cache magnet Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 Recently I bid on and won an auction on E-bay for a Garmin gps v. The total on the unit was $383 and just as I have done on previous auctions I went to the bank and purchased a cashier's check and sent it off. I sent the check on June 25 through regular snail mail. I had had several e-mail conversations with the seller and I even checked his feedback prior to sending the check. His feedback showed nothing out of the usual untill a few days ago when I checked it again and found several negative and neutral comments on his feedback page. I have sent many E-mails to the seller and gotten no response. Today I got the sellers name and phone number from E-bay but got no answer only a machine, I left a message but I am still a little uneasy about what I am in for. I also called the bank and they say the check has not cleared yet, but this only means that it has not gotten back to them yet. What do you guy's think? Do I need to get ready to bend over cause i'm fixing to get screwed or just sit tight and quit being so impatient? Quote Link to comment
+Gliderguy Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 If the seller has thousands of feedbacks, I bet he has just gone on vacation or something. He wouldnt want to wreck a good reputation for a few bucks. If he has a dozen or less, I would be concerned. I have seen some sellers who sell a few times until they get a negative, then start all over. Using Paypal or Billpoint gives the buyer some protection. I highly recommend them in the future. I personally wouldn't deal with someone who wouldnt accept one or the other.... If he is somewhere inbetween, who knows... He might be in the hospital or something... Quote Link to comment
Dejapooh Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 The only safty in Paypal is if you pay by credit card. If you do, you can do a chaarge back. If you use cash you have on account, or an echeck from your account, you are up a creek without a paddle. Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted July 1, 2002 Share Posted July 1, 2002 Gee I hope you didn't get screwed. This has come up in another recent thread. I never for the life of me take a chance to save 5% or 10% on the cost of GPS or anything else for that matter. Buying from a reputable dealer lets me sleep at night. Plus, I double the warranty period, get reimbursed by AX if I lose it, etc if I buy it with my American Express card. Plus a reputable dealer might let me swap it if I don't like it. Good luck - hope he's just on vacation! Alan Quote Link to comment
qman2 Posted July 2, 2002 Share Posted July 2, 2002 I would agree that the seller is probably on vacation. However, with all due respect, I think your prematurely worried. You sent your payment on 6/25 so it was likely received by Thursday 6/27. Some sellers only ship once or twice a week. If the item was sent UPS ground, it could take a week to get there. They may have shipped the item but are bad about responding to email. I once read an article that said you should post positive feedback on eBay if you get the item you purchased and it is as described in the auction. Good luck. Quote Link to comment
cache magnet Posted July 3, 2002 Author Share Posted July 3, 2002 I would agree that the seller is probably on vacation. However, with all due respect, I think your prematurely worried. You sent your payment on 6/25 so it was likely received by Thursday 6/27. Some sellers only ship once or twice a week. If the item was sent UPS ground, it could take a week to get there. They may have shipped the item but are bad about responding to email. Ok then how long should I wait before I start to worry about being ripped off? Quote Link to comment
+Mopar Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 quote:Originally posted by cache magnet:Ok then how long should I wait before I start to worry about being ripped off? I agree your jumping the gun abit. The mail seems to be running a bit slower post 9/11, and just changed the postage rates. Snail mail has been taking up to a week or more for me lately, and I usually drop my outgoing mail off directly at a regional distribution center, which should save a day or 2. So its quite possible the seller only got you check in the last day or 2. Its a very popular time for people to take their vacation, what with many of us getting a 4 day weekend already. The seller may also wait for the check to clear his bank, even though its a bank check, $400 is a large enough sum that he'll want to make sure its not bogus. The seller may only get to the postoffice once a week. Then theres the time to ship it back. All that could easily take 3 weeks or more total, even if the seller isnt on vacation.I have about 50 ebay purchases. I usually wait about 2 weeks and then just send the seller a email asking if he received my payment ok. I would start feeling a bit uneasy if it went another week with no reply. Ebay guidelines state you must wait 30 days from close of auction to file a complaint. I've only had it get to that point once. It was pretty much the exact same situation as yours. Seller had good feedback when I bid, but as the weeks passed, there were starting to get complaints. After 30 days (and not getting any replies to my emails) I filed a complaint. The very next day I got an email from the seller stating she had been in the hospital, and was a few weeks behind (she had dozens of other auctions running at the time I bid) but item would be going out over the weekend. I got it about 9-10 days later. The one thing to remember, if it gets to that 30 day point, start the ball rolling with ebay. Even if the seller contacts you and makes excuses, do not let it go much beyond that. After 60 days from end of auction, ebay will not accept a fraud claim. Illegitimus non carborundum! Quote Link to comment
