BEWARE I Think I Got SCAMMED

Hi,,,,A few weeks ago I sold a metal detector on Craigslist for $750.00....A guy answered my ad via e-mail and said he would take it and wondered if I could hold it for him until he gets paid Friday....I answered him back and said no problem, we then exchanged addresses etc..... Well the next day Tuesday morning, I found out that I had to be in his area in the late evening, which was about 80 or 90 miles away from my house....Instead of waiting and having to mail the detector to him, I sent him an e-mail in the morning and told him I could just drop it off to him and he could mail me the money when he gets paid....Shortly after that he answered back and agreed it was a real good idea (LoL) and he told me he could just mail a money order out Saturday since he gets paid Friday.... Trusting him, I wrote back and replied,,hey buddy no problem see you later....Later I drove up to his area and took care of my business first then headed to his place to drop the detector off....It was almost dark when I pulled into his really in bad shape driveway.. He was already outside to greet me so we just sat in my car and conversed....We talked a bit about detecting & the detector etc., then I gave him my address etc. and handed him the detector and left.....Read on.....I should of added up all these suspicious signs that it was a SCAM ahead of time....LoL....Red Flag #1 He lived way out in the country with no neighbors close by in a very under maintained trailer house....Red Flag #2 He had a cheap throw away ceIl phone where he bought his minutes and done his e-mailing from....Red Flag #3 No cars in the grown up driveway....Now on to the actual SCAM....Red Flag #4 Days later I actually did get a letter from him but with no return address....And finally this is what he said in the letter and the actual SCAM....Red Flag #5 "Thanks for the detector buddy,I think I'm going to really enjoy using the detector....I would of enclosed the money order but I already sealed up the envelope..LoL..Take care things are tough all over".....I'm still wondering if I would not of contacted him and offered to drop the detector off, how was he going to work the SCAM?....Why did he even mail a letter?....Yesterday I drove down to his place and boy it sure looked really junkie in broad daylight....Of course no one was around....I then drove into town and contacted the police about the incident....I gave them the address etc. & they knew exactly the place I was talking about....They said that place has been abandoned for years and the county owns it now....As far as the cell phone tracing etc. goes they said it would cost a lot more to get cell phone records,court etc. than it's worth.....I have to admit the money & sealed envelope statement is kinda a funny..LoL...Just click on the link below if you want to see the place and PLEASE be on the lookout for this type of SCAM......JJ


[www.graphics99.com]

I hate to say it,But I would never give a Detector with out getting the money first. The only time I would is if it is someone on the forum's I have dealed with before . Sorry to be negative.

Its is true that someone has to risk a loss unless one meets for a direct exchange. Paypal has some security is these cases, I avoided using them for years because I resented their nosey demand for bank info even though one uses a credit card. Other than face to face exchange, I don't see how find a more secure way for both parties. Sorry JJ. I've been nicked by jerks on the 'bay who could not have been just stupid about how they didn't know the true condition of items they sold as used and seemingly working find, but selling with no return (red flag? duh!).
Watch to see if your machine goes up on Craigslists a few town over. Did you have a serial number on that one and proof of ownership? Just a thought.
Tom

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie

It's obvious the last two posters did not click on your link. I was thinking "YOU MUST BE CRAZY NOT GETTING PAID FIRST" . Ya got me good one.

Hi,,,I know it I was feeling kinda bad about it and was having remorse about doing it.....I did warn people to PLEASE be on the lookout for this type of SCAM.....I guess I ran a SCAM on a SCAM.....LoL....My apologizes to anyone I may have offended........JJ

I've been had.

No harm no foul. But I will never get the hours back I poured in to my heart felt sympathetic response. I feel like a piece of my soul has been cut out and stomped into the dirt. Like I've lost a few of the remaining moments of my fleeting life that I could have spent with my loved ones. Like when they run extra commercials on my favorite TV shows. I could have been out hunting and not finding anything, but burning up gas and batteries for nothing. Crap it just started raining- look at what you've done!!!!!!

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie

You got me with that one! <big smile>

Good grief.

Jimmy, you had me thinking you were the dumbest guy on the forum.

O.K I finally see it. I didn't have my 3 cup's of coffee yet. LOL!

