What's going on with me and my life right now...

[Jon Liu]

So, I've been put in a huge pickle today and I am not out quite a bit. I am not telling you guys this because I want pity or anything like that, I tell you guys because you guys are almost like family to me.

So anyway, As you know I got a macbook pro and I ended up selling my old laptop on eBay. Well, I 'thought' I sold it on eBay. The person who ended up winning the auction ended up being a fraudulent buyer. I should've seen the signs but, somehow they weren't plain enough to me. The person sent the payment via paypal so I shipped the laptop out right away. I transferred the money to my bank account to pay my credit card to pay some of the cost of the macbook pro. Sure enough, two days later, there was a temporary hold on the so called money in the paypal account. Since there wasn't actually any money in the paypal account anymore they put a negative amount on my account. Well that was like two weeks ago. Anyway, I've been in contact with the so-called buyer. They said their account got hacked and that they would get the money to me as soon as possible. Well, anyway, after bugging and bugging I finally got another paypal payment this morning to compensate for the negative balance. Sure enough, not an hour later another hold on the payment.

All the while, fortunately, the toshiba laptop had not been delivered because there was a tax that needed to be paid (the laptop was shipped to the Philippines). No one has paid that so it hasn't been delivered. But, I called them today and if I went the laptop returned to me, I need to pay the tax because the Philippines government doesn't care if it has been delivered or not, once the package touches ground, taxes automatically apply. They also told me that I would have to pay the return shipping as well. So not only did I pay the shipping to the Philippines which was like 240 or something, but now I have to pay the tax on it, and pay for the shipping back to me if I want it returned to me. Fedex representative said that they will try to find out if they can discount or anything for me and will get back to me in a couple days.

So, now... the predicament I was in because I don't have enough money and I don't want that much on my credit card, I ended up having to return the macbook pro to compensate for the amount that I've lost.

So let's see... I am now... out the macbook pro
I had to fix the 1600 negative balance on my paypal account
and now I probably have to pay 200-300 dollars to get my original laptop back.

Not to mention, I still don't have a working 360 and my receiver is not finished yet.

I have THE worst luck.

Anyway, like I said, I am not looking for pity but, just telling you guys because I want to warn you of the lurkers on eBay and Paypal as well.

[SpOoNmAn]

Never sell or ship anything that wont end up in the Continental U.S.

Get it off your chest, keep typing until you feel better Not a good day at all but when you wake up tomorrow and throw your legs out of bed, feel grateful that you can do something so simple that we take for granted. When shit happens to me, I always remind myself how good I have it, and in a way, we are lucky to have such problems.

Both times I got scammed, my initial gut feeling was to NOT go thru with it, but I was greedy and did. One was shipped to australia, the other to the UK. I didnt learn with the 1st one so that makes me extra foolish.

[KEEZY]

Sorry to hear that man! At least you will get the Toshiba back. That sucks that eBay or PayPal don't protect you better. I think they should have some responsibility for it. I mean they DID make money from your sale.

[ZoomZoom71]

Here ya go, Mang! We love ya!!! Hang in there!

[blars]

Sorry to hear that man...hope you can eventually get your macbook back.

[Woundup]

sorry bro!!

[Jon Liu]

Thanks for the well wishes guys. Spoony, yeah I hear you on the scamming bit. This is my second time getting scammed online... first time on eBay though. But, yeah... I count my blessings and now I am a lot calmer and level headed about the situation. I was frantic this morning though.

I will probably be closing my paypal account or at least will most likely never be using it again.

I think that this will be the last time I use ebay as well. I am sick of all the hassle.

[SpOoNmAn]

Good to hear youre feeling better about it bro. I thought Not using Paypal would be rough but its not bad. Takes a while longer to get paid but life marches on.

If its not 2 painful, keep us in the loop when info comes along.

[WormholeXtreme]

That really sucks. I know everytime I've shipped something outside of the US I've been very nervous plus it's always a PITA with customs. Luckily I never had anything like this happen. Now I only ship to the continental US and to Paypal confirmed addresses. I hope everything works out.

[Peench]

Jon - I'm really sorry to hear about all this. Dang man. When it rains it pours. The fact that there are so many people willing to screw people over sickens me. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Seriously. You have my cell number. Call if you need anything bro. Take care.

[Rhino Chaser]

At least you aren't one of the families that let a "buyer" from Craigslist into their home only to get beaten and robbed at gun point:

Craigslist users hit by robbers
Verne Kopytoff, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, July 21, 2006

Beware of robbers using Craigslist.

Several of the popular Web site's users have been held up at gunpoint by individuals posing as buyers and sellers, according to a number of police departments.

The robberies, including five in the Bay Area during the past month, highlight a disturbing trend: The targeting of Craigslist users for violent crime. None of the victims has been hurt, but they have lost cash and hundreds of dollars in property.

The cases show the potential dangers of meeting with strangers to make a transaction, whether the parties first connect through the Internet on Craigslist or eBay, or via a newspaper classified advertisement. They also underscore the need for taking precautions, such as meeting in public, to reduce the risk.

