Calling UK owners of Mac Pro - I need some advice to avoid being scammed

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I'm keeping my eye on the 2nd-hand listings (ebay / Gumtree / Craigslist etc), in order to buy my first Mac Pro machine.

I'm well used to sniffing out scammers - they usually follow the same idiotic M.O. and are easy to spot, but there's a listing that has me intrigued. It looks totally kosher - well-described, with good clear pics that support the written spec - except for one thing: there's one picture which shows the mains power lead - and it definitely hasn't got a UK 13-Amp mains plug on the end. Have a look:

kbd_mouse_mains.jpg


Having never owned a Mac Pro (yet), I don't know whether this is suspicious or not. Do the machines for the UK market come supplied with a standard UK mains plug, or do owners have to use an adapter/fit their own? All advice gratefully received! :)
 
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Maybe there's an innocent explanation for the plug...

Perhaps they sourced it outside the UK ?
 
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's possible, I suppose - or did they just source the pictures from somewhere else?

I forgot to mention the main reason for my suspicions - the asking price. A scam-tastically low £400.

I know, I know... Don't throw things at the screen! (ducks behind sofa)




Thinks: why have I got ducks behind my sofa..?
 
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What's also odd is that they show the separate keyboard ( wireless?) for the iMac's - although some people may prefer to use this other than the MBP's own built-in black keyboard.....but these cost 60 quid alone - and the mouse shown costs 40 quid !

Of course - it may be a pic of a New machine - which might conceal the state of the actual item for sale etc....

A MBP - for 400 GBP - how old do they claim it is out of interest ?
Def. 'caveat emptor '!!:Confused:
 

Slydude

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The fact that some people do or do not prefer the MMBP built in keyboard is irrelevant. The OP is asking about the Mac Pro. It did not come with the black keyboard you referenced. It came with a USB keyboard originally but will work with the wireless keyboard assuming that Bluetooth is active on the computer.
 

Raz0rEdge

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The @OP has said Mac Pro, not MBP (Macbook Pro)..there's a big difference there..now does the listing say how old the Mac Pro is?
 
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now does the listing say how old the Mac Pro is?
Yes, it's a 2008 Mac Pro 3.1 model.

This is the text of the listing:

Model MA970LL/A

Dual (two) 2.8 Ghz Quad-core Intel Xeon Processors

10 GB RAM expandable up to 32 GB

320 GB hard drive

16x Double-Layer SuperDrive

NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 - For use with LED Apple Cinema Display

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB (Two dual-link DVI)

Two FireWire 800 ports

Two FireWire 400 ports

Five USB 2.0 ports

Bluetooth

Front-panel headphone minijack and speaker

Optical digital audio input and output Toslink ports

Analog stereo line-level input and output minijacks


OS: Snow Leopard - 10.6 Installed + Retail Install Disc / Packaging

Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 - For use with LED Apple Cinema Display

Magic Mouse (wireless - only a few months old)

Wireless Apple Keyboard (only a few months old)


And here's a shot of the interior, showing both graphics cards:

interior.jpg


I have responded to the advert, suggesting that I should visit the seller and see the machine in operation (this is usually enough to sniff out a scammer). So far... no response! ;D
 

Raz0rEdge

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A quick search yields that used versions of that Mac Pro are selling for no less than $1700 in most places..and it originally sold for $3000..

The price of 400 pounds or $652 USD is just WAAY too cheap..almost stolen cheap..;)
 

CrimsonRequiem


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If it sounds too good to be true...it probably is.
 
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Ask to inspect the machine and for the serial number.
 

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