Someone asked for my Kindle serial, scam?

NicholasV · 11-17-2011, 01:58 PM

I have an unused Kindle 2 I am selling on Craigslist. Someone responded requesting I give them the serial # to check if the unit is stolen or not. However, this sounds to me like a scam, is there a possible way they could register it or report it stolen and use this to leverage me into selling it for peanuts by thus diminishing its value?

This person also gave unnecessary backstory how it is an important gift he wants to give to his college age son who is complaining of carrying textbooks, which is what scammers tend to do to disarm people's incredulity.

abookreader · 11-17-2011, 02:03 PM

They could register it to their own Amazon Account if you don't have it registered on your account - but as long as you have the unit you can de-register it from the device. I'm not aware of anything else they could do with the number but I don't blame you for wanting to be safe.

It is pretty common for buyers to want to make sure the device isn't blacklisted before buying it. Usually people just meet up and register the device right there before completing payment. I don't know if Amazon will just tell them that a device is okay if they call. No - only the proven owner can report a unit as lost or stolen to get it blacklisted.

WT Sharpe · 11-17-2011, 02:05 PM

I'd be careful. Without your password, I don't see how someone could de-register it from your Amazon account, but crooks are tricky.

As for asking for the serial number, if I were buying it off Craig's list or eBay, I might do the same if I knew a way to check the number. As far as I know, only Amazon keeps the list of serial numbers of Kindles reported stolen or missing.

NicholasV · 11-17-2011, 02:39 PM

Someone pm'd me saying they live nearby in Manhattan and they have been getting this same exact scam alot. The thing is that this person mentions they live in a city of NJ, Elizabeth(which is about 1 hour away) after I told him I don't care if he checks the serial in person. Most scammers I have gotten in the past were bots who could never "customize".

I am gonna giving him the serial offset by one or two incorrect digits and see what happens. Since Amazon released so many new models for very cheap, I have to try to be proactive with this older unit, since it is deprecating in value everyday.

11-17-2011, 01:58 PM	#1
NicholasV Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 13944 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dover, NJ Device: Nook Touch, (ex)Kindle 3	Someone asked for my Kindle serial, scam? I have an unused Kindle 2 I am selling on Craigslist. Someone responded requesting I give them the serial # to check if the unit is stolen or not. However, this sounds to me like a scam, is there a possible way they could register it or report it stolen and use this to leverage me into selling it for peanuts by thus diminishing its value? This person also gave unnecessary backstory how it is an important gift he wants to give to his college age son who is complaining of carrying textbooks, which is what scammers tend to do to disarm people's incredulity.

11-17-2011, 02:39 PM	#4
NicholasV Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 13944 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dover, NJ Device: Nook Touch, (ex)Kindle 3	Someone pm'd me saying they live nearby in Manhattan and they have been getting this same exact scam alot. The thing is that this person mentions they live in a city of NJ, Elizabeth(which is about 1 hour away) after I told him I don't care if he checks the serial in person. Most scammers I have gotten in the past were bots who could never "customize". I am gonna giving him the serial offset by one or two incorrect digits and see what happens. Since Amazon released so many new models for very cheap, I have to try to be proactive with this older unit, since it is deprecating in value everyday. Last edited by NicholasV; 11-17-2011 at 02:44 PM.

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11-17-2011, 02:03 PM	#2
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	They could register it to their own Amazon Account if you don't have it registered on your account - but as long as you have the unit you can de-register it from the device. I'm not aware of anything else they could do with the number but I don't blame you for wanting to be safe. It is pretty common for buyers to want to make sure the device isn't blacklisted before buying it. Usually people just meet up and register the device right there before completing payment. I don't know if Amazon will just tell them that a device is okay if they call. No - only the proven owner can report a unit as lost or stolen to get it blacklisted.

11-17-2011, 02:05 PM	#3
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,073 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	I'd be careful. Without your password, I don't see how someone could de-register it from your Amazon account, but crooks are tricky. As for asking for the serial number, if I were buying it off Craig's list or eBay, I might do the same if I knew a way to check the number. As far as I know, only Amazon keeps the list of serial numbers of Kindles reported stolen or missing.

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