Now you have to do math on ebay

Just wow...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COIN-GRAB-BAGS-cents-nickels-dimes-quarters-halves-/280751769242?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item415e1c069a


I kid you not, this is part of the description:

"It works like this. Every day, the Massachusetts lottery picks two 4-digit numbers. You can view them on the Mass lottery website. On the second day after we receive your payment (for checks, 2 days after it clears, otherwise date of Papal payment notification), we multiply the two lottery numbers for that day, and the last four digits of the Ebay item number together. We take that result, drop off the last 2 digits, then take the last 4 numbers, which determines your grab bag's value on the chart below. Let's say for example, that you pay us for your bag on May 1st. We would then take the two lottery numbers on May 3rd. Let's say they are 0567 and 8901. The last four digits of your item number are 1234. Multiply the three numbers together, giving us 6227833878. We then drop the 78, which are the last 2 digits. The next 4 digits are 8338, which on the chart below means your bag would be worth at least $24. Every bag will be worth from at least $20, to over $1000. Shipping is only $3, so you can't lose."

 

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Like those number brain teazers, I'd be willing to bet no matter what the numbers always fall withing the $20-25 range. It's slight of hand using a jumbled mass of numbers to confuse people.
Guy

 

Cole, that is exactly what i was thinking. I remember when i was a kid there was a trick like that. You could have someone pick a number, add or do something, divide by this or that, then you could always guess the number. Wow, I'm rambling, but we are on the same page.

 

Yep - one SGS at 70 prices you can get to $1000 quickly. No matter what they come out ahead.

 

I want one just to see what I get

 

So...........if I get the numbers between 0-9934, the bag will be worth less than $30, and if I get the highest 65 numbers out of 10000 numbers, I will win more than $30

Not a good chance of winning

 

Isn't this more like a game of chance or a raffle than a grab bag?

 

Actually, what he is describing will absolutely produce totally random numbers. However, if you look at his value chart, you only have a 1/25 chance of getting over $30 and a 1/100 of getting over $100. That is where the lousy odds come in (as well as the SGS thing).

 

I reported it as a chance listing. Now we'll see what happens.

 

99% chance the "retail" value is $28 or less, 99.9% it is $50 or less. Most dealers would LOVE to sell $30 "retail" value for $15. Just another scam playing on the wide variations of what "retail" means.

 

Not saying you have to, but anyone who wants to report these as chance listings can do so easily by clicking the report button, then
"Listing practices", "Other listing practices" and "Chance listings".

Ebay has these not allowed rules:
Examples of listings that are not allowed:

• A listing with the title, "Mystery cash $$all cash$$ only 20 envelopes."
  
• “I am offering you the chance to win a brand new, in box, Xbox 360."
  
• A listing with the title, "Raffle Tickets for a $300 GAS CARD… Only $1 a chance."
  
• A listing item description that states, "Pay $50 and send us your best essay or composition to enter into our local newspaper's writing contest."
  
• An item description that states "All bidders will be entered into a random drawing for an apple ipod nano!"
  
• Mystery items (envelopes, boxes, etc). This includes listings where the seller doesn't specifically identify the contents, number, quality, or condition of the items for sale.
  
• Listings that promote giveaways, lotteries, sweepstakes, random drawings, raffles, contests, or prizes.
  

My note ..... Seems this is a mystery item that also "promotes" lotteries in that the lottery drawn numbers are used to determine the prize. He states his photo is not what you will get.

 

Note that this seller has created new accounts (with zero feedback) ONLY for the grab bags. He knows eBay will pull his auctions eventually, but figures this is a good way to get a bunch of bids on worthless junk. He's cleanin' out inventory that's been taking up space. Chances of hitting that $1000 bag are exactly 1 in 10,000; and as others have stated it runs 99% in his favor for bags $28 or less.

 

"This isn't my first eBay account."

That is a HUGE red flag.
I have had only one account since 2000, and there is no need for more than one if you are doing ethical things.

 

Agreed...

 

his real eBay account

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COIN-GRAB-B...769242&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=3485452091596123830

 

I was told that you should have one account for buying and one for selling

 

Just grab your ankles and get it over with. I only bid on sure things, this is a joke of a deal.