Think I may have been scamed on the bay...

[FoxZero]

Well I'm not sure if this was the place to post this but it's gear related so...

Anyways I won this bid on Ebay for my dream amp.
FRAMUS COBRA W/ roadcase - eBay (item 320197731883 end time Dec-22-07 14:39:58 PST)

I paid him via Cashiers Check. We were going to do Paypal but a third party intervened (a legit scammer) and we ended up sending a check out of the confusing. The third party was some guy named Dave and he wanted a cashiers check sent through Western Union. Obviously this messaged reeked and the actual seller told us to stay away from this guy.

Anyways this guy got his check after some communication via email. We learned that the guy had no internet access at home and he used the internet at his work, he's also very immature. Well after he got the check he went silent over the weekend. When he finally got back to us on Monday he said he forgot to mail it out and he said he would throw in the foot switch as an apology. I can live with that (but the amp's midi switchable so it's not like I'm in need of it), but I just want to get it. That was the last email we got from him. Also this just popped up.
FRAMUS COBRA - eBay (item 320203318842 end time Jan-10-08 12:48:22 PST)

Today he just got a very threatening letter. We have his full name, address, invoices, etc... and we said we're not afford to go down to CA to sue the bastard. If he doesn't respond to this by Friday I'm afraid I'm going to have to stay true to that. Negative feedback just isn't enough when we're talkin this kind of money.

Well, with all us gear fanatics on here I know a lot of people get stuff off ebay. Does anybody have any advice for me? Both for what I should do now and what type of legal action I should take if that's what it comes to. Obviously because of my age my mom is handling it, but it's still my money. My mom has successfully sued someone before and she is very close friends with a very good lawyer, but that last case was an insurance issue.

Either this guy is just one irresponsible seller or he's one stupid scammer.

Thanks all in advance! Obviously I want my money back, but I'd much rather have my amp!

 

[Pirelli]

What do you mean about the 3rd party intervening? That part kind of confused me.

 

[Chris]

Never, ever send a cashier's check man. :\ Hope this works out for you but sadly I'm not optimistic.

 

[FoxZero]

Never, ever send a cashier's check man. :\ Hope this works out for you but sadly I'm not optimistic.

I know. I told my mom to use Paypal but when this Dave guy sent his bulshit emails she got confused and sent the cashiers check without telling me. I'm not optimistic, but I'm praying he's just an irresponsible asshole, but everything he's done so far is just far too shady. Thanks for the advice though.

BTW the third party was some scammer pretending to be the actual seller. Sorry if I confused anybody.

 

[Edroz]

wow dude, that sucks, i hope this gets worked out in your favor.

 

[Metal Ken]

1500$ down the drain :/

 

[Scott]

If the seller has time to list another head, then he has time to ship yours out to you.

If I had to guess, i'd say he's looking to sell the one and only head to whoever wins the second auction, and pocket your money as well. And eventually tell you he shipped it out but that it must have gotten lost in transit.

 

[zimbloth]

I hope you get it worked out but man, again, I can't believe you'd send a check to a guy with basically 0 feedback (as a seller). I'd still leave negative feedback, at least then you know no one will bid on that one hes got up now.

 

[HighGain510]

Yeah like Chris said, NEVER send out a cashier's check. Your mom should have known better (although if she doesn't do much with eBay she just might not have known that's a common scam tactic unfortunately :\ ). You could always try to contact eBay about it... and I would do so like RIGHT NOW. While his other auction is still going. They'll shut him down and freeze his account until you receive that amp.... so unless he's bailing on that account and disappearing (which he very well might, low feedback account = shady IMHO) totally you might get it out of him that way. I wouldn't sit on this though. If you don't hear back from him within the next week or two find out the number for the local police in his area (you should still have his name and address right?) and they'll put out a warrant on this guy for mail fraud. The same thing happend to a guy on TGP and he ended up getting his shit but it was a mess. Lesson learned.... do NOT ever send someone a cashier's check, especially some random dude you don't know on eBay. I hope it works out for you.

