posted on February 24, 2003 12:53:12 PM new
Today I get an order through one of my websites. The name sounds familiar and not in a good way. I turn on my old computer and look through auction info from years ago. BINGO! This buyer had ripped me off, years ago on an ebay auction. Only she was married now and has a hyphenated last name.
THE SAGA:
Back during the Holiday season of 98, I had a buyer that claimed I sent her the wrong size boots and that her teen's Christams was going to be rotten if she didn't get the correct size. Her boyfriend emailed and said that she was very upsat and I should "correct my mistake".
To be nice (yes, I can be nice), I sent her another pair overnight and she told me that she was shipping the other pair back.
She got the second pair, but I never got the first pair. $150 boots. Would not return my messages to her voicemail and did not bid anymore using that account. All emails bounced. I filed a police report. By the time they got around to investigating, her and her boyfriend had moved and left no forwarding address. The voicemail still worked though.
I left negative feedback and was contacted by three other sellers that she had done something similar to. One of them filed a police report also.
She has married her boyfriend now ( I am assuming this from the hyphenated last name). She has the same voicemail number, but a new address. As soon as I dig up the police report number, I am going give them her new info. I have also contacted the other seller that filed a report.
The email that she used to order from me is connected to an ebay account. I have turned that id in, since ebay eventually suspended the original account. Incidentially, the new account was opened 2 days after, I sent her the boots.
I know I am being petty. I don't care. She is the main reason, I am such a cynic when it comes to holiday cheer on ebay.
posted on February 24, 2003 01:14:16 PM new
Doesn't sound petty at all to me. The more buyers like this that can be nabbed, the better. These people that want a free lunch at everybody else's expense just sail through life stepping on anybody that gets in their way.
posted on February 24, 2003 01:17:02 PM new
Thanks for the support.
My main worry is that the police won't do anything after all this time. I am hoping the other seller will contact me and agree to press the matter with the police also.
posted on February 24, 2003 01:22:49 PM new
Good for you! I love to hear these stories. It gives me hope. You blocked her new ID???
Five years is a long time. So the cops might not help. It just proves that the main reason the jails are full is because thieves are basically stupid.
[ edited by jensmome on Feb 24, 2003 01:23 PM ]
posted on February 24, 2003 01:25:21 PM new
I blocked her.
She has no idea it is me. She placed the order through one of my websites. Ironically it is for 2 pairs of boots. I'll bet she would try to do a chargeback after getting them.
posted on February 24, 2003 01:57:52 PM new
I don't know about elsewhere, but here in Oregon it is really bad. They don't even arrest shoplifters anymore, just cite them and let them go. I don't think you can count on much from the police, but it is worth considering a small claims lawsuit if you are interested in justice. You also can bring the postal inspectors if you used USPS to ship for fraud. Good luck, I also don't feel this is petty at all...
posted on February 24, 2003 02:31:11 PM new
My boyfriend had a good idea (for once ). He suggested that if the police, no longer want to get involved, I email her a copy of the police report and see if she is willing to pay up. He thinks that she may not want to call the cops to see if they are still looking for her.
I may try that if the cops won't smack her around.
posted on February 24, 2003 03:03:52 PM new
Here are the names of a few agencies who investigate and prosecute internet fraud.
The first is the Internet Fraud Complaint Center at http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp
This agency combines the efforts of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.
Then there is the federal trade commission
at http://www.econsumer.gov/ and finally
The National Fraud Information Center at
http://www.fraud.org/ I have'nt had any customers rip me off, but have had a few bad experiences with buying. I contacted the sellers to let them know they were being reported to these agencies...It worked for one purchase, the item magically appeared
within one week. Good Luck!
posted on February 24, 2003 03:10:09 PM new
I don't think you are being petty at all. I agree with the others that you should go after her any way you can.
posted on February 24, 2003 04:17:17 PM new
Never count on the cops as this might cut in on their donut break. Get crafty with this one. Now you did not hear this from me[wink,wink] but get payment then ship[tracking, signature,] a few bricks etc. LOL
A turd would be better[Hey, its one of those days]
If you can get recovery of the last item, even better. I would not deal with this lowlife again. Best of luck!
posted on February 24, 2003 04:48:09 PM new
Insist oon payment via Money Order, send kitty kiiter wrapped in photocopies of the police reort and any copies you have of original transaction with a note thanking her for her diligence in following up her original slight. : )
posted on February 24, 2003 05:39:39 PM new
Nail her to the wall. If the cops will not do anything like someone said if you shipped through USPS and or she paid through the mail you may have a case. Rocks in a box with the police reports attached is always a good option also turn her in to every fraud org you can
posted on February 24, 2003 06:34:53 PM newInsist oon payment via Money Order, send kitty kiiter wrapped in photocopies of the police reort and any copies you have of original transaction with a note thanking her for her diligence in following up her original slight. : )
So then the seller would be guilty of theft and mail fraud, both of which could be prosecuted as felonies?