Good one lol

I think you'll be hearing from Pasttom's attorney, by the sound of it. I forgot about fools day...thought you were one after reading your post jj. That post didn't jive up with your past posts...kinda gave me a brain glitch.

Jimmy------You sound like a man with a VERY vivid imagination!

that was a good april fools joke you got me lol

skinner Wrote:
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> that was a good april fools joke you got me lol


Got me at first to---but----I thought some ace done got Jimbo! ha ha

I'm with Aaron on this one!

But at the same time,

being April 1st - I knew from the get go that NO one is that naive and just that plain (less than intelligent shall we say!) to hand over a detector worth $700+ to some stranger!

Nice try Jimmy ;-)

you silly bastard

Dang JJ I was pissed when reading you had gotten ripped off and when I looked at the pic I laughed, you got me on that one!!

Not funny.

That was low, way low.

Jimmy, you've got too much time on your hands. And that's no joke...

OK, I'm over being PO'd about how WE got scammed.

Seriously though, here's how I deal.

When I'm buying privately, I send cash via PayPal, USPS Money Order, etc. I don't do it however before I get a real name, address, phone number and email address. I have a phone conversation if possible to make sure I don't get any weird vibes. I also Google the seller and if they aren't "look uppable" I'm wary.

When I'm selling, I insist on cash or cash equivalent in hand before I ship. I offer all my personal details on the first contact and invite the buyer to contact me with any questions.

So far, in about 20 trades I haven't been scammed nor have I had a dissatisfied buyer.

I'll keep my fingers crossed!

As far as the April Fool's joke. Well, we all make mistakes.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2014 11:47PM by lytle78.

You had me there for a minute but I was thinking seems too nice, but it was a good story and pulled you in.
But if I were ever in that kind of situation where I might put the trust out there I would take a Video I.U.O from the guy and photo his I.D.
LOL.

Honestly it made a lot of forum member think even many feel it was in poor taste. Just like the old cop show when the Sgt. says be careful out there it sure is applicable buying and selling. Lots of good folks out there but always a bad apple in the barrel. Thanks for the reminder and if your scammed please let us all know lest we be prepared.
I speak from experience as I lost count of the horsetrading I have done over the years...

Dang Jimmy

I cant believe the guy sent a letter with no money and made a joke of it...

It will come back to haunt him gurantee that!

You got to be careful ..

Ive got a guy right now that has owed me 75.00 dollars for over 4 years now....I bought a coil form him and he told me so many things that had happened that he jsut could not come up with my 75.00 to give it back after he said the coil did not work and was not comfortable selling it to me???

He was Out fo Kentucky...

Now Im in bad mood thinking about it...And reliving my anger...Hope the machine was not too expensive..

Keith

Well, I guess I'm sorry for getting people mad....April 1st only comes once a year, life is short, some of you maybe need to look at life a more cheerfully......I would hate to detect with you out of fear getting you mad if I cracked a joke..... If nobody detects with you maybe that's the reason........It's sad to see people get mad over a joke, it's pathetic to say the least....see ya

Aahh hell,I got a kick out of it...although at first I thougjt you where dumber than dirt for making that deal!! Happy Aprils fools! Ray

You need to click on the link Keith! LOL!


Keith Southern Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dang Jimmy
>
> I cant believe the guy sent a letter with no money
> and made a joke of it...
>
> It will come back to haunt him gurantee that!
>
> You got to be careful ..
>
> Ive got a guy right now that has owed me 75.00
> dollars for over 4 years now....I bought a coil
> form him and he told me so many things that had
> happened that he jsut could not come up with my
> 75.00 to give it back after he said the coil did
> not work and was not comfortable selling it to
> me???
>
> He was Out fo Kentucky...
>
> Now Im in bad mood thinking about it...And
> reliving my anger...Hope the machine was not too
> expensive..
>
> Keith

Yeah, I didn't click on the link either till later.

I kept thinking "how could jimmy be so dumb?"

Glad to hear it was a joke, to much real stuff like that going on....

Nobodies mad JJ. April fools is a gimme. My daughter told my wife and I she was pregnant...finally I'm going to be a grandfather yea!....April Fools.....darn.