I sent a gentleman a large sum of money for a 60gb Mk2a, he got the money Saturday, and I paid for OVERNIGHT shipping. He finally emailed me yesterday said that he got the money and said the unit would be going out yesterday. Overnight shipping means that I should have it today or tomorrow at the very least if he didn't make the cutoff for pickup. If by tommorow afternoon I do not have an empeg I intend to contact the police and press charges. I did send it via cashiers check and I think I can recoup the money, as well he signed for it. I will post more information as I find out.
stahi

I work with damn UPS USPS & Fedex. Every day shipping laptops \ server and the occasional mainframe from here to Brazil to Sweden. IT NEVER ARRIVES ON TIME! to protect yourself in the future. 1.) ALWAYS request a tracking number for shipping. 2). Optional insurance (USPS automatically insures packages in "Priority" mail up to $500 AT NO ADDINTIONAL COST) 3). The USPS is the ONLY shipping company that CAN NOT open your packages!! Since UPS & Fedex are privately own & operated outside of the goverment, they can inspect open or steal ANYTHING without risking breaking a federal offenses. 4.) Call the shipping company 1st. they can at least give you an idea what side of the damn continent this empeg is located. Once you have confirmed its location (ex. West Coast) and you live in California, give them an additional day to give your package to the local Distibution center so the guy in the stupid brown pants can hand it to you the following day. My advice ship everything USPS (it may not be the fastest but they are consistant. -Fedex horror story, shipped a 2 million dollar built mainframe to the east coast (SHIPPING NEXT BUSN. MORNING) I paid ten grand for some dumbass lady to tell me its somewhere on the east coast at 11AM in the morning. Well it got there at 2:00, but christ all mighty. You always expect small package or people who only spend $20 bucks in shipping to get [censored] losted every once in a while but how do you not know where a 2 ton 10grand IBM paper weight is? Oh.. try to always pay by credit card. You can always ask the credit card company to reverse the charges.

Why do you say USPS can not open packages.. I've had many that have been opened and then resealed with their sealing tape. Yes they can open it if they have a reason to and anyone can think of a reason. In a perfect world every shipping company works... in out courrupt world every shipping company has its horror stories. Just make sure you get a tracking number/reciept and insurance on the item and you'll be fine. I seem to have the best of luck with ups, they are the only ones to seem to have a somewhat working tracking system.

-Greg

I have a hard time believing anything run by the federal government is reliable. That plus I have had about the total opposite experience you described (with much lower cost items I can't imagine having to ship anything like that wow !).

Well, although the post office is part of the government, they have tried to distance themselves from that image. You have to admit that for the volume of mail they move every day they are very efficient (and cheap). I did have an airborne express person drop off a package yesterday that looked like it had been run over with a truck. The lenses that were in the package were crushed to bits. I cant believe that someone signed for it.

Sean

of course, they're tyrying to distance themselves for that image, look how good their competition is doing.... It's rare you can compete with the government and win.
Next I'd like to see a privately held gasoline chain. One that is not succeptable to the $0.40 per gallon of tax. Now That'd be something.

Stahi,
I have sent you mail.
Maybe there is chance that you get your money back.
I gave you additional discount on mail on my MK2a, so you can get at least somewhat cheaper. Hope this helps.
I got other offers as well, so if no deal, no harm done. Just wanted you to know.

Next I'd like to see a privately held gasoline chain. One that is not succeptable to the $0.40 per gallon of tax. Now That'd be something

ROTFLMAO. Some people just don't realise how lucky they are. I *love* paying only $0.40 a gallon.

Try living in the UK for a while: The current excise tax is fifty pence per litre - the equivalent of $3.40 per gallon - and constitutes 60 percentof the British price of fuel. source

not to hijack this thread
but, genixia, I don't think out american cousins can imagine paying what we pay for petrol back home in europe
it would be a terrible shock to them if they woke up to that one day

PS when are you going to get that 1.8 chipped?