 

[Jongpil Yun]

I've never bought anything over $50 from someone with under 200 feedback (with the exception of my RG, guy had 110 all positive feedback) since I got scammed once on eBay, but that was only for $50. Hope you get your amp or your money

He deserves neg rep either way. If he's selling a $2k amp, EVERYTHING damn well better go smoothly. You have to expect a certain level of professionalism from people, even on eBay.

 

[skinhead]

Road trip, it's always better than giving money to an unknow guy

 

[LordOVchaoS]

Today he just got a very threatening letter. We have his full name, address, invoices, etc... and we said we're not afford to go down to CA to sue the bastard. If he doesn't respond to this by Friday I'm afraid I'm going to have to stay true to that. Negative feedback just isn't enough when we're talkin this kind of money.

Shit man! Pick a route from PA that goes through Missouri and I'll go with you to kick the guys ass and take your amp home! THEN you can sue him AND have an amp!

Future reference: As much trash as people talk on Paypal it really is your friend. If you send anything other than paypal or POSTAL money order you're at the seller's mercy. It's VERY hard if not impossible to get your money back from somebody if you use anything else. I know from experience! There's a certain someone over at Harmony Central that has scammed nearly 100 people now and since he takes only money orders there's NOTHING anybody can do about it. We've all reported him to his local authorities and sent all his info to scammer alert sites. He's still at it. Paypal will get your money back and if you use a Postal money order it's mail fraud which is a federal offense.

 

[zimbloth]

Yeah man if you have his address, I'd be very tempted to just go down there myself with a gang of people and bust some caps. Hopefully he'll just be scared into giving you your money back or shipping the amp. I'm tempted to send him a msg saying "maybe send your 'other' one before re-listing".

 

[Scott]

We'll all go! Let me grab my passport...

 

[FoxZero]

1500$ down the drain :/

Almost $1700 actually, and I won't let it go down the drain.

He originally wanted Paypal actually. I seriously can't believe how my mom screwed up their.

But seriously I'm not going down without a fight. I have all his personally information. We've reported him to Ebay already but they haven't done shit! And we left negative feedback but it won't show up for some reason.

He claimed to have two Cobras already in the first listing, so there's still a light of hope.

@HighGain Thanks for the advice man! I'm seriously giving him till the end of the week to respond. If he doesn't I'm taking immediate legal action. I'll definately take your advice and I'll speak to a lawyer.

 

[Chris]

You could always try to contact eBay about it... and I would do so like RIGHT NOW. While his other auction is still going. They'll shut him down and freeze his account until you receive that amp....

This.

 

[Codyyy]

That's such a bummer dude! We all want to feel safe making eBay transactions, and this one, even if it turns out okay eventually, is extremely sketchy.


*gets baseball bat* Let's go get that amp!!!

 

[Chris]

I'm seriously giving him till the end of the week to respond.

Fuck that dude. $1500? Report it NOW. Better take a bad feedback and get your money back than be out $1500. He relisted your item without shipping it to you.

 

[zimbloth]

Try contacting him through the eBay's 'contact seller' button, instead of email. It's possible that one of your guys emails spam filters are screwing up communication. Long shot but who knows...

You can also get his phone #, if you don't know how I can link you.

 

[FoxZero]

Hey thanks guys! I really appreciate the support. I swear if he wasn't on the other side of the fucking country I'd be tempted for an ass kicking, but I'm small so I'd have to bring some of you guys!

I'm about ready to post his email address if you guys really wanna send some hate... maybe scare him into sending it.

Fuck that dude. $1500? Report it NOW. Better take a bad feedback and get your money back than be out $1500. He relisted your item without shipping it to you.

Sorry if I missed this but I already gave him negative feedback and reported him twice earlier this week. Ebay hasn't done shit so far. I'm giving him till the end of the week till I call the police or something for mail fraud.

Try contacting him through the eBay's 'contact seller' button, instead of email. It's possible that one of your guys emails spam filters are screwing up communication. Long shot but who knows...

You can also get his phone #, if you don't know how I can link you.

If you could help me with that it'd be awesome! Surely he would get the point with a creepy phone call!