Jim Buckmaster, Craigslist's chief executive, said robberies are extremely rare on his Web site, a digital bulletin board for everything from job openings to personals to selling used sofas. He said there are 10 million new classified ad postings each month, the majority of which involve face-to- face meetings that take place without a problem.

The latest known robbery was Sunday night after two people from Pleasanton and Livermore posted an ad on Craigslist to sell hooded jackets. They were contacted by a prospective buyer and agreed to meet in a covered Target department store parking lot in Walnut Creek, according to Walnut Creek police.

But the transaction soured. At 8:20 p.m., two individuals drove up, one of whom pointed a pistol at the sellers and said, "This is how we're going to do this."

The suspects, who appeared to be 16 to 19 years old, took 11 jackets. Before driving off, they flashed a gang sign and said "this is West Pittsburg," a possible reference to their neighborhood.

Police have made no arrests.

A broader outbreak of Craigslist robberies has taken place in San Jose. During the last week of June, San Jose police said there were four robberies involving people buying or selling items through Craigslist.

In each case, the victims met with a man about a potential transaction on the street near apartment complexes, and ended up being held up at gunpoint for small electronics and cash. In two of the incidents, the victims drove to San Jose to meet the suspect or suspects.

The police have yet to announce any arrests.

Whether Craigslist is any more of a target for violent crime now than in the past is difficult to determine. However, representatives from the half-dozen police departments contacted could not recall a Craigslist-related robbery before 2005.

San Francisco police Inspector Pamela Wermes said that she knows of two robberies involving Craigslist in her city since the start of 2005, the most recent of which happened in May. Both cases involved sellers being pushed aside by thieves posing as buyers, who then ran out with the stolen property, in one case an Apple iPod digital music player.

Robberies related to Craigslist aren't only a Bay Area phenomenon. A handful of incidents has been reported across the nation during the past few months.

In April, two men in Boston who responded to an ad for a used 1995 Honda Civic were robbed of their money. The suspect directed the men behind a house to look at the car, and then pulled a gun and forced the victims to the ground before fleeing, according to Boston police.

In May, a man answering an ad on Craigslist in Vancouver, Wash., from a purported prostitute was lured to a park for a meeting and then robbed by three individuals. A man and woman were later arrested, and a teenage female was taken to a juvenile detention facility, the Vancouver police said.

None of the police contacted said that Craigslist has any responsibility for the robberies because of its limited role as an online bulletin board. In fact, they said that Craigslist cooperates with investigations, although it requires law enforcement to get court orders before giving them access to much of its information.

The series of robberies through Craigslist casts the Web site in a different light from its reputation as a tight-knit community, led by Buckmaster, who espouses a philosophy harking back to the hippie era, and the company's convivial founder Craig Newmark. Many users think nothing of inviting strangers to their home or apartment to inspect a used futon or laptop computer for sale.

In fact, Craigslist is no stranger to criminal activity. From time to time, police have arrested individuals for offenses including using the Web site to sell drugs, offering children as prostitutes and fencing stolen merchandise.

Fraud artists routinely lure Craigslist users with come-ons to cash what turn out to be counterfeit cashier's checks for them. Another scam is to ask that buyers pay up front for products that will be shipped later, but never are.

To avoid being robbed, the police and Craigslist advise users to meet in a public place where other people are around.

If something doesn't seem right, reconsider your plans, they said. Also, Craigslist users are advised to keep all correspondence in a transaction to help speed up any police investigation, if one is necessary.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl....DTL&type=tech

I am sorry to hear about your misfortune bro. But, chalk it up as a learning experience. Cons and Thieves are all over the place these days. No sense beating yourself up for being a decent trusting person. It could happen to any one of us...My lady thinks I am paranoid the way I deal with internet shopping, but then I show her articles like the one above and she begins to take my suspicions regarding certain people a little more seriously.

[BMC]

Jon, sorry to hear about all that you're going through. We're all here for support.

[Jon Liu]

Thanks again guys, it really helps to get it out off my chest among people I know I can trust.

Peench, thanks for the vote of confidence and your support.

Spoony, yeah, I am definitely going the route of Money Order to receive payment because of this and it IS getting easier, I just don't look forward to having to front the cost to get my toshiba laptop back to me. Another expense to add to the hurt but, at least this way I know I will get my laptop back... I am thinking I'm going to sell my PSP, games, and accessories to help offset the cost. So if anyone is interested, let me know. I am asking $300 for the lot shipped. I'll post it in the Coffee Table forum as well.

Rhino, assure your missus that you have every right to be paranoid because you have heard yet another experience from someone you know!

Again, thanks EVERYONE here for your support, I really appreciate it.

[Wondermonkey]

Holy crap Jon, that's the worst story ever! I'm so sorry man. I hope eventually things work themselves out for you. That sucks so hard, but keep your chin up. The universe has to balance itself out somewhere right?

If there's anything I can do just let me know.

[dmiller68]

Sorry to hear buddy...

[Jon Liu]

thanks monkey. What sucks is that I am going through Mac withdrawels right now. I say that jokingly but, really I am! At the moment I am using my wife's laptop that is pretty old... kind of sucks.

All the money I put into the mac, buying programs, delicious library, appzapper, microsoft office for mac, 360 connect... dang...