FabFilter Total Bundle $120.40 at Groupon? Is this legit?

[superabbit]

Is this legit? How could it possibly be?

https://www.groupon.com/deals/e2genesis

-Erik
___________
superabbit.bandcamp.com

1

[cclarry]

Not likely and I certainly wouldn’t trust it….a LOT of SCAMS on Groupon

1

[Kirean]

The company offering it seems to be this one: https://e2genesis.com/ (according to the Groupon page).

And it looks like the versions offered are older.

So in a way, it looks more legit than one would think.

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by Kirean.

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[superabbit]

I did a bit of Googlin’ about e2genesis and Groupon before I posted this (and asked Larry via PM) and couldn’t find anything evil about them.

It came up as a Google Shopping search result, all I was doing was searching for a price on Pro Q 3 to compare it with that $200 Slate Digital one.

Not tempted myself, I have this bundle covered many times over with MComplete, but I’m still curious.

The listing says it has 8 hours to go for the $120 deal, and then 5 days for the $140. I’ll keep an eye on it.

Oh, I see what you mean about older versions. Seems to be V2 rather than the current V3 versions. Why sell old licenses? FabFilter fishing for upgrades?

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by superabbit.

-Erik
___________
superabbit.bandcamp.com

11

[Kirean]

On superabbit said

I did a bit of Googlin’ about e2genesis and Groupon before I posted this (and asked Larry via PM) and couldn’t find anything evil about them.

It came up as a Google Shopping search result, all I was doing was searching for a price on Pro Q 3 to compare it with that $200 Slate Digital one.

Not tempted myself, I have this bundle covered many times over with MComplete, but I’m still curious.

The listing says it has 8 hours to go for the $120 deal, and then 5 days for the $140. I’ll keep an eye on it.

Oh, I see what you mean about older versions. Seems to be V2 rather than the current V3 versions. Why sell old licenses? FabFilter fishing for upgrades?

-Erik
___________
superabbit.bandcamp.com

From my understanding, the main company behind e2genesis.com is a company (https://www.genesis-technologies.com/) that seems to cater towards governmental agencies/institutions such as schools. So my guess is that they have old stock lying around that they’re maybe trying to get rid off.

I’ve got no idea how taxation etc. with businesses work in the States but where I am at, if company has stock, they get taxed by it yearly so maybe it could be something similar: easier to get rid off the old stock with a deep discount than pay for it sitting idle.

Of course, the deal still could be bullshit but it does pass quite a lot of things that where clear scams fall instantly (In case Groupon at least verifies the company to be who they say they are — edit: looks like Groupon DOES NOT verify shit, so SCAM SCAM SCAM)

Now we just need someone to bite the bullet and report back if they get serials to redeem on Fabfilter’s site.

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by Kirean.

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[Kirean]

I did more digging (since I do not use Groupon at all and have no idea how it works) but apparently Groupon does not verify in any shape or form if the business putting up an offer is indeed the business they claim to be. Thus it is highly probable that it is indeed a SCAM SCAM SCAM.

Just like larry said. Larry knows best.

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by Kirean.

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[superabbit]

I sent email to e2genesis asking about whether the deal was legit and if so, what version(s) of the software you get, so we’ll see.

The idea of “old stock” licenses seems odd to me. Do software retailers actually buy blocks of licenses and maintain a “stock” of them?

I’ve always thought that they just take their cut and pass the rest on through to the developers.

-Erik
___________
superabbit.bandcamp.com

[Teebacca]

On Kirean said

I did more digging (since I do not use Groupon at all and have no idea how it works) but apparently Groupon does not verify in any shape or form if the business putting up an offer is indeed the business they claim to be. Thus it is highly probable that it is indeed a SCAM SCAM SCAM.

Just like larry said. Larry knows best.

While i have used groupon for legit gift card deals and savings at retail stores years ago, i am aware of stuff like this happening recently. Here are some examples from the past year: https://www.reddit.com/r/groupon/comments/17p52dj/groupon_scam/

3

[lamia6]

I emailed e2genesis to find out. One flag for me is that on Groupon the name uses uppercase E, the company site uses lower case. There was a bunch a couple years ago, fake as hell using Plugin Boutique, Audio deluxe, ect. That scam outfit kept spelling plugin wrong.

CINZ NET Radio    |    Radio Registry

3

[superabbit]

I sent email to e2genesis to ask/warn them about this. It’ll be good to know for future reference.

I also see where someone claiming to be Adorama has a similar “deal” up on Groupon.

This seems so strange to me, both of the “deals” have legitimate links to the respective retailers’ websites.

