HEATED UP!!

John Fernandez_2

I have a plumbing-heating business in Colorado and use my computer as a "tool" in my trade. We frequently purchase items on the popular auction site (no names mentioned here). Recently I placed a bid on a new hand held pipe theader, won the auction, sent my money order to the seller and never heard from them again. I have contacted the auction site as well as local authorities, in the course of all this, found that this "seller" scammed about 30 of us and is being pursued by the law. My bid was in the amount of $ 540.00, times thirty, not a bad take for two weeks. Like the auction site told me " BUYER BEWARE".
Any questions or input?

John

hr

That's a problem

checking their history may help, it's ususlly posted.

Keep in mind that works both ways! Once, but only once I had a buyer stop payment on a check. Apparantly even money orders can be stopped.

Look into paypal of credit card payment? Next time!

Sometimes the buyer, and sometimes the seller gets ripped. Pro con folks always find a way to beat the system.

Sorry about your experience, mine have been 99% positive.

hot rod



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Kal Row

i happend to me...

but i was able so stop credit card payment, use paypal with protection and dont do business with anyone that wont accept that, and look for someone that has been doing business for at least 6months and has a 99% satisfied rate in the history, and search "completed items" to get a good idea, what the item typically gets, and if it's a large item, try to get the serial number first and check it out, i did that with a hilti hamerdril that retails for over 1300 but sold on ebay for 650, i called hilti with the sn and made sure it was not stolen first, because if they trace it to you have to give it back, a friend, bought an "emergency locator radio" and the navy called him up, and he had to send it to them at his own expense

ps if you find an item that is low in cost but high in shipping – and the total is not more than the typical cost + shipping, then it’s billed that way because the ebay percentage is based on item price not shipping – the seller is just one upping ebay – though. ebay uses the same “typical” method, to go after regular abusers of that method

Firedragon_4

PayPal with credit card protection, as someone said

99% protection.

Jeff Lawrence_23

Paypal

PayPal is only an intermediary in the credit card payment of online auctions. If the seller doesn?t ship the merchandise, you're out of the payment regardless.

If you stop payment on a PayPal transaction (charge back), they'll come after you.

I've gotten burned a couple of times on an online auction, once from misrepresented merchandise and the other from non-shipment. I looked into the feedbacks of the sellers and they looked good. You can never tell.

I still like the old fashioned auctions.

singh

good deal

I bought ridgid 700, set of dies oiler . no problem I used paypal, money went into a sort of escrow until both parties are satified. Good machine just about new for half the price my supplier would charge me.

Plumbing and heating companies come and go everyday,you can find good deals there. Sorry for your experience.

hr

Be wary of knock off tools, also

Thy look like brand names in the pictures, but are cheap knock offs.

If the price for new, brand name tools sounds to good to be true....

JLC ran an article about this last month. they showed some examples and how to spot imitations.

Often the ad reads "tool rep rep is trying to clear out demos, over stock, or model change products"

hot rod

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hr

Be wary of knock off tools, also

Thy look like brand names in the pictures, but are cheap knock offs.

If the price for new, brand name tools sounds to good to be true....

JLC ran an article about this last month. they showed some examples and how to spot imitations.

Often the ad reads "tool rep rep is trying to clear out demos, over stock, or model change products"

hot rod

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Mark Eatherton1

Smart criminal elements

are now working the e-auction scenes. There was a story recently about a guy who purchased a HD motorcycle of the net from E-Bay. He'd done due dilligence and checked out the "seller". Only problem was, the real seller had hijacked the "seller" from some other unsuspectiong, dormant seller. The rip off artist had sold the motorcycle to no less than 6 other people and is nowhere to be found. He now has some new friends from the FBI looking for him as well.

Buyer, beware. They're out there around every corner, waiting for you to come along..

ME

Earthfire

paypal not safe

got ripped by sellerthat had over 600 feedbacks with no negatives (no ship and no reply to emails) Paypal told me seller got the money, they can't contact him ,not replying to email , So Sorry your shafted. Luckily had used creditcard not checking account with paypal. Creditcard company covered me under their internet fraud clause and PayPal Screamed like a stuck pig that I was ripping them of. Paypal is just one more way for ebay to make a fee, there is no protection, it is not an escrow account the seller gets funds deposited immediately. It is the perfect tool fo fraud artist.If the seller doesn't have own creditcard account I don't deal.