From: Mel Miller (nourmahal@att.net)
Date: Thu Jun 26 2003 - 19:13:01 PDT
> Mel Miller wrote:
>
>> To John,
>>
>> I know that Ebay management cannot protect everyone when transactions go bad
>> - they need the help of their customers and of law enforcement.I suggest you
>> take these actions.
>
>> First, leave flaming negative feedback on the transaction.
>
> That approach gets no results beyond retaliatory negative FB. There is NO
> protection
> against that.
>
Mel Miller Replies:
You are quite right, about retaliatory feedback, but you, as the initial
complainant, have an impact on me, as the next potential customer. If I see
your complaint, and those of others, I am inclined to walk away from that
seller.
>> Second, a complaint to Ebay management directly is part of the process. This
>> allows them to flag the other Ebayer for further action. If your complaint
>> is the
>> second or third like it in the offending members file, action may be taken
>> internally.
>
> Nice in THEORY. There is never a meaningful response in practice. Proof on
> request.
>
I understand that you were ripped off by one or more sellers or buyers and
that Ebay management was not able to help you. This does not negate the need
for cooperatiuon between Ebay management and LEO's in the future.
>> Third, you must contact your local Police Department's(PD) fraud unit with
>> all the
>> details of the transaction. They
>> have the power to then contact Ebay, get the miscreant's info and contact
>> the PD
>> in the offenders area and hopefully get them to take action.
>
> The police in Delaware, or wherever, will say it's a civil matter. A pointless
> waste of time.
John, I do not know the specifics of your particular transaction, but, the
case could have been either civil or criminal. To illustrate, I send you
$100 for a Nikon lens. You get my check, cash it, and never send the lens
although you have it and are not disabled. This is a criminal matter. Now
lets say you box up the lens and, on the way to the post office you are
killed in an accident and the lens is destroyed. All of a sudden the case
becomes a civil one where I try to recover my $100 from your estate.
I submit that a PD which will not try to help you in the first case is not
worthy of your tax dollars. However, the second scenario is in fact, a civil
matter. I can only speak in generalities here and, living as I do in far
south Texas I am well aware of the lazyness and sometimes downright
dishonesty of SOME sherriff's and police personnel. I just keep on pushing
until they realize what their job responsibilities are.
>
>> It is not a perfect system, but it is hard to catch people intent on fraud in
>> any
>> case. The best we can do is deal with people with good feedback and run like
>> H
>> when our instincts tell us something is fishy!
>
> What I did do, and which produced remarkable results today, was emailing the
> CEOs of
> a bunch of the deadbeat seller's suppliers, suggesting they did not want to do
> business with mail fraud artists. I also filed a complaint with the USPS
> Postal
> Inspectors. You can now do that on line. Time will tell if I get my money. I
> would
> much rather have the item I won.
>
> -John
>
That sounds like a great and creative way to approach the problem. The USPS
is DEATH on mail fraudsters if they can catch up to them.
Good luck on recovering your money.
Mel Miller
Corpus Christi, TX
361-937-3317
M725
M884
86 VW Transporter Drop Side Pickup
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