Thai Visa Classifields Cell Phones Direct Holdings

[Lammbock]

Hello Users,

I currently on the Search for an IPhone 3Gs 32GB and was looking around at the Thai Visa Classifieds and discover the add from CELL PHONES DIRECT HOLDINGS for an IPhone 3Gs 32GB for less than 10.000THB Brand New.

I wrought him an Mail asking why it is so cheap. And he told me that he buying Smart Phones, IPods, Game Consoles and Notebooks ect. direct from the manufacturer.

So what is simply want to ask here is that anybody have experience from this seller? I it trustful cause its in Thai Visa Classifieds?

This is the Web address: http://www.cellphonesdirectholdings.com/servlet/StoreFront

and this is the Classified add: http://classifieds.thaivisa.com/electronic...cked-44996.html

Edited March 7, 2010 by Lammbock

[garyh]

Have you heard of the cheap chinese copy versions, they sell for around the price you mention.

[Lammbock]

That is what i asked in another email to him and that i want to testrun the IPhone at his store. Still waiting for a reply.

[NALAK]

they are half that price in Tuk Com pattaya (3900), most of my ex staff friends had them, but said they were copies and would not last long, i looked at them and they looked the real deal but are not, i dont think anyway.

Edited March 7, 2010 by NALAK

[anothertorres]

the chinese knockoffs going around are absolutely horrible. it's such a joke, they can barely even make a phone call. stay far away...

[MarleyMarl]

Looks like a scam site/scammer I also contacted this add and got an auto reply telling me to go to this site.

Stay away..

[sbk]

I see he didn't put the fact that he is running a store in the ad.

It will be deleted, in the future, please send an email to support with a link to the dodgy ad.

ThaiVisa cannot vet every advertiser but do try to screen out overseas ads, clear phone scammers etc. Until someone reports back to support via email that its a dodgy ad, we can't really know by reading whats in the ad alone.

As with any classifieds site, it is buyer beware. Use your common sense and don't send money in the mail, pay cash on pick up.

[colino]

That is what i asked in another email to him and that i want to testrun the IPhone at his store. Still waiting for a reply.

I was in MBK yesterday getting some phones unlocked and the guy i dealt with said that the copy versions go to pot when you try and update the software .colino

Ps I was always told to be careful of any company that use free email accounts as points of contact,

Edited March 11, 2010 by colino

[Lammbock]

I finaly got a answer to all my questions:

------

Thanks for your reply.

CELLPHONES DIRECT (HOLDINGS) LTD is a trade mark of quality and new products with years of experience in the distribution of our products, we have been able to build a framework for global distribution with our headquarters in the UK and a branch office in the USA.

We ship through FedEx or UPS.

Our delivery time takes: 24 - 38 hours

All products on sales from CELLPHONES DIRECT (HOLDINGS) LTD are new original with international guarantee and we operate a thirty days money back or return for exchange policy on any of our products.

Concerning your safety buying from our company, our company is a registered business, registered under the UK board of legitimate companies.

See below our company's details:

CELLPHONES DIRECT (HOLDINGS) LTD

Registered No.03065866

Address: WELLINGTON STREET, SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, SL1 1YP, SL1 1YP

Type: Private Limited with share capital

Incorporation date: 09-06-1995

Status: Active

www.cellphonesdirectholdings.com

You can verify the existence of our company by checking our company's VAT registration number which is 03065866 on ..... << snip >>

For fast and easy transaction we accept payment through western union for small order purchase of item and bank wire transfer for large order purchase of items.

-------

But anyhow, i think i will stay away from this offer.

[jdinasia]

Do they sell bomb detectore too?

[Yiu]

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS COMPANY. I came across their ad on Craiglist Singapore and thought that since it's a Singapore posting, how bad can it be? I emailed through the link provided on craiglist. The email was replied with their website address and with info that their Iphones are all brand new and comes with 1 year free warranty. So I checked the web out and discovered it's a UK / US website. Seeing that there is a PAYPAL option (WE WERE ALL TAUGHT TO BE SAFE), I decided to buy an iphone 3gs 32gb from them and have already prepared myself mentally that goods are often lost in transit. Is 300USD big for me? Am I prepared to lose it? Yeah, I am. Further, I researched the whole day and couldn't find any bad remarks on them and discovered that they actually have a buy 2 get 1 free promotion that was put up by some other websites. Anyway, I just want one phone and not 3 so I do not bother about it. So I went ahead to click the button but PAYPAL wouldn't let my card through and states that I need to verify and raise the sending limit of sending money through PAYPAL(yes, I signed up for a Paypal account specially, maybe that's why without verifying the card, it wouldn't let through).

Anyhow, I questioned the fellow through email and he subsequently added me on msn to discuss about the order. He claimed to be a wholesaler certified by Apple and even send me emails about fraud concerns together with the APPLE DISTRIBUTIOR CERT and says that he is their UK based sales manager. UK is the main whereas US is the branch. I said I want to pay by PAYPAL. He explained that for single phone units they do not accept PAYPAL but instead request that money be send through BANK TRANSFER so it's faster and that PAYPAL is only for bigger transactions. And if I am interested, he can get the packaging dept to proceed with the order. I told him that while it's safe for them, how can they assure that I will get my phone at the end of the day when they sent it out. Then he sent me an email with all the tracking numbers for packages sent through UPSS.com (US Postal Service) and says that I can track them. Honestly, tracking numbers can't prove anything these days, as they do not meant anything much than just the parcel being sent. Who knows what was being sent inside and if these are tracking numbers of goods sent by them? Nevertheless I checked, and they do have these records of being sent.

