Topic: Possibly Brimmered. It's official - I jumped the gun. Time to eat crow.

[greenjeans]

I may have been brimmered/scammed.   I should know better, but I bought something outside of ebay via paypal on Sunday.

If I don't start hearing from him very soon, is there anyone out there that has sleuthing skills ?  Shoot me a PM as I'm not 100% sure yet and don't want to slander anyone until I'm sure.

So far, I have:  his email address, ebay ID and his previous ebay ID (he has been on ebay for quite a while and there is an alarming negative post) phone number, facebook, and some youtube videos that I've found.  Also - may have his hometown and state.

I'd like to go scorched earth on him if he ripped me off.

[flybox1]

what are the details of the deal?
luckily you went through paypal

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Details!

[750K]

If it doesn't show up you can file a dispute with eBay against the seller, if it is settled in your favour you will be refunded through PayPal. I've done this once and got my money back, pretty straight forward. On the flip side I've had items take over a month to show up via USPS to Canada, can take ages sometimes for snail mail to deliver. I'm playing the waiting game for a wood furniture set for a gun that's coming from Australia.

[ekpent]

He bought it outside of E-bay so that does not apply. Does Paypal have any recourse in these situations. A credit card is usually a good way to go on some deals as they can be canceled etc I believe.  Hope it works out but its only been a couple days. Is he no longer communicating to you ?

[madmtnmotors]

Paypal for "goods or services" can be challenged through Paypal. Paypal as "gift" cannot be challenged through Paypal.

Need more info...

[greenjeans]

Ok fellas, here's the details.    I want to be clear first - it has only been about 48 hours.    I want to give him the benefit of the doubt before turning everyone loose on him.   He had mentioned that he was a member here, but from his email associated with paypay & ebay, I wasn't able to get his forum name here.

Last week I bid on an item on ebay.  I was the high bidder, but the item did not sell.  He contacted me via ebay and asked if I wanted to buy it before he relisted the item.   He mentioned that he was a member here, but hadn't been active in a while, so I had no alarm bells going off in my head.  A quick check of his recent history on ebay had 1 negative so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.   I thought I was doing him a solid by purchasing the tank outside of ebay (I know that I should not have)   I even went further and check the "gift" box when I payed via paypal.   So, I'm pretty sure I am screwed there.   However, I have not contact paypal or ebay because I wanted to be sure first.  The payment was made Sunday afternoon - 4/27.

In the meantime I did a little more reading on ebay.  It turns out that he had listed the same frickin'item in 2012 and the buyer reported that it was paid for but never received.  Oh crap!!!     In February of this year he changed his ID on ebay.   All not looking good for me.  He has been active on ebay since 2005.  Most of his feedback is mainly from purchasing, not selling.  Lesson learned.

The more I think about it, the more I think I've been Brimmered.  The part that makes me sick is, I pretty much allowed it to happen by going outside the confines of ebay.   I like to trust people.

I have left a voice mail, email and text message with him (all sent yesterday 4/28 and today 4/29) with no response of any kind. 


I have his phone number, an email address for him, his ebay ID and his previous ebay ID, what I think is his facebook account, an account on you-tube that possible has what he looks like, and the city that I think that he is living currently.


What's next ?    I don't need a lecture, believe me, I'll kick myself hard enough.

[madmtnmotors]

OUCH! 

When paying through Paypal I almost always use the "goods or services" with unknown sellers or high dollar items. If the seller insists on "gift" then I insist back that I'll include enough to cover their fees (3%?) or I'll shop elsewhere. I often include enough to cover their fees even if they don't ask. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, so all you can do now is wait. Continue to try to make cordial contact (i.e. don't freak out on the seller yet) and be patient. You might want to give it at least a week before unleashing the "Brimmer hounds". 

The hounds await, they haven't tasted a good "Brimmering" in quite some time.... 

[greenjeans]

I'm trying to be patient - it's the re-listing and the negative post from 2012 that scares me.

[martin99]

Been in a similar position myself, but it all came good eventually. I think you have to give him another few days, you never know - personal problems, dog died, computer fecked etc. Presumably if outside eBay you can't simply cancel the transaction?

[greenjeans]

Funds have cleared paypal.  No taking it back - pretty much my bad.    Again, I probably just need to give another day or so.

If he didn't have the negative feedback back in 2012 for the EXACT same tank....  the feedback from the 2012 listing is below:

"THIEF $600 tank never shipped said it was then won't answer email-phone BEWARE"


Hopefully everything works out.  Stay tuned.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Damn, never paypal gift when there is any doubt or even not, especially in cases of off-radar feebay transactions.
If you did it through your credit card you may have recourse since paypal is gonna tell ya tough turds.
If you did it through your bank funds, well, I hope you didn't need that tank or your $600 real bad.