Cache Canucks Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 In the event that you do get stiffed, you may be able to recover some of your losses by way of eBay's Fraud Protection Program: http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/insurance.html Quote Link to comment
+Seay me Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 I think you should get prepared to be out $300. I wouldn't be so skeptical if you hadn't mentioned the sudden rise in negative/neutral feedback and the sudden halt in email replies. You never know though, for all we know he could have been in a car accident and be in the hospital or something. Chip Quote Link to comment
+Mopar Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 that this is the seller you are concerned about. If I'm right (and I'm pretty sure I am) The 1st 3 complaints are from the same buyer. I noticed he posted his complaints just 2 weeks after the end of the auctions. Like I mentioned in my previous post, 2 weeks is kinda jumping the gun. There was a reply from the seller, claiming he had in fact been in contact with the seller. Not sure what the outcome is, but I would email that buyer to see how he made out. Now lets look at the 2 neutrals. I'm guessing with these 2 the seller never responded with an address to send payment to, or they would be complaints, not neutrals. Both buyers are experienced ebayers, pretty sure they would have made it a complaint if they were out cach. Even there, the one guy claimed he had waited "almost a week". Gee, that long? Talk about jumping the gun a bit! Next we have the 3 other complaints. 2 of those had their funds returned, so yeah, looks like there is some sort of problem, but they are not out any money either. The 3rd guy is as newbie as it gets. He joined ebay the very day he started bidding on that GPS. Its also the only auction he's bid on since. He was yelling that "I will get this fraud!" just a week and a half after the close of auction. In the 3 yrs I've been ebaying, the only time I got an item that fast was when I was dealing with a large company auctioning off some obsolete stock, I was able to call them via 800 number, and give them CC# over phone. They sent it right out, had it in about a week. Never when I had to mail payment out though. So, it looks like you do have more then a little cause for concern, but so far it looks like theres a good chance you wont be out any money, just wont have that new GPS V for $380. I would start by sending an email to each of those people with the complaint/neutral. Ask them where they stand now, and ask them to keep you informed of what happens, and you will do the same for them. After 30 days, if nothing is resolved, file a claim with ebay. If they pay out, your only gonna get like $175 back, but usually the threatening email they send out to the seller gets the ball rolling if there is still a ball to roll Illegitimus non carborundum! Quote Link to comment
NetDep Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 If it is the person Mopar is talking about I would hate to be the employer of the person selling the stuff - yeah - he might be on vacation or he might be using all that money he is being sent to scrape together his bail!! Lots of what appears to be high dollar (and duplicate) items. Might just be a Geo-Fence. Quote Link to comment
+geospotter Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 Has anyone here ever actually gotten reimbursed by ebay or PayPal? I've filed two claims over the years and have never received one dime, although, in both instances both ebay and PayPal said the seller was at fault. Don't get me wrong. I have used ebay many times and would not hesitate to use them again, but just don't count on their "fraud protection" to get your money back. Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 I'd be a little stressed, mostly because of the recent negative feedback. Smart sellers will shoot you an email that explains that they have received your payment and approximately when you will get your new toy. Most likely, however, you will receive your unit (or an email) in a few days. Although he doesn't have hundreds of positive feedback comments, he does have several and they are for similar products. (Many so called power sellers inflate their feedback by buying and selling very cheap items. Then they sell expensive products with the impression that they are 'respectable'.) I have made many purchases on eBay and I've only had one negative experience. It was an extremely slow delivery, but I did eventually receive the item. My advice is to try to relax for another week or so. Continue to try to reach him by email, he'll probably respond to you. Also, I always pay through paypal or billpoint by credit card. This gives you maximum protection if you run across a huckster. Regarding charge-backs, remember that you only have a certain number of days after the charge is posted to attempt to get your cash back. Quote Link to comment
cache magnet Posted July 5, 2002 Author Share Posted July 5, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Mopar: that http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=liontale is the seller you are concerned about. If I'm right (and I'm pretty sure I am) The 1st 3 complaints are from the same buyer. I noticed he posted his complaints just 2 weeks after the end of the auctions. Like I mentioned in my previous post, 2 weeks is kinda jumping the gun. There was a reply from the seller, claiming he had in fact been in contact with the seller. Not sure what the outcome is, but I would email that buyer to see how he made out. That most certianly is the same guy. I just notice the last few comments from bidders. I appriceate everyone's help and feedback on this. I am in the rocess of E-mailing the people who left the negative feedback. I will keep you guys updated if you are interested. Thanks Quote Link to comment
