CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

oliverg

The G90 I purchased for $3200 - I paid for it on the 23rd of August. Out of the 5 emails I've sent him, he has only responded to one, saying he would finalise shipping with me by the end of that night (Wednesday last week). I haven't heard from him since.

If anyone knows who he is, please contact me - if I know something is actually wrong (eg he's been rushed to hospital) then I can be a little more forgiving.

I'm about to contact the relecant law enforcement authorities.

Am I just being too impatient? Or is this just 'normal'?

CZ Eddie · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1601 Location: Austin, TX

No reason to go more than 48 hours to respond to emails, if you're an Internet junkie and you have a buyer waiting to finalize a deal.

Even if he's not an Internet junkie, then you can't go more than four days without responding. It's just not right. You got his phone number before you paid him, right? Have you left voicemails?

oliverg · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:16 pm Post subject:

No, I never got his phone number - although I did ask for it in the last email I sent him.

I know I can do a chargeback via my credit card company, but I think the guy realised how cheap he was selling it for and wants to pull out. If you make the sale via PayPal, you only have a certain amount of time to file a complaint, but my bank has no such limit.

I just contacted my cousin, who happens to be a senior FBI agent - he telsl me because the sale was made on an auction site, the sale is binding as a contract. If I want to go down that road, I have to contact a lawyer in the seller's juridstiction. But if not, my cousin is willing to start the process of criminal proceedings (fraud) but I am going to wait a little while longer before I go down that path. He isn't in the area where the seller apparently is so he has to contact the local office. Apparently they are able to contact the auction site and PayPal and get all the contact details/IP addresses and contact the ISP of the seller. It only takes them an hour or so to track the seller down. As long as they use their own home computer and aren't at an internet cafe.
He also tells me that alot of sellers will wait until the PayPal dispute period is over before sending the item as some buyers defraud sellers. I wont go into any details but there are quite a few ways apprently. I was quite shocked!! Also, there are people out there that list items, take the money and disappear.

I may be completely over-reacting, the seller seemed to be really nice before he started ignoring me/not responding. I'm just hoping something bad hasn't happened to him and he can't get near his email. I would prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt. I just can't help but be worried though - as you said CZEddie, 4 days if he isn't an internet junkie - and its been almost a week since I heard from him last.

Here's hoping I'm not over-reacting.

Tim in Phoenix · Joined: 21 Oct 2006 Posts: 4409 Location: Phoenix

Hello

The listing was for Local Pickup Only, so why would that condition go away? And there was no picture on the listing........I got a bad feeling.....

oliverg · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:19 am Post subject:

I was thinking the same thing. Sad

**kal** · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:09 pm Post subject:

Thread title fixed at the request of the OP. (I thought you could do this yourself no?)

Kal

Brian Hampton · Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 1173

A Scam involving a good price in a G90?

I remember when G90's and G70's were harder then heck to buy because of all the scams, G90 scams are still pretty popular on ebay.

I hope you get some good resolution to this sale,.. the best thing would be to get the pj. Either way,.. all the time that goes by without knowing what's going on has to be scary.

whats6x7 · Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 5924

Keep on it. I almost got taken for a lot less on a Barco 708. I paid with a postal money-order though. It's a creepy feeling when they have your money and won't return your calls or e-mails. I kept after the guy till he finally shipped it. Good luck!

oliverg · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:46 pm Post subject:

I posted this on the A site - but just in case - it turned out the third guy selling a cheap G90 was "for real"

=============
Guys, I wanted to clear something up. I stayed in communication with RHarmon. I was going to bait him, get as much infromation as I could then tell my cousin (an FBI agent) who would have prompty had him arrested.

Gentlemen, we have all done RHarmon a grave dis-service. He shared with me a lot of information - alot more than a scammer would. He owns 2 large companies. I rang them both (using their website phone numbers - which was the same as what he gave me). Turns out he is completely genuine.

He cleared up the hours discrepancy - he was talking about the new tubes - OK, sure they've done 600 not 300, but close enough.
He sent me further photos - and more ways of verifying his bona fides. EVERYTHING checked out. Then I rang him - he turned out to be a really 'nice bloke' with a great sense of humour.

We (especially me) have wronged him. So, here in public - Robert - I am very sorry I doubted you. (Although, after just being ripped off 3200, you can understand why, can't you??)

I went ahead and bought the PJ (for well well above the $2500) - I did email Curt to see if he still wanted it first (and gave him 4 hours to respond Razz

) but I assume he thought the risk too great - at the price I paid, I don't think Curt would have been interested anyway.

Anyway, hope this clears things up - RHarmon is a genuine seller and only made a few stuffups and they too turned out to be genuine mistakes.

Kind regards