The Pablo Escobar Fold 2 on Unbox Therapy

It's definitely a scam. They buy some $2000 Galaxy Folds, rebrand them as Escobar 2, ship them to Youtube reviewers, put them for sale on their site for $399, the average Joe then sees the great deal, orders one but never receives it. You can also only order using crypto or direct bank transfer, lots of red flags.

Same thing happened with the Escobar 1, which was just a rebranded Royole Flexpai. You can find lots of people online asking why their order never turned up.

I would even suggest closing this thread so no one is tempted to order one.

All you need to do is read here. They send books instead of phones.
http://escobarscam.com/

And you can read a discussion about the Unbox Therapy reviews here.
https://old.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/f72rjq/popular_tech_youtuber_unbox_therapy_promotes/

He says in that video that they only sent him the phone because they found out he was a reviewer. Still points to a scam.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

It's a galaxy fold they even said so. They've launched a brand on the cheap.

Yeah I know it's a Galaxy Fold, which is why it has to be scam. If it was unused/overstocked Galaxy Folds they would make much more just putting them on Ebay than going through the hassle of rebranding them.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

They have to rebrand them, Samsung don't want to be associated with the fold. I think there launching a brand which seems to be pretty successful so far, the next phone won't be a fold.
Some people will get a fold, some will get caught when stock runs out and they'll hold their money until they release their own first phone.
I don't think they'd destroy the family make with a scam just robbing peoples money. It is a phone Samsung won't sell that has to be taken into account when buying.

Dude are you being serious? Have a look on Ebay, all Folds are selling for significantly greater than €1,000. Why would any company sell their excess stock at a price whereby, with marketing and rebranding, this company would still make profit selling them for $399?

And these Folds are the newer ones with the better hinge etc. Why would companies be overstocked in the second version when they saw what happened with the first version? Makes no sense. And how are they overstocked when the phone just came out 2 months ago? They're still going to continue to sell well until their successor comes out, it's still considered one of the better "phone-folds-out-into-a-tablet" phones.

And what evidence do you have that Samsung want to distance themselves from the Fold? Because of the issues with the hinge with the first gen? Why release a 2nd gen then? And why is there news of a Fold 2?

And what do you mean when you say this company is launching a brand? All they've done is re-skin two phones that they didn't make, how is that a brand?

This is one of more obvious scams I've seen in a while, I'm surprised you can't put 2 and 2 together.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

There meant to have their own phone in development that's not a fold. They'll have brand recognition straight away.
A company doesn't necessarily need to make money starting off most don't, there could be a tax write-off off here somewhere, who knows what there up to.

Dude c'mon, what company have you ever heard of that started manufacturing phones after they were initially just re-skinning phones? Does the fact that they are advertising "RIP Samsung" even though they are actually selling Samsung phones not seem weird to you?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

They obviously have a shed load of folds somewhere.

Where is the evidence for that? All I've seen is about a dozen or two Youtube reviewers with one.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I wouldn't put much heed in eBay retail prices and the price some company pays buying them by the container.

Are you honestly suggesting that companies are selling off containers of Folds for >200% less that the phones are selling for second hand? I mean, really? Why don't people buy such containers and make ridiculous profits on Ebay? Because it's simply not true. Buying phones in large quantities will give you something more in the line of 20% off the price of buying a single one (first hand) at best.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm keeping an open mind on this until it's proven to be a scam which doesn't seem to have happend so far.

If you're going to keep an open mind, answer these questions:

1) Why don't they accept debit/credit card or Paypal?

2) Why didn't they just send an email saying they would send out an Escobar 2 instead of the Escobar 1? Why did they feel the need to send a book, which suspiciously looks like they're showing proof that they posted something?

3) Why is there no evidence of any non-Youtuber receiving the Escobar 1? You'd think they'd at least have some stock?

4) Why do they say that they didn't post the Escobar 1 because of "production issues", when they don't even produce the phone?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

1) Chargebacks and to keep your money.

