Augh...I got Ripped off....Any suggestions?

I sold some vintage parts over the net (not here on the hamb) and a guy from Seward PA bought them. Sent a personal check. Waited 2 weeks for it to clear so I sent the parts. 3 days later I get a note from my bank saying it bounced. I thought checks would of cleared within a week or two...

Anyways,
I call the guy and he says "like what in the **** can you do about it" and hangs up. So I call both the Sheriff's department in that county in PA and the PA State Police. Both says they won't take the complaint unless I file it in person. grrrr. Went to my local law enforcement and they were like " we are in Michigan and this guy who wrote the check is in PA...we can take a complaint but we can't do anything for a $70 check"

What in the hell can I do here other then rant and rave? Any suggestions fellas?


-Kent

 

Im in the middle of the same situation...of sorts. Sent out parts after being paypal-ed and month or so later, says he didnt get it. Goes thru paypal and gets a refund, so Im out part and $. Flipside is I got a mail last nite saying that he finally got it (dont know what took so long) and wrote paypal to try and make it right. Hopefully they will, wasnt expecting that...figured I was getting scammed or the like. Good luck with your situation. Its hit or miss for sure.

 

I heard that this type of thing can be called mail fraud...not sure how..but I'd surely threaten it if you find that you can.
Tim
MBL

 

any hambers wanna go and pay a visit to the guy? maybe leave a note on the door mentioning he oughta square up with the individual. Usually it will freak em out knowing that you can actually reach em from your state.

 

same thing happened to me recently.. guy up in northwestern pa got the parts, and sent me an email saying they werent what he wanted..
he proposed that I refund half of his money, or he would have his credit card holdback payment to paypal..

paypal inturn did the same to me, and in addition charged me 10 bucks..

now I'm out 50.00 (parts were 40 + 10 that paypal charged me) and the parts..

 

That's tough. for $70 though, you gotta wonder how far it's worth taking it. This is why everyone asks for MO if they dont take paypal. MO's can't bounce.

The principle of the thing is hard to swallow, I'd be madder than hell too. Unless you got good friends in the area I'm betting there's nothing you can do...

 

You have an address where he lives right? Go get him and get your parts back! Obviously the law is not on your side.

But before issuing a formal throw down I would also try contacting his local township/city police. My family owns a business in which we occasionally receive a bad checks. Usually a visit from the local police department straightens things right out.

Good luck!

 

A.F.G.E...................

A nother
F ucking
G rowth
E xperience......................

 

Also, file that complaint if you're going to pursue this through the law anywhere--that makes the matter real and on record, and if his local cop is willing to visit, you can refer to a real police complaint with a number...
If you're going to pursue this outside the law, you might not want it on record...a skull with eyesockets wired to your turnsignals on your package shelf perhaps??

 

I just got scammed on ebay for two model T radiator shells. The descriptions read "needs a good scrubbing". I get em and one is completely rusted, like heavily rusted and the other is ripped in several places, a mounting ear ripped off and where the lacing attches the metal is also ripped from the shell!! Needs a good scrubbing??? I wouldn't have paid $10 bucks each at a swap meet but instead I'm out over $180 because the guy is a piece of **** and can't be honest about the condition of his junk!

UGH!! Sorry about that. I don't feel better and I shouldn't have gone into all that in yer thread... but sometimes it helps to know yer not the only one takin it in the pooper.

I learned from the radiator shells, hopefully you can just **** it up and remember this guy if yer ever in PA... Not that I condone that kind of activity, but I can understand it sometimes.

 

Contact the local DA where the guy lives. See what he says.

 

Just beware.. There are a lot of so called bad***es on here that always want to see someone get ****ed up. You may go to confront a person on a deal like this and if your uninvited there may be a gun waiting for you. The world is full of ****ed people these days.
Dave

 

wheres he at? i need to get out some pent up aggresion... i'll get your **** back...

 

If your are simply stuck with a worthless check there are places that will buy them.

Search the net. I'm not sure their stipulations but basically they buy the worthless check off of you for X amount on the dollar. They then have the resources to collect.

At least you aren't out all your money and you know that someone is going to go after the guy. Again though, I don't know all the stipulations. There many be a minimum or perhaps they are legally allowed to charge collection fee's.

 

Contact your local Postmaster. I think paying across state line and via mail is considered mail fraud.

