Stupid people daily

[deaddds]

So I sell and trade Olds parts on the side and one of my methods to weed out cheats is to require a postal mo as those funds can be verified at the po immediately if they are bogus. I take checks too or other mo but state clearly it’s a 10 day hold on shipping for finding a bounced check. Ask me how I adopted this requirement....  Anyway, once a guy can follow these simple instructions I have a history with them and will be more accommodating. So I just got a western union mo from a guy and now it’s looking like I’m the scammer as I won’t ship now until the bank says good to go. On the phone for 30 minutes waiting for western union to even answer the phone in an attempt to verify it’s legit, no luck. Our Walmart does money gram but won’t touch these. Mind you, this WU mo was sent REGISTERED mail from the US po. Idiots. Ok, rant over. 

[TAKerry]

I sell once in great while, but buy more often.  I dont use paypal and have always used a USPS money order, and sellers have always been happy with that. Recently I got parts from a guy that would only accept walmart money gram. I thought that was a pretty slick way to make a purchase. He had the money within about an hr. of me sending and that afternoon the parts were sent out. Do you know of problems with that method that I should be wary of?

[George Smolinski]

6 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

Do you know of problems with that method that I should be wary of?

Some methods of sending or receiving payment seem safer than others. The only really safe method is buying or selling in person, preferably at a swap meet with lots of people around. With ANY method there is always the danger of a scammer or moron lurking.

[mike6024]

I sent a postal money order to an ebay seller, $220, for a purchase and the guy never sent the item. I sent a fraud complaint to the Post Office, Postal Inspector, with a copy of the postal money order, the guy's address, copy of the item I purchased but was never sent. So the Post Office doesn't bother to look into it. You'd think they'd care that they were being used to facilitate fraud.
Postal money orders may be safe for the seller, but not the buyer.

[JamesR]

 

1 hour ago, mike6024 said:

I sent a postal money order to an ebay seller, $220, for a purchase and the guy never sent the item. I sent a fraud complaint to the Post Office, Postal Inspector, with a copy of the postal money order, the guy's address, copy of the item I purchased but was never sent. So the Post Office doesn't bother to look into it. You'd think they'd care that they were being used to facilitate fraud.
Postal money orders may be safe for the seller, but not the buyer.

 

I've bought a fair number of more expensive items ($100-$600) and use a postal money order whenever possible for the reason deaddds states: it's above board for everyone. Sometimes a seller is very trusting and insists a personal check is ok, but I never expect immediate shipment in that case, though sometimes they do ship right away. Even when I send a postal money order, I'm always ready for the seller who feels more comfortable by waiting for it to clear. I'm ok with that...the internet sales between private amateur parties only works when everyone involved operates at their own comfort level.

 

However, I suspect that mike6024's case is more common than it should be. You'd think that a federal govt. entity would be better able to deal with fraud across state lines. I'm wondering if it just doesn't take them a long time to get through all the cases. I don't think the post office wants its mo's to be involved in fraud...but if it takes two or three years to resolve issues, that doesn't inspire confidence in their system.

[TAKerry]

I will add, most of the parts I buy are from members of one of the 3 forums I frequent. A couple of guys I have bought many hundreds of dollars of stuff over the years. He sends parts out to me as soon as I ask before my payment. Although I wish he wouldnt as sometimes I get caught up and forget about it for a week or so! I have never had a problem, but I do subscribe to the buyer beware, and never spend more than I can afford to lose.

 

I did send a usps money order to a guy in Canada. I had no idea that they were no good there!! He had already sent the part to me. He was even kind enough to send it back to me. I ended up sending him some parts he needed so it all worked out in the end.

[George Cole]

24 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

I will add, most of the parts I buy are from members of one of the 3 forums I frequent. A couple of guys I have bought many hundreds of dollars of stuff over the years. He sends parts out to me as soon as I ask before my payment. Although I wish he wouldnt as sometimes I get caught up and forget about it for a week or so! I have never had a problem, but I do subscribe to the buyer beware, and never spend more than I can afford to lose.

