Advice required on a difficult situation

[vortgern]

UPDATE

To update the thread I did receive a refund on 13/08/2019 with fair restitution (after a wait of two weeks) and I consider this now sorted.

Outcome of thread posted here:
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...776-thebuffoon

I have donated £20 to the fundraiser in appreciation of the help and support of the majority of members here.

ORIGINAL POST

Advice required on a difficult situation please.

I sent well over £1000 by bank transfer on Wednesday 31 July for a watch on SC.

I received a reply that the seller wouldn’t be able to post until Thursday but that he would send tracking Thursday when posted. This was fine with me.

I never received the tracking and by the afternoon of Friday 2 August it was clear nothing was going to be delivered that day.

I messaged the seller on Friday afternoon and was told the watch had been knocked out of his hand by his dog while he was packing it and it had stopped and he had therefore not sent it.

I was a bit surprised that the seller hadn’t bothered to contact me about this on Thursday and had let me wait for a delivery all Friday morning.

I replied that a refund would be best in the circumstances and gave my bank details.

I didn’t hear anything at all Saturday.

By Sunday afternoon I still hadn’t heard anything so I sent my bank details again.

On Sunday evening I received a reply that the seller didn’t have enough in his account to refund me in full but would pay me back on Tuesday.

I texted the number he gave me this afternoon and received a reply 2.5 hours later that he is just waiting for his mother to die.

He has my sympathies, I don’t want to bother someone at a difficult time, and I don’t expect to be a priority in those circumstances, but how long am I now supposed to wait?

My gut is now telling me to report this to the Police. Not something I want to do, but my only alternative is to put my trust in a stranger who has already given me three different reasons why I don’t have either a watch or a refund.

[~dadam02~]

Poor form, seller should just pay up and move on, no excuses just deal with it. Sorry you are having to deal with this, it's totally unfair.

[jukeboxs]

I agree, it sounds like bull to me as well (the dog one especially). Even if true, it's not difficult to process a refund, takes a few mins. [I'm not belittling any difficult situation, I've had my own, including my mum's passing.]. I suspect the police (even if interested in a private sale) would tell you to wait a little longer.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

[draftsmann]

The police won’t be interested, certainly not now and probably never unless the person concerned has a history as a serial fraudster.

At this point as frustrating as it is you really need to sit tight. If there is something dreadful going on in the person’s life then naming and shaming at this stage would be premature and in my opinion unfair.

[Jon Kenney]

Tough situation to be in for (both) of you.

As others have said, the police won't be interested, at least yet.

Sit tight, try and get some or set some specific timeframes in place with him.

Good luck.

[hafle]

Sounds like rubbish if you ask me. Either way, unnaceptable to spend the funds before the transaction is complete.

I doubt the police will care.

[steviefleming]

100% .....think I used the same dog story before when I was lying.

That said , I was only 10 and said it ate my homework rather than wagged its tail , knocked a £1000 watch out my hands and broke it , just before my mother took ill

I seriously hope I am made to eat my words ......but I deffo think 1 word ; "Jack-a-feckin-nory"

I agree, it sounds like bull to me as well (the dog one especially). Even if true, it's not difficult to process a refund, takes a few mins. [I'm not belittling any difficult situation, I've had my own, including my mum's passing.]. I suspect the police (even if interested in a private sale) would tell you to wait a little longer.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

[mart broad]

You sent by BT then nothing the Bank or the Police will do all you can hope it comes good if not just out the seller on the forum

Good luck hope it turns out right.

[kungfupanda]

Do you have his name and address?

If so, 7 day warning letter and then issue Court proceedings for return of the monies due.

I can help you draft if needs be.

[Suds]

....back on track, OP please update us Tues/Weds

[lew07]

Without outing Him how well regarded is He on the forum?That May give You an indication of whether His word is good or not .

[seadog1408]

Is it the buffoon's MM300?

[SimonK]

Is it the buffoon's MM300?

Certainly seems to be the obvious contender.

[sean]

Is it the buffoon's MM300?

Certainly seems to be the obvious contender.

If so, he has sterling and voluminous feedback in H&V. Can't imagine him jeopardizing that for a bit over a grand.

Hope the situation gets resolved for both parties.

[Pete D]

I think the advice you have received so far to be absolutely spot on. Further, if the seller has feedback in the H&V section, you might believe his somewhat strange-but-could-be-true excuses. Either way, you should also get a better feeling from his previous posts.....after all, he must have more than 250 to be allowed to sell on SC. Whilst spending the cash before dispatch is poor form, if his mother is waiting for the Reaper, he may not be his usual self. Cut him a few days slack before any further action.


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[ralphy]

OP:
I would suggest the setting of a deadline, e.g. x days and letting the seller know that, whilst you sympathise with his situation, he must either have the watch in your hands/refund of your money by then otherwise you will commence legal action and post the details in H&V here.

R

[Gerald Genta]

As has already been said due to reasons / excuses given you should give more time before pursuing further. However a bank transfer takes no time at all and from experience no matter what was going on in my life I would want to get this off my plate.

[JohnnyE]

3 different stories.... Each escalating the excuse level? B.S.

No consistency to that line of stories at all.

[speedypro1111]

Certainly a seller to avoid by the sounds of it
The first and right thing he should do is return your monies

[champagne_james]

3 different stories.... Each escalating the excuse level? B.S.

No consistency to that line of stories at all.

Agreed.

Set a deadline for payment within 48 hours.

If no payment report to the police and out him on here.

[chrisjones3]

Seems a bit odd to be selling a watch whilst your mother is in a life threatening condition. Unless that all happened suddenly in which case it clearly will be your priority.

