Teen Duped Into Paying $735 For Xbox One Photo

A 19-year-old who took to eBay in search of a rare Xbox One 'Day One' edition console thought he had found the perfect gift for his four-year-old son.

The only problem: the Xbox One he found listed on the auction site for $735 was for a photograph of the new Microsoft video game system, not the console itself.

Peter Clatworthy, a resident of Nottingham, England, says he went on eBay in search of the Xbox One shortly after the console launched in late November. Because most stores were sold out of the device, Clatworthy was willing to pay a little more to acquire the new Microsoft hardware.

Teen Ignores Confusing Title

Eventually he came across a listing for what appeared to be the Day One edition of the Xbox One, which comes bundled with the popular soccer game 'FIFA 14'.

Listed in eBay's video game hardware category, Clatworthy chose to dismiss an awkwardly worded listing title that read "Xbox One Fifa 14 Day One Edition, Photo Brand New UK 2013." (Source: nottinghampost.com)

Clatworthy admits he was a little puzzled by the word "Photo" in the title, but felt assured by the seller's impressive rating. He decided to buy what he thought was the console for 450 pounds, or $735 USD.

Photo Printed Using Near-Dead Inkjet Cartridge

Several days later Clatworthy was enormously disappointed to receive a tiny package containing only a poor quality photograph of the Xbox One Day One edition packaging.

To add insult to injury, the quality of the photo is extremely poor -- it looks like someone printed the picture using cheap paper and an inkjet printer in desperate need of new ink cartridges (the photo, if you can call it that, is mostly pink).

An angry Clatworthy took his story to the local press and eBay, which says it is processing a refund. It would appear eBay recognizes that the listing was intentionally misleading.

Experts suggest the episode should be seen as a warning to all eBay users. The lesson: read the fine print and when in doubt, don't buy that item! (Source: cnet.com)

UPDATE: Not only has Clatworthy received a refund from eBay, but he's been given a free Xbox One by UK retailer CeX. Looks like it will be a happy Christmas for the 19-year-old after all. (Source: gamespot.com)