Always looking for good tips to avoid scammers. Thanks for looking out guys. I admit I was taken for a fool a few years ago and lost quite a bit in a sale gone wrong. I’m not sure if Paypal has changed their take on seller protection either but since the transaction wasn’t on eBay and the scammer instantly removed my payment from his account I was never able to recover anything. Paypal pretty much said tough luck. I try to be more diligent these days but it can be tough.
Wise words. Things can turn into a witch hunt quickly… I only posted my story here when I knew for sure I was being scammed.
I don’t know if it’s a new Paypal thing but for a fee, the seller could issue an invoice and treat the transaction effectively as a retail sale. You are protected a lot more that way.
I guess the premium you pay (not much, was 3% or something) covers you for the sort of shit you went through with your experience and reduces the risks somewhat.
I don’t know if it’s a new Paypal thing but for a fee, the seller could issue an invoice and treat the transaction effectively as a retail sale. You are protected a lot more that way.
I guess the premium you pay (not much, was 3% or something) covers you for the sort of shit you went through with your experience and reduces the risks somewhat.[/quote]
^+1
That’s the only way I do things. It’s a nominal fee and gives seller/buyer protections akin to as if doing an ebay transaction. For instance, a Radikal Technologies Spectralis I bought from a member here recently, the added fee was $27. USD and I of course, agreed to pay that for peace of mind. The buyer really should pay that extra fee rather than seller. I do not think doing a PayPal “gift payment” is ever the route to go. Having an official invoice issued with the exact item and description also attaches a tangible address, name, email, and phone number of seller as well as buyer, making the transaction transparent if there should ever be some issue. One should note that even though an official invoice may be issued, there’s nothing legally binding the buyer to not change their mind…and given that, one should never send the item being sold UNTIL payment has been sent and cleared. The invoice should also clearly depict any shipping costs and method in which it will be shipped. Goes perhaps without saying but do the right thing and provide tracking info and fully communicate with each other and there should not be any problems.
I never would agree to a wire transfer because you really are relying on total blind trust and is easiest method to get scammed. Craigslist is another bad (or can be) underbelly of internet scams. In my metro city there’s a plethora of people getting robbed or people acting like they are wanting to check-out your item at your studio/home, and are actually just checking out the situation to perhaps later burglarize. A whole group practice place was wiped out in my area recently by exactly that method. Stuff was posted on CL eventually and they caught the scumbags.
Morale or story is unless you really know the person, never allow a stranger to come over and check out an item for sale!! Police are highly encouraging anyone using Craigslist to get the person to meet you in front of a police station and never bring your cash with you upon first visit if you are doing the buying. These tips weed-out would-be crooks effectively.
Hope this helps even just one person from falling victim. People can suck sometimes!
thanks for the tipss guys… sadly i just sent that multinational person?!
XPLORE (aka Mitch Lamb aka exploredj@###.com)
9 nice pics of my 808… with serials, I hope he doesn’t use them to scam anyone. 
so here are a few of them , serial 290499 is my tr 808 and is not for sale
Why send pics if it’s not for sale?
Wise words. Things can turn into a witch hunt quickly… I only posted my story here when I knew for sure I was being scammed.[/quote]
I do prefer sellers now to send me an invoice, it also keeps the confusion of possibly messing up and sending payment to the wrong email address. When I was scammed there was no paypal invoice option, it was about ten years ago. The idea of sending somebody payment as a paypal gift is a joke, and I personally feel a little disrespectful to the buyer. If you are selling something you need to realize there are fees involved to do it properly and price accordingly. Even retail establishment pay fee’s on every credit card purchase.
Why send pics if it’s not for sale?[/quote]
oh, well… the guy wanted to buy one. we started to negotiate. the 808 is not listed for sale anywhere, he put a WTB ad up. and yes, even my 808 has a price moohaha 
Got my synth from the real seller yesterday. Glad things worked out and I avoided being scammed…
Good trader - Tom Carpenter of Analogue Solutions!
Congrats, Nils. It looks really awesome!
I’m new to the elektron forum but I have a bit of an idea for the forum.
I’m on a non musical related forum. There is a marketplace there. They have a good trader and good vendor list there.
Just posting to that list a +1 for elektronauts user x0xbox will boost some confidence.
All you vets to the forum could also post backlogs.
Major problem I I would guess there isn’t enough trades going on daily. This is very high dollar collectibles after all. Some references would be a +.
One thing for sure it’s got to be sketchy to purchase something up front worrying if you’ve been robbed. Especially for $1,000.00 & up gear.
Ebay and paypal seem the most secure and protected ways.
Here is a $1000 or let me pay 1/2 up front and 1/2 when it arrives is scary for both parties.
Any other ways to do this proper? Could you use a 3rd party vendor or label?
And another one for the scammer collection:
username: bordoblack
e-mail: bofrostbenskys@yahoo.com
his shipping address:
Dejan Matic
Mlinska Pot 23
1231 Ljubljana-Crnuce
Slovenia
070558570
Be careful!