 

You have his address right.
Go to Post Office and just fill out a change of address form for him and drop it in the mail.
Won't get your money back but sure will **** him up for a few weeks.
My kid used to do this for the local fish wardens.

 

half way between indiana and johnstown, to far for me to drive.
but not a bad trip from blairsville

 

Oh **** Im gonna remember this one...........Thats so ****in funny I just spit up all my Gin and Tonic. Im glad it was cheap gin
Dave

 

Going throught the same thing with a guy on Ebay for some radios. I won one of them in an auction and he offered up a second one for the same price. So I sent him $260 that covered both radios and shipping.... and never got anything in return. He disappeared from ebay and no phone numbers work.

I contacted the local police in his area by Email and the sheriff was really cool. Said he was well aware of the guy and would stop by. The sheriff said he was told he shipped them by USmail and that he sounded sincere... after that the cop wont return any emails. I have the guys addy in Alabama and was thinking of stopping by but figured what is it gonna help. Im out $260 and he is probably back on ebay under another name.

 

There's an easy way to deal with a bad check in Pa. Walk into THEIR bank and demand payment. I've done it several times. The bank will make it good without any h***le. I've never heard of this place, let me find out where it is. If it's close I'll gladly march it into his bank. I'll be back.

 

actually, that's not foolproof- banks will cash a money order, but if it comes back as fake you're on the hook. Always take a money order to the source- Western union, the Post Office, etc., they will tell you right off if it's valid.

 

OK, this place, Seward, is out near Johnstown. That's not very close to here. What bank is it drawn on , if there's a branch close by I'll still try to help? For that matter, if there's a branch close to you it should work the same. Liars and bad checkwriters piss me off. If it was a simple mistake that's differant, but if he said what you said he needs taught a lesson.

 

Did the checks come in the mail? No doubt they did.

That makes it mail fraud a fedral offense ( postal fraud). Go to the post office. They say alcatraz is really nice this time of year(not). Yea I know that alcatraz is closed and its never really nice, but they are still throwing blanket parties in Levenworth.

 

Politely ask a random teller in your bank that doesn't know of the situation at hand ...and ask them what their wait policy is on personal checks.

If it's under the time frame they are trying to make you make good on it......then fight it with your bank. It's not your fault they drug their feet in processing the check.

Other then that I think I would consider it a cheap lesson......most get burned for much more then that. $70 isn't a drop in the hat, but it could have been worse.

Whoever it was is surely a s***bag and will get worse 10 fold. Have some comfort in that.

 

Ive got one for you,Guy calls me about a 68 elcamino that I have for sale.Says he wants to go through ebay so it'll be all legal.So I list it on ebay w/a buy it now.He buys it sends me a check,I tell him as soon as it clears I will send him the ***le.Coupla nights later he calls me,evidently half in the bag and accuses me of selling parts off of the car.I have no idea what ta hell he's talking about.So I ve got $$$$ (I thought) and offer to buy another car from a friend of mine and put a little extra in w/my bill payments.Coupla days later I get a notice from my bank that He has stopped payment on the check.He gives me bad ebay feedback.Cant get my listing fee back cause he tells ebay that he paid for it.He doesnt tell them that he stopped payment.This guy is supposed to be a CPA from Somerset Ky.Goes under the ebay name of "parts4C3"Everyont that Ive talked too says that people from Somerset are very nice,honest people & I had to deal w/the one idiot in the crowd.If you live in somerset Ky. Pm me & ill give you his name.I hope hes not doing YOUR taxes!!

 

Unless its a bank draft that has to go through several banks its normaly a done deal before the sun comes up. All transactions are electronic then the bank sits on your money for a day or so for grins and to make up for free checking. At least that's what my banker told me when I asked how long I needed to wait for a check to clear.
I was told bank it today and call back tomorrow to see if it cleared.

 

Have local police dept check on persons well being . I have done this in the past which resulted in person paying me rather quickly

Jen

 

Go to PA and kick his ****.
Go the FBI and file a mail fraud complaint.
Go to PA and file a bad check complaint.

Next time wait until you see the money in your account.

 

Here in Texas, the County or District Attorney takes care of collecting hot checks. Since the guy is apparently a jerk, I believe I'd give one of them a call and see if they'd help show him what I was gonna do about it.
Larry T

 

if ya mailed it its MAIL fraud...contact postal inspectors office