[flybox1]

3 days is plenty of time, especially if it was a good chunk of money.
With nearly everyone having a smartphone, contacting people is not difficult.  A simple....'sorry dude, had to go on a business trip.  Back on Monday and blah blah blah"   email would ease your anxiety and keep us from getting all worked up 
After 72 hrs (tomorrow) I would contact him via any other means you have, and let him know his lack of response to your inquiries is not acceptable, especially since he has YOUR money and HIS item.
Give him another 48 hours to respond, ship the item, or refund your payment.
Thats 5 full business days potentially with no contact, not to mention the weekend coming up.

Come next Monday, if there's no contact....it's on!

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

If the funds just cleared today then he would not have done anything prior to today. Then he has to have the time to package it up once he has the proper box. Then he has to drop it off for shipment. Maybe he has a normal job that gets in the way of other business. Hoping patience works.

We're always up for a good BRIMMER!! 

[Stev-o]

Not quite time to Brimmer.

[Duke McDukiedook]

To brimmer or not to brimmer
that is the question.

[CBGhia]

If he has not responded to anything by tomorrow, then I think it's Brimmer-time.

[Stev-o]

Why is the original Brimmer thread locked?

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=22802.200

[greenjeans]

I have since found that all of the photos he used in the ebay add were taken from the manufacturers website.  They weren't even his pics.

He did respond yesterday evening via txt and said that "I picked up some extra materials to box it properly so it should be getting picked up tomorrow."

That particular response was vague and did not address specific questions that I asked.  I think he's stringing me along.  I know you guys will probably tell to give it more time, I just think that the facts are starting to pile up against me ever seeing my money or my item.

I'm going call one last time and then I'll provide the ebay auction, photos, video of him via youtube, his email address, phone number and everything I have on him.  I feel like such a dumbass.

[goldarrow]

Not sure what to do here but I'm in.

[FunJimmy]

I'm going call one last time and then I'll provide the ebay auction, photos, video of him via youtube, his email address, phone number and everything I have on him.  I feel like such a dumbass.

You should feel like a Dumbass! Look at your behaviour.

If this is the way you react when purchasing items online, especially from private individuals, I suggest you reconsider and go to the "Bricks & Mortar" businesses. I'm not condoning the sellers lack of communication or his previous feedback score but taking it to the level your suggesting had better be for good reason and I'm not talking about a minor shipping delay!

Stand down and pour yourself a stiff one.

[750K]

^^^exactly, some people have reg jobs and busy lives too. If the money just cleared I'd be more apt to wait and see if he gets it in the mail. You may be frothing at the mouth for the new tank but he might have been away or busy over the weekend. Depending on how it's being shipped will determine when it's in transit, reg post is weekdays only around my way. Have some patience, if he really stiffs you then go nutz but if its under a week I think you might be jumping the gun a bit...

[Duanob]

I'm going call one last time and then I'll provide the ebay auction, photos, video of him via youtube, his email address, phone number and everything I have on him.  I feel like such a dumbass.

You should feel like a Dumbass! Look at your behaviour.

If this is the way you react when purchasing items online, especially from private individuals, I suggest you reconsider and go to the "Bricks & Mortar" businesses. I'm not condoning the sellers lack of communication or his previous feedback score but taking it to the level your suggesting had better be for good reason and I'm not talking about a minor shipping delay!

Stand down and pour yourself a stiff one.

Why do you always support these EBAY rip off artists??? You did the same thing to me when I complained about getting ripped off last year. A thief is a thief and they shouldn't be tolerated or coddled. I think these guys should have a finger cut off everytime they steal something. After ten times they won't be stealing anything anymore. Apparently you've never bee ripped off before or.....


greenjeans just curious what his ebay handle is, is he from Michigan, and which tank? I don't think it would be against any rules to post the original ad if you have it. This all sounds really familiar.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

So who's conclusively determined he's a thief vs someone that doesn't do things the way someone else thinks they should? Did he state that he'd ship it THAT quickly or right away or the next morning? He responded which is what was wanted. Looks like he wants it protected during shipping too. That is a positive. If I was going to rip someone off then I'd also blow them off and not respond. Patience is said to be a virtue. If it arrives is there an apology in the works? 

[FunJimmy]

Why do you always support these EBAY rip off artists??? You did the same thing to me when I complained about getting ripped off last year. A thief is a thief and they shouldn't be tolerated or coddled. I think these guys should have a finger cut off everytime they steal something. After ten times they won't be stealing anything anymore. Apparently you've never bee ripped off before or.....


greenjeans just curious what his ebay handle is, is he from Michigan, and which tank? I don't think it would be against any rules to post the original ad if you have it. This all sounds really familiar.

Thankfully our judicial system is based on "innocent until proven guilty". A delayed shipment and/or slow response does not make a criminal of anyone, last I looked. Theives should be hauled out and cained in front of the SoHC4 membership, before being stoned to death. That much we can agree on, but to jump the gun and start publicly slandering someone on the internet could have negative repercussions to the OP.

I purchase a lot of stuff online, eBay and a few other sources and over the years I'd say it's been a good experience. Have I been scammed and/or purchased misrepresented items? Absolutely! If you're the victim of online theft or fraud, I'm sorry, but this gathering is premature and uncalled for.