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Deadbeat buyer refuses to pay for coins **UPDATE!**
rbf
Posts: 452 ✭✭
Hi all,
I have a big problem and could use some serious advice...
I responded to a Wanted to Buy ad in the Numismatic News classifieds from an advertiser offering to buy proof sets. I shipped nearly $2,000 worth. I know this seems like a lot to ship to someone who I've never done business with before, but since this was a regular, long-time advertiser, I felt pretty confident that I wasn't going to get ripped off. Anyway, this was a YEAR ago, and I still haven't received a dime from this guy! I've even contacted the guy on multiple occasions via email. He readily acknowledges receiving my shipment of proof sets, and even says he has broken up/sold most of them. When I inquire about when I can expect to receive payment, I always get an answer of "I'll try and send payment in a few weeks" or some b.s. response like that. I've been polite and respectful to this guy up until this time, having faith he'll make good on his debt. But now I'm seriously losing my patience. I can MAYBE see waiting a month or two for payment, but waiting a year is just plain ridiculous.
My question is, what kind of recourse do I have in getting the money he owes me? All I have is an email address and a P.O. box. No phone number, no street address. Amazingly, this guy is still a regular advertiser in the coin publications. Surely there must be others out there who are being ripped off by this guy, but I guess no one's saying anything?? Anyway, I know I could hire a lawyer to solve this for me but I'd rather not have to shell out $1,000+ just to get my $2,000 back. Obviously my "nice guy" tactics aren't going to work, so I need to go about this another way. If anybody has any experience with how to go about collecting money owed for coins, I'd really appreciate your help.
Rick
I have a big problem and could use some serious advice...
I responded to a Wanted to Buy ad in the Numismatic News classifieds from an advertiser offering to buy proof sets. I shipped nearly $2,000 worth. I know this seems like a lot to ship to someone who I've never done business with before, but since this was a regular, long-time advertiser, I felt pretty confident that I wasn't going to get ripped off. Anyway, this was a YEAR ago, and I still haven't received a dime from this guy! I've even contacted the guy on multiple occasions via email. He readily acknowledges receiving my shipment of proof sets, and even says he has broken up/sold most of them. When I inquire about when I can expect to receive payment, I always get an answer of "I'll try and send payment in a few weeks" or some b.s. response like that. I've been polite and respectful to this guy up until this time, having faith he'll make good on his debt. But now I'm seriously losing my patience. I can MAYBE see waiting a month or two for payment, but waiting a year is just plain ridiculous.
My question is, what kind of recourse do I have in getting the money he owes me? All I have is an email address and a P.O. box. No phone number, no street address. Amazingly, this guy is still a regular advertiser in the coin publications. Surely there must be others out there who are being ripped off by this guy, but I guess no one's saying anything?? Anyway, I know I could hire a lawyer to solve this for me but I'd rather not have to shell out $1,000+ just to get my $2,000 back. Obviously my "nice guy" tactics aren't going to work, so I need to go about this another way. If anybody has any experience with how to go about collecting money owed for coins, I'd really appreciate your help.
Rick
0
Comments
1- Have some "friends" from his area pay him an unannounced visit and shake him down, or
2- Hire a good attorney.
Call his local police department
Call the magazine he advertises and ask for more information
Contact the postal authorities for Federal mail fraud
Have a lawyer call him
A year is far too long to make someone wait for payment!
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
Who is it?
Perhaps somebody here will know them and give them some "friendly advice" and your money will
arrive shortly.
-k
-JRR Tolkien
You are the victim of the latter.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
Steve
<< <i>I would:
Call his local police department
Call the magazine he advertises and ask for more information
Contact the postal authorities for Federal mail fraud
Have a lawyer call him >>
And out him here.
Russ, NCNE
Why step over the dollar to get to the cent? Because it's a 55DDO.
He could say he never recieved anything and that it must have been lost in the mail. Do you have a SIGNITURE OF RECIEPT I HOPE!
EVEN the Post office will be a problem after this long a time period ...
Good Luck
Out the BAD GUY!
<< <i>
<< <i>I would:
Call his local police department
Call the magazine he advertises and ask for more information
Contact the postal authorities for Federal mail fraud
Have a lawyer call him >>
And out him here.
Russ, NCNE >>
DO IT...DO IT NOW!!
<< <i>How much would hiring an attorney in this case cost? Would it eat up his $2000? >>
No need for an attorney. If he's got all his documentation, he can settle this in small claims.
But he'd have to file in the scumbag's jurisdiction, and the travel costs might eat up the money real quick.
<< <i>You waited a YEAR?! >>
Why did you wait so long? This sounds like an I.Q. test and you failed. Also, why are you protecting this guys identity by not outing him? Afraid you might hurt his feelings?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>He could say he never recieved anything and that it must have been lost in the mail. >>
The dealer has already admitted receiving the sets.
