Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: Amigamia on June 23, 2010, 01:45:22 AM
-
Hello guys,
I spotted an Amiga 500 on craigslist about a month ago in Greensboro NC which is about 2 ½ hours away from where I live (Chesapeake VA). I used to own one when I was a teenager, but had to sell it. I have always loved the 500 out of all the other Amigas so when I saw it, I want to own one again to have those memories back.
I asked the seller if he was willing to ship it if I paid for the S&H. He agreed and we decided on a price of $50 for the unit and $20 for the shipping and handling. I asked for a form of payment but the fastest one was via MoneyGram. I sent him the payment but since then he has not sent the unit, nor is he returning my calls. It has been almost a month but he is not returning my calls. I have his address and all the e-mail exchange log. Now my question is (maybe someone here is a lawyer). Do I start legal action? Is it worth it? I mean this is so sad that he steals $70, when I have his phone number, email address, home address and facebook page. What do you guys think?
I guess I learned my lesson about sending money like this to un-trusted people and I decided to buy an eMac 1.25Ghz on eBay for $29.94, which I plan on using with MorphOS, but that is story for another post.
-
I'd say point the law in his direction and let them do their job. Beyond that, I wouldn't hope for a whole lot. Sadly...
-
Hello guys,
I spotted an Amiga 500 on craigslist about a month ago in Greensboro NC which is about 2 ½ hours away from where I live (Chesapeake VA). I used to own one when I was a teenager, but had to sell it. I have always loved the 500 out of all the other Amigas so when I saw it, I want to own one again to have those memories back.
I asked the seller if he was willing to ship it if I paid for the S&H. He agreed and we decided on a price of $50 for the unit and $20 for the shipping and handling. I asked for a form of payment but the fastest one was via MoneyGram. I sent him the payment but since then he has not sent the unit, nor is he returning my calls. It has been almost a month but he is not returning my calls. I have his address and all the e-mail exchange log. Now my question is (maybe someone here is a lawyer). Do I start legal action? Is it worth it? I mean this is so sad that he steals $70, when I have his phone number, email address, home address and facebook page. What do you guys think?
I guess I learned my lesson about sending money like this to un-trusted people and I decided to buy an eMac 1.25Ghz on eBay for $29.94, which I plan on using with MorphOS, but that is story for another post.
Juts happened to my... kinda. Purchased an Atari 65XE and was told it was new and fully working. Picked it up at a location mutual (walmart near where this person lives but I don't have their address). Get home and it is dead. Calls to seller gets nothing. I guess at least I have a $50 + gas money door stop. My last message to this person was hope he feels good about himself and his family must be proud of him.
Karma can be a bitch so legal action, no need. The cost of something like that is more than your $50. Chalk it up to the way it goes or if you know ninjutsu, silently sneak into his home one night and get your $50 back. Or do something worse. :hammer:
These crooks will get it 3 fold in the end as karma can be a tough cooky on those that are asses.
tj
-
Hello guys,
I spotted an Amiga 500 on craigslist about a month ago in Greensboro NC which is about 2 ½ hours away from where I live (Chesapeake VA). I used to own one when I was a teenager, but had to sell it. I have always loved the 500 out of all the other Amigas so when I saw it, I want to own one again to have those memories back.
I asked the seller if he was willing to ship it if I paid for the S&H. He agreed and we decided on a price of $50 for the unit and $20 for the shipping and handling. I asked for a form of payment but the fastest one was via MoneyGram. I sent him the payment but since then he has not sent the unit, nor is he returning my calls. It has been almost a month but he is not returning my calls. I have his address and all the e-mail exchange log. Now my question is (maybe someone here is a lawyer). Do I start legal action? Is it worth it? I mean this is so sad that he steals $70, when I have his phone number, email address, home address and facebook page. What do you guys think?
I guess I learned my lesson about sending money like this to un-trusted people and I decided to buy an eMac 1.25Ghz on eBay for $29.94, which I plan on using with MorphOS, but that is story for another post.
Since you have all his contact details, just go round there and help yourself to something of his property. Tell him this will be retained until he performs his part of the bargain or refunds your money.
Probably best not to take something too great in value, but something around the $70 should do. Note you are not permitted to sell this property, merely to retain it until he performs his part of the bargain.
Of course the above course of action could be dangerous, but so far as I can see it is perfectly legal. Take a look at lien and what it means in law.