To keep your money? Just like in a scam?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

2) No idea, it's not your regular kinda business, at least they sent something to acknowledge receipt and promised to send a fold 2

Promises about sending an even better product? Just like in a scam?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

3) Still guys in the Tesla thread waiting for a car after 3/4 years. They just took a page out of Elons guide to marketing.

Is that a real argument you are making or are you just telling a joke? Are you really comparing a well-known, established company delaying a product's release to an unknown startup company based in Columbia run by Pablo Escobar's brother delaying a product?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

4) I doubt they had any to sell, just tested the water much like Tesla.

So you're admitting that you think that they never originally had any phones to sell, but it's a still company we should trust and buy phones from?


Dude it's very simple, if you don't think it's scam then order a phone. Even if you don't want one, like I said they all sell for >€1,000 on Ebay second hand so you're guaranteed profit (a lot of profit mind you). If you don't order one then you also think it's a scam and should close the thread.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Tesla never had any cars to sell, the Cybertruck looks like a scam.

I have never once heard anyone say that the Cybertruck was a scam. Stupid, yes, but a scam? Why would a company like Tesla run a scam? They're stock would dive, makes zero sense.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm saying they've been very clever with marketing. Their payment providers including stripe pulled the plug for "ethical reasons" hence you have the bank and crypto transfer only options.

You mean because they couldn't prove that they were a legitimate company? You don't need to ask permission from Visa/Mastercard to use them as a payment method, so what's the logic behind not using them like all other phone companies with pre-orders do?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm not advising anyone to buy this but I'm not calling it a scam either. For discussion purposes the thread should stay open as it's an interesting story with an unknown ending.

Why do you not advise people buy this if you don't think it's a scam? It's a very good deal no?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

It's marketing brilliance from what I'm seeing, why squander it on a scam, there not exactly stuck for money

It's marketing brilliance in that it's tricked some people into thinking an obvious scam isn't a scam, I agree with you there.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

The Tesla share price is a pyramid scheme, nobody calling scam when bulls are calling a $7000 share price.

What? Just because they don't make profit? It's more correct to call it a "ponzi borrower", just like many tech companies. Comparing Tesla to this company is just silly anyway.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

They are a legitimate company, I don't think that's under question. Is everyone going to get a phone, who knows.

You're saying if it turns out to be a scam then it should still be considered a legitimate company? What?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

If it's not a scam it's a very good deal, if you don't mind blowing $399 then jump at it.

I mean, of course? You're getting a phone that will make you at least 500 euro profit, you should buy 10 of them. If it wasn't a scam. But it is a scam.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

They've spent nothing on advertising, I don't see why go to the bother to go global just to scam people on a once off when they have buckets of money they need to grow.
I don't know how the family works but if these guys destroy the brand forever I doubt they will live very long.

Which scams do you know of that spends lots on advertising? Because the majority I have seen also don't spend much on advertising. And are you asking why bad guys do bad things when they already have money? Same reason why drug lords don't stop selling drugs after they make more money than they will ever need I would imagine.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

There is no return with this phone and no warranty implied after the first 14days. It's cheap for a reason. You can't compare it to the real deal from Samsung.

Crazy logic. The parts alone cost way more than $399, you can't make profit at that price with or without warranty and returns.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

You've no evidence this is a scam. We can retrace a lot of big brands back to dubious history.

I've provided a tremendous amount of evidence that it's a scam actually, but I'll provide a bit more if necessary. If these phones are indeed rebranded, overstocked Galaxy Folds, then how are they selling an 8GB/128GB model when Samsung only makes Folds with a 12GB/512GB configuration?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

You haven't provided one piece of evidence it's a scam. It hasn't been released yet. Shipping is March so we'll know then if there is a scam.
I'm hesitant calling it a bargain or a scam as I don't think a rejected phone with no warranty is worth a whole lot, you seem to be putting a value of €1000 plus on Samsung rejects...

