VeryModern
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:00:48 PM
Guy bids 2 auctions on the 23rd last month. BIN
Writes and says he can't pay until Mar 1, hopes it is not a problem.
No problem.
March 15th roles around and no payment so I post him.
He says that he sent payment Mar 9th.
No problem.
Today is 30 days, no pay.
I file NPB X 2
I am not in the mood to post the guy. He has no credibility anymore, I just do my thing and move along. Figure it is a no sale.
Get scathing mail back I better ship his things immediately and so forth. Neg. fb threatened and all.
Says that he checked and I cashed his MO on the 15th.
No I did not.
Is it possible I made an error?
No.
Am I sure?
Yes. For one thing I have not made a deposit since Mar 8th which is before he even mailed it.
So my question is this...
In 2000 + online deals I have never had a payment be intercepted and cashed.
Anyone else?
Or is he just lying?
What do the masses say?
Thank you.
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tomwiii
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:13:46 PM
Yikes!!!!!
SAME THING is happening to me NOW!
Auction ends 2/26...I send "remind" email 10 days later & he says he mailed check 3/1. So I wait...& wait... Other day I tell him still no check! HE SAYS his bank says CHECK CLEARED on 3/13!
So I ship today...BUT I'm not happy camper!
I go through a ROUTINE when checks & MOs arrive & after 800 transactions, I've yet to blow it! WAS THIS THE FIRST TIME?
Well, I can't PROVE that I didn't deposit it BUT I SURE DON'T THINK I DID!
Not sure what to do now, other than 
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Hepburn
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:15:00 PM
Part of the masses (moi) say that ebay is getting worse with weirdos. I just had a bidder email me and claim I scammed her. Sale ended 14 days ago and no payment. I filed a NPB form and told her I would wait a few more days, then might relist it unless she wanted to send a replacement payment. She emails back and said I am a scam artist and I decided I didnt want to sell it to her after all, so Im claiming her payment never came. And all this for a 2 buck winning bid. Im getting so burned out with bidders with less than 10 feedback demanding, threatening, dictating and name calling.
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Hepburn
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:17:13 PM
And to answer your question, there ARE scam artists out there that CLAIM you cashed their checks, and demanding you ship even though you were never paid.
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bck
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:19:59 PM
I think he's mad that you filed the NPBX2!
He just wanted to take it out on someone and of course he picked you-the seller.
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abacaxi
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:20:48 PM
It is ALWAYS possible that the MO was intercepted and cashed.
The buyer can trace the MO from the reciept, and find out IF it's been cashed, and WHERE and WHEN ... maybe even get a copy of the signature.
If they sent it out blank, anyone can cash it.
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bck
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:27:52 PM
Ask the bidders with the checks supposedly cashed by you for a photocopy of the check. Works like a charm!
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Hepburn
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:29:12 PM
I accept checks or money orders, and he claimed to send a money order but didnt keep a receipt. But I was the crook, so send his merchandise, OR ELSE. But he couldnt prove he sent it, so HES not the crook. I didnt even know he sent a money order, and kept telling him to check his bank and it would show it was never cashed. Only after I got a neg from him did I find out he sent a money order and didnt keep the receipt. Where do these people come from???
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VeryModern
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:31:03 PM
abacaxi - this is what he says that he did. He reports that it was cashed on the 15th and as I said, I could not have made the error - my last deposit was made on the 8th.
Bottom line, I have not been paid and so I will not ship (value is $54).
VeryModern Space Junk
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loosecannon
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:38:19 PM
I can't stand intimidating buyers. Don't ship him anything. You never got payment so either he's lying about sending it or it's tied up in the mail somewhere. The former is more likely than either the MO getting lost or someone else cashing it.
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smw
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posted on March 23, 2001 05:38:41 PM
I would call his bluff and say I was very concerned that someone had stolen my mail, forged my name on a MO and cashed it. In fact so concerned that I was going to file a complaint with the Postal Inspectors. This is after all criminal activity and it can't be ignored. I would ask him to please let me know which option he would prefer: To send me a copy of the cashed/endorsed MO so I could forward it to the Postal Authorities, or include his name and address on the complaint so the Postal Authorities could contact him directly.
