Topic: Ripped off on Audiogon..

[halteh]

So I decided to take the plunge and make an account on audiogon.com. I wnated a digital amp for my VR1s and was able to find a nice used PS-Audio hca-2 for $800 in the classified listing. I emailed the seller back and forth with a few questions, he gave me his address and said a money order was fine. I sent him an $832 US Bank money order on the 14th of August. On the 25th he emailed me saying the amp was sent out via UPS, but he left the tracking number in his car. I've since haven't recieved a single email from him and of course no amp in the mail. This was my first time using audiogon and I think i just got badly ripped off. The seller had 36+ feedback with no negatives, i figured this made him legit. I guess I was wrong. Has this ever happened to anyone here? I tried filing a dispute with audiogon, but somehow i don't think this is going to get me my money or the amp. The listing for the auction is here: http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1160258929 and the sellers name is Michael Francis. Has anyone here ever dealt with this guy? I tried looking up his phone number, but apparently the address i mailed the money order to doesn't match his name, and it's listed as a commericial establishment; not a house.

If anyone can give me any help in correcting this problem I'd be very appreciative.
 
Thanks

--Fares

[Tim]

+T for your troubles. I've bought a couple of $800+ items from audiogon with no issues.

Where does this guy live?

[pfife]

oh dear that sucks.  I wish you the best of luck.  They actually have a rather decent dispute resolution system there.

[halteh]

+T for your troubles. I've bought a couple of $800+ items from audiogon with no issues.

Where does this guy live?

Richmond VA, I had a friend who lives in the area look at the address and he told me he knows where it is. But I have a sickly feeling that this guy doesn't even live at that address. And even then, I don't see how going up to him asking for the money or the amp will change anything

What really sucks about all this is that I have little to no information on this guy. If i had used pay pal i could have had the money frozen, but now i can't do squat.

--Fares

[halteh]

Sorry for your troubles...  But this is why I only do paypal in the vast majority of those situations.  Hope the resolution works out.  How long has it been?

Caught this in the advert:


Hate to see it go, I've actually bought/sold an HCA-2 3 times now,


Why... I'll bet he has! 

You know when i first started buy/selling junk on the internet like 5 years ago i was soo paranoid and always very cautious, after going so long without a single problem i really just put my guard down. When I look back at all of this i really feel stupid; I don't even have a phone number for this guy and the address he gave me is doesn't even match his name. I guess if anything, the rest of you can take this as a lesson. Avoid this guy!

He's had my money since about the 18th of August.

--F

[OFOTD]

Did you save the reciept from the MoneyOrder?   If so trace it.  Find out where the MO was cashed in.  At the very least it wil give you some clues as to the seller/rip off artist.

[flipp]

If you used the US Postal Service at any point, contact the postal inspectors. If you had gotten the MO from the USPS it would have made a stronger case but if you mailed the MO instead of using UPS or FedEx, it's mail fraud and the USPS inspectors may get involved. I believe there is a 30 day period in which the merchandise can be delivered but may be wrong on that. I believe your complaint falls under the "Merchandise or Service" > "failure to provide" area.

https://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/MailFraudComplaint.htm

[halteh]

Did you save the reciept from the MoneyOrder?   If so trace it.  Find out where the MO was cashed in.  At the very least it wil give you some clues as to the seller/rip off artist.

did that, apparently it was cashed on the 30th. Still can't get in touch with this guy. Looks like audigon dispute is my last hope, but i really don't know what they can do.

--F

[halteh]

THANK YOU GOD!!! low and behold todays mail shows up with a slip saying there's something for me at the post office. Boy was I surprised when the mail-lady returned with a huge box from Michael Francis! My amp!!!!! still no word from the seller, he didn't send it out UPS like we agreed but it's hear and it sounds ridiculous!

Boy am I happy! and to think i was just trying to get ahold of the sherrif in Richmond VA.

I LOVE ALL OF YOU!

--F

[L Ron Hoover]

T for a good ending to the story.

[pfife]

Glad to hear it all worked out man.  That's pretty lame to be a burnout on shipping something that long when you have >$800 of their money.  +T, enjoy it.

[wboswell]

I bought an amp from that fuck a couple of years ago.  I had a very similar experience with him, where he promised he'd do this and that and it took forever.  It was during Christmas time and he sent me a tracking number that never checked out.  After the tracking number didn't validate online for a week, I called UPS and was able to talk the operator into giving me his phone number, which turned out to be a cell.  I threatened getting authorities involved and he two dayed the amp the next day.  Then it took him 3 months to mail me the original receipt and cables that he promised before the purchase.

He's got a history of doing this sort of shit if you read his feedback Francis1967 http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fb.pl?user=Francis1967&&&&

FYI: he was in California when I purchased from him

[halteh]

I bought an amp from that fuck a couple of years ago.  I had a very similar experience with him, where he promised he'd do this and that and it took forever.  It was during Christmas time and he sent me a tracking number that never checked out.  After the tracking number didn't validate online for a week, I called UPS and was able to talk the operator into giving me his phone number, which turned out to be a cell.  I threatened getting authorities involved and he two dayed the amp the next day.  Then it took him 3 months to mail me the original receipt and cables that he promised before the purchase.

He's got a history of doing this sort of shit if you read his feedback Francis1967 http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fb.pl?user=Francis1967&&&&

FYI: he was in California when I purchased from him

wow! he's in VA now and he's not even using that name on Audiogon, go figure! This guy sent this thing out via air mail with no tracking number at all. As far as he knows I could still claim i didn't get the thing and he'd have no way of proving otherwise, not that he'd care. Whatever...fuck him, I am just soo relieved that I'm not out $800!

edit: typos

--F

[shane]

Glad you got your amp man.  I read his feedback on audiogon.  It always baffle sme when I read someone's feedback and they have these horrible negative ones (ie - stole $750) and then the next ten are "great guy, super fast, recommend anytime".  I hate buying shit online.  I'm in the middle of a situation right now with an online retailer and one of their customers.  Not to hijack your thread but here goes:

On Aug 10th I placed an order with Meta Music Records (analogkaos.com) for some records, 6 total (White Stripes and My Morning Jacket).  On Aug 1th I get an email from some dude saying that he received my order and wanted to know had I received his.  I hadn't gotten anything, he said he'd send mine back.  On Aug 18th I contact Meta Music to see if they got my package yet and was it on its way to me.  They say they've received nothing but as soon as they did they would send it out Priority Mail.  On Aug 29th I get and email from the dude again saying he got his records plus mine again saying they were stamped return to sender.  He said he would just send them out to me instead of sending them back to Meta Music.  I said I appciate it, send me your address and I'll reimburse you for the shipping.  I get another email from him on Sep 6th saying he's been busy and will send my records out that day.  Its been one week since then and still no records.  In the meantime my credit card has been charged $114.  What should I do on this one.

Shane]

PS:  I don't even have a turntable.  That's my wife's favortite part

[OFOTD]

It always baffle sme when I read someone's feedback and they have these horrible negative ones (ie - stole $750) and then the next ten are "great guy, super fast, recommend anytime".

I always assume that any positive feedback is just a stock answer that people give to each purchase.  Kinda of like a "have no fear buying from...." here on ts.com   Its always easier to write bad feedback specific to the bad deal but the positive usually gets the same line each time.  Not much originality in good feedback.

.