-
LOL good one TJ but I don't know any ninjutsu or any other utsu form of martial arts. I am Italian so I guess I could give him an offer he can't refuse right? I could drive there and drop a horse's head in his bed.
It is actually 4 1/2 hours not 2 like I thought it was, but that would cost me more money to drive there. I know his location and places on the net so I'll just keep squeaking and hopefully this wheel gets some oil.
-
I instantly think scam the second someone mentions MoneyGram/Western Union/Etc.
I was robbed for over $900 cause I was foolish and used these zero-recourse payment methods, I won't make that mistake again.
Hopefully things turn out better for you, but it doesn't sound good :(
-
You have his address. Dump a truck load or garbage on his front lawn, but do it discretely in the middle of the night. LOL
-
Juts happened to my... kinda. Purchased an Atari 65XE and was told it was new and fully working. Picked it up at a location mutual (walmart near where this person lives but I don't have their address). Get home and it is dead. Calls to seller gets nothing. I guess at least I have a $50 + gas money door stop. My last message to this person was hope he feels good about himself and his family must be proud of him.
Karma can be a bitch so legal action, no need. The cost of something like that is more than your $50. Chalk it up to the way it goes or if you know ninjutsu, silently sneak into his home one night and get your $50 back. Or do something worse. :hammer:
These crooks will get it 3 fold in the end as karma can be a tough cooky on those that are asses.
tj
Well I would of just told you it was sold as is, since it's 25 year old electronics, but his reply is BS! You can use the case/keyboard and buy a beat up one and restore it. Or have someone on atariage repair it for you while upgrading to to 320k !!
-
Hello guys,
I spotted an Amiga 500 on craigslist about a month ago in Greensboro NC which is about 2 ½ hours away from where I live (Chesapeake VA). I used to own one when I was a teenager, but had to sell it. I have always loved the 500 out of all the other Amigas so when I saw it, I want to own one again to have those memories back.
I asked the seller if he was willing to ship it if I paid for the S&H. He agreed and we decided on a price of $50 for the unit and $20 for the shipping and handling. I asked for a form of payment but the fastest one was via MoneyGram. I sent him the payment but since then he has not sent the unit, nor is he returning my calls. It has been almost a month but he is not returning my calls. I have his address and all the e-mail exchange log. Now my question is (maybe someone here is a lawyer). Do I start legal action? Is it worth it? I mean this is so sad that he steals $70, when I have his phone number, email address, home address and facebook page. What do you guys think?
I guess I learned my lesson about sending money like this to un-trusted people and I decided to buy an eMac 1.25Ghz on eBay for $29.94, which I plan on using with MorphOS, but that is story for another post.
Contact the police in the district you live in and ask if you can file charges on the guy. If they let you do it he'll have to go to court. If he doesn't show up he'll have a warrant out for his arrest. I'm no legal expert, but this is fraud right? Fraud is a crime. If he gets brought before a judge, the judge will probably order the guy to pay you restitution. So call the police department and see what they can do for you.
-
You won't get the court application fee back (probably around a $100) but you will have the satisfaction of winning in court. So let's say 6 months till the hearing. Another 6 months after that they will garnish his wages and you will finally get your money.
-
You won't get the court application fee back (probably around a $100) but you will have the satisfaction of winning in court. So let's say 6 months till the hearing. Another 6 months after that they will garnish his wages and you will finally get your money.
In the US, and in North Carolina specifically, I don't think you have to pay to press charges on someone. It's ridiculous actually, here you can just make something up, press charges and that person will have to appear in court and when the bogus charge is thrown out, it stays on your record permanently. That happened to me 15 years ago. Me and another fellow had a dispute about money and a week later he showed up at my place of employment, full of people, called the cops and said I threatened to kill him. He pressed charges when the police arrived and I had to appear in court. He didn't show up and the judge threw it out, though the incident is still on my damn record. (not guilty of course). Now every employer who does a background check on me will see a charge for "communicating threats" even though the event never happened.
-
Hmmmm good ones guys. Thanks! I thought I was out of luck since the money was sent via Moneygram and have literally no receipt. I do however have all the email correspondence from him giving me the price, his home address, his phone number etc. I am going to wait till the end of the month and leave him a message telling him my plan of action.
