In a non-response to the "Nevermind" threads, I'd just like to say that...
SurfinxHI
Posts: 2,426 ✭✭✭✭✭
...I've been ripped off on Instagram by a very, very sneaky and successful clone account. And for a fair amount more than $110, but less than $1010 (thank goodness). It was my first time, and now my cherry has now been popped.
I am a very diligent buyer on line, but I missed a tell, and shame on me. I even did a bunch of due research, checked on the profile, checked my previous communications, took screen shots of what was offered, etc. I could have, and should have done a bit more, but I did not. Once the money was gone, it was poofski. I tried to continue the ruse to see where it would lead, but alas, it is all dead-ends. Lesson learned.
Its ok. Obviously, some fuddernutter out there needs the money more to 1) take care of their aging grandparents, 2) send their kids to skool, 3) buy some discounted meats at wholefoods, or 4) whatever they want with it. I'll obviously hope that karma is a 6itch, and they get just desserts, but who knows.
I guess I'm just saying that the internet is full of crappy folks, and sometimes, maybe just sometimes we all run into a bit of trouble ourselves. I'll hope for all of you that you don't experience these things. The feeling of theft. Of being a bit stupid. Of being rushed so you only half-way do the right thing. I'll also hope that if you are on the opposite end, that you get a really nice fillet or rack of lamb, and make sure your skooling is well paid off! Or that you make things right.
Safe buying and selling out there!
Cheers,
Surf
ps. I'm sure you can tell by the tone of this that yes, I know its my fault. Its ok.
Comments
My dad lost 15,000 once / in cash…!! (Long story)
It happens but don’t let it hang you up / keep on rollin’!!
What more do you think you could have done to prevent getting ripped off?
I've never had an instagram account but I'm sure it's just like buying a coin on Ebay. You look at the coin, check feedback and if it all seems good you buy the coin. You never know if the seller is going to ship the coin until you hopefully receive it.
As far as I know there really isn't anything else you can do. Now, you can pay with Paypal and you are covered, but it's a hassle if you need to file a claim
Are we all sitting ducks?
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
The closes I came to a loss was on a $240 refund for a coin album I returned. It was a coin club in California and after 6 years of sending email reminders, someone finally sent a refund in a check, And no, I won't divulge the name of the club.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
I have no idea about instagram but they apparently don’t cover folks like eBay. I always feel safe about any purchase on eBay. The few risks are mostly on me to understand and be full metal “ caveat Emptor “. Thanks 🙏
🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶
"I guess I'm just saying that the internet is full of crappy folks, and sometimes, maybe just sometimes we all run into a bit of trouble ourselves."
Sadly this is the case for the whole world, not just the internet. Most of the time the good folks can avoid it with due diligence, but sometimes we make a mistake and slip up.
Ebay was my biggest loss. $700. Remember if the deal sounds too good to be true it likely isn't a good deal.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
It is NOTHING like eBay. It is more like Facebook or a classified ad in a newspaper..
Curious as to the "tell" that you say you missed
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Stuff like this is becoming way to common........................
Pete
@SurfinxHI... Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Letting others know what you missed may help people avoid the same problem in the future. Cheers, RickO
The scammers are out there in the non-digital world too. Anywhere that large sums of money are involved (e.g. real estate!) you can never do too much diligence.
However, my recommendation is that if the amount lost is not life-altering, the it’s best to learn and move on. It’s not worth spending weeks, months or years chasing it or dwelling on it - you’re suffering from opportunity cost and could be applying your time and money toward more productive ends.
Even if you “win” in court or the public eye, often it’s very hard to actually collect or you’ve spent more time and money chasing your loss than it was worth.
The point of this hobby is to have fun. It’s not fun to dwell on losses.
My old girlfriend's father is somewhat senile and fell victim to an overseas telemarketing scam. He gave away nearly all of his and his wife's savings. Thank God for Social Security or they'd be completely destitute now. Also lucky they have kids who care.
Preying on old people like that is its own brand of evil.
Even with all the due diligence it's sometimes impossible to know until you take that "leap of faith" and hit "Send" on the money. Fortunately, I've only experienced this a couple of times... once through ebay on a non-coin related item (money gone but less than $100), and the other was for a higher end pocket knife that ultimately got reimbursed through PayPal... it just took close to 3 months. I hope the poster in the other thread gets resolution, but it's more likely he'll have to chock it up to "tuition"... and that's unfortunate.
Be careful out there... Best, Leo
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
I missed an underscore in the name of the account, and it came up as the account in my search history....likely because the underscore was around the 15th character in the name, and not up-front. The matching algorithm nailed the first part of the name and gave that to me as the first and best match.
Another thing to do would be to ask for an updated picture with the items, the persons name and date in the photo before finishing the transaction. That would have stopped the process in its tracks, as they couldn't re-do the photo.
Surf
@leothelyon $240 for an album? I hope it was an album filled with coins.
Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM
Sorry Surf. I knew about the seller but I had no idea you were dealing with him.
The scams are everywhere. Becoming more and more frequent, and will continue to do so.... punishment is infrequent for the perps, and if if they happen to end up being punished.... likely a slap on the wrist.
You did not quote me! But anyways, the coins were horrible in that, as you said gumby- "album full of coins" except for one or two but can't remember what the other coin was.....if there was another coin. But every 3 to 6 months, I'd send a reminder to this coin club and a copy of every email that transpired over that time, "hello, I have not received my refund for the return of a....but as you would have said, " album full of coins". lol
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
I thought instagram had one purpose and it isn’t coins
No, there's a quite booming coin marketplace there.