I would also advise him that I was reporting the matter to Safeharbour at eBay just to cover all bases. I would apologize profusely that he had been ripped off for the amount of the MO, and if still wants the items to please send payment by registered mail so only you can sign for it.
Anyway... I think you get the idea.....
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lanefamily
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posted on March 23, 2001 06:12:38 PM
bck Ask the bidders with the checks supposedly cashed by you for a photocopy of the check. Works like a charm!
I even tell them I will pay any fees cause I intend to take legal againsed the person that did cash it. I used to say get me a copy and their reply is it costs them too much. That is why I added I would pay the fees.
Never paid out a dime yet.
Jim
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Drivingmetodrink
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posted on March 23, 2001 06:29:25 PM
Two incidents today. As a buyer, I sent MO on 9th. After contacting seller on morning of 19th for status, I was told my MO was received on the 15th and item was sent on 17th. I recieved it today, postmarked the 19th. As a seller, auction ended on 1st, emailed reminder morning of 19th and was told MO sent on 13th and was given 10 digit MO number. Received pament today, MO purchased 19th, postmarked 20th with actual MO number 11 digits and not even close to the number provided. Clearly both went to PO after my email. Less obvious falsehoods would probably be entertaining. I would love to point these out to both of them, but best hold my tongue. I do get buyers with wild claims and it is almost always from people with little or no feedback.
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eyeguy6
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posted on March 23, 2001 06:59:30 PM
Must be something in the water. I recently got the "hey you cashed my check, where is my item" story. I informed the buyer that I had not recieved the payment. She said she would get the check and send me a copy. Just to be a nice guy I went ahead and shipped the item while she sorted it out. You guessed it....no further contact and she ignores my emails. <p> Please note the following stupidity disclaimer: It was an inexpensive item ($5) and I was well aware of the risk in doing this.
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tomwiii
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posted on March 23, 2001 07:08:13 PM
eyeguy6: are you an eyeguy? I'm a COMT -- FWIW! 
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eyeguy6
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posted on March 23, 2001 07:12:50 PM
I've been a licensed optician for 9 years. I sold my practice 2 years ago to stay home with my girls and do eBay full time.
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outoftheblue
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posted on March 23, 2001 09:24:10 PM
VeryModern
The same thing happened to us. We told the person to make a photocopy of the front and back of the check with our signatures (both of us sign all checks) and carbon copied safeharbor. We didn't hear anything back from her and didn't receive a negative feedback.
This happens quite a bit. People say they sent a check or a money order and it NEVER arrives. Some say they are putting a trace on it, which I doubt. Usually they just go away and we end up having to relist the item.
[ edited by outoftheblue on Mar 23, 2001 09:26 PM ]
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ubiedaman
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posted on March 23, 2001 09:38:33 PM
VM I may have missed something here, but how can this guy KNOW that the MO was cashed if he doesn't have the reciept??? Sounds like a scam to me...stick to your guns!!
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
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mcbrunnhilde
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posted on March 23, 2001 11:05:04 PM
I guess every seller will have to put a sentence in their EOAs for the buyer to retain their M.O. receipt until they receive the item! 
If they claim their personal check was cashed, offer (with great enthusiasm) to complete an Affidavit of Forged Endorsement, and the bank will be able to trace the transaction back to the person who originally negotiated the item. It's probably harder to do that for a money order, and I believe I read in another thread that some places charge $12 to trace them.
Without eBay, I might have a real life... 
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heygrape
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posted on March 23, 2001 11:47:46 PM
I tell them to send me a copy of the front and back of the check. They are allowed 6 copies of checks per year from their bank at no charge.
If they say it's a money order, I advise them to contact the place they purchased it and get a copy of the front and back.
No copies. No ship. Period.
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yeager
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posted on March 23, 2001 11:51:04 PM
Boy, what great advice on this topic! This situation has only happened to me once in the past.
