PS5 Ongoing Online Scam: Concrete Block Sent in Place of Sony Console to Unsuspecting Buyer

Sieeka Khan, Tech Times 08 December 2020, 07:12 am

PlayStation 5 consoles are difficult to come by. Since it's launch in November, it's been out of stock in both physical stores and online stores.

Due to high demand, there are opportunists that grabbed the chance to deceive gamers who want nothing but to get their hands on the new console. The PS5 scams and thefts are getting more and more creative, and every week numerous missing consoles are reported.

PS5 ongoing online scam

The reports come from customers who have had problems with their delivery, whether it be from scammers on the internet or thieves who swap their order with something else during shipment of the PS5 console.

This is not a rare occurrence as there have been multiple reports since last month about consoles not being delivered, packages being replaced in transit and more. One of the new cases is that of a buyer who got a block of concrete instead of a PS5.

Also Read: 5 Best PS5 Stock Tracker Apps and Websites For In-Stock, Restock Alerts

According to BBC, a man in Utah paid $878 for a PS5 from eBay, but when he opened the package, what he got a block of concrete. He notified the police who then recommended that he issue a refund with the seller, with eBay eventually issuing a warning to PS5 scammers who mislead buyers.

Fox News reported that there are other ways that scammers deceive PS5 buyers. Just last week, freelance journalist Bex April May ordered the PS5 console on Amazon UK and paid $600, but he got an air fryer instead.

Anthony Dickens, a journalist with the PlayStation site Push Square received a Nerf gun instead of a PS5, according to his post on his Twitter account. There were even reports of buyers receiving foot massagers, cat food and coffee machine.

Amazon did not release a statement about the missing consoles, but the company referred to the delivery as "the order you didn't receive" after buyers filed a complaint.

Customers have to contact Amazon if they wish to get a replacement for what they ordered, and there is not need to reorder the console. PS5 is currently unavailable on Amazon UK, but the company will prioritize those who already paid.

How to prevent online scam

As the PS5 console is currently scarce, customers are trying their best to get their hands on the console especially since the holidays is fast approaching.

According to The Times, scamming is one way that people are being left without the console. Gangs have planned elaborate heists to break into delivery vans to swap the consoles during transit, along with other products.

Some thieves have gone to such extremes as climbing on top of a moving truck using a rope, before forcing their way into the van using crowbars and throwing out the products for the rest to steal.

There have been no update yet regarding the replacement consoles, as the PS5 is in high demand. Sony has confirmed that there will be more stocks coming before New Year's Day.

This update then serves as a reminder to everyone who wishes to get a PS5 this month. It is best to check on your local retail stores like Target, Walmart, Costco and Best Buy to prevent any theft or fraud. You can also purchase the console at a Sony retail store as soon as it becomes available.