-
Hmmmm good ones guys. Thanks! I thought I was out of luck since the money was sent via Moneygram and have literally no receipt. I do however have all the email correspondence from him giving me the price, his home address, his phone number etc. I am going to wait till the end of the month and leave him a message telling him my plan of action.
I wouldn't contact him at all, that will just give him ample time to plot a defense to make you look like a liar. I'd just file the charges and hope he's stupid enough not to appear. You'll get yours in the end.
-
All this discussion is pointless.
You lost the money.
Driving there and confronting him or doing something to him would not make up the loss to you, would cost you to get there, and might lead to more trouble than you already have.
You don't really have a criminal case. Even though he took advantage of you, all you have is a civil case. Filing a lawsuit for that and traveling to the court proceedings would cost you more than you would recover.
Plus you might no even win the case. Can he claim the unit was shipped via USPS and that you didn't receive it? If so, you might not have a case.
$50.00 for a functional Amiga? You probably should have looked at that with a grain of salt. The funny thing is you can get an Emac on Ebay for about that. And if you're defrauded you can get your money back.
Swallow your pride, Admit that you didn't make a good decision and buy the Mac.
-
Sorry you got burned, but every craigslist sale page has anti-scam warnings plastered all over it:
Avoid scams and fraud by dealing locally! Beware any deal involving Western Union, Moneygram, wire transfer, cashier check, money order, shipping, escrow, or any promise of transaction protection/certification/guarantee.
Contact his local police and complain, and be extra careful next time.
-
You now have a name and address to use on all those spam sites!:lol:
-
Invent a Time Machine.
Go back 150 years, and shoot him with a revolver.
-
if you have his address then (this is what i would do) go to his home if it is only 2 and a half hours drive and confront him...could you imagine his face when you turn up at his door he would shit himslef lol
-
All this discussion is pointless.
You lost the money.
Driving there and confronting him or doing something to him would not make up the loss to you, would cost you to get there, and might lead to more trouble than you already have.
You don't really have a criminal case. Even though he took advantage of you, all you have is a civil case. Filing a lawsuit for that and traveling to the court proceedings would cost you more than you would recover.
Plus you might no even win the case. Can he claim the unit was shipped via USPS and that you didn't receive it? If so, you might not have a case.
$50.00 for a functional Amiga? You probably should have looked at that with a grain of salt. The funny thing is you can get an Emac on Ebay for about that. And if you're defrauded you can get your money back.
Swallow your pride, Admit that you didn't make a good decision and buy the Mac.
I did! Didn't you read my initial post saying: I guess I learned my lesson from sending money to untrusted people and bought an eMac for $29 on eBay?
I understand perfectly your points and trust me, I am not going to waste more money around this moron. However, I am not going to be silent. I am going to make noise, and so loud that he'll have to change his phone number. I may not have a case as you say but fact is that he has my money and I don't have my unit. He is not replying to me anymore and that is suspicious. If I want to build a case I think I have enough evidence to show that I got robbed but I am on the same page as you, it would require more money which I don't want to spend right now. I took the risk because it was $70 and I lost them but there is got to be a way to make him payback and that's what I am after. So for now I am just going to make noise and we'll see where it goes...
-
You now have a name and address to use on all those spam sites!:lol:
and email address!
Exactly!!!! Great minds think alike ;-)
-
Publish an announce in the erotic messages page of a magazine.. Something like: "Hi, I'm your sexy Amiga. All services. Call this number:........." with this fellow's number.
Or order a whole year supply of something (let you imagine what..) using his name, address, number.
Or engage me as your credits resolver :) Low prices and good results!
Seriously, I guess you should go there with a couple of your friend (you can never know...) and see this person in his face asking him your money.
-
That last idea is rather clever. You could sign him up for a Nambla membership.
-
I live in Durham, NC so I'm pretty close..... Maybe we should round up a posse and go pay this guy a visit? ;)
-
I live in Durham, NC so I'm pretty close..... Maybe we should round up a posse and go pay this guy a visit? ;)
If I was on my usual summer vacation to VA beach, I'd consider it too. I've been ripped off by a few online a-holes myself.
-
Yeah that sucks, maybe me and Spihunter could set a trap for him, hmmm. When I'm not on the Moon I hang around Cary NC.
-
I live in Durham, NC so I'm pretty close..... Maybe we should round up a posse and go pay this guy a visit? ;)
Hey new band stuff ! , love the name BTW, checking it out ....