+Mopar Posted July 8, 2002 Share Posted July 8, 2002 Just checked back on that seller's feedback. He is now listed as "Not a Registered User". This means either he has cancelled his ebay account himself, or more likely, ebay has revoked it. Given this turn of events I would now contact ebay immediately. I would check again with the bank and see if A) the check has been cashed yet, and if they have any fraud protection policy. Considering the amount, you might also consider contacting the local police in your/his town, and the Postal authorities(mail fraud). My sister had one bad ebay transaction. It was only like $12, but she has dedicated her life to putting the person behind bars for it, lol! Good luck, keep us posted. Illegitimus non carborundum! Quote Link to comment
cache magnet Posted July 8, 2002 Author Share Posted July 8, 2002 Well I spoke to the bank a few weeks ago and they advised me that a cashiers check cannot be cancled untill the 91st day. Are there exceptions to this? Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted July 8, 2002 Share Posted July 8, 2002 Have you considered emailing the buyers who most recently received their purchases? Someone may still have an actual name and good physical address for the seller. This info may become very important as you proceed. Quote Link to comment
cache magnet Posted July 8, 2002 Author Share Posted July 8, 2002 Well I have contacted all of the users leaving feedback for this user and most of them didn't send money or got it returned to sender by the post office. I contacted my bank today and found out that the cashier's check was cashed july 2. Quote Link to comment
+Rusty & Libby Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 quote:Originally posted by geospotter: Has anyone here ever actually gotten reimbursed by ebay or PayPal? I was an ebay powerseller for over 2 years so I have some experience with them. I once had someone cancel a $300 paypal payment to me after I had already shipped their item the same day they paid. Paypal was no use at all so I emailed the person and told them if they did not refuse the shippment when it arrived that my next call was to his local police department. He refused the shipment and I was only out the shipping cost. In cache magnet's case I would either call the seller's local police department and report him using the name/address you mailed the check to, or I would pursue it thru the post office as mail fraud. Or you could do both. It may not get your money back but if he ripped that many people off he deserves prosecution. Rusty... Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page Quote Link to comment
+Mopar Posted July 28, 2002 Share Posted July 28, 2002 Any progress with this? Illegitimus non carborundum! Quote Link to comment
CountryLover Posted July 30, 2002 Share Posted July 30, 2002 Has anyone ever used those payment escrow systems which hold your funds until goods are received in good order before releasing payment to seller? Is PayPal such a system ? Quote Link to comment
+JoeyBob Posted July 31, 2002 Share Posted July 31, 2002 I only got stiffed once, and the combination of ebay's fraud unit and the Postmaster General's office got my postal money order back. I tend to use USPS money orders for that reason- mail fraud can be prosecuted as a felony, I believe. Never did figure out why the guy wouldn't ship the items. He complained to ebay that I was impatient- after 3 weeks of not answering my emails and phone calls! Quote Link to comment
cache magnet Posted July 31, 2002 Author Share Posted July 31, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Mopar:Any progress with this? Negative, It has been the required thirty days and I have had no luck with any of the options given. I have however come to the conclusion that I will prob. never use E-bay again. At least on items of much value. It's just too risky. I did however convince my wife to let me purchase a Garmin gps v from tvnav.comand I am very satisfied. My advise to new cacher's is to check the pawn shops though. I found a mag 315 for $60 at a nearby pawn shop and it worked great untill I convinced my wife that I needed a gps v. I'm not sayin there is any comparison between the two but it is fun for the both of us to have a gps when we go caching. Oh well, I'll keep you guys posted on the E-bay issue. I have filed with E-bay fraud division and If they don't get and info in 30 more days I get to file a claim with E-bay insurance (like that is gonna do any good!!!) Quote Link to comment
rluxemburg Posted July 31, 2002 Share Posted July 31, 2002 I both sell and buy on eBay and I make a point of not accepting (or sending) personal or cashier's checks. Too much hassle and not enough protection in case of fraud. Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted July 31, 2002 Share Posted July 31, 2002 quote:Originally posted by JoeyBob:... I tend to use USPS money orders for that reason- mail fraud can be prosecuted as a felony, ... While the USPS might choose to prosecute more often when postal money orders are used(I don't really know the number of times this has happened ), mail fraud is any crime where the mail system is used to perpetrate a fraud. I doesn't matter if the check was personal or for that matter if only a solicitation was made in the mail such as if someone sent you a flyer for tghe sale of real estate or equipment or stocks that turned out to be fraudulent in nature. Similarly, if the purchase sent a false check in the mail for product delivered, they would be considered doing mail fraud as well. I suspect though that with all the other problems the mail system has, unless in cases of major fraud, I doubt if they'll get involved. Cache: Sorry it didn't work out. Alan Quote Link to comment
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