There's a bit of electronics kit that I'd quite like, so obviously I keep a close eye on the price movements for it on Amazon and specifically the offers from other people.

Several times recently, the price from someone has been very good – over a hundred pounds below anyone else. Checking the vendor's 'store' comes up with something that has feedback going back some time, but also shows that a lot of electronics stuff is on offer for similar bargain prices.

Each time, there's been an odd bit in the condition note about emailing some webmail address before ordering. I've done this once, but got no reply. Whether or not I do it, when I order it, it's cancelled (by them) shortly afterwards. All of their stock vanishes not long afterwards too.

After the most recent time, something made me wonder what the price was on Amazon.de… Oh, that's interesting, three vendors doing the same thing there. They have different prices, but they're all bargains and all have the odd 'email us' bit in either the condition note or the title of the store.

One of the vendors is a UK garment embroidery business, which has obviously sold clothing-related stuff in the past (the feedback) but is now..

.. ah ha! People are using hacked Amazon marketplace accounts to offer stuff at very low prices as part of some scam.

Whether they're taking the money and running without delivering stuff – if you sell on Amazon, they pay out not long after you say you've shipped orders – or if they're laundering money – buy it with stolen card details, and Amazon will give you clean money before the crime is discovered – I don't know. Probably the former because why bother to have low prices for the latter? I'll ask the next time I see this…