I assume you're ignoring my last question because you can't think of an answer? The last question alone points to it being a scam.

The Samsung Fold is available to buy right now direct from Samsung for £1,900. Just because it didn't meet it sales target doesn't mean it's a reject and should sell for next to nothing, plenty of phones don't meet their targets. Are you suggesting Samsung OK'd this company to skin their phone, resell it for 20% of the price they themselves sell it for, and ship it internationally, thus competing with them?

If you can answer my question about how they can sell the Fold in a configuration that doesn't exist with a sensible answer then I will write a summary of the other reasons I have outlined as to why it is a scam if I must.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I can't answer the 8gb/128gb question as we don't seem to have seen one in the wild only the bigger one in the reviews.

It's not in the wild because it doesn't exist and never will, I'm not sure how you are getting confused by that. The listing on the webpage has pictures and specifications of both phones and all of the other specs as the same for both models, including the dimensions. They are both Galaxy Folds. But there is no 8gb/128gb variant of the Galaxy Fold. Care to explain?

What I'm amazed as it Samsung haven't responded to journalists questions about it. Maybe they'll say something soon they need to, if they say nothing it mean they probably know something.

Lots of people set up shops on e.g. AliExpress and scam people into buying products that they don't intent on sending, including Samsung phones. Happens all of the time. This one has likely received just as many orders as these scammers as most people know that when it's too good to be true, it's too good to be true. So Samsung has not commented because there is no benefit, another scammer will pop up with a similar strategy after this one disappears. It doesn't mean we have to resort to a conspiracy theory about Samsung hiding insider knowledge about selling a "shed-load" of these phones to company in Columbia for no sensible reason.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

As I said earlier I think some will get a fold something and some will have funded the roll out of their own phone.

Are you saying that some people will get the phone and other won't get the phone nor their money back? How is that not a scam?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm taking the wait and see approach, just going to sit back and enjoy the movie.
I get you think it's a scam you don't need to keep repeating yourself. I don't believe your getting a Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, there not asking you to buy a Samsung though more of a pig in a bag.

If you want to wait and see then ask a mod to close the thread in case other gullible people read it and throw away their money.

You are evidently backtracking, you were initially very certain that the Escobar 2 was a Galaxy Fold rebranded and sold cheap due to overstocking, and now you think it's actually not a Fold. And I did need to repeat myself as it took that many messages for you to admit that to yourself.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I've changed my mind they must be restricting it

You disagree with what you yourself said? You changed your mind within the space of an hour? Why is it so easy for you to admit that your own opinions are incorrect when presented with no evidence, and not that other people's opinions are correct when presented with hard evidence?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

there was another fold with the 8gb/128gb that didn't see the light of day

Ooof, that's even harder straw-clutching. :pac: It's easily verifiable online to check what products a company did or not did not produce, whether they went to market with it or not. There is no lower spec Galaxy Fold, and even if there was, they would not willingly sell them all to an unknown company instead of selling it through their usual means.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Thread should stay if only so you can say I told you so when March is over. I'd say they'll sell out quick enough and the marketing machine has done it's job for now.

The thread should stay open just in case you are right and so you can say that "I told you so", even though my evidence strongly suggests it's a scam and some people may read this thread and lose their money? That's a terrible attitude to have. Who cares who's right or wrong, I have presented to you more than enough evidence to suggest it is a scam, don't cling to the hope of that not being the case just so you can feel high and mighty if it means people will be severely risking their money. If I am wrong, and this is instead a form of money laundering or something, then I will gladly send you a PM apologising, I am wrong about stuff on a daily basis and would have no problem admitting it.

You even said yourself just a few posts ago that people might get a signed book and not a phone, I don't know why you keep flip-flopping between agreeing with me (and everyone else in the thread) or not.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

It does exist, you have to admit that much.

Yes, I am aware that the Galaxy Fold exists and that a company has sent out about a dozen or so of them rebranded, and you know that I'm aware of this.