I think i've been scammed-craigslist mandolin

[Vernon Hughes]

Contacted this seller through craigslist and made an attractive offer on this mandolin,which was accepted-I'm in Va,seller is in CT...Emailed back and forth about secure packing,shipping rates,etc. and overnighted a USPS money order to him..All seemed up and up-emails answered promptly..Promised to ship same day as funds were received..2nd day after payment,got email stating he never got MO..I went to the PO and got a photocopy of the acceptance signature and confronted him with this..Story changed,he got it and all is well,shipping that day..Inquired on 3rd day email I hadn't received tracking info and answer back was car accident,sob story,bad day/week, etc, promised to ship next day...Now no response at all..Been through the proper postal channels,money order inquiry and so forth and have been to see local law enforcement to see what if anything can be done as well as filed a complaint with the US postal inspectors office..Anyone else had this problem and if so was there any resolution? I'm sick to think I flushed nearly 6 bills down the drain and have no recourse..I'm about mad enough to ride to CT and do a face to face..Here is the listing so no one else gets duped..
http://newhaven.craigslist.org/msg/2717688441.html

[Tom C]

Anything over craigslist, or ebay I would get the sellers phone number as reference. Call them, make sure it's legit.
This kind of scam would be a federal offense, using the post office to commit this crime.
on the otherhand, the seller just may be slow and see no urgency. thinking...So they ship it in 2 days rather same day what's the big deal.

[Vernon Hughes]

I gave my full address and 2 phone numbers on the 1st email and asked for his a couple times but never got one..Did a 2.00 background/address/phone search today on him and found he's had 11 addresses in CT. this year..

[P.D. Kirby]

Sorry to hear, I will only use CL if it is local and wouldn't trade nickels with anyone on e-pay. When you say 6 bills I sure hope you don't mean 6 Large. If he's had 11 addresses already then he is a Pro. If you used the USPS to overnight the check he committed Mail Fraud which is a biggie, contacting the Postal Inspector is the only recourse you have at this point. One other thing you can do is look at the address on google earth to see if it's a home or a mail box place. There's a special place in hell for people like him...

[MikeEdgerton]

Call the police.

[Vernon Hughes]

Already google earthed..it's a nicer 2 story townhome..and I went to the police early today to file a report..It goes to the commonwealths attorney monday if nothing else is heard from him..Trouble is it's less than 600.00 bucks so he may just laugh it off..to much trouble to warrant and extradite him here to appear in court..So says the police chief..

[Adam Tracksler]

you may want to call a debt collector....it may be worth it to get back most of your money...

[Jim Garber]

I wonder if anyone in the MC community lives nearby. Esp one with big muscles.

[Charlieshafer]

I'm not far, and know a bunch of "trash haulers".

[Vernon Hughes]

Any of you near by have my blessings..I have the address..

[MikeEdgerton]

Contact the post office. If the transaction was via US Mail they have to get involved. Also go here and file a complaint.

[Barry Wilson]

IC3 looks at so many cases that unless it's for $10,000 it might not get much. That was my experience with them (and told by the person that responded to my $1000 claim).

hey even a person just stopping by to knock on the door and politely ask for tracking info might be the push he needs

[Charlieshafer]

Just tried emailing the Craig's list address... Let's see what happens.

[billkilpatrick]

bummer - very sorry to hear it.

i wouldn't ask anyone to go around to this guy's house, if i were you - even as a joke. unless they're licenced to do so - debt collector, etc. - things could get out of hand and he'd be the one calling the cops.

if you do have his address and notify him by e-mail, you might contact ups or some other courier service and request a pick-up - just might coax him into doing the right thing.

hope this ends well.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Any of you near by have my blessings..I have the address..

You might have his blessings.... but you don't have his name - unless VHUGHES2000 is on his Birth Cert.

[mrmando]

Well Eddie, I've corresponded with VHUGHES2000 before, so I know who he is ... and if anyone sincerely wants to know I bet he'll tell them.

