How to avoid a bad situation (fraud)

Jarred Land

Jarred Land

President/Founder
Staff member
Hey everyone.. we all know nothing is pefect and there are scam artists out there.. so be careful when buying things from people you dont recognize, users with no posts, or questionable pricing.

Never Western Union or wire money.. always use a protected source of payment.. such as Paypal. Dont give out your credit card unless its to a reputable company that you know. Check websites, do some homework if the purchase is big.

If you have any doubt.. use Escrow.. Escrow services are great, you pay the money for the item, and the user doesnt get the money from the Escrow company till you recieve the product. Thats pretty safe.

Just a few pointers :)
 
Excellent tips. To take it a step further: NEVER use an escrow company that's been suggested by the other party. Escrow fraud is rampant, people set up fake escrow companies all the time. Use a long-established escrow company, such as ebay's official escrow company.
 
I have also found that if you actually SPEAK to the person you're buying from you can increase your confidence that the sale is legit. I always request a phone number via email before buying (even on ebay) or give them mine. I have never been burned, despite my user name.

easymark
 
I can't seem to find anyone to answer this for me.

If I sell my dvx on ebay, or on here, let's say they pay me with paypal for example. I send them the camera. How can I protect myself from the buyer claiming they never received it? I'm very nervous about this. I also considered only selling to someone local who could pick it up, but even then, who says they can't say they never received the item?

Thanx
 
All you need to do is show proof of receipt, make sure to use something that is trackable. If local, make them sign a document.



ash =o)
 
Yes, absolutely use a service like Fedex where you can get a traceable signature. You can also require that only the addressee can sign for it (Fedex then requires ID from the person signing and will only release it to the person you addressed it to.

And, any time I sell anything, I always require insurance as a part of the shipping cost.

Phil

Add: And, I only use Fedex - and because I have shipped a few things with them I was able to negotiate a lower shipping rate. Be sure to set up your own personal Fedex account number - and never use one of the shipping storefronts like Mailboxes Etc. They add a premium on to the standard Fedex rates, even though they pay a significantly reduced rate.
 
paypal has buyer protection only if you buy the item through an ebay auction.. if you meet someone in person and do the financial transaction through paypal, they don't guarantee anything..
 
Paypal is a damn joke. I am an online merchant and will never take paypal again! I have been burnt by them when buying things as well as my brother was burnt by them selling.

If you want the story just let me know and I will detail it out but basicly paypal dont give a $hit as long as they get their money!!
 
Can anyone recommend a good escrow company then?? I'm looking at an item right now and wish the poster had more of a reputation (either god or bad, as least I'd know!!)
 
Broadway photo Or Beach camera???

Broadway photo Or Beach camera???

Here is my dillema, I am pretty good at spotting wierd and shady deals. I plan to purchase a HVX. I read the other sticky about the DVX and it all is good sound advice. I was just wondering if anyone had any negative dealings with Broadway Photo? The difference in price lures me to Broadway, but I trust Beachcamera a little more. On the plus side Beach lets you know about the free 8 Gig P2 card while Broadway does not. And why are B&H prices so much higher? Thanks for your time guys...
 
Neither Beach, nor Broadway are authorized dealers. Not saying you will definitely get scammed. But, you are not guaranteed to get the rebates or warranty if you buy from them, or any other non-authorized dealer.

B&H is one of many authorized dealers. There is a sticky in the HVX section that lists a lot of the authorized dealers. YOu can't get the camera for less than 5k, that I know of, from an authorized dealer. Anyone who is selling it for less than 5k is probably not authorized, as of right now.

You should buy from an authorized dealer. You will be guaranteed to get a u.s. authorized product, that will include the warranty, and all applicable rebates.

If you want more info on the two companies you listed, check out reseller ratings (www.resellerratings.com), and see what folks who have bought/tried to buy from them are saying about their experiences.
 
Hi cerati

I'd use B&H instead of broadway or beachwood. Pricing is very competitve and they are almost neurotic about you liking them and being happy. A great trait. If you're budget driven, really budget driven then you have to take your chances. I'm a big believer in not making large purchases unless your financing is secure. Ebay is riddled with guys who dreamed big and tied up their own money on gear that was way out of their league or on projects that never took off.

