Hi!
Have a look at this site:
http://www.ui-mall.com/product.asp?classid=9&Page=5

They offer several flutes (Gemeinhartd 3S new, Powell, Miyazawa, Muramatsu...

The prices seem to be too low. Or are they correct?

Those prices seem too good to be true!

The listed picture of the Bang Olufsen Serene Luxury Flip Phone (USD 75) looked like a piccolo with red body and gold keywork to me. Must get one - it would be great to have a picc that sends text messages!

I am worried by the fact that it could be a scam.

The link comes from a person who wrote me in English (not a native English speaker, but it doesn't seem to be "Chinese" English either), using a name that has a coincidence with someone I know. It used a gmail.com email address.

I am trying to check whether it is the same person (something I doubt).

Will inform in case I get any feedback.

<Added>

I notice from Kara information that the domain is very recent (created on October 2008), something also suspicious.

Normally with the URL one can find out easily who is the ISP provider and report the site to the abuse section of it:
http://www.db.ripe.net/whois?form_type=simple&full_query_string=&searchtext=80.36.156.6&do_search=Search

But I do not think we have any proof of scam; they could well be mirroring Ebay auctions and this in itself may not be illegal. If the auctions are scam, there may be a responsibility of those promoting them in their sites, but I am not sure.

VERNE Q. POWELL BOSTON FLUTE 2100
Original Price: USD 410
Member Price: USD 365

In what known universe is a "wholesale" price (i.e., new) for any Powell flute US$410??

Their "About" page lists a phone number and street address in China. Try phoning them, Suzie!

definitely smells of a scam to me.. although, it might be fun to order the $1,300 motorcycle!

I have just sent an "ultimatum" Email to the person who sent the link to me, as he did not reply my previous mail. His name coincides with someone I would not like to see involved in a scam affaire.

If I do not get an answer in a couple of days, I will report the possible attempt to scam to Gmail, because the person used one Email address from Google.

I wouldn't go near this - there are many of these hopeful ads. At least one, for a contra bassoon, even had pictures of different instruments in the same ad!

um, yeah. A grand piano for $750? I don't think so.

then I want the grand piano, motorcyle, and Muramatsu flute!

yeah I WISH grand pianos were that much!

<Added>

Also Our computer has a McAfee siteAdvisor, and it said that website is promoted through spam email!

<Added>

:o

darn, I would have ordered the grand piano, the motorbike and the powell flute in a heartbeat! Surely it's legitimate, I mean otherwise that would be like... lying!

just to inform that I have reported the scammer to Gmail, but only as spam as I could find no other reporting option in their site

Seems to good to be true. I also got a mail from a friend with the same message.

I added the msn after looking at the stuff on the homepage.
I chatted a little with a man called "Fang". I asked him about the iPhone:

Ivvár: i was wondering.. how are you able to sell iphones without the subscription?
Fang: sorry i donnot understand you
Ivvár: in US they only sell the iPhone if you subscribe for a 2-year deal with AT&T
Ivvár: and you pay lets say... $50 a month over 2 years
Ivvár: i didnt know anyone else but Apple themselves could sell iPhones
Fang: really?
Fang: our company is a wholesaler
Fang: to sell kinds of electronic products
Fang: all over the world

Fang: we have the authority of the apple company
Fang: we are a wholesaler in china

how can I now that you´re telling the truth?
Ivvár: I don´t see anything on the whole internet saying that this is in fact what you say it is
Fang: you can know our company details from our web
Fang: and we have our own commercial instrument
Fang: that authorited by the chinese government

Ivvár: what is the cheapest item you´re selling?
Fang: you can check on our web
Ivvár: i want you to prove that you´re serious
Ivvár: if you can afford to send me the cheapest object for free
Ivvár: i´m going to buy many iPhones of you
Ivvár: as well as music instruments
Fang: ok

well.. I´m excited to see if Fang actually sends anything.
Have you guys ever heard of a "company-msn"? My god, that´s seems weird...

That seller you were referring to was someone I have heard of before. He was selling a silver piccolo for $60 and another seller said that the price was $200. It was the same exact instrument and new too.

My educated guess is that this might very well be a case of a company that is being used to outsource by a legitimate firm in China is producing extra inventory and dumping them on the open market directly.

Everything that's made in China now is like this. They have a deal to make 100,000 flutes a year and run the shop 24/7 and make 150,000 and sell the rest on the gray market. This happens with electronics most of the time, but it seems to be happening with flutes as well, now.

It's kind of like getting a "fake" Rolex from the same factory that makes the ones for Rolex. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the flutes really did cost the makers about that little to make if the work is done in China instead of Europe, USA, or Japan.