 

I did send a usps money order to a guy in Canada. I had no idea that they were no good there!! He had already sent the part to me. He was even kind enough to send it back to me. I ended up sending him some parts he needed so it all worked out in the end.

I had a similar problem with a Canadian purchase.  The seller wanted an international bank check.  I specifically asked for one at my credit union, but they gave me the wrong one.  I didn't recognize the difference and sent it to the seller.  The seller tried to cash it and couldn't.  I had to send him another one right away, as he had other buyers wanting the part and he didn't want to wait to shuffle the checks back and forth.  He eventually sent the first one back to me and I was able to return it to the bank and get a refund, but it took a couple of weeks for the dust to settle.  It was over $450, so wasn't pocket change that I was playing with.

[29hupp]

I recently purchased an expensive item using PayPal and the seller sent me a worthless trinket toy.  I filed an on line complaint with PayPal and PayPal wants me return the worthless trinket within 10 days and says when the seller notifies PayPal of the returned item PayPal will refund my money and the return address is in Chinese.   PayPal does not have any contact information to take it any further.  I will never use PayPal again. 

[deaddds]

Best part of the postal mo is cashing it at the po, they know then and there if its good. No need to wait on it clearing unlike a bank. Most folks dont know the postal mo is the most used for fraud thats why you cash them at a post office. Also, you cannot get a postal mo for more than 1K, it has to be multiples if the cost is over that so if one comes to you over that amount, its clearly bogus. Worst part is you usually need to wait till late in the day to cash one if its over roughly $300 as less customers use cash. Monday afternoon is best for the po to have enough cash on hand.

[ted sweet]

local po here never has cash to cash them

[Morgansdad]

I purchased an item from a seller who lived in Florida, He told me that he would wait on a check or he could give me his bank account number and I could go to my bank and deposit the money into his account and he would have it right then. I thought he was crazy to give me his information like that but the folks at the bank told me there was nothing I could do with his information. It was only good for bank to bank transactions. Crazy huh ? I guess that's the way I will make purchases from private sellers in the future. 

[trimacar]

14 minutes ago, Morgansdad said:

I purchased an item from a seller who lived in Florida, He told me that he would wait on a check or he could give me his bank account number and I could go to my bank and deposit the money into his account and he would have it right then. I thought he was crazy to give me his information like that but the folks at the bank told me there was nothing I could do with his information. It was only good for bank to bank transactions. Crazy huh ? I guess that's the way I will make purchases from private sellers in the future. 

Any time you give or send a personal check to anyone, you give them your name, account number, routing number.  Your bank is correct, nothing they can do with the information but put money into your account...

[jim43]

     Is there a safe way to buy something from a dubious seller abroad? I don't know. Purchasing a language interpreter device from Eastern Europe turned out to be a bad idea. Nothing in the ad said I needed a smart phone for it to function. I don't have one. I made a complaint to Visa, the seller  had a month to protest, which they did not do, nor did they want the device back. $125 thing. It pays to be a bit more cautious I think.

     On the other hand, PayPal has been great for selling old parts that I have decided I would never need. They pay PP with their credit card to my account. It has worked fine for Asia ( Japan and India), South America, Australia, Europe, US and Canada.) Little bits and pieces to car guys all over. Nothing very important or expensive, but needed by some car guy just like us for his car project. PP makes it easy and I have saved innumerable trips to the dump with car parts for those that clean up after my old car days are done.   Jim43

 

 

 

 

[Frank DuVal]

7 hours ago, 29hupp said:

I will never use PayPal again. 

 

Why not just not buy stuff from a Chinese address? Or was the item not listed as shipping from China? 

[Frank DuVal]

I'm just amazed you P.O. money order people have time to waste at the Post Office. If I went to my local post office to buy or cash a MO I might pack a lunch. It could be way over an hour of my time. I have heard some people live closer to a post office than a bank, so it is easier for them. Now with take a picture of the check to deposit it no need to go to the bank or post office (no, I have not yet done that, too easy to stop at the bank around here).

