There is an internet scammer out there purporting to sell a Rudall Carte 8 Key Flute (#7049). Firstly advertised on Gumtree in December and currently on Craigslist. Once you show an interest you will be emailed a set of photos - these are copies of Octavian440’s original ebay sale from 2007.
I was nearly taken in and only as a result of searching Chiff and Fipple archives, Google and speaking with Hammy Hamilton were my suspicions confirmed.
The vendor claims to be the mother of a 3 month old child and lives in a Wesleyan Manse on the Shetland Isles !!!
Aha! This one again, in a new place! It appeared on eBay too in the past (as a “Shetland based” spoof) - initially flummoxed me (I actually “won” it!!!), but like you and also with Hammy’s help, I spotted its nature and reported it. It was also me who reported the Gumtree appearance and had it removed when a friend spotted it and asked me about it.
Well spotted!
EDIT: I have now flagged the item as “prohibited” on Craig’s List and contacted them to report it.
Could you please explain what is the problem with the ad? I can only assume that the previous winner of Octavian440’s auction still owns it and has verified that they are not offering it for sale themselves after a few years’ ownership, and re-using photos. A search of the forum and Google didn’t result in an answer for me.
kkrel you are absolutely correct. The vendor was advertising for sale a flute that was not in their possession. They were using a description and photos copied from the original ebay sale in 2007. If it had not been for the serial number which allowed me to trace the instrument’s previous history, particularly the discussions here on Chiff and Fipple, I could well have been conned.
As soon as I proposed collection in person, albeit in the Shetland Isles, all emails have ceased.
Kevin, if you require any further convincing, pm me an e-address and I will copy you my back-documentation on this flute. I had a similar experience to the OP’s - and BTW Shetland is a dang awkward and expensive place to get to! The re-use of the identical wording and pics from the genuine original sale and the same under value fixed offer price in the Gumtreeand CL listings should be sufficiently suspicion-raising in themselves, and then we have Hammy’s account. If there were a genuine new sale, it seems highly improbable that such a vendor would not use new pictures of the flute after cleaning and overhaul, and quite incredible that they would offer it at a price that represents a substantial loss on the known genuine sale (pre-restoration to boot)! Cheers.
Since the Craigslist and Gumtree postings are gone (and not cached), can you please provide a link to the previous discussions on C&F?
Using previous descriptions and photos is not always enough of a red flag, which is why I wondered what the significant details were in this instance. Did you contact Octavian440’s buyer? I guess so, otherwise how were able to discover it’s a scam? If you look at the history of FS (For Sale) listings on C&F, some of those instruments have moved back and forth between multiple purchasers numerous times, looking for their one true home. And descriptions and photos have been re-used (sometimes re-posted or commented on by the previous owners). I’ve also been seeing some bargain basement pricing on flutes, with folks needing money quickly in a difficult economy.
I’m not trying to be dense here, as I’m sure I’d be just as suspicious, and have reported similar fraudulent listings on eBay. However, in those instances, there was more info available than what was stated in this thread. I figure I missed some details that made this a readily apparent scam.
ps. Jem, saw your message after I posted - I’ll send you a PM, but my email address is available from the button below (also on the WFO CDs).
Kevin, I’m at work and posting via my mobile phone today. Will follow through privately tomorrow. Can’t search the forum and link old threads now either, sorry. You’re right of course about flutes doing the rounds sometimes, but not this one. It’s no secret that Hammy was the original purchaser and knows the flute’s subsequent whereabouts.
Kkrell, I emailed and subsequently spoke to Hammy Hammilton once my doubts were raised. He checked with the person he had sold the flute on to and that person was able to confirm that it was still in his possession and had not advertised it for sale.
I was able to look through the Chiff archives by using the SEARCH facility and entered “7049” and RC7049" this took me to all the discussions that took place when the flute was first ebayed in 2007.
Let me see if I’ve got this straight. Parasitic resonances would be fruitful because subduction leads to orogency. Orogeny rhymes with Denny, by the way. Well, sort of.
I followed David’s link last week and “flagged” the posting and also used the provided notification system to specifically alert Craig’s List with some supporting details, as I have done before. I seem to recall them responding by removing it quite quickly last time, but this time they don’t seem to have taken any notice. If you haven’t already, can I suggest you try, Hammy and David (and anyone else who feels motivated)?
purporting to sell a Rudall Carte 8 Key Flute (#7049). Firstly advertised on Gumtree in December and currently on Craigslist. Once you show an interest you will be emailed a set of photos - these are copies of Octavian440’s original ebay sale from 2007.
Good job at keeping those con artists at bay. We now have our own C&F scam watch.