Seems remote to me that there is an accident during despatch and also just at that time the sellers mum becomes seriously ill? Guess it’s possible .....


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[seabiscuit]

It’s up there with the member who claimed his teenage son had accessed his account here and posted a watch for sale with the poster taking umbrage at well intentioned comments about the provenance of the watch.

[spud767]

Sounds like a payday loan, except it's past payday. Report to Police I'd say.

[nick67]

Sounds like a payday loan, except it's past payday. Report to Police I'd say.

Due to the timing I think this is the case, too many excuses, see if a local member could pop in

[Der Amf]

I received a reply that the seller didn’t have enough in his account to refund me in full

Who spends the money before they know the watch has arrived safe and sound? Who spends the money knowing that the watch is never going to arrive?

[steptoe]

Sounds like he’s getting the excuses from a country & western song . Bet the dog dies next and his wife is leaving.....

[Benji053]

Next he will be telling you you need to wait until his inheritance comes through.

[David_D]

“didn’t have enough in his account to refund me in full” does it for me! How does that work when you’ve just been paid for a watch?

[BSB]

“didn’t have enough in his account to refund me in full” does it for me! How does that work when you’ve just been paid for a watch?

Not making excuses but simply reasoning that he may have been overdrawn to some extent when the finds were received. However, sounds like too many other things going on. Who knows what's true other than the seller?

[johnthemull]

No excuses for not immediately refunding you in this case. You should immediately report this as a fraud and disclose the sellers identity to the forum. Disgraceful behaviour on the part of the seller


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[mr.chef]

It’s very easy to find out his full name, where he works, title at work, work mobile number and work email address.

[lew07]

Well I would say You now have plenty of good advice so keep us informed of the outcome

[nick67]

Maybe jumping to conclusion, but you quoted OP without comment

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...-SBDX017J-OHPF

[vortgern]

Many thanks for the replies and advice.

I have via text message given the seller a further period to refund me, and informed him that I’ll begin legal action and post details in H&V if I don’t have my £1375 refund by then.

I’ll update this post / H&V if there are developments.

[Cynar]

I’ve been through some shit over the last few years but that’s no excuse for this sort of behaviour. If he’s going through bad times that doesn’t give him the right to steal your money or mess you about. It’s a 2 minute job to return your money. He’s added to my “list”. Hope you get this sorted quickly.
I think you should make a H&V post whether or not he sorts this out so others know what they may be dealing with.

[seabiscuit]

Many thanks for the replies and advice.

I have via text message given the seller a further period to refund me, and informed him that I’ll begin legal action and post details in H&V if I don’t have my £1375 refund by then.

I’ll update this post / H&V if there are developments.

It shouldn’t be you having to jump through hoops to ensure your money is refunded to you. I don’t understand how the seller could say he didn’t have the funds to refund you so soon after you transferred the cash. He shouldn’t have considered the funds his until you received the watch and confirmed you were happy with it.

[broxie]

I don’t understand how the seller could say he didn’t have the funds to refund you so soon after you transferred the cash.

If the money was transferred into an account with an unauthorised overdraft, only the credit balance would be available for refund. I reckon this is what happened. Name and shame.

[PreacherCain]

Well, this has been a salutary and informative read. OP, I hope you get your money back with minimum fuss and hassle.

[Raffe]

He who has never had a watch knocked out of his hands by his dog, let him be the first to throw a stone.

[Onelasttime]

He who has never had a watch knocked out of his hands by his dog/cat/urban fox/Eurasian eagle owl/slow worm/goldfish (delete as applicable), let him be the first to throw a stone.

FTFY … kind of

[Kingstepper]

He who has never had a watch knocked out of his hands by his dog, let him be the first to throw a bone.

FTFY

[stefmcd]

He who has never had a watch knocked out of his hands by his dog, let him be the first to throw a stone.

.

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[RustyBin5]

I think at the very least it’s time to name and shame the miscreant formally now in a villain post and proceed to reclaiming via a civil case. Good luck OP

[number2]

You're only ever as good as your last deal.

[bdkelly72]

My boss told me once. Get off the bloody email and call them... Texts are sometimes good but not for serious things.

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[Boss13]

Best of luck today. As others have stated let's hope the buyer is fine and well and comes through with a refund! Would be horrible to think that there are criminals in action on this site.

[Gyp]

My boss told me once. Get off the bloody email and call them... Texts are sometimes good but not for serious things.

...but they are good as a record of what was said and by whom.

I hate eBay ads which give minimal information and give a telephone number for questions. What's said on the phone is no use in any later resolution.

[Mr.D]

It takes 2-3 minutes to do a bank transfer.

Obvious pay day loan scam. The ever escalating excuses , the claims of being busy. What a rotter claiming his mother is dying . Karma is a bitch.

Last time this happened to me I got the bloke’s personal details off his previous customers ( many who had similar tales of delays). Called him up at his work through the office switchboard , warned him I knew who he was and for him to do the needful.

Paid the money back within a few hours. Not someone on here.

[bdkelly72]

...but they are good as a record of what was said and by whom.

I hate eBay ads which give minimal information and give a telephone number for questions. What's said on the phone is no use in any later resolution.

I agree. But if I owed someone I would call, when I am afraid or do not call in my experience I am usually afraid of the truth. That's from my experience and that's all I'm sharing, but I doubt I'm alone. Let the emails evidence what they do.. That's good also

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[woodacre1983]

Hope this works out well for you. Credit for the way you have handled this.
From my experience having lost both parents quickly one with an illness and knowing we was to lose him in the coming days. I can say for me time and normal life stops. I was lucky in that I had no money to send or goods to send but if I did it wouldn’t of been done. My head was not in the real world.


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