 

In buying cars the wire transfer works great.

 

3 hours ago, trimacar said:

Any time you give or send a personal check to anyone, you give them your name, account number, routing number.

 

Do you remember back 30 years ago when printing your Social Security and telephone number on checks was normal?  People today can't understand why that was typical back then. 

[TAKerry]

I live in the cow pastures, well not really but it is rural. My post office is 1/4 mile in one direction, my bank 1 mile the other (yes they are both in the cow pastures as well). Anytime I go to the PO Im either alone or maybe 1 person ahead. They have a ring the bell on the counter for service, so that tells you busy it is.  The problem with that one, their M.O. machine is wonky. Every time I would get one the clerk had to run it through multiple time, and complain. I finally got tired of hearing her so stopped going there. 

 

I have heard that paypal will protect the seller more so than the buyer but I dont know that for fact. I was looking for a vehicle, the seller, who I had already determined was a major scam, wanted a deposit sent paypal. He told me that way 'my money' would be protected. Yeah right!

 

I take credit cards for my business and the few times I do sell I give that as an option. I had a guy from England use his. His zip code was crazy and I thought for sure it would kick back but all worked ok.  

[29hupp]

10 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

 

Why not just not buy stuff from a Chinese address? Or was the item not listed as shipping from China? 

It was a NY address when I bought it.  

[JACK M]

34 minutes ago, 29hupp said:

It was a NY address when I bought it.  

 

19 hours ago, 29hupp said:

I recently purchased an expensive item using PayPal and the seller sent me a worthless trinket toy.  I filed an on line complaint with PayPal and PayPal wants me return the worthless trinket within 10 days and says when the seller notifies PayPal of the returned item PayPal will refund my money and the return address is in Chinese.   PayPal does not have any contact information to take it any further.  I will never use PayPal again. 

 

I have purchased a few eBay items from China, Cheap and probably worthless in the long run.

A small tool comes to mind and some seeds for the garden neither of which ever showed up.

The tracking shows something like being transferred to international then stalls into obscurity.

On the other hand a few items actually showed up and were indeed garbage.

 

 

Since I never learn and never gamble more than I can afford to lose, yet another purchase is in transport to international as I type this rant.

(later) Just checked this one and it is indeed in the international ibis, Been that way for a month now.

Edited March 7, 2021 by JACK M (see edit history)

[John348]

I don't understand what the problem is with using paypal? The fee? I have used it for both buying and selling with no problems

[TAKerry]

14 hours ago, John348 said:

I don't understand what the problem is with using paypal? The fee? I have used it for both buying and selling with no problems

I dont have a problem just have never signed up for an account. Have found other ways to complete transactions.

[John348]

I thought I was missing something, I found paypal to be great

Edited March 8, 2021 by John348 (see edit history)

[29hupp]

On 3/8/2021 at 1:00 PM, TAKerry said:

I don't understand what the problem is with using paypal? The fee? I have used it for both buying and selling with no problems

PayPal is great as long as you do not have a problem with the seller.   I have used it for years without any problem. The problem is when the seller scams you.  I ordered an item from the seller supposedly in NY.  I get a tracking number and a package arrives with a totally worthless item in it.  Any problem has to be settled using a pick from menu on PayPal's website.   Absolutely no customer service phone number anywhere.   PayPal then notifies me to return the item I received at my expense and when the seller notifies PayPal that they have received it I will be reimbursed.  The item has to be returned within 10 days or case closed and shipping address provided is in Chinese.   Fortunately this was not a break the bank purchase.  

[37_Roadmaster_C]

All the Ebay and PayPal issues can be avoided by never doing business on/with either one for more cost than you can afford to loose. Neither one has any real customer service so do not expect any real help with a dispute! Both have changed several times over the years and every change has been for the worse.

[padgett]

Have used Paypal as a guest a few times when sent an invoice & do not give a bank account. Experiences direct with merchants have never been an issue. Have a specific credit card with superior customer service that can check easily used online. Career made me a bit paranoid but seems easy to spot scams.