eBay seller selling lens with removed serial number

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MikePhoto

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Mike
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Just stumbled upon a seller who has blatantly written in the item description that serial number is removed from the lens. Looks like stolen item or it's legit?
 
Seems pretty pointless though. A modern lens will send the serial number into the exif data.
 
I have seen it done to stop someone using the number to validate a fraudulent insurance claim, but they tend to be just removed in a photo editing software. Not sure of any legitimate reason to phisically remove the serial, might have been bought second hand and someone else removed it.

I would suspect it's got a dodgy history and would probably stay well away,
 
TCR4x4 said:
Seems pretty pointless though. A modern lens will send the serial number into the exif data.
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It's because the fake serial number on the outside didn't match the internal serial number that Nikon refused to service the D7000 in the link above. Yet the dodgy dealer or their supplier had altered it for some reason, maybe to conceal the source of their stock from a cursory examination.

Lens serial numbers aren't always written to metadata - e.g., I don't think this happens with Nikon dSLRs and F lenses, but I think it does with the Z system.
 
Paul-H said:
I have seen it done to stop someone using the number to validate a fraudulent insurance claim, but they tend to be just removed in a photo editing software.
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That's a good point - does the seller just mean they aren't displaying it to the world during the sale, or do they mean it has been physically removed for some other reason?
 
Seller's exact wording are "Please note, that due to our electrical resale contract, serial numbers must be defaced or removed before resale. Please do not be alarmed by this, it Is to stop items being returned to the retailer. Please do not bid if you do not accept this." I checked with eBay and they said it shouldn't be listed but listing is still on so I'm assuming there will be some legit reason for that?
 
MikePhoto said:
Seller's exact wording are "Please note, that due to our electrical resale contract, serial numbers must be defaced or removed before resale. Please do not be alarmed by this, it Is to stop items being returned to the retailer. Please do not bid if you do not accept this." I checked with eBay and they said it shouldn't be listed but listing is still on so I'm assuming there will be some legit reason for that?
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I can't think of any genuine reason to physically deface a serial number, 99.9% of the time it'll surely be to shift stolen goods.
 
Does indeed sound more than dodgy , but as Tom says above the serial number will then show up in exif ,if it’s flagged up online and if it’s a stolen item not only will you have explaining to do but you could also potentially lose the item

We also have quiet a few police and ex police on this site ,it might be worth providing a link to the items/s so it can be looked into properly , there have been quite a few camera shop robberies of late ,ffordes, wilkinsons etc and thefts just push up the prices we all pay
 
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MikePhoto said:
Seller's exact wording are "Please note, that due to our electrical resale contract, serial numbers must be defaced or removed before resale. Please do not be alarmed by this, it Is to stop items being returned to the retailer. Please do not bid if you do not accept this." I checked with eBay and they said it shouldn't be listed but listing is still on so I'm assuming there will be some legit reason for that?
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