How do I warn other members of a scammer without Administrator intervention

[Eric Commarato]

Thanks Gentlemen for the support and replies.  I've replied to the post for the Delta Radial Drill Press responding to the member who took advantage of me.  Hopefully the Moderator won't pull the post.

Eric

[RKMBrown©]

I have been take advantage of by another member on a machinery transaction that was advertised on this forum.  He refuses to ship the goods or refund my payment.  I would like to warn other members not to buy from this individual. How is this accomplished without the forum administrator pulling my post if I identify this person?  This kind of activity compromises this forum for everyone who uses it, as we all trade here with trust and honesty in our dealings with each other.

Administrators, please chime in!

Minor correction... assuming it is this MichaelAL guy it looks like he was and still is a new user, not a member. If it is that guy it looks like he was a flyby new user with a bunch of items to sell (red flag).. looks like he was called out already and headed off to greener pastures. Sucks but yeah in this new social media world you have to research who you are talking to before sending money.

[Eric Commarato]

Minor correction... assuming it is this MichaelAL guy it looks like he was and still is a new user, not a member. If it is that guy it looks like he was a flyby new user with a bunch of items to sell (red flag).. looks like he was called out already and headed off to greener pastures. Sucks but yeah in this new social media world you have to research who you are talking to before sending money.

You got that right!  I've been buying stuff for years on these forums and this is the first to go south.  Oddly he suggested I use Paypal or another payment option where I could had recouped my payment...in lieu of a money order.  I'm not totally convinced the guy is dishonest, I think he just might have some type of issue going on, but then I have been know to be a little naïve, but I give people the benefit of the doubt that they are inherently honest.

[RKMBrown©]

You got that right!  I've been buying stuff for years on these forums and this is the first to go south.  Oddly he suggested I use Paypal or another payment option where I could had recouped my payment...in lieu of a money order.  I'm not totally convinced the guy is dishonest, I think he just might have some type of issue going on, but then I have been know to be a little naïve, but I give people the benefit of the doubt that they are inherently honest.

Yeah 6months can fly by when busy. Is possible he's just having time and trouble packing that beast up and getting it to the shipper.

[Stwood_]

The point of posting here is NOT to get the mods to do anything, but rather to warn our fellow members of a predator.

Thanks, but I can read.

[meackerman]

communication goes a long why to keeping people from thinking your scamming them when you're really just having problems packing it up.

if someone can't reliably ship something out in a timely fashion, they have no business selling it online.

[BloomingtonMike]

Your money order has a stub for you to keep. Did you call them?

[Eric Commarato]

Your money order has a stub for you to keep. Did you call them?

Yes I do have the stub, I make it a practice of keeping them until an item arrives.  I've already done a little research on-line regarding mail fraud and money orders, but at this point for $275 I just don't want to pursue it...$2,750; that's a different story.

[kdouglaslee]

I believe fraud thru the postal service is federal - I'm not an attorney - but he should certainly think about where this could be headed.

Lonnie

Just so happens that I am an attorney here in Mississippi, and I decided to look up "mail fraud."  18 U.S.C. § 1341 provides:

Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises...for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice or attempting so to do, places in any post office or authorized depository for mail matter, any matter or thing whatever to be sent or delivered by the Postal Service, or deposits or causes to be deposited any matter or thing whatever to be sent or delivered by any private or commercial interstate carrier, or takes or receives therefrom, any such matter or thing, or knowingly causes to be delivered by mail or such carrier according to the direction thereon, or at the place at which it is directed to be delivered by the person to whom it is addressed, any such matter or thing, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

This isn't my area of expertise, but I'd say that this fits squarely within the definition of mail fraud, because the "seller" arranged to receive payment through the mail; not sure if requesting a money order adds to the crime, but I'm sure the feds will take a very, very dim view of that as well.  At the very least, it deserves to be reported, which can be done on the USPS website, https://www.uspis.gov/report/
So, PLEASE report this!

[Eric Commarato]

Just so happens that I am an attorney here in Mississippi, and I decided to look up "mail fraud."  18 U.S.C. § 1341 provides:



This isn't my area of expertise, but I'd say that this fits squarely within the definition of mail fraud, because the "seller" arranged to receive payment through the mail; not sure if requesting a money order adds to the crime, but I'm sure the feds will take a very, very dim view of that as well.  At the very least, it deserves to be reported, which can be done on the USPS website, https://www.uspis.gov/report/
So, PLEASE report this!

Well there you go, that says it all, thanks for posting I will take this under consideration.