<offtopic...sorry>PS when are you going to get that 1.8 chipped?

When I can persuade my wife that the money needed doesn't have a more urgent use.

When are you going to tell your wife that you bought an empeg?
</offtopic>

stahimooney - I hope that your situation resolves itself amicabilly. I rarely bother with overnight shipping because there is no guarrantee that the item will ship that day or that the service lives up to expectations, even though it is reasonable to expect that they both *should*. I once payed for 3 day service from a computer parts reseller, only for the items to not be shipped for 3 weeks. I was pissed off to say the least. I tend to pay for one service level better than I want/need. So if I want 3 day service, I pay for overnight. If I want something within a week, I pay for 3 day service. Should I have to do this? No... but at least it keeps my stress levels down, and when something really does arrive on time it is a pleasant surprise because I wasn't expecting it to!

But here is the kicker. He got the money SATURDAY and since then I recieved one email stating that it was going out Monday. Then NOTHING ELSE. No tracking numbers, I have called him a couple times and no returns on my phone calls. If I had a tracking number at least I wouldn't worry at all. Between the insurance and tracking number I would at least know that this gentleman didn't take the money and run. Both shipping and recieving is in the continental US. The guy may have shipped it but I wish that he had the courtesy to give me a tracking number

Ahh. I see. That's a tough nut. I'd advise giving him a few days leeway anyway - with a private seller you don't know what emergency circumstances may cause a day or 2 delay, the last thing you want to do send the police around his house if he's spent the past few days in hospital due to a car wreck. Have faith in the fact the the vast majority of people are honest and well-intentioned and try not to worry too much. With that in mind, you should set a reasonable deadline whereby you must have either the unit or tracking number, and act on that date if need be.

It's really not worth worrying until that date - until you can convince the police that you have probable cause for concern, they're not likely to act anyway, so you are effectively powerless in the situation at the moment.

Accept that and try to relax for now. If it helps, prepare for what you will do when it is time to take action - print out any correspondance, copy any transaction reciepts, investigate options for recovering your money etc.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Next time you see your royal government on tv with all their diamonds and rubies, you'll know where your $3.40 went.

*cough*see profile*cough*

I won't even get into health care.

...or education.

He has emailed me. There have been some extenuating circumstances. That is fine I can deal with that I am not overly impatient--Not knowing anything was the problem.

Of course I am going to wait until he follows through--but at this point it appears that I jumped the gun a little. When it is all over I intend to publicly (on the forum) apologize.

Hey off topic myself now... someone mentioned chipped 1.8--were you talking about the VW 1.8 engine? I have a 16v 1.8 that I was thinking about getting a fuel management system for it --maybe something similar to laptop in the "Fast and the Furious" would that be do-able in linux maybe with the empeg controlling it? Just a rambling thought. Not that I really need a fuel management system around here... LOL I took a Honda Prelude VTEC to SCHOOL yesterday. It was one of those wanna be type R's--(I will give respect to a legit Type R) I was trying to get over and he cut me off, causing me to miss my turn. Then he started revving his engine like he wanted to go. Next light I pulled up next to him. The light turned and I dumped the clutch, barked the tires going into 2nd, chirped them going into 3rd, and shifted to 4th a hair under 100mph. I got to a point where the lanes merged and he was probably 5 car lengths back. I was gonna stop and talk to him but when I pulled over he flipped me off and kept going. I hate sore losers. Now to be fair I have seen some Honda's that are bad ass and I couldn't come close, but the ones around here mostly have stock engines with alot of body mods and huge wings, a few have coffee can mufflers, but nothing really special. My car believe it or not is fairly stock--16v 1.8 with the close ratio AUG tranny, tall 5th gear, and cat removed. I am running the stock CIS-E injection system and knock sensors and such.

