A Scalper Explains Why They Love Ripping You Off

The dark art of scalping has become one of the most defining quirks of 21st century zombie capitalism. Whether you’re trying to cop some limited edition Air Jordans, get a Coachella ticket, or buy a PS5, you’ve probably experienced the sickening chill of a scalping frenzy, as the one thing you most desire sells out instantly only to re-appear elsewhere for 2-3 times its original asking price.

But who are the people responsible for these hikes? How does one learn this diabolical trade? And what motivates these scam artists to make a living off of our desperation to simply enjoy things? In search of answers, we tracked down a scalper who was only too willing to talk.

UK-based Connor, 19, gives us the inside track on the highs and lows of his parasitic pastime.

“I cleared a month’s wages in just one day. I felt like a king.”

Connor: I got started in so-called ‘scalping’ when I was 14—I sold a T-shirt I didn’t want anymore on eBay and got back what I paid for it. Then I put that money into the next thing. It snowballed from there and I got to the point where I was doing loads of quick flips on sneakers. I don’t mean your everyday shit, I’m talking exclusive, rare sneakers: Dunks, Jordans, Off-Whites. I had no website, no socials, no contacts, but I was out hustling and selling direct to stores. I was getting £300 cash in hand each time. Doing that at 16, I thought I was the fucking man.

My best day came when Off-White did a shoe with Nike Dunks called “The 50,” where 50 designs were released; all of them were gray but some had orange tags, green laces, blue soles, whatever—they were exclusive. I opened the SNKRS app when I woke up and hit a couple of pairs. I was screaming. I hopped on the train and, within an hour, I’d sold them to a friend at a sneaker shop for double. It was a big day for new releases, so I took that and picked up other drops wherever I could and shifted them onto the next place. I cleared a month’s wages in just one day. I felt like a king.

Then I heard from friends who had botted [scalpers sometimes use automated methods, like bots, to purchase goods, completing the checkout process in a fraction of the time it would take a legitimate user] the drops and they made five, ten times what I had. But botting is a massive and expensive risk. People chat shit and say it’s easy but the truth is you’ve got to pay for proxies and data, and you need multiple bank cards, different addresses, and different profiles. There are people that rent out bots because they’re that expensive. If you get it wrong, then you’re getting doxxed and blocked. I know people that can’t install WiFi at home because they got caught botting.

Another risk is how you get paid. I mostly do cash in hand these days because I don’t have to declare it and then it’s all mine. I’ve also got four bank accounts, and I have PayPal to filter payments too, as well as using my mates’ if it’s a big amount. Before I turned 18, I got flagged every month because I was a kid regularly depositing four-figure sums into my account, despite only working a 12-hour contract at a bakery. You have to be smarter with it.

And then there’s the drops that don’t sell. Last year, I had to sell all my remaining stock at a loss. I valued it at almost £6,000, and only got around £3,500 back. That hurt. I was trying to buy a BMW at the time, and these Albanians had held it for me for eight months; they were demanding the money and knew where I lived. So I needed to take that loss and move on, otherwise it was just dead money.

“I drive a Mercedes-Benz, I buy my girlfriend expensive shit, I’m going out tonight, and I only work three times a week.”

I do have a genuine interest in the stuff I buy and sell. Sneaker resales are dying out at the moment, so I’ve moved onto cleaning up used sneakers and buying Pokemon cards. I know what I’m talking about with these things. If you’re just buying and selling what’s trending with no knowledge of the market, then you’re just being a dickhead and giving us all a bad name.

But if something is undervalued, then you should capitalize. Stanley cups are a prime example—what the fuck is that about? These ditzy girls want them because they’re trending on TikTok, but it’s people like us who are making those TikToks and bumping the price up.

For some of us, scalping is a necessity. Nobody in this world can work just one job anymore. Unless you physically can’t, that’s different. My mum’s ill at the minute and she’s in a wheelchair, so I’m trying to get a house for her. She’s worked her whole life, but now she’s injured and can’t get out of her second floor flat. When I’m buying and selling, it’s usually going towards making her more comfortable rather than me. People don’t get that though, they just have a negative view of scalpers without thinking about the whys of it all.

Where has scalping got me? Before aged 20, I wanted a nice car, a girlfriend, and designer clothes. Here I am now, aged 19: I drive a Mercedes-Benz, I buy my girlfriend expensive shit, I’m going out tonight, and I only work three times a week. Some people work five or six days a week and don’t even make enough to enjoy their life. Whereas I spot the opportunities and make my move. Anybody can do it.

Follow Jack Butler-Terry on X @jxt_writes