-
I just contacted an old friend of mine who lives about 1hr south of Greensboro. I am considering to have him drive there (I'll give him the gas money) and pickup my Amiga 500 + the $20 that I paid for shipping and have my friend send it to me. That is all if he is willing to do it... this is getting interesting. I just can't swallow the fact that this moron took the $70 especially when I told him that I was buying as a collectible because it had a sentimental value. Unbelievable!!!
-
Post everything about this person in every public place you can think of and let embarrassment do its thing.
At very least, if anyone else plans to buy something from him and Googles his name, that person might not get screwed.
-
Seriously, the correct thing to do is to contact *your* local police with all the info first. They will call the appropriate police dept. in his/her area and will likely open a case.
-
Seriously, the correct thing to do is to contact *your* local police with all the info first. They will call the appropriate police dept. in his/her area and will likely open a case.
Cool! I will do that, but for now I am going to try pick the item up (I'll ask a friend who lives closer) and if things go sour from there then I'll contact the local police.
-
Every craigslist sale page has anti-scam warnings plastered all over it
While I agree Moneygram and such is bad, using shipping w/ paypal is fine, as you have a record of everything you need to have someone who scams you nailed!
Sorry AmigaMia about the scam, next time use Paypal if you ship it, and what you should do is complain to the cops in Chesapeake, the VA cops don't put up with the crap this guy pulled. Good Luck
-
From the data that you have on him get the contacts of other members of his family and talk to them about it. Don't say he robbed you just mention he's taking too long to post the item and you plan on getting justice to take action if he is dishonest.
Hold on on physical retaliation or at least don't post in forums that you plan to do it, otherwise you might just get caught and then you're the one having problems with justice, even if you just plan on robbing him as he did to you.
Having someone or a bunch of friends pick it up for or with you is a good idea.
You should also consider that the guy could be watching these same forums:)
A few years ago a group of guys here on this site, including me, lost more than 300€ on an A1200 PPC card that was sold by some german guy to apparently a whole bunch of persons, probably around 10! We discussed the thing in the forum and someone ended up contacting the local police. IIRC the response came up almost a year later (maybe more, can't remember) and the authorities simply stated that he already had other problems with justice and they couldn't do anything about it. Completely frustrating.:(
-
Open the phone book, find a pen and write down a pizza take-away near him and a taxi company. Ring the pizza take-away place up, choose some really expensive food from the menu and give his name and address for delivery.
Wait half an hour, ring the taxi firm and book him a taxi somewhere.
Rinse and repeat.
-
Karma can be a bitch so legal action, no need. The cost of something like that is more than your $50. Chalk it up to the way it goes or if you know ninjutsu, silently sneak into his home one night and get your $50 back. Or do something worse. :hammer:
These crooks will get it 3 fold in the end as karma can be a tough cooky on those that are asses.
tj
Well, you get exactly the same pain back (not 3 fold) as karma is pain-exact. Whatever suffering you cause to others comes back to you in the same exact amount of pain. And consequently, you have to let nature and law take care of him and not take law or karma into your own hands to get back revenge as that builds up yet another reaction for you to suffer in the future. Whatever suffering you cause back to him, you have to suffer that back as well although he will only suffer because he also deserves it.
-
Seriously, nobody's going to rob you and risk a fraud conviction and a criminal record for $50. They could make that working a couple of hours in McDonalds. It's risk vs reward.
It's probably just lost or delayed in the mail and the guy can't be bothered chasing it up for such a small amount of money.
-
Seriously, nobody's going to rob you and risk a fraud conviction and a criminal record for $50. They could make that working a couple of hours in McDonalds. It's risk vs reward.
It's probably just lost or delayed in the mail and the guy can't be bothered chasing it up for such a small amount of money.
True! That's a possibility. Believe me, I have thought of several reasons for it but what does it take to say it? He never replied saying: I sent it, It's in the mail, or whatever. I paid him and it all stopped. How can I assume that it is in the mail when he never confirmed it nor I have received the unit. Come on!! I must be smarter than that and not be so naive either.
I haven't done anything yet. I am trying to send a trusted friend who lives closer so I can secure the item first. If my friend goes there, knocks on the door and then I still get denied what is mine, then it will be the confirmation that I got robbed and proceed accordingly.
-
Hold on on physical retaliation or at least don't post in forums that you plan to do it, otherwise you might just get caught and then you're the one having problems with justice, even if you just plan on robbing him as he did to you.