Any v-dubya fans drop me a line.

stahi

The only Honda's that really give much of a threat ont he road are DOHC VTECs and the occasionally turbo(though the SOHC turbos are pretty slow). The preludes are to heavy in my opinion and everyone here knows my love for the Integra Type-R. AFAIK the Integra is the only car in the US that can be a legit Type-R so unless its right-hand drive no civicor accord is a type-R. BTW there isnt even a Prelude Type-R in Japan. The only Type-Rs honda makes are NSX, Integra, Civic, and accord. And well now the RSX but its an integra anyway

were you talking about the VW 1.8 engine?


Indeed. A lovely beast of an engine. 2000 Golf GLS 1.8T - totally stock. The urge for other mods is creeping up on me - rear sway bar, slightly stiffer/lower springs and a better set of boots have all somehow entered my subconscious dreams. (In addition to the chip, which is a purely conscious decision!)

1.8T huh? I have mixed emotions about the new(er) VW's. I haven't really forgiven Volkswagon for discontinuing the Sciroccos and the (heavy slower) Corrados. I have rebuilt a couple of Sciroccos from the ground up-- now that I am going to Italy I am going to be looking for some Euro parts and maybe a Euro spec engine. If I can pick up one of those new Euro 24 valve V-6 (200 sum-sumthin' horses of v-dubya love) they have for the jetta there I am gonna jump on it. The wife put the stops on me taking my favorite Scirocco there as I can only ship one car and SHE HATES THE RICCARO SEATS. (women are evil I tell ya) She wants the Cabriolet there so I made a deal with her--Cabrio can go but I am slapping a 16v in it once we get there. If she is gonna make me drive a chic car --I am gonna soup it up a little.

HAHA

its recaro

Ummmmm....the Marvels of the 1.8t.....now if only APR would finish their damn chip for the Turbo S!

Used to love my 2000 Golf GTi Turbo - nice 150bhp motor. Thought it was pretty fast till I got me an Impreza
It was good though, and I do miss the trip/consumption/temp gauge in the dash. I miss the Recaros as well, so I'll have to get some for my Scooby.
Just had a wee race with my senior manager this morning - he has the 180bhp Audi A3 - turns out my (non-turbo) impreza will easily have him up to about 90mph and then he gets the edge on me.

Sorry about the off-topic nature of this post

If I can pick up one of those new Euro 24 valve V-6 (200 sum-sumthin' horses of v-dubya love) they have for the jetta there I am gonna jump on it.

We have this same engine available in the states now too. It's been here since December or January.

did you get the empeg yet?

No I haven't recieved the empeg or a tracking number. I filed a report with law enforcement today.

I haven't really forgiven Volkswagon for discontinuing the Sciroccos and the (heavy slower) Corrados
I don't know where you live but maybe it was never discontinued but rather not imported anymore. I had always thought the VW Beetle/Bug had stopped being made when I no longer saw new ones. I saw a history of the VW Beetle on Discovery instead they were still made, in Mexico, up until the new style took over.

nope, the Sciroccos and Corrados are no longer made....anywhere

I am sorry to hear that.

Can you give us more details? Where you came in contact with this individual? etc?

He was selling it here. I emailed him and asked him how much and offered a trade sooner than a cashiers check. He said he was willing to wait, so I got the money and sent it to him. Further than that I would like to wait to see the outcome before divulging details. I don't want to get the guy in trouble. I made it very clear to the Police that once I get the Empeg or a full refund I want to drop the charges. Being that the value is more than $300 it falls under the felony catagory, crossing state lines, possibly even mail fraud--they mentioned something about the Federal Trade Commision getting it on it too. I think all of that is a little excessive, and would prefer to handle this quietly without big brother laying the smacketh down, but the gentleman that I have been dealing with promised me shipping today and has thus far been unable to be reached.

Crappy deal but I don't have many options left.

I have had quite a bit of experience (on ebay and through other venues) of buying merchandise from strangers, and I have found that the great majority of people are honest, honorable, and well-intentioned.

This does not mean that they are competent, but the person who will actually, intentionally defraud you is extremely rare.