Anyhow, because my friend is the one who is paying for my iphone (as a birthday present) and she agreed too, I went ahead to do a Telegraphic Transfer. They sent me an invoice and even told me the package has been sent out and to expect it to arrive in 2 days.

On the 3rd day after placing my order, and hoping that it would arrive, this fellow informed that the package got held up at the customs and the customs are requesting me THE RECEIVER to pay USD200 worth of VAT AND TAXES. I immediately blasted the person that if this is the case, what's wrong with their customs? So I questioned and they told me it's the UK customs that demanded me to do so. But I see no proof of any such documents, and blasted him that no one am i paying this amount of money. I asked for the package to be retracted to their company and I offered them to send it to US and I will get my friend to send it to me directly. They then give me the reason that they can't because if the taxes doesn't get paid, the customs are not releasing the package, NEITHER TO ME OR THEM.

The fellow say he will speak to his boss and came back to tell me that they will pay for the VAT AND TAXES themselves if I buy two more phones and they can throw in another iphone (in addition to the one i ordered) for free as they found out sending 4 phones is cheaper than 1. I blasted him again saying this is crazy. WHY DO I NEED SO MANY PHONES FOR? He says its compensation and cos they are having a buy 2 get 1 free promotion he is more than willing to do it. Anyhow, after asking why did they screw up the sending and being UK, HOW CAN THEIR SYSTEM BE SO SCREWED UP? and being a seller, how can they not be aware that there is such a problem and how can they never inform about the possible taxes that's coming along the way? And i got the reply that this is the first time they are sending it to Singapore and they do not expect the custom to tell them my country is out of the E.U.

Anyway, in order to get through the crap, my friend agreed to get another phone. But to be fair and not subject my friend to further crap, I paid for the additional phone this time round. But I told the guy, the banks don't open till Monday (Since it's a Sat), he can wait slowly. But he says that the customs fees gonna increase should we delay and by how much he is not aware. So he requested to send money directly to his boss, who is in Nigeria for work through Western Union.

Well, everything was peaceful for two days until he informed that what was supposedly to be sent to me, was sent wrongly to the another person, TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. And in this package that was labelled in my name, it consists of 19 phones and I have to pay close to 2000USD worth of VAT AND TAXES TO GET IT RELEASED TO ME.

Honestly, who would pay? You wouldn't, I wouldn't. He begged me and said all I need to do is to pay the amount n the package will come to me and that they have their worries too as I may run away as it consists of 6000 bucks worth of goods. He said he will get police to write a letter and signed it off and send me this information and that once i sent their package back to them, they will refund all the money I have paid and including what i have sent to pay for my order as compensation.

It's riddiculous. I told them i have heard of such scams and can they please tell me something that I don't already know. I told him direct that whatever he is saying, he is telling me the same stale words other sellers told their customers. And it's not a surprise. But the fellow keep asking me to please believe him and even send me their company information to check against the authority to prove that they are legitimate. I told him if his company is sincere and legitimate, they will pay for the money themselves to get the package sent to me and I can assure that it gets sent back to me unless they are sending me empty packages or packages with something else and then accuse me of running off with their stuff. Otherwise, I can also sell away the phones to get the money. Now, how am i supposed to know if what they sent are real stuff? If it's real stuff, still nevermind, if it's not, ain't my money gonna fly again? And I have no money so I will not pay. Just a student, how to pay? I am not even interested in the other customer's package.

With USD2000, i can get 5 iphones with no contract. I told the guy, if they are sincere, get the things paid, there's no need for me to transfer them money cos ultimately they gonna pay me back, then why not make it easier, they pay, and at the same time just send me another package in my name for the orders I have placed.

Ultimately they relented with 50% from me and 50% from them. I told them, if they are truly sincere, they will solve the problem and agree to pay. They can go ahead and report to the police or appeal for the customs to release the package. I do not believe that the UK customs is so rigid if you have a legitimate case of mix up as I have purchased things from UK many times. Then they say if i don't pay, the package will stay there. Well, I am fine with it sitting at the customs for as long as they want to keep it. Since I am not covered by PAYPAL or other protection, what can I do? If it's really worth US6000 bucks, they should be the one getting anxious if they are legitimate.

I am telling this not cos I want to flame the company, but they are telling me things that I can google and know about.

I am sending the apple cert to APPLE.

[mahtin]

So he requested to send money directly to his boss, who is in Nigeria for work through Western Union.

[kunash]

So he requested to send money directly to his boss, who is in Nigeria for work through Western Union.

the words Nigeria and Western Union - should have rung alarm bells in your head.

[Yiu]

What's so special about nigeria? can share?

Anywae the fellow recently called and ask me to pay half for the VAT and taxes. Impossible la..............................ask me to borrow from bank. student how to borrow from bank. don't make sense.

So he requested to send money directly to his boss, who is in Nigeria for work through Western Union.

the words Nigeria and Western Union - should have rung alarm bells in your head.