I'm a big skeptic of paypal. Have you ever had an issue? If you have, you'll know they don't protect you for more than $200, I think. If you paypal, don't let them take the monies out of a bank account; use your mastercard or visa, then you have some recourse. Also, check your paypal faq page and you'll see they can take a long time (sometimes 90 days) to do anything. I'm not a fan. Do your research.

Used HVX200 come up on craigslist all the time. Sometimes you can strike a great deal in person and get it checked out by a local repair shop to make sure it's not a lemon.

I bought an HVX200 from a small retailer on ebay recently and got a killer deal but the company went out of business (on ebay) three days after I got my camera. Kinda shady. I always wonder what it kind of says about ebay that sellers can do this? Ebay's stance is that they are a middle man yet they really charge like a broker.

Best of luck.
 
Sinfear's Guide to not getting ripped off!!!

Sinfear's Guide to not getting ripped off!!!

Ok, You can look at the world in one of two ways. Everyone is your friend or nobody is your friend. I tend to not trust anyone.

RULES.......If Buying

1. Make sure the price is reasonable. The closer to what every one else is selling it for, the better. If you think it is such a "hot" deal you better take extra percussions.

2. Always check buyer feedback. It sounds simple but not everyone follows through with this step. I feel much better when I am buying from someone that has a lot of positive feed back.

3. Talk to them on the phone. It gives you away to trace them if there was a problem and confirm a partial ID.

4. If you can meet in person at a safe place and do a cash transfer and have a chance to check out the goods, I would go this route. The key is a safe highly visible area that would be unlikely area for fraud. I recommend a well lit Starbucks, Police Station parking lot, or any public place that has many people present. Do not go at night.

5. My personal rule, Right before the transaction, if it is a larger purchase..over $500 or more. I say Oh by the way, can you fax me a copy of your drivers license. I will send you mine as well. This is a nice way to verify all of the information that you have collected. Tell them you will even pay a few dollars extra for the peace of mind.

6. Now, after you have done all of that. At least you have a good chance of not being ripped off. Now it is time to seal the deal. If the cost is lower than a few hundred bucks, I just run the risk of pay pal and am done with it. I know it is not perfect, but I feel pretty confident that most fraudulent people will try to get me to do a different type of transaction. If I think something is up, I get a copy of their Drivers License. Pay Pal is minimum level of protection but it helps. It is better than just sending a check. From here you can go to more extreme levels of service and just pick one that has been around for a long time (I would use EBAY's).

Rules....Selling
The same rules apply to the seller as well. But you want to make sure that you have the money before you ship. Also get feedback right away if they received the item and make sure they have to sign for it. I would also recommend insurance for larger ticket items just in case. Get their contact info and faxes or copies of their Drivers License matching their info. Trust me, most people will not do this step if they are going to commit fraud.
 
Well it looks like I have been had by a fellow user. Do any of you know of a good escrow company that I can use from here on out. p.m. me :(
 
The only online escrow service company that is licensed by the State of California that i know of is escrow.com
 
I just wrote this up on the pana3ccd forums so ill post it here too.
Many of you may already know what the bait n' switch scam is. But for those of you who dont know, here's some signs to look out for:
- If they email you saying that you need to call them up to confirm the order
- If the prices are ridiculously low (ive seen DVXs for $999, SCAM)
- If they have ridiculously overpriced accessories (i've seen camera chargers go for $500
- If they are in brooklyn, NY (this is not a joke)
- If the reviews for customer satisfaction on one site are all very short, saying things like "very good customer service", or "fast shipping, highly reccomended"
Here's their workflow in scamming you
1. You place the order and your credit card is immediately charged.
2. They email you saying that you need to call them to confirm the order.
3. You call them in.
4. While on the phone, they're "representative" will try to force you into buying overpriced accessories. I've heard of them saying some crazy things like
"the camera only comes with a one time use battery, you need to purchase a rechargable battery from us"
"the camera doesn't come with a battery charger"
"if you do not order these accessories, we will not be able to process your order"
5. Now whatever one of those you get, you will probably say no to, but if you're stupid enough to actually pay an extra $500 for a charger...
6. They will charge you an obsured amount of money for shipping that takes a month. This is because they do not regularly stock their items and they will order the item, which may take like three weeks, then they will ship it to you which will take another week.
So please, just check www.resellerratings.com before you go ahead and order an HVX200 because its only $3000.
Thanks for reading!
 
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