He may have ripped me off.

nerd, those weren't smart a$$ answers. those were the facts of life on the internet. first the money, then the shipment. and personal checks must clear first. i've sold thousands of items on ebay through the years. that's the way it is. a sophisticated buyer will understand. remember, there are lots of crooks with computers.

[went522]

Here you go, I'm now logged on! It wasn't a smart### remark! It was a fact. You made a deal with someone you don't know, he lives 600 miles away, hasn't sent you any money but you sent the item??? Sorry if I offend you but to me it's a no brainer. I sell and buy things over the internet all the time, I would never send something out without payment and wouldn't expect anyone to ship to me without paying them first.

BIRDDOG

[REW]

Since you have his name address and phone number, you could call the local prosecuter of that location and prefer Fraud charges.

A big hassle and likely unnecessary, but if you don't get the merchandise, he has committed a crime.

Take care
REW

[2746]

I posted earlier about a problem buying on e-bay....sent the money but didn't get the merchandise. Nerd sent the merchandise but didn't get the money. Which one of us is the idiot? Truth is that all transactions by mail or internet are based on trust even if it's Cabelas etc. Most folks you can trust.....a few are stinkers. When you run into a stinker all you can do is make life miserable for them until they shape up....some never will. Filing a complaint as REW suggests could create a problem for him, I'd try it. I would also post his name on this site and the one you used and, the earlier suggestion that we all e-mail him wouldn't be bad. Keep at him with e-mails, letters and phone calls. You may never get your money but he may think twice before doing it again.

By the way, because of an earlier suggestion, what protection does pay-pal provide?

[hooky]

Since you have his phone number, the first thing I would do is call him and see if he received the product. If he did, then ask him about the payment!

[rabbit]

Make sure the site-web manager knows so this guy can't post again...

[Shellback]

Internetnerd, I hope things work out for you. Sometimes other personal or professional circumstances interfere with the buyer or seller during the transaction. Fortunately I've always had good luck with my purchases or sales thru fishing boards. When buying or selling I like to use personal checks. If I send a man a personal check, he will need an account to deposit it to, and that will leave a trail to him if something goes wrong. When the seller receives a personal check he just waits for it to clear his bank before shipping. You had faith in your fellow man, that he would send you the payment. That's a good thing, don't let some negative comments change your attitude on life.

[Schnauzer]

"Sorry if I offend you but to me it's a no brainer" - Somehow the apology part gets lost when you follow it up with a statement that could easily be inferred to mean you are saying the guy asking for help has no brain.

When someone says they have a problem, and your response is to let them know you would never be in the same boat… well… let’s just say it isn’t helpful.

Anyway, sorry to hear about the situation. I feel for you. It is easy to see how you struck up a relationship, placed trust in the guy, and now he is potentially ripping you off. Sometimes things like this turn out to be a misunderstanding (guy is on vacation and his check came back in the mail due to wrong postage, or something silly like that).

Here’s to hoping it is something like that. If the situation persists, about all you can do is measure up how much the principle of the situation compares with the potential hassles. You could seek legal action, call him out on the website, etc. My brother has always been willing to literally lose a little money, time, and effort, in a crusade to make sure justice is done. I am a bit different. I may be like that to a point but ‘cut bait’ earlier if it is going to be a big hassle.

Good luck. I hope it is an honest mistake.

[Peanut]

I don't think Went 522 was meaning to be disrespectful of non-helpful. The general rule of online transactions is payment first, then delivery. Yes, the same trust is still required (but going the other way), but that is how online transactions are done.

Someone else suggested Paypal - a good strategy. The seller loses a bit in fees, but it does give the buyer some added possibilities if the deal goes bad.

Online selling has tons of upside - your marketplace is literally the world, but like anything, there are risks - they can be managed, but both the seller and the buyer need to educate themselves on the process.

derrek.

"It's the weaseling out of things that sets us apart from the animals.... Except the weasel."
- H.J. Simpson