Advice on how to deal with a crook.

For as long as I've been in this hobby, I've never been "burned" by anyone; but, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Now, it has. On another site I frequent, I came across someone looking for parts I was getting ready to throw away. Rather than throw old stuff away, i thought I'd help the fella out and offer it to him for the cost of shipping. He was all over that, and really wanted/needed the parts. The two largest shippers wanted more than $135.00; Greyhound $50.00. I did ALL the leg work, covered the costs, and it's been two months. He's currently unemployed, getting unemployment benefits, and answers my e-mails saying he's trying to get the money together. I'm on one coast, he's on the other. How would you proceed? I probably won't ever do any long distance dealing with anyone as a result of this, and that's too bad. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Unfortunately, there's probably not a whole lot worth doing. If anything, chalk it up to karma, you did something good for someone, its still out of your garage and you'll get yours someday. On the other hand, he'll get whats coming, seems like if he is unemployed, he's probably already getting it.

 

He is still answering you and claimimg to get the money. That's good.

If you have ever been stomped financially (and without warning) and can't even cover your food and roof, then you end up in this situation.

Yes, it's bad for you, but he "may" be telling the truth.

good deeds return at some point

 

I'd wait a couple of months and then remind him. Probably should have only shipped them after receiving reimbur*****t for shipping ... Lesson learned. At least you helped a guy out that needed it.

 

Write it off as cheap tuition for your learning experience.

From your description, he doesn't sound capable of paying you now even if he wanted to.
A turnip can't squeeze money out of itself either!

If a "friend" borrows $50 from you and you never see him again, it was money well spent.

 

it's possible he was ready to send the money then the bottom fell out of his finances, I know the feeling. this economy hit a lot of people hard and fast.

 

well man if he answers you back and says he's trying to get the funds together he just might be doing that but if he is just pulling your leg the best thing to do is bite the bullet and maybe write a post on said website to not deal with the guy. This happend to me awhile back on another site too the guy just flat out lied about the condition of something i had pics but they tend to hide alot on the computer so i drove a long way but not all was lost got to spend time with the dad on road trip so all ended well

 

yeah... as much as it ****s, it will probably be a while before you see anything from him.

It sounds like in 6 months you might get to the mailbox and find an envelope from him. If he was going to screw you over, you probably would never hear from him.

 

seems at this point he is going to try and make it right ..I'd give him the benifit of the doubt, at least he is talking to you..better than i can say for some **** on here, that just chose to ignore me (you know who you are) and wouldnt make it right.
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I would have waited to ship after the cash came in..

 

It's sad that you went out of your way to help a guy out and he stuck you. Hopefully he comes through at some point. Karma won't be kind to him if he doesn't. I have done similar things and shipped before I had any cash and been ok but I guess sooner or later you find a bad apple.

 

Give him some more time. As has been said, if he's replying, maybe his intentions are good...crook is a strong word. And if all you ever get taken for is $50, count yourself fortunate. Good luck. Rick

 

He may not be a 'crook' as you say.

He may honestly be out of work and dinero, and plans to pay.

Keep in touch with him, and hope he doesn't see this post calling him a 'crook.'
You don't want to piss him off yet.

 

Butch,
The buyer sounds like a sincere guy who just got himself in a bad situation.

Shame he's not a HAMB'er, or a few of us might be willing to kick in a few bucks to make it square for both of you.

 

give the guy the benefit of the doubt. i've had **** nail me to ground in the middle of a hamb transaction and it took me FOREVER to recover. But, most folks on here are good to the core and no matter how long it takes 'em they'll make right of a wrong. If not, that's between them and God. Noone but noone ever really gets away with anything. Not in the end. Don't lose any sleep over it. my 2 cents.

 

Have someone on HAMB that knows the guy and lives near him either verify he's flat broke or go knock on his door

Even if he is a flake if someone knocks on his door, he'll think twice

 

If the man is honestly in hard times and he is keeping in touch, I would venture to say that he is really embarr***ed about it, when things come around he will definitely get you your money, probably with some kind of gift to compensate. or maybe i'm living in a fantasy world. But here's my advice: fuggetabou***. Write it off as experience and don't go calling him a crook, just fuggetabou***. Then if and when he does send you a check, it'll be when you least expect it. And that's the best kind of money, the free kind.

