Like every six months, now is the time to take stock of the Dune Pro project, this case that looks like Mac Pro 2019 funded on Indiegogo. And as much to say it frankly: the news is not reassuring.
Eighteen months ago, the creators of the project assured us that the box was finally approaching despite the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 epidemic. A year ago, we were promised that expeditions had begun while last Christmas, a handful of customers drawn at random shared photos of the first models received.
Since then, Dune had even offered impatient customers to add 100 to 300 dollars to their invoice to benefit from accelerated delivery, in a grouped container for the first, and direct shipment for the wealthiest. However, among these, only regarding fifteen customers would have actually received the case – and once more, without the front face imitating the design of the Mac Pro 2019!
And today, it is clear that nothing has progressed, quite the contrary. On Indiegogo, the project has officially gone under review and new contributions are no longer accepted. the official website has been returning an error message since April, on the initiative of its service provider Shopify, which preferred to throw in the towel. The project facebook page is at a standstill and in the comments the accusations of fraud are now multiplying, without the slightest reaction from the owners of the page. And even Youtuber Linus Tech Tips, who previewed the case in 2019, added a “Do not buy” statement to the title of his video. In short, it smells of fir.
Obviously, with four thousand customers and more than a million euros in nature, this situation does not make many happy. A few investors have gathered arounda DuneScam.com website and D’a Facebook group “Dune Case Scam” (the Dune Case scam) where they share their anger. Obviously, the creator of Dune, Alexander C. Gomez, takes it for his rank, and his silence annoys – especially since it seems that he now flows a happy retirement in Bali, where he seems to lead the good life.
Obviously, in the absence of a proper trial, it is not possible to directly accuse Dune of having set up from scratch a scam intended to divert the investments of overconfident customers. The company really showed signs of activity for more than two and a half years. Prototypes have been shipped, photos of production sites have been shared, and the difficulties due to the Covid-19 crisis, then to factory closures, and to the explosion of transport costs, are very real. But it would seem that, in recent months, a deliberately optimistic communication has been organized to hide the fact that the manufacturing cost had been largely underestimated and that the project would probably never come to an end.
In short, you guessed it: if, like us, you ordered a Dune Pro case, it’s probably time to make up your mind. As we know, crowdfunding always involves an element of risk. It seems that this time the carriage has definitely turned into a pumpkin.
