Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Am I being scammed?

View Poll Results: Am i being scammed?
Poll Options:
Yes 19 votes (86.36%)
No 0 votes (0%)
Let ebay handle it. 3 votes (13.64%)
Voters: 22. You may not vote on this poll
Am I being scammed?
Thread Tools
JoshuaZ
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Yamanashi, Japan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 02:53 PM
 
Story: I had an iPhone in Japan. Returned to US of A. Sold iPhone on Ebay to a guy in Russia. Sent phone to Russia. Guy emails me today saying it was "stolen at the post office" and wants me to make a claim with the US Postal Service. Only kicker is the buyer told me to claim the phone was only worth $200 on the customs form... which means I could only claim it for that much.

I tracked the package via the USPS website and it says that the package arrived in Russia at the post office....

Sound like a scam to you, or a guy who actually didn't get the phone?
     
Oisín
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Copenhagen
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 02:55 PM
 
If it arrived at the post office in Russia and was stolen there, he should be making a claim with the Russian postal service. Once USPS delivers it, their responsibility ends.

Sounds scammy, yes.
     
Doofy
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Vacation.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 03:03 PM
 
Smells scammy, for the reason Ois gave.

Note for all you colonials: Never, ever send abroad using USPS and local post - always use Fedex or UPS (basically, one company door-to-door). Even here in crime-free Blighty, ~10% of parcels going through the postal service never make it to their destination.
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
voodoo
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Salamanca, España
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 03:11 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
Smells scammy, for the reason Ois gave.

Note for all you colonials: Never, ever send abroad using USPS and local post - always use Fedex or UPS (basically, one company door-to-door). Even here in crime-free Blighty, ~10% of parcels going through the postal service never make it to their destination.
Yes that is the best thing about the UK. No crime
I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 03:28 PM
 
His problem, not yours. Suggest FedEx next time.

Clean out your paypal account and disassociate it with your bank account immediately.
     
JoshuaZ  (op)
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Yamanashi, Japan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 03:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by mduell View Post
His problem, not yours. Suggest FedEx next time.

Clean out your paypal account and disassociate it with your bank account immediately.
Good idea....

I'll just tell him to make a claim with Paypal or ebay. He requested USPS, so thats his fault.

Thanks guys and gals.
     
turtle777
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 04:11 PM
 
Sorry, but WTF where you thinking ? Shipping to Russia ?

-t
     
Cold Warrior
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Polwaristan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 05:31 PM
 
I've shipped a number of things to Russia over the years via USPS, always Global Priority/Express though, including an iPod a few years back. Everything has always made it.

But this sounds like a scam. Russians won't think twice about trying to cheat you.
     
AKcrab
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Wasilla, Alaska
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 06:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
Russians won't think twice about trying to cheat you.
     
Phileas
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Toronto, Canada
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 19, 2010, 08:18 PM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Sorry, but WTF where you thinking ? Shipping to Russia ?

-t
I've been buying old camera lenses from Russia with no problems, but I'd feel nervous about selling stuff
     
JoshuaZ  (op)
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Yamanashi, Japan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 20, 2010, 01:30 AM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Sorry, but WTF where you thinking ? Shipping to Russia ?

-t
I thought nothing of it as the money came through paypal just fine and dandy. Thanks to ebay I've sent lots of random stuff abroad, and as long as the money comes through paypal I don't worry about it.

(If I had sent the phone off without first getting cash, then I'd be an idiot. But come on now, it's paypal! The money is currently working it's 3-4 business days travel from paypal to my bank account.)

Anyways, so after the money had made it's way from paypal to my bank account I'm going to tell the guy to make a claim with ebay or with paypal. I'll also report him to ebay for good measure.

It sounded super fishy from the get go anyways....
     
macaddict0001
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Edmonton, AB
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 20, 2010, 02:21 AM
 
Honestly if he didn't buy insurance on the parcel it is his fault.
     
turtle777
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 20, 2010, 11:30 AM
 
Originally Posted by JoshuaZ View Post
I thought nothing of it as the money came through paypal just fine and dandy. Thanks to ebay I've sent lots of random stuff abroad, and as long as the money comes through paypal I don't worry about it..
Please make yourself knowledgable about Paypal.

It's not as safe as you think, and money in Paypal != cash.

-t
     
JoshuaZ  (op)
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Yamanashi, Japan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 20, 2010, 01:19 PM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Please make yourself knowledgable about Paypal.

It's not as safe as you think, and money in Paypal != cash.

-t
True, but how else are you going to sell things abroad?

Heck, half the things I've sold on ebay have ended up in foreign countries. I myself bought things from people using paypal while living abroad.

Sure, you can get scammed, but you could also die in a car crash tomorrow making the whole thing a moot point.
     
turtle777
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 20, 2010, 03:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by JoshuaZ View Post
True, but how else are you going to sell things abroad?
For anything of value, I don't.

Craigslist FTW.

-t
     
JoshuaZ  (op)
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Yamanashi, Japan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 20, 2010, 04:06 PM
 
Craigslist is awesome for bigger things, but smaller more niche things, you have to go ebay.

Plus not everyone is near a big populated area. When I lived in South Dakota there were maybe only 150,000 within an hours drive of me. I'm lucky now to be near a big urban center, but a lot of what you sell on Craigslist depends on who lives around you. (For example the SCUBA gear I've been seeing the same guy try to sell for the past year in my area)

Then again, people get scammed all the time thanks to Craigslist as well. Scammed or mugged outright.
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:23 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,