Seller not giving his phone number was a red flag. I hope those of us who go for these admittedly risky CL deals can keep that in mind. It pays to do research on the address, phone number, etc., before sending the money. I bought from a guy who listed an Oregon address ... I checked on the house and found out it was listed for sale; the guy had an Arizona phone number and another address in Chicago. But it turns out he's a house-flipper: buy it, fix it up, sell it. Still a few of those out there, although that profession is best left to the pros these days, instead of everybody and their cousin like it was back in 2005. Anyhow. That transaction turned out OK, but somebody with 11 addresses who makes a lot of lame excuses and won't give you his phone number ... sounds like trouble.

[Eddie Sheehy]

The point I was making was: Don't be in a rush to go and confront the guy. You don't know what you could be getting yourself into...

[brunello97]

What can I add? I hope something works out. It looks like a pretty nice mando for 6 c-notes.

Some folks here have spoken of an informal intra-MC Craig's List bag-man service. These kind of stories make me want to participate in something like that.

Mick

[Vernon Hughes]

I do have his name,address,etc...I'm going to handle this in the proper lawful fashion,though I guess the outcome won't be in my favor..Just wondering on the ride home a little while ago if someone else was to respond to the ad with a an offer what kind of response would be given..I'm trying not to let this get under my skin,it's not that much money,just the principle of the thing..I'd have given a stranger money to help out if they would have asked..But stealing it from me is a different story..

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

..Just wondering on the ride home a little while ago if someone else was to respond to the ad with a an offer what kind of response would be given.

This is what I was thinking as well. Someone in the local area may inquire about the mandolin, and may even meet up to check it out, just to see if the seller is still actively paddling the instrument in question. This may be further proof of the seller's intent to deceive, and the information can be communicated to the local authorities via the OP, and it may be helpful in bringing the seller to justice and prosecuted.

Vernon I am really sorry for what happened here, and esp. knowing how well you have treated others here and elsewhere as a seller, I just feel rotten about the whole thing. I think you're doing the right thing by pursuing this through the proper channels. Even though you may not think it would work out in your favor, I don't think you'd get much better results by going through other, less proper, channels, unless you know the right people, so to speak. I really hope this works out in your favor.

[mrmando]

Some folks here have spoken of an informal intra-MC Craig's List bag-man service. These kind of stories make me want to participate in something like that.

Well, I have gotten help with local transactions once or twice from friends and/or Cafe members.

Once in Philadelphia, the seller turned out to be a total flake, and my friend whom I sent to make the deal got rather upset. He took time out of his busy routine, and traveled some distance out of his way to help me, and his effort was wasted. That made me rethink the idea. Doing business with friends is tricky, and I'd rather not inconvenience them unnecessarily.

If anyone wants something that's being sold in the Seattle area, I would pick it up and ship it for you, but I'd either ask for a modest fee ($25-50) or expect that you'd provide a similar service for me in the future, if needed.

[JeffD]

if you do have his address and notify him by e-mail, you might contact ups or some other courier service and request a pick-up - just might coax him into doing the right thing..

I am skeptical he even had a mandolin to sell.

[JeffD]

I'm trying not to let this get under my skin,it's not that much money,just the principle of the thing..I'd have given a stranger money to help out if they would have asked..But stealing it from me is a different story..

This is how he makes money, it would seem. I hate it when someone takes advantage of what is best in us.

[Vernon Hughes]

Many thanks to the respected members here for thier advice..I wouldn't want anyone else involved in my misfortune,just trying to prevent someone else from being taken..But if anyone makes him an offer and hears back,i'd like to know about it to channel that info to the proper authorities.Feel free to post here or PM..I have nothing to hide.

[brunello97]

Well, I have gotten help with local transactions once or twice from friends and/or Cafe members….Doing business with friends is tricky, and I'd rather not inconvenience them unnecessarily.

If anyone wants something that's being sold in the Seattle area, I would pick it up and ship it for you, but I'd either ask for a modest fee ($25-50) or expect that you'd provide a similar service for me in the future, if needed.

That sounds fair enough, Martin, and what I was hinting at. I may not drive across the county to play some plywood slab, but could imagine it being a pleasure to go check something special out.

Mick