need a little advice on ebay situation how would you handle? UPDATED

cullenbryant

Here's the situation:
I sold some coins on ebay. sent invoice to buyer. buyer then emails that he's sending out the money order in two days.

I sent the coins on his promisary word and the coins were there priority in a flash.

guess what didn't arrive? you guessed it.....

I realize this was poor judgement on my part to send a package based on word to a stranger, but it's too late for taking that part back.

Buyer maintains that he did send the money order, and giving him the benefit of the doubt, maybe he did?

what to do? eat the hundred bucks and learn a lesson on trust.......... give it more time, maybe it'll be here soon
or ask for him to scan a copy of the money order receipt?

btw, today is the 20th day since the ending of the auction.

relayer

I used to hot ship, based on one of the nice people on eBay saying they mailed a check/MO.

Of course I don't do that anymore.

Get his contact info and call him and tell him he needs to send payment.

But, you're out $100.

Of course, you won't do that anymore.

ksteelheader

If the USPS lost the money order, he should be able to get it replaced by using his USPS receipt. That is if he used a USPS money order!

UncleWiggly

It's just a waiting game down. I hope it's not a case of self induced wanger.



Jerry

sinin1

tell him to get a refund off of his receipt and send again as you have not gotten the MO yet

TorinoCobra71

This is Weird it seems to have happen to just about everyone in this thread.......including me. I dont Hot Ship anymore either, I got burned like this on a lot of coins that sold for a little more than $200. The only justice is that the buyer got NARU'ed a little while later. Live and Learn ya know. It seems that it is all good til' something goes wrong!

TorinoCobra71

Outhaul

I don't think I'd publicly admit to being so dumb as to mail a complete stranger his merchandise before payment arrives.

You're probably going to have to eat this one, chalk it up to experience, and be thankful if the MO/check arrives.

Cheers,

Bob

MadMarty

I have never got burned on a hot ship (then again I only hot ship to s few KNOWN people). Unless it's a USPS money order, I hold MOs the same as checks. Just ask SEGOJA about bogus money orders.

The person should be able to contact the issuer of the MO and find out if it has been cashed. If it hasn't he can request a refund. I bet you won't do that any more!!

fivecents

A money order, Postal or not, will have traceable numbers on the MO receipt. I fit it's "lost" in the mail he should be able to be refunded and send you another MO. I would NOT give up on receiving payment from the buyer. If he is trying to pull something on you, he used the wrong excuse saying he sent a MO.....he should have said he sent cash. Be respectful , but firm with him and you will probably get your money. Just don't you lose your temper or acuse him of lying.jmo

majorbigtime

<< <i>It's just a waiting game down. I hope it's not a case of self induced wanger.



Jerry >>



Do you mean wanker?

bhartman35

<< <i>A money order, Postal or not, will have traceable numbers on the MO receipt. I fit it's "lost" in the mail he should be able to be refunded and send you another MO. I would NOT give up on receiving payment from the buyer. If he is trying to pull something on you, he used the wrong excuse saying he sent a MO.....he should have said he sent cash. Be respectful , but firm with him and you will probably get your money. Just don't you lose your temper or acuse him of lying.jmo >>





This is one mistake I suspect you'll never make again. (I did the same thing, but in reverse. I sent a money order and never got the coin, from a seller who was subsequently booted.) No matter how angry you are, remember that it could possibly be a mistake, and, at any rate, you won't be in any better position if you fire off an angry e-mail. See how the guy works with you, and if all else fails, then go to Ebay with the situation (along with the proof that you sent the coin).

roadrunner

You can always leave a neg if the buyer doesn't get you some proof in the next few days. The last thing you want is for him to stiff a few more sellers before he get's naru'd.

I had a situation where a seller didn't get my payment and had serious doubts that I really sent it. In fact, 2 weeks later my letter was returned and I had put down the wrong street number. The USPS would not deliver it. I finally did get the sender his payment
(along with the first envelope to show I screwed up vs. stiffing him) but he was not all that happy since it took a month to resolve. From my perspective I figured he had the coin and the cash.

roadrunner

dizzyfoxx

I wouldn't give him the benefit of the "doubt", I'd give it the benefit of a "scam". Definitely ask for a receipt of the MO and if he can't produce it, it's time to get ebay safe harbor involved. It just really me when someone on ebay tries to take advantage of the "trust" factor. Not to say this is specifically the case here, but,
if it smells like a then it's indeed most likely a . JMHO.

