After the death of Lik-Sang, the import site that had Sony worried about safety, it appears that "grey importing" is still alive and kicking off the faces of unwitting consumers.

I was coming home from Manchester earlier tonight, and on the way home I passed a billboard advetising the PS3. It was very, very poorly done. It was either the work of a monkey with a PS3 picture, some glue, and enough money to begin advertising, or it was shady goings-on. I'm not the only person to see this, though.

In fact, Trading Standards, the UK, well, ... trading standards body, has recieved a series of complaints regarding the posting of such billboards around the UK. These posters advetise a PS3 in time for Christmas -- the dream of many a gadgeteer and parent alike. If you are suitably intrigued, a massively expensive premium rate line is generously provided for you to call. After a £1.50 conversation with a robot who demands to know your details, you are promised a US or Japanese PS3 in time for Christmas. For up to £1200! What a bargain, at only three times the estimated retail price!

What worries me isn't the legal implications or grey-marketeering, but the fact that unsuspecting punters are being absolutely and completely ripped off! The demise of Lik-Sang has opened the floodgates to a slew of prospective "entrepeneurs" more than willing to extort the money of the less well informed. Even the auctions in the US are slightly regulated -- EBay apparently keeps a very tight ship with regard to money. The lack of any European regulation (I'm unsure of the power of Trading Standards in these legal grey areas) should surely have made Sony think twice about their decision to delay. This is money they could be stealing!

via MCV