Report reply
SfanGoch
Started conversation: 12 hours ago
I want to post this; but, I can't because of a "404 Error" problem. I asked Xingu if he could post the following for me. He declined because he doesn't want to piss off the folks. Pissed off is always better than pissed on, which is what the guys in question did to everyone dealing with them. Please take the time to read this. If you feel it contains any useful info, please copy and paste it into a comment. If you feel that some members might feel offended by my bluntness....oh well. They need to grow a pair and act like adults.
Open letter to the members:
Some of the guys here really need to get their B.S. detectors re-calibrated. Being from NYC, I'm bombarded by these kinds of pre-written and polished sob story statements from panhandlers and deadbeats on the subways and streets daily. Anytime someone recites a tale of woe and misery that makes "Grapes of Wrath" or "Oliver Twist" read like light comedy, should be ignored or called out from the onset. They are simply attempting to elicit sympathy and trying to sucker you into feeling sorry for them before hitting you up for something. What these douchebags are doing is the cyber equivalent of shaking a dirty cardboard coffee cup in front of your face for some change and you empty your pockets because you feel guilty. Geez, I've gone through some horrendous s**t over the last ten years; but, I never would consider divulging any of it just so people feel sorry and give me free stuff. I might come across as an insensitive goon who is overly suspicious of people's intentions. That's because I am and it has kept me from getting scammed for the last 50+ years. The last time I was ripped off was when I was twelve and gave a guy we knew from the neighborhood 12 bucks for a mat a firecrackers which he never delivered. My friends and I found the guy a few weeks later and kicked his as s.
What I do is request that the other guy provide his complete mailing info. A P.O. box won't cut the mustard. Then, I check, using various people tracking sites, to see if everything matches. If I don't have an established relationship with the person on the other end of the deal, you bet your ass I'm running a check on you. If there's a phone number available, I'll make a courtesy call which is a subtle way of letting the questionable individual know not to pull a fast one. Might sound heavy handed; but, it keeps them honest knowing they can't hide. I learned that from an admin at World War Two Zone, who was corrections officer in Michigan. Also, if the other party is offering something unbelievably amazing for what amounts to lesser quality items, I'll tell them to ship it first and provide a bona fide USPS tracking number. Once I receive it and the package can be actually tracked through the system, I'll send my package and provide a tracking number. If it's an obvious scam, he will make an excuse as to why he can't/won't provide tracking info or that I should send my stuff first. As a matter of fact, any and all packages sent in a trade or straight sale should be sent with the tracking option. This method keeps everybody honest. PayPal is the only method to be used to conduct any type of payments. The buyer has actual recourse to recoup his money if there is any problem with the seller delivering the goods. Sending money orders and not having a tracking number to verify that the item(s) were actually sent leaves you open to being scammed and your chances of getting any satisfaction are less than zero. Stop getting suckered by guys with stories of unbelievable tales of despair looking for stuff. Instead of asking for what amounts to junk in the larger scheme of things, they should be concentrating on getting their lives together for themselves and their families.