Russ, NCNE
There was an ebay seller about 6 years ago that I won like 3 or 4 auctions from him. Numerous email and phone calls all I got was we are sending them. After a while there would be no answer to phone calls. I get a bunch of replies to emails saying I was an a$$hole and I didn't make him money and stuff like that. I that I was out like $80 or so. After 2 or 3 months, I finally got my items. About 6 months later I got a few emails from the FBI because he was under investigation. They said if I rec'd the items just ignore emails. I don't remember the user name but I bet he no longer is on ebay.
A year is a long time to wait!
Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
Follow the advice aforementioned --
Contact
local police
State AG
CW
ANA
Postal inspector with jurisdiction in his area
Document everything to the best of your ability -- dates & times of contact, what was said, all receipts (mailing, etc.), the buy ad itself, emails if you've got any, etc. Have all the details straight & accessible.
AND there is nothing at all to lose by outing him here, and at least you'll save a bunch of people the experience of dealing with him themselves.
Anyway, what he did is grand theft, so go after him! Defend yourself!
<< <i>It is amazing how quickly some people will respond to being in real trouble, but you have to get him in it.
Follow the advice aforementioned --
Contact
local police
State AG
CW
ANA
Postal inspector with jurisdiction in his area
Document everything to the best of your ability -- dates & times of contact, what was said, all receipts (mailing, etc.), the buy ad itself, emails if you've got any, etc. Have all the details straight & accessible.
AND there is nothing at all to lose by outing him here, and at least you'll save a bunch of people the experience of dealing with him themselves.
Anyway, what he did is grand theft, so go after him! Defend yourself! >>
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
WH
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
Send them an IRS form 1099 for say 18 k (thats income to them) and if they dont respond with the cash mail it to the IRS !
<< <i>Heres a sneaky but legal method.
Send them an IRS form 1099 for say 18 k (thats income to them) and if they dont respond with the cash mail it to the IRS ! >>
Legal?!? What are you smokin'?!?
<< <i>Heres a sneaky but legal method.
Send them an IRS form 1099 for say 18 k (thats income to them) and if they dont respond with the cash mail it to the IRS ! >>
$18K, how about $180K. Wow that is a dirty trick, I like it.
<< <i>I would:
Call his local police department
Call the magazine he advertises and ask for more information
Contact the postal authorities for Federal mail fraud
Have a lawyer call him >>
Yep, I thoroughly agree with this. I probably wouldn't bother, initially, with the "asking the magazine for more info", though I would do the others and then let the magazine know about their advertiser. I would even drop very easy to follow hints on who it was in the letters column, assuming everything was factual and well documented.
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
If you send it to the IRS for 18 k its not
For 2 K its 100% legal
You have 3 yrs to file the real one !
The threat alone should get some action.
Collect raw morgans, walkers, mercs, SLQ, barber q. Looking at getting into earlier date coins pre 1900s.
If the buyer is in California, (location of the p.o. box), lpm me and I would be happy to try to help you. If anything, it won't hurt to have some free legal advise on what to do. Otherwise, if you have to hire an attorney it will either cost you more than what you will end up receiving, even if you prevail. Normally you can't get your legal fees back unless it is in a contract with the buyer.
Jim
Bingo. This place is a great cross section of humanity!
If you have a brother and a bat, take both with you and walk into the his shop.
It always worked for me when I was in the concrete business.
Never had to use the bat, and always got paid. Only had to do that twice.
I hate weasels like that. Give us a name
The one thing you do not want to do is loose what little contact you have with this person before you find out some more contact information about them......
You can look up personal info here
It's not perfect sometimes you find what you are looking for and sometimes you don't but its a start. There are other sites similar to phonebook.com that offer info google the term email lookup or reverse phone and see what happens.
AL
Thank you very much for all the helpful suggestions. I realize I shouldn't have waited so long to take action on this. I tried to have faith that that buyer would eventually come through and do the right thing but now it's painfully obvious I'm being ripped off. I should have known better than to do business with somebody who's cloaked by anonymity (PO box, no listed phone number) to begin with. But as many of you have mentioned I have plenty of good options for getting my money back... hopefully.
What irks me even more in this case, I was at a loss in this transaction right from the start... At the time I was just trying to dump some modern proof sets that had gone down in value, and was grateful to get the amount I originally paid for them. Had I thought there'd be any problems at all getting paid promptly, I would've just kept the stupid proof sets and not bothered. I sent big shipments of proof sets to 2 other dealers that day, and those buyers paid me promptly and in full, no hassles whatsoever. But all it takes is one of these jerks who tries to rip me off that makes me not want to pursue this kind of business anymore. It's very upsetting to me.
-Rick
You could hire a collection agency on a contingency basis, but they're going to want at least half of anything collected.
Bottom line though - you need to cause him more than $2,000 worth of money/aggravation and then he should pay you - you've been way too nice to this guy - these types of people don't respond to "nice"