posted on February 24, 2003 06:58:55 PM new
Do antthing you can to nail this #*!@. Whether you get reimbursed or not is not the issue here. It is getting these no account people who rip us off. GO GET THE #*!@!!!
posted on February 24, 2003 07:14:49 PM new
Go down to a thrift store and get a $2.00 pair of the worst looking boots you can find. Take photos of them and then ship them to the crook. Then substitute the photos of the sold boots with the new ones on your web site the day her package arrives. She bought a pair of boots, you shipped the boots pictured in the ad. Case closed. If you really want to get even, post a copy of the original police report in place of the pictures.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on February 24, 2003 07:54:21 PM new
You guys are EVIL!
I want to get her. I want her A#! and good. The money is not the issue. I don't want to be a scammer like her so it has to be legit.
Now for the icing on the cake. She emailed me from another email tonight. She wants me to put on the package "leave on the porch", since no one will be at home to sign for it.
I smell an attempt at a chargeback.
Oh yeah, the icing. The 2nd email has also been suspended from ebay. One negative said "Don't use the name of Jesus if you're dishonorable..." I wonder what she did to them?
posted on February 24, 2003 09:37:31 PM new
The statute of limitations on misdemeanor theft is probably 2 years, so you're too late for the police to be able to do anything, and forget about small claims, either. You dropped the ball on that one.
As I see it, you have three options:
1. Take payment by money order for the new order. When it arrives, apply it to the $150 she owes you for the second pair of 1998 boots. You can't add interest unless your original payment terms included a provision for such. Send her an invoice for the balance owed from 1998 plus whatever the new order is. Prepare for fireworks.
2. You could certainly tell her you won't sell to her until she pays off the 1998 debt, but you'll probably get some fireworks for that, too.
3. Forget about the 1998 transaction. Tell her the boots she ordered recently are not available and, unfortunately, you are no longer able to sell to State X because of say, a non-compete clause in your contract with your distributor, tax issues, delivery problems, whatever you want to tell her. If you can, block her from ordering through the website.
posted on February 24, 2003 09:53:56 PM new
For $500.00[cheap deal] my "uncle vinnie" will pay her a visit, you know the midnight drive by complete with a dead horse head in their bed.Bwahaaaaaaaa Me bad me bad, damm I love it!
posted on February 24, 2003 09:57:04 PM new
I hope you get her shop4shoes.... that is just plain bad to use Christmas as an excuse to rip off a seller...
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
[ edited by Twelvepole on Feb 24, 2003 10:01 PM ]
posted on February 24, 2003 10:52:41 PM new
Do what REAMOND said, sell her the boots & then don't mail them.
It's usually a two year limit to file in small claims court & even if you could file you wouldn't get paid. It will cost you to file & of course you will win, but the court will not force the crook to pay. Then your out more money.
I know, I've been through it with a builder. I gave him a 700.00 down payment to do work at my house, he never came back. The best I could do at court is file a lein on his property & he didn't have any, he's a renter.
He never showed up at court either & they didn't care, so I automatically won, but didn't collect a dime. Court fee was something like 65.00, lost that too.
Sell her the boots & keep the money, like PayPal the courts seem to be on the crooks side. Handle it yourself & you will get your money.
posted on February 25, 2003 12:11:55 AM new
Do people who live their lives lying, cheating and stealing from others ever receive justice or do they live to a ripe old age with never a regret?
Seriously. Being on eBay, how many of us have been cheated as sellers and/or buyers, and the cheater is someone who lives that way, without values, morals or ethics, cheating and scamming every day without a guilty conscience. We hear the term "just desserts" or "what goes around comes around", meaning that if you do wrong eventually someone meaner and nastier than you will come along, kick you in the face and stomp you into the ground. But does that every actually happen? Do these cheaters go through life, feeding off the system, committing fraud and theft,hurting others, until they end up in a Medicaid bed and the nursing home staff say "Gee, what a cute little old lady, isn't she charming?" And justice is never done?
). He suggested that if the police, no longer want to get involved, I email her a copy of the police report and see if she is willing to pay up. He thinks that she may not want to call the cops to see if they are still looking for her.
[ edited by Twelvepole on Feb 24, 2003 10:01 PM ]