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Everyone knows that buying items used online via sites like eBay is a great way to save money. But what you may not know is that certain items for auction have a high risk of being bootlegs - illegitimate fakes that, in addition to being illegal and intellectual property theft, also don't work very well and are a total rip-off.
How can you tell the difference? Well, most people aren't even aware that there's a risk of buying a fake. We assume that people listing video games for sale on eBay are honest, well-meaning folks like us. And some of them are. But now that you know the danger exists, the following tips should help you avoid giving money to scammers, ensure that you patronize legitimate sellers on eBay, and minimize your risk of getting totally ripped off with a pirated game cartridge.
1) The "flat box" is a dead giveaway. If your seller is claiming they will sell you a new game with the retail box flattened, run away. No normal person would ever sell you the box "flattened". The seller will probably claim it's to save on shipping; this is a lie. All Nintendo-brand game boxes sold at retail are already assembled, and could easily be packed to ship as-is. The box is only flat because it's never been assembled - not since it rolled off whatever counterfeit press this scam artist is using to print off their fake-o imitation packaging. Buyer beware!
2) Any listing, especially for "new" or "like new" items, that says "tested, guaranteed to work" or similar. Real game cartridges don't need to be tested - but fake ones do. Many pirated versions won't boot up, for example. If the cartridge is new or like new, the only reason to test it (much less ADVERTISE that it was tested) is that it's a fake.
3) Check the game title image for the auction. If...