(
Even if you don't plan to do it, it isn't wise to post ideas of physical retaliation in the forums. On the off chance he gets robbed or vandalized by someone else through some random act of violence, you wouldn't want some investigation to find your joking posts and take them seriously, making you the primary suspect.
-
Wow this gets even more interesting. Now a friend of mine who lives about 60 miles from Greensboro is not answering to my question about going physically there to pick it up. On the other hand I actually found this guy on Facebook. Thinking that he wouldn't reply on Facebook either, I contacted two of the people who had his last name. I got a hold of his sister in law and his own brother and these are the responses:
Sister-in-law:
"i do not know how to contact him. sorry."
Brother:
"Vince,
He has a Facebook page as well. I don't really talk to him all that much and don't want to be involved in this. If you feel he has scammed you or has acted in an illegal manner, I suggest you take it up with the police.
Good luck in resolving this."
What an amazing family scam!! All for $70 and an old Amiga 500.
Who's up for a reward? Who wants to be a bounty hunter?
-
Wow this gets even more interesting. Now a friend of mine who lives about 60 miles from Greensboro is not answering to my question about going physically there to pick it up. On the other hand I actually found this guy on Facebook. Thinking that he wouldn't reply on Facebook either, I contacted two of the people who had his last name. I got a hold of his sister in law and his own brother and these are the responses:
Sister-in-law:
"i do not know how to contact him. sorry."
Brother:
"Vince,
He has a Facebook page as well. I don't really talk to him all that much and don't want to be involved in this. If you feel he has scammed you or has acted in an illegal manner, I suggest you take it up with the police.
Good luck in resolving this."
What an amazing family scam!! All for $70 and an old Amiga 500.
Who's up for a reward? Who wants to be a bounty hunter?
I would not view this as a family scam. How many dudes would readily suggest you call the police on their own brother? It sounds more likely to me that these folks know he is a bit shady and don't want to be involved. Would you want to call your brother about this if he was the type that probably steals from your wife's jewelry box when he is over for Thanksgiving dinner every year?
-
Open the phone book, find a pen and write down a pizza take-away near him and a taxi company. Ring the pizza take-away place up, choose some really expensive food from the menu and give his name and address for delivery.
Wait half an hour, ring the taxi firm and book him a taxi somewhere.
Rinse and repeat.
And then the poor pizza parlor and cabbie are out money. How does that help?
-
@Amigamia
Did you contact the police in his town yet? If it is a small town they might actually bother to take a ride over to his house to inquire. Even if they don't do anything it might help the next guy he rips off.
-
Did you file a complaint with eBay? Start the dispute process?
-
I would not view this as a family scam. How many dudes would readily suggest you call the police on their own brother? It sounds more likely to me that these folks know he is a bit shady and don't want to be involved. Would you want to call your brother about this if he was the type that probably steals from your wife's jewelry box when he is over for Thanksgiving dinner every year?
HUH? What are you talking about? I didn't call the police on his own brother. I figured I would find another way to relay the message to him since he is not acknowledging my calls/emails. I kindly asked the brother to relay the message that I want my Amiga 500. Sounds like this person has a bit of a shady background if his own brother doesn't want to deal with it and is suggesting to call the police. I didn't know this until today which confirms that this guy is a scammer but a poor one because he left info about him all over internet.
-
@Amigamia
Did you contact the police in his town yet? If it is a small town they might actually bother to take a ride over to his house to inquire. Even if they don't do anything it might help the next guy he rips off.
Do you really believe that the police is going to knock on his door? Come on! Get real!
-
Did you file a complaint with eBay? Start the dispute process?
Unfortunately it was done via eBay. It was a purchase from craigslist via MoneyGram. Was only $70 but a double robbery because it was an Amiga computer.
-
HUH? What are you talking about? I didn't call the police on his own brother.
I did not say you called the police on his brother. I said you should not think its a "Family Scam" as evidenced by the fact the brother's first advice to you was to contact the police.
-
Do you really believe that the police is going to knock on his door? Come on! Get real!
If he lives in a small town, and especially if he is already known to police its possible. Is it likely? No. But whats the harm in it? Maybe if you are really lucky he has a record and is already known to police. A friend of mine once got harassed by someone via phone that he sold a car to on ebay long distance. He called the local police, they sent a cruiser over to the guy's house. Not a single call happened after that.