I would suggest that patience and friendly communication are your best allies here. My guess is that the seller really does not understand the nervousness and urgency you are experiencing, and just "hasn't got around to" shipping your player in the timely fashion you are expecting.

The closest I have ever come to being "scammed" on a blind purchase was for some wheels for my ShoWagon. The seller thought he had them, turned out he couldn't deliver, and was so embarassed about it he didn't want to talk to me. When I convinced him I wasn't angry or upset, and that I had obtained the wheels from another source and no longer needed his, he refunded my money plus a little extra for my trouble. Throughout the entire three month experience, I was never seriously concerned abut getting "taken" -- I knew we would resolve it eventually.

I have found that by being very trusting right up front, people respond by wanting to justify my faith in their integrity.

I will be very surprised if this whole situation has not been settled to your satisfaction in the next ten days.

tanstaafl.

Well I made it very clear we can deal with roadblocks and such as long as there is communication. There has been very sporadic and unreliable communication at best.

A week or so is fine as long as I know that is the deal up front and no bullshiznit, but when I do talk to him he promises TOMMOROW and then I take half a day off to wait for UPS and it never shows. I understand that things happen, but 750 dollars isn't something to take lightly. I wanted to be cool about it but after he broke deadline after deadlin he left me no choice but to contact the police. He could still send one or the other back and nothing will come of it. It is possible that he has sent it and has neglected to fwd a tracking number, it is also possible that he isn't a man of his word. Point is, I don't know and I am the one that is out a great deal of money and if he has had time to cash the check then he has had time to send the package.

Greetings!

I agree with Doug. I have also done a lot of business on ebay, both buying and selling. There were only a handful of times where the situation was not resolved to my satisfaction. Most of the people I have dealt with are basically honest. I have only been burned once, and that is out of over 800 transactions. Some people are just more responsible / quicker to pay and ship than others.

I recommend you also look at the seller's feedback. See if they have had a lot of other auctions, or only a few. Look to see what other people said about the seller. Also, not everyone has easy or quick access to express shipment. There may have been a delay getting there, and the seller may also have had other emergencies (or even a flaky email server).

Have you phoned the person directly? Use the contact information function. This will give you the snail mail address and phone number of the seller. It will also send an email to both buyer and seller, saying the request was made.

Stahi,

I have sent you a private. Please read it and get back to me as I seem to be going through similar difficulties.

Thanks,
Andy.

Again I say that this was not done through Ebay. This was an individual on THIS list who contacted me and we set up the deal via email. THERE IS NO INVOLVEMENT WITH EBAY.

Anyhow it is in the Police Dept's hands now.

Right. That's why there should be some serious concern, it seems the scam artists have been watching this board carefully and are ready to prey on people who really desire to own a player.

If indeed this was a scam rather than just an unfortunate mix up, Stahi is not the only one who was caught out. I have also been unfortunate enough to lose out to the tune of $750.

The worrying thing is that if it was a scam, it was quite carefully set up. I am not in a position to go throwing that amount of money away so I took reasonable measures to check that the whole thing looked legitimate.

I checked several things carefully before proceeding. I checked the profile of the user in question which was quite comprehensively filled in. I checked their previous posts to see whether the things they had posted about suggested a genuine interest in the Empeg, enthusiastic knowledge of it and a history of being an Empeg owner.

I exchanged emails with an email address that was somewhat more reliable looking than an @yahoo.com or @hotmail.com address.

I made payment by electronic fund transfer for which I had the appropriate bank account details which matched the details of the individual I was dealing with.

All in all I had no reason to suspect that this was not a genuine individual. All the information they had given seemed consistent.

I began to be slightly concerned when replies to my email dried up immediately after confirming that the money had been received with a vague promise of shipping in the next day or so.

I was further concerned by the fact that this person had not been polite enough to send confirmation of the shipping including the appropriate shipping reference despite over a week passing and a few polite reminders from myself.

