Advice on buying from Blank Slate Seller

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mwarps

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Oct 6, 2002
Messages
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So I'm involved in negotiations with a seller currently, who will remain nameless to protect the innocent.

$60 total, not a lot of money for me, but I am apprehensive. No heat, no ebay.
Seller wants to do Western Union, as it's next door to the UPS store.

Halp?

I'd like to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but I have been burned in the past for bigger ticket items.

Advise me, o FST gurus.
 
Limit your liabilities and play it safe. Without any form of references, I would be very apprehensive about sending a non-secured form of payment, be it Western Union, MO, etc. How about he ships first and then you send a Western Union immediately after delivery? Also, make sure you exchange and verify the sellers contact info (Name, address, phone, email, etc)
 
I've always heard to NEVER use Western Union for anything other than sending money to family members. I believe the reason is that there is absolutely no loss prevention or recourse if the deal goes sour. If you have some decent references, there should be no reason for the guy not to ship first. When dealing with new sellers like this, it is not uncommon to request for them to ship first. I wouldn't trust anyone that wants me to pay with Western Union, especially if they had no references.

Play it safe. Have him ship first or don't do the deal at all.
 
Western Union for me is an automatic no go.....Unless the seller could provide some very good refs....
the reason being you have zero recourse with Western Union....once they get the money, its gone..period.

Thats the reason WU is the number one choice among scammers..:)
 
I have his contact information, phone number, and he is willing to take a call. It's a step in the right direction. Shipping first is obviously up to him, but it puts him theoretically at a loss.. I've got an exam and lab, so keep the advice coming. I'll be back to check on this tonight.

My ebay is under this name.. If someone thinks I'm a bad risk for shipping to first, let me know. I'd ship to me first :p
 
I suggest you guys to go with CC paypal and you pay first. if he scam you, call your CC company and file chargeback. This is the safest way to protect yourself.
 
definitly have him ship first. if you have good ehat he shouldn't ahve a problem with it. he's new, he has to deal with it, and he's gotta earn his name. thats how things go.
 
Im going to step up here and say that its me that warp is speaking of. Im willing to actually send him the items first but only because he has been a long time active member here, so I think I can trust him lol. As I explained to him, I have never had a reason to sell online so of course then I would have no reviews. Im kinda forced to sell my parts online because how many buyers would I get having a yard sale with water cooling parts? haha

I also thought of using my Gaming Clans PayPal account but its a little more costly and a lot more time consuming getting funds transfered out of that account and into a bank account, thus the reason for picking Western Union. My hopes are that I will send the package first to warp and then we he receives he will send me the $$ and then post a review on Heat for me so thats others wont be so apprehensive.
 
mwarps You've been here 5.6 years seems like you have been here a while

If you have heat and other online feedback I would ask him to ship first

Seems you already have a gut feeling something isn't right on his end

I would pass if he wont ship first
 
I dont see anything wrong with Western Union if hes shipping first. I would personally do a USPS money order, dicking around with USPS is mail fraud and a federal crime IIRC. If he doesnt mind shipping first then id say you guys have settled the issue. Everyone has to start somewhere...
 
Seller wants to do Western Union = NO!

Scammers typically use this tool to rip off their victims. I'm getting bad vibes ...
 
You're getting bad vibes about him shipping first and then you paying via WU?

If you get the item first, what do you care how the seller wants to be paid?
 
Provided the seller is willing to wait for you to receive the package, then Western Union should be of no consequence. At least for the buyer.;)
 
soekev said:
You're getting bad vibes about him shipping first and then you paying via WU?

If you get the item first, what do you care how the seller wants to be paid?
Click to expand...



Please re-read what I said. Did I say anything about anyone shipping first? No.

I said that WU is the tool for of many scammers. If the seller is willing to ship first then great but I doubt he will do it.

Take a look here: http://419eater.com/
 
harddud said:
Please re-read what I said. Did I say anything about anyone shipping first? No.

I said that WU is the tool for of many scammers. If the seller is willing to ship first then great but I doubt he will do it.

Take a look here: http://419eater.com/
Click to expand...

um, dude he just posted above that he'd ship first. i think it's safe using western union considering he gets the items first.
 
Absinthe said:
Limit your liabilities and play it safe. Without any form of references, I would be very apprehensive about sending a non-secured form of payment, be it Western Union, MO, etc. How about he ships first and then you send a Western Union immediately after delivery? Also, make sure you exchange and verify the sellers contact info (Name, address, phone, email, etc)
Click to expand...

I concur - ship first, then pay when you get it. You could always take a pic of the WU MO on hand as proof that you're legit. If he's serious about selling and starting a good rep/feedback, the seller should have no issues with this.

If, on the other hand, a scam is brewing, and seller doesn't want to go this route, you're better off calling the whole deal off. No use going around in circles over $60, and if it's too good to be true.... blah blah blah something something....
 
Isn't WU for only sending money to a person,meaning no using it to pay for an item?
 
If a seller ships first I don't care if he wants me to tie the cash to a carrier pigeon.:p Looks like this case is closed.
 
If they have no references, they either have to send first since I go have extensive heat or I dont get it, I rather miss out on a great deal than have to track down a scammer that could of been prevented. I dont know your references, but if you have over 20 heat I dont see why he cant ship first, if you dont I would pass it up and look for a more expierienced trader to do business with until your heat level is up. Now with al the extra cash coming in today and next week for the rebate checks. You are gonna see alot more scammers coming out of the woodworks, which is gonna make it harder for honest people to be trusted.
 
MaXXimus said:
Im going to step up here and say that its me that warp is speaking of. Im willing to actually send him the items first but only because he has been a long time active member here, so I think I can trust him lol. As I explained to him, I have never had a reason to sell online so of course then I would have no reviews. Im kinda forced to sell my parts online because how many buyers would I get having a yard sale with water cooling parts? haha

I also thought of using my Gaming Clans PayPal account but its a little more costly and a lot more time consuming getting funds transfered out of that account and into a bank account, thus the reason for picking Western Union. My hopes are that I will send the package first to warp and then we he receives he will send me the $$ and then post a review on Heat for me so thats others wont be so apprehensive.
Click to expand...

Didn't the seller already say they were going to ship first? Once the buyer gets their item, WU should be a fine method for sending the money.
 
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