Collect them all?
This loophole isn’t anything new, by the way. In fact, many mass-produced items like toys, games and electronics are often marked with a “collectible” label as an extra way for a shady third-party seller to squeeze some extra dollars out of hapless buyers. And the worst part: They can easily get away with it as long as the box is perfect and unopened. On the other hand, while a slim argument can be made for games, toys and electronics (which tend to have short shelf lives, and could be collectible at some point in the future), it’s inexcusable to apply it to consumer goods that people are depending on during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How can I spot these fake collectible listings and report them?
You won’t always see the “collectible” pricing when you first open a listing, but viewing all sellers and prices will show you which accounts are making trouble. To do this, go to a listing and locate the button labeled See All Buying Options. Clicking this will list all available prices and sellers. If you want to avoid the fraudulent listings, simply scroll down until you find something more reasonable. And now that you know what to look for, make sure to share this story with friends so they’re aware as well. Just like with phishing attacks, this trick won’t work if nobody’s falling for it. Tap or click to see why there are so many phishing scams these days.