-Erik
___________
superabbit.bandcamp.com

1

[Kirean]

On superabbit said

I sent email to e2genesis asking about whether the deal was legit and if so, what version(s) of the software you get, so we’ll see.

The idea of “old stock” licenses seems odd to me. Do software retailers actually buy blocks of licenses and maintain a “stock” of them?

I’ve always thought that they just take their cut and pass the rest on through to the developers.

-Erik
___________
superabbit.bandcamp.com

Most likely you’re absolutely correct.

When I worked for a local teaching institution and had to order something, we had to use the company that had won the contract to sell the tech. It was often overpriced compared to standard prices, even without tax. Sometimes you’d also find old products in their lists, that for some reason had been ordered in abundance. Perhaps due to certain budgets being granted/pointed for specific causes. But I digress.

It was simply a shot in the dark guess, since on the real e2genesis website they’re also offering the old versions. I doubt fabfilter themselves provide resellers with those older versions anymore either so e2g must have some kind of predetermined batch of keys in their systems.

[Kirean]

Here’s another Fabfilter-scam with Plugin Boutique as the seller: https://www.groupon.com/deals/plugin-boutique-1

So yeah. It’s clear cut, grade A BS. At least it taught me how Groupon works.

3

[superabbit]

Maybe e2genesis’ listing is just out of date, although it would have to be really out of date for those versions to show up. Some of them have been v2,3 whatever for over a year.

We’ll see when they answer lamia and me.

It’s got “scam” written all over it, and if that’s the case, Groupon need to up their game. At this point I wouldn’t trust anything listed on their site. It’s not 2009 for heaven’s sake.

-Erik
___________
superabbit.bandcamp.com

[Vst0nE]

morelikely scam or mistake as on their own website they offer price $899

https://e2genesis.com/products/fabfilter-total-bundle-download?_pos=8&_sid=a159df117&_ss=r

 

 

1

[Teebacca]

The attached screenshot include reviews from another groupon FF scam. Someone posted on the other forum back in June about a similar scam

 

(unsure if i can post the link to that thread since it’s on the other forum, but you can just search “groupon fabfilter” there to find it)

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by Teebacca.
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by Teebacca.

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[jih64BANNED]

I purchased Microsoft Office back a bit from/with Groupon, all went good, download from Microsoft, according to Microsoft the Serial number was legit. Over a year now and still going. I wouldn’t have purchased it if it wasn’t cheap, I only wanted/needed it to open a couple of file types. I could have achieved that via free apps, but as with music software, plugins etc I don’t do free stuff, unless maybe it’s like for example some well known commercial company putting out a free, full version of their commercial software, otherwise it’s an ixnay from me.

Anyway, I had 1 dealing with Groupon, everything went fine, so from my personal experience their batting average is pretty good.

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by jih64BANNED.
• This reply was modified 9 months ago by jih64BANNED.

1

[pseudopop]

From the FAQ on FabFilter’s website:

[…] official FabFilter resellers will never offer crazy discounts that are far below the prices we reflect on our website. Resellers and FabFilter itself never sell via Groupon, eBay, Etsy or other third-party marketplace platforms. Better to avoid these; 99% of the ‘deals’ you will find there are a scam.

https://www.fabfilter.com/support/faq#ive-found-a-highly-discounted-deal-on-the-internet-is-this-legit

• This reply was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by pseudopop.

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[lamia6]

Just got an email back from e2genesis

 

Thank you for reaching out. We are not associated with Groupon and cannot fulfill the listing you have linked. I am not sure how they are able to do this, but I am currently working with Groupon to have it removed.

Confirmed scam.

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4

[peter]

On lamia6 said

Just got an email back from e2genesis

 

Thank you for reaching out. We are not associated with Groupon and cannot fulfill the listing you have linked. I am not sure how they are able to do this, but I am currently working with Groupon to have it removed.

Confirmed scam.

CINZ NET Radio

Thanks for sharing that. The lesson here, as always, if a deal looks too good to be true, it almost always is. Verify before biting on one of those deals — do what lamia6 just did and reach out to a trustworthy party and confirm that they’re indeed the ones running the sale. Groupon really should do better. I have an old colleague and friend whose an exec there — one of my best work pals back in the day — but I don’t think she handles this area. If I touch base — and I mean to — I will ask her about this kind of situation.

Your friend who keeps the beat.

2

[superabbit]

All of the FabFilter total scam listings I saw had https links back to the authentic retailer’s website.

I’m trying to think of a way they could at least suppress abuse of that without it breaking something else….

I’ve not ever created nor used a Groupon deal, so really no idea. It must be pretty wide open if these scam deals can stay up.

-Erik
___________
superabbit.bandcamp.com

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