I think I might have been ripped-off with a purchase I made on E-Bay.  I bid and won a GI synthetic M-14 stock for my M1A.  I included additional funds for the seller to paint the stock, fill the selector switch cut out, and include a hand guard.

I sent funds via USPS MO for $71.99 and the seller indicated in an e-mail that he recieved the funds on September 3, 2005 and the stock would be sent on September 6, 2005.  I have not yet recieved the stock.  I called again today and now he is saying that the stock was sent, by FED-EX he did not know exactly when because he was not near his books, and it is going to be a long time until I recieve it because of the hurricanes, blah, blah, blah.

I have conducted several deals on E-Bay and have never been ripped off-I guess there is a first time for everything.

Anyway the guys name, address, and phone number are listed below - any help from the California members would be appreciated.

The seller goes by deer.hunter69

>removed personnel information
> >

California had a hurricane?




FWIW, most of my eBay problems have came from CA.


YMMV, of course, but that has been my experience.

Have you threatened him with negative feedback?

Have you had the post office trace the MO to see if it was cashed?

Have you reminded the seller that accepting a USPS money order and defrauding someone is called mail fraud, a federal offense (for what that matters)?

Have you contacted Ebay and lodged a complaint there?

smooth move, exlax  

> 5.) Posting of someone else's personal contact information (home phone numbers, home addresses, unpublished e-mail addresses, and the like).

I just called him and cussed him out good.  I told him that the Ebay is watching him and that we all want our M14 stocks.  Hope that helps you out.

First of all you might get cautioned by the mods for posting that address.

I would call the guy back right now and ask him when (today) he would be able to give you the FedEx tracking number and take it from there.  If he hems and haws about providing the tracking number he's stringing you along.

FWIW, I had a package sent from the UK (via DHL) last Thursday.  I got it yesterday.

Thanks for the info regarding posting personnel info-I removed it....

He has private feedback and you cannot leave a response-his feedback only indicates whether it was negative, positive, or neutral.

I just contacted E-Bay and started the complaint process

Did not mention the MO angle

If you can get a tracking number & the package was insured, contact FedEx.

If he gives no tracking number, then contact USPS and nail him for mail fraud.

Private feedback is shady on ebay.  I never buy from someone who hides his transaction history.

Ebay isn't going to be able to help you with the additional funds you added for the extra work.
With the buyers protection having a 50 deductable, you're probably screwed

Quoted: . Private feedback is shady on ebay.  I never buy from someone who hides his transaction history.

You are a wise man.

Words to live by.

Quoted: Have you reminded the seller that accepting a USPS money order and defrauding someone is called mail fraud, a federal offense (for what that matters)?

No it isn't, a common and expensive falicy. The use of a USPS money order has absolutely nothing to do with whether it is considered mail fraud or not and provides NO protection to the buyer. They only make it easy for the seller to cash at any Post Office, so that they don't have to worry about the check being bad, stop payments, etc.

The only thing that constitutues mail fraud is when the USMail is used as part of the transaction. If the MO was mailed, then it is considered Mail Fraud.  If he sent the USPS MO by Fedex or UPS, which many people do, then he has no recourse and is out of luck, since the USMail system wasn't used to perpetuate the fraud.