 

i've a feeling he'll pay you when he can purely based on what you posted... maybe even a little pain and suffering $ but you never know.

playing landlord with our old house for a few years has taught me this much about people... the one's you don't expect to ever pay you what you are owed eventually and quite often do... and NEVER ever under any cir***stances should you rent to "family"

on the bright side... if there is one... something you were going to toss will now be put to good use.

hang in there...

 

O.K. My thoughts have been to just e-mail the guy and tell him to forget it; it's not worth the worry, frustration, agrivation, etc. I say "crook" because in his last e-mail he said he would have something by "Monday", it's now Friday and no word. Time to kick it to the curb, or ditch. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

If he's talking to you it's likely he will come through.
I have cut a lot of slack lately for tennants that are struggling because of layoffs.
Doing good things always pays you back by how you feel about yourself.
Try doing something nice for someone everyday where no one knows who did it.
You will go to bed with a smile on your face!

 

****s to have happen. I got taken by a member here on a rust bucket. Told it only had rust issues on the floor. My mistake for not looking it over in person. Whole p*** side was swiss cheesed. Wouldn't return emails or anything. I was out $700 in that deal.

 

Please dont let this one bad expirience ruin your helping/getting help from long distance transactions. Being from NH, it is very difficult to find parts locally (esp. for a 54 cadillac). If it wasn't for you guys down south and out west, it would be nearly impossible and extremely expensive for me to complete my car. I can thank a few fellow HAMBers already and I'm sure I will be thanking more of you for your generosity in years to come. Also, one thing I always do before I ship is get a check or money order from the buyer.

 

The guy will make it good I think. He appears to be sincere or he would have disappeared from the face of the earth by now.

There are plenty of crooks out there. I just watched one take place a couple weeks ago. A buddy of mine listed a rebuilt flathead motor on C*****list. A guy emailed him, said he wanted it BAD, and if he could get the address he would send a check asap. My buddy send him his address and sure enough in a couple days the check arrived. The only thing was that the check (a business check) was for $1500 too much...with a note explaining that if my buddy would just deposit the check...write one of his own checks for the $1500 and send it to the "transportation company" listed on the note they would come and crate the motor and haul it off. Sounds simple, eh? As it turns out, my buddy took this "business check" to his bank and had a short meeting with the bank manager. The bank manager did some checking, found out that the check wasn't worth squat, bogus account and all. The guy could have gotten scammed for the $1500!! The "transportation company" turns out to be only a Post Office box several States away. The authorities have the check and all the other info...going after the crook!! I hope they get him, lock him up and throw away the key (only we all know he'll be out in short order and do it all over).

 

That is one of the most successful and popular scams on C-list. Everytime I sell something of any value, I get the same offer as described above. Comparable to the email from the African Prince looking for a place to launder is fortune...

 

When I used my money to send the parts I would have done it with the understanding that I most likely would never see that money again.

 

Ask him to make payment arrangements with you .Charge him 10.00 a month Not alot of money but you will know if he's honest. You will get paid this way Slow But you will get paid.

 

That's a good idea carcrazyjohn. 1 week goes by nothing, then you know not to waste any more time on it.

good luck!

 

He's a low life **** and a crook!! A person does not say he's going to do something (pay you) and not do it... regardless of his cir***stances. Thats bull ****!! Lesson learned. Karma will get that ****...

 

I think 602 crew has said it most eloquently! I e-mailed/PM'd the guy telling him to forget it, while he was on the site, and no response at all; if that does'nt spell crook, get me a dictionary. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

That was a nice thing you did for him. Your generosity will be repaid eventually. Like F&J said, the bright side is that he is still taking your calls and not ducking you.

 

The longer that you hang onto the notion that you will be paid, the only thing you get, is the ****py feeling of being ripped off! Forgive and forget the whole deal. The hard part is the forget part. Forget the deal and believe in human kind, and remember the deals that went right and are good!