Journey into the unknown - Part 3

I’ve learned the hard way that finding great deals online is not a talent anyone is born with. It is a skill developed through experience, research, and, unfortunately, the occasional expensive mistake. Like many collectors, I have experienced my share of disappointments—and yes, I have even been scammed.

More than a month ago, I began this series to document my first tentative steps into the world of buying watches online. In the first two installments, I focused on the positive side of the experience: the successful purchases that leave you excited, satisfied, and eager for the next hunt.

Unfortunately, every online marketplace also attracts people whose only passion is taking advantage of others through deception. I recently had the unpleasant experience of encountering one of these scams firsthand, and it served as a valuable lesson to the victim.

By sharing what happened to my friend and the warning signs I missed, I hope that another collector might recognize the same tactics before it's too late and avoid becoming the next victim.

This series is based on the investigation of archived Facebook groups, seller pages, screenshots of communications, and transaction records collected over an extended period. Certain identifying details have been omitted or generalized to protect sources and avoid interfering with ongoing investigations by authorities.