The post by Stahi just pretty much confirmed my suspicions. Two people both paying for the same single item and neither receiving it strongly suggests that something is amiss.

There may be an innocent explanation to all of this, but I doubt it.

Let's face it, it doesn't matter how careful you are when dealing with someone you have never met, ultimately it comes down to placing your trust in someone else's honesty and integrity. If they never had that in the first place then you are likely to lose out.

The worst aspect of all this is that it could create an atmosphere of mistrust in what was otherwise a friendly and close-knit online community.

I am still looking to purchase an Empeg, but will have to be even more cautious in future. It will certainly make it tricky when trying to deal with someone who isn't a recognised pillar of this community.

Caveat Emptor ...

Andy.

I bought my first empeg from a guy in America. The only recourse I had originally was a university email address, which I thought would be enough. I ended up doing a Google search with the guys name and found his webpage on the university web server. This was great because not only did it show his postal address, it also listed who his college room mates where, and what his final project was.
Looking back I'm surprised I was that trusting, I suppose I was so desparate to get an empeg I would have done almost anything (carplayer didn't come along for another month or so).

If this is true, if there really is a user on this BBS who is preying on people and taking their money, please send his address to PaulH so that he can be informed of the situation and lock the user out as necessary.

I also think that his real name, email address, BBS handle, etc., should be made public so that no one else gets scammed by him.

Absolutely, his details should be posted here - initially with a strong "nothing has been proved yet" disclaimer. This could save others from losing their money.

Did either of you find out what the serial number was of the player you are expecting to receive?

Rob

No serial number was given and perhaps naively I didn't think to ask. In retrospect it may not have proved anything anyway. If all the other details were so carefully made up, it wouldn't take much imagination for them to have made up a genuine looking number too. They could probably come up with one that was genuine and that didn't match anyone's here or one that was reported stolen.

As regards this user preying on others, that user has not made a single post since, although that doesn't mean that others aren't still replying to the original for sale post.

It certainly makes me wary to deal with new members too, which is unfortunate, but let's face it, there is little to stop this person having several different usernames.

It is difficult to know whether to make this person's details public at this time, as it may all be perfectly innocent and just down to an unfortunate mix-up. I wouldn't want to wrongly tarnish somebody's name.

I don't know whether Stahi can shed any further light on this individual and give any better idea as to whether their details should be made public.

As for me, I have decided that if I haven't heard from this person within the next 36 hours, I will make the essential details public here so that others may be warned. If the whole thing subsequently turns out to be one big misunderstanding, I will gladly apologise.

Andy.

Agreed, I am gonna give the police a little time to sort this out and hopefully this is a huge misunderstanding. I have the local police and the police in his hometown on the trail. MEANWHILE I HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT NOBODY PURCHASES ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE PROTECTION OF EBAY. I am not a fan of Ebay but that seems to be the safest alternative until this matter is resolved. At least Ebay has insurance.

I have two known email addresses from a large ISP, an address, a cell phone number, his signature on a return receipt and the tracking of the cashier's check, Andy has his bank account info. If this person is a crook then he is either some sort of criminal mastermind or an idiot.

Personally I hope he is an honest person that is very busy.

Stahi

Oh yea, no serial number was given either.

"If this person is a crook then he is either some sort of criminal mastermind or an idiot."

"Personally I hope he is an honest person that is very busy."


My thoughts exactly. Time will tell.

Andy.

At the very least even if all of this is some grand false alarm I think the way we tend to do business online leaves us rather exposed, and should be reevaluated.

No-one likes to admit that they have been duped, but when others are at risk I am gonna do all I can to raise awareness. I too thought that this was a close knit group that wouldn't be out to rip anyone off. I too looked for all the legit signs.

Alas I too am out $750 at this point.

Obviously the entire forum is not like this, but there are wolves in our midst it is safe to say.

So are you two dealing with the same guy?

Yes, it is the same guy.

Andy.