I played this route. I explained that I was very sorry for this situation and could understand the concern this bidder had in this dilemma. I explained that I don't recall receiving his check and that somebody may have stolen it and cashed it. Please check with your bank, and see if it's been cashed. If it was cashed, when you received your returned checks, check the back for my signature. Along with the my signature, it will have the deposit stamp from the bank I use. When you get this information, please copy the check, send it to my at my mailing address. Then if it has information related to my bank, I will know for absolute certain that I made a terrible mistake. I never heard from him again, and never did receive the payment.
I really like the idea about involving the PO Inspesctors. In the future, if this was ever to happen to me, I would even mail them a SASE asking them to send me the cancelled check. I would include a brief letter asking them to hurry because I am involving the PO, and the inspectors from the PO are relentless in their desire of elimamating mail fraud. Furthermore, I want to get to the bottom of this!
This is a very helpful thread. So if you have something to add, please do so.
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bemused
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posted on March 24, 2001 12:40:33 AM
Problems like these and other "The checks in the mail" type situations have recently prompted me to experiment with "PayPal Only" auctions. I know its risky in terms of lost potential customers, but surprisingly I am getting bids & BINs. I have to admit though its not for everyone and its perhaps a little more attractive to me since I received my PayPal debit card. Getting those payment received alerts on my cell phone from the PayPal mobile site is even more satisfying than the eBud "cha-ching" used to be!
Speak of the Devil, just got another one...
[ edited by bemused on Mar 24, 2001 12:44 AM ]
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paintpower
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posted on March 24, 2001 05:10:30 AM
I copy all checks and money orders right before I leave for the bank so it's real easy to double check and see if it was received and deposited. I'm getting a lot of buyers who say the payment is in the mail only to stall me off for another 10 to 14 days. Then they claim they will stop payment on first payment and resend. I think this is a tactic to delay payment that is becoming an epidemic with buyers, especially newbies. I don't know what the answer is other than just keep emailing them that their payment still has not arrived.
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VeryModern
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posted on March 24, 2001 05:23:47 AM
Thanks for the advice everyone!
The buyer provided me with an 800# and the MO number and I called it and confirmed that there is in fact a cashed MO.
I withdrew the complaints (you can do this on Yahoo) and he will get a copy to see who cashed ...
VeryModern Space Junk
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smw
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posted on March 24, 2001 05:50:45 AM
Maybe this time the MO was actually stolen or whatever... However that does not alter the fact that you have not been paid for the items and the buyer cannot hold you responsible for the MO being stolen or cashed by another person.
Perhaps there needs to be yet another disclaimer in the TOS to include that sellers are not responsible for lost of stolen checks or MO's. What a world......
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loosecannon
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posted on March 24, 2001 07:28:56 AM
Not trying to be a total cynic, just surprised that there is a cashed money order.
Hopefully no one would be diabolical enough to make the money order out to himself, cash it, and then say it was cashed, send me my stuff.
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VeryModern
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posted on March 24, 2001 07:34:00 AM
I am not going to ship unless paid. Out of the question. He is not asking me to (now) - he is wanting the complaints off his record on Yahoo.
He says he will find out who cashed the MO and re-send payment.
VeryModern Space Junk
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sharkbaby
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posted on March 24, 2001 07:58:28 AM
Here's something I do that has helped me on more than one occasion: (I only sell about 20 things a week so, for some, it might not be a viable option..)
Each time I make a deposit that has money orders and/or checks in it, I make a copy of all of the items. You can fit several on one page and if there are more, just use the back of the page to save on paper & space. Then I file it with the deposit slip receipt noting the amount of cash that was also included. If there is ever a question, I can refer back to the deposits and actually see the items that I deposited on any given day.
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petpost
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posted on March 24, 2001 01:40:41 PM
I strongly suggest you go immediately to your local bulk food store, buy several cases of creamed corn and lock yourself in the basement with it. Keep a loaded rifle nearby. This seller could come to your house. Don't answer the phone or door but you can go upstairs once a day to get the mail. After 60 days, I would think it would be safe to come out.
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cdnbooks
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posted on March 24, 2001 02:24:34 PM
SMW, Great advice.
Thanks
Bill
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