TAClough

Did you mail the coin to a P.O. Box or street address?

Have you asked for a copy of the Money Order reciept?

Did the buyer sign for the coin when it arrived?

I would ask the buyer to give me a copy of the originial money order, a copy of the stop payment when he notified the issueing institution, and then I would inform the buyer that he had seven days to make payment or would be filing a theft complaint with the Postal Service and his local law enforcement agency. At least by filing a complaint, you can treat it as a bad business write off for tax purposes.

Tim

Shamika

Make it a lesson learned.

cullenbryant

TAClough,
the coins did go to a physical street address, and it did have over $50 insurance on it, so by default it is supposed to
get a signature. i do not at this point have his copy of the money order receipt.

i'm am going to take a little advice here and at least make him show me his copy of the money order. I will try recover the funds off of it, but it would restore faith in this buyer to at least see it.

It is surprising here how many of here this has happenened to, one way or another. I guess chalk 1 up for paypal, although i know they have their problems also.

lathmach

I never mail the coins until the check or M.O. clears.
I've got stuff a couple times before I mailed out payment for things I bought.

Ray

TAClough

<< <i>the coins did go to a physical street address, and it did have over $50 insurance on it, so by default it is supposed to >>



The reason I asked about the P.O. Box or street address, is not all Police officers take the easy way but it helps. (P.O. Boxes mean getting subpoena and all that paperwork were street address tells them right were to go -one stop shopping) Most states now have laws on the books to deal with this situation. I have handled a few complaints in my jurisdiction over the years and the Distirict Attorney's Office have filed theft charges.

1. Print off the ebay auction showing the item being purchased.
2. List and print in order all telecomunications linked to this purchase ( eBay notifications of the winner, emails from the buyer and your replays).
3. Write a 4 or 5 paragraph statement of a narative as to what happened, and what steps you tried to take to resolve the matter.
4. Contact the local law enforcement in the area were the coin was sent, file a complaint, ask for officer's name that will be assigned and mail the above mentioned package of materials to that officer.

p.s. When ever I handled one of these cases, I always made it clear with the complainant that once I got involved there was no turning back, that I was not a collecting agency and that I would not back away after the fact.

Good luck,
Tim

SamByrd

First dont leave a negative yet, you will never get paid if you do. Contact him by telephone and do so each day so he can advise you when exactly you will recieve payment, follow up with a letter explaining this is mail fraud if he dose not pay you shortly and suggest that a police report in his local area is also a further step, contact ebay and explain the situation and why its theft assuming he dose not pay you shortly. A registerd letter requesting the bid and collection cost would be the last effort. You can also explain since its a case of theft and small claims court and petty theft charges as well as feedback indicating theft, this as a last ditch effort to collect. 20 Days is still plausable its lost in the mail but much longer its somewhat obvious what the situation is and he is still responsable for payment even if indeed the money order is lost.

Even after reading your situation I would still in some cases hot ship with people known to me, there are mostly good people but its hard to notice sometimes when the one in a thousand shows up as might be the case in your situation.

777

I have shipped many big money coins in this same fashion; but only here on the forum, Ive never been taken and the payment has always arrived when stated.. Now if I did this elsewhere, I more than likely would have been stuck Keep calling/emailing the buyer, if you cannot make any contact, wait one more week then neg him; have him naru'ed off ebay and move on,

cullenbryant

Well, it's official in my mind now, and someone you may want to block from your list also. Here's the email I sent to my renegade buyer last night:
"hello again. Still haven't received payment on these eagles. I waited to bother you again, just on the outside chance it would show up this weekend, which it didn't. If you can give me the numbers on the money order it can be traced. In the meantime, if it arrives i will contact you immediately. thanks, Todd"

Heres his response this morning:
"I didnot keep that little slip that was attached to it as I never needed it. I figured you received it since you sent the coins. I donot understand what is going on now"

This person buys and sells several coins also, so i would like to warn others. ebay user id: warlok

I do intend to leave a negative for him, first i've ever left. I also assume he is going to retaliate, giving me my only negative or neutral in over 500 ebay transactions.