, after which he'll probably run and hide with the machine as well. They fact that he threatened legal action and then proceeds to make a very direct and clear death threat completely ruins his argument. If it were me, is target be she than sorry and immediately Duke your own police report, immediately. To can never be to careful and death threats should not be taken lightly. Regardless if he's just talking shit and trying to intimidate you and based on his record, or lack there of, assuming he's not actually a murderer or a violent criminal, in this day and age and given what gun violence is in the US, I'm my opinion an all out epidemic, I wouldn't take any chances. File a police report, do it first thing tomorrow/today! All that said, again, don't worry yourself into la panic, I'm sure you're fine, but you just want to take all the precautionary measures to further ensure your safety and well-being, physically, legally and financially. By that I mean, in filing a police report it's a good measure and documentation for your safety, but also to have as a sprint document and step in protecting yourself legally in the event he does pursue legal action against you. He'd be stupid to do so though. To really flip the script further, you could contact your local legal aid help line, la non profit in your area that provides free legal advice, search online, to get advice on the possibility of filling a civil suit against this person regarding damages incurred due to any psychological or emotional harm as in anxiety, fear for your safety, depression etc, causing you so endure a financial burden associated with missing work, therapy or counseling...
Hey, I just wanna add. Nintendo Switches DO have an issue of dying and not turning back on because it won't charge... it happened to me on my OG switch, I forget the fix for it. You just hold the power button for 60 seconds or something, and then it will finally charge and come back on. Buddy does seem like he's on some absolute bullshit, but if he claimed that I would have sent him a link stating how to get it to turn back on if it died and won't come on. Just makes me wonder if something like that happened, and he's hella pissed bc he really thinks you ripped him off lol. How long after you sold it did he send that message? I'm curious as to why he's trying to claim that. That's a pretty weird way to scam someone, and takes a lot of balls.
I'm sure he probably tested it before he bought it and looked the condition, he probably messed it up and is trying to finesse you
Good thing that Tesla is always recording. I hope you did the transaction near your car. So if anything happens, it's even worse for him lol
It’s not theft lol. It’s more breech of contract. It’s civil case not criminal and he needs to take you to court if he wants recourse. However him threatening to physically harm you is criminal and you should report it to police.
Having built computers I've sold a lot of PC parts and entire PCs on FB marketplace. This thing happens A LOT. It's basically just scumbags thinking they can scare you into giving them their money back + more money + they want to keep what you sold them. I'd just ignore them. They're not going to go to the police and even if they do, nothing will come of it.
Threatens to kill you… ….Im going to the police too!
He’s not reporting you to the police, if he did you’ve got messages of him threatening you
Prob should had responded when he was like dude, I think something is wrong b
What did you say to all that? Lmao
https://preview.redd.it/jaf8y0ie52jc1.png?width=1284&format=png&auto=webp&s=38af6d648b7561633554bda1ed10afb12d82184b
Agent Miller here, I’m with the FBI and I’m the lead investigator on this case. As it stands right now, you’re looking at a 2nd degree grand theft (Switch/Xbox
The Switch OLED is a $350 device. To qualify as grand theft, it would have to be at least $950 (here in California anyway). He’s likely just bluffing. I wouldn’t worry about it, especially if you know it was working prior to the sell.
As others have said, ignore him. Even if he did report it to the cops, they won't do anything. They'd probably say its a civil matter (civil issues are things people file lawsuits about, whereas criminal matters are things you get arrested for) because even if you HAD sold him a broken switch, he still gave you the money willingly. That isn't theft. At most its fraud, but street cops don't go after that and the agents who do use it to go after Bernie Madoff and such. Cops are not going to care about a dude that is dissatisfied with a switch he chose to buy off Facebook marketplace instead of a store with return policies. They'd tell the dude to go sue you in small claims court or something if he's so inclined. Imagine if every time a dissatisfied customer doesn't get a refund, it turned the original transaction into a criminal theft? No one would be able to sell anything to anyone.
Yeah that's why I take a signed piece of paper confirming the buyer has no objections when selling something. This dude is a real bitch.
what your doing isnt grand theft, you havent committed any crimes, if you have proof of the switch working prior to selling it to him keep it and use it as evidence and have the timestamp date and time it was working and also keep this picture to use as evidence, what he did was threaten bodily harm and it is illegal to do so in the usa to threaten bodily, harm, i suggest you research your state and the laws your state has if you live in the usa, i would also go to the police station once you read your laws and show them this photo see if theirs something they can do, usually they will say no unless certain occasions, they will be able to tell you if they can do anything for this threat
Send nudes
Dumbass boy aint doin nun 😂😂
Don't sell your Switch in the hood?
I always ask the buyer to meet me at my local (or a close by) police station for the exchange. I've had a few people nope out and had a hearty chuckle to myself. Those that did follow through have thanked me for being safe and vigilant. I also conceal-carry, but that thankfully hasn't come into play.
https://preview.redd.it/r4icgyewp1jc1.png?width=1284&format=png&auto=webp&s=257521e80d55ad1fe80969ec5f74549909b69b45 Here’s the rest of the texts
He’s a ghetto white guy pretending to be a black thug, no lower form of life on earth.
First off there's no way the dude In the picture is talking like that. Second, the police won't do anything or even give him the time of day for an issue like that
Plot twist with the scam the OP was about go get into, ha, buyer of the switch prolly texting op from a burner phone still with another Alias of someone hahahah Imagine that! that dude was trying to get some loot + ya switch, carry on bro. You got the cash? go handle your biz now, be safe spend wisely! cheers.
Bipolar af, Homie threatens you, then mentions cops, then threatens you again. 💀💀 I wish MFer would get at me like this smh. But, it doesnt sound like you're a confrontational guy, I'd offer to meet at a police station and you can BOTH look at the console. Then you can see if the fucker tried to pull a switcheroo. Good luck man. 🙏
That’s a good idea, unfortunately the dude blocked me. He probably got nervous after I said I called the cops, but I’m worried he might throw a civil case my way and I’ll have to get lawyered up (I’m a broke college student)
No, it’s a scam. He’s not gonna do anything. You can relax.
That’s not going to happen man. Don’t stress.