melvinpelayo here.

[galactiboy]

Surprise, surprise... still nothing in the mail for me from Australia.

 

[galactiboy]

That sucks DR, hopefully you get it back through the CC!

 

[DouglasMcc]

As expected, that jerk has cleaned up his account and though Paypal decided (if that is what you can call it!) in my favour but unfortunately, there's nothing to reclaim......So it's bye bye $370 for now.

However, I've already filed a case with my CC company and I'm hopeful that I will get my money back. I've also taken other legal steps to alert the relevant authorities (though I don't want to reveal anything at the moment).

To think that all of us have to go through such trouble and hassle just because of one dishonest scammer.:emperor

Why Melvin, why?

This is slightly off-topic, but I blame PayPal for scammers like Melvin. They make it entirely too easy for people to screw other people over. What kind of crap is it to tell someone, "well, we decided in your favour.. you won't get any money of course... but doesn't it make you feel better to win? " The same thing happened to me last year. The only way I got my money back was by contacting MC directly.

I used to know a person (well, he was a friend of a friend, so it was more of a forced connection... I hated the guy, but he was around my friend a lot) that would brag about doing crap like this. After I got screwed over by someone on Ebay, I just couldn't take his crap anymore. I asked him how he could live with himself knowing what he did to all those people. I will never forget his response: "Nah, they can get the money back from their credit card.. I get money and no ones hurt." That pissed me off more. However, PayPal pretty much creates this image in the scammers' minds. They don't prosecute, they don't guarrantee your money, and they make it entirely too easy to set up dozens, if not hundreds, of accounts. Don't get me wrong, Melvin - just like that other jacka## was wrong and they both knew it. But I blame PayPal as much, if not more, for making it so easy for them to screw us over. I just wish there was a better way to buy and sell on eBay.

P.S. Think about it... why should PayPal give a damn about the buyer. They get their pound of flesh as soon as you pay. They really have no reason to care if you are happy.. because they know that we will all keep coming back.

 

[Bannister]

This is slightly off-topic, but I blame PayPal for scammers like Melvin. They make it entirely too easy for people to screw other people over. What kind of crap is it to tell someone, "well, we decided in your favour.. you won't get any money of course... but doesn't it make you feel better to win? " The same thing happened to me last year. The only way I got my money back was by contacting MC directly.

I used to know a person (well, he was a friend of a friend, so it was more of a forced connection... I hated the guy, but he was around my friend a lot) that would brag about doing crap like this. After I got screwed over by someone on Ebay, I just couldn't take his crap anymore. I asked him how he could live with himself knowing what he did to all those people. I will never forget his response: "Nah, they can get the money back from their credit card.. I get money and no ones hurt." That pissed me off more. However, PayPal pretty much creates this image in the scammers' minds. They don't prosecute, they don't guarrantee your money, and they make it entirely too easy to set up dozens, if not hundreds, of accounts. Don't get me wrong, Melvin - just like that other jacka## was wrong and they both knew it. But I blame PayPal as much, if not more, for making it so easy for them to screw us over. I just wish there was a better way to buy and sell on eBay.

P.S. Think about it... why should PayPal give a damn about the buyer. They get their pound of flesh as soon as you pay. They really have no reason to care if you are happy.. because they know that we will all keep coming back.

The other sad thing is, is that they don't do much to protect honest sellers either. When someone files a claim against you, you have to prove that the person recieved it, not that you just sent it.

 

[sunohc]

yeah its pretty bad both ways.
thats why paypal sucks/
they protect buyers more often because onyl reason paypal can go down, is if BUYERS stop using it.
the buyers will start to say, I wanna pay with money order, etc.
the sellers can say accept anything, because it only helps them.
that's my logic, and I hate paypal.
I'm almost getting $700 deducted from my account caz a buyer wants a refund on a eBay purchase in which I suspect HE broke, since i sent it new.
its frusttrating because i've lost on paypal before in the disputes.
one buyer purposely said he only received trash in a box, and I had to refund everything including the SHIPPIGN! which cost half the whole price since he lived in ITALY< thus, MORE unprotected seller business.
but your Credit Card company can literally give you back you money from paypal. so don't worry bout that/

 

[SolidLiquidFox]

So...I keep checking this thread looking for some feedback from Melvin and hopefully some good news from some of the people that have been scammed.

Melvin probably won't post here. Somebody change the title of this thread.

Again, good luck guys and file your grievances early so you have a fighting chance.

 

[Bonehead15]

The other sad thing is, is that they don't do much to protect honest sellers either. When someone files a claim against you, you have to prove that the person recieved it, not that you just sent it.

That's why you should always get somekind of tracking/delivery confirmation number on anything you ship. If you have a confirmed number Paypal will decide in your favor if a dispute arises.

 

[Radagaster]

Heh, last time this happened to me was by a company called AngelsintheOutfield. She was a good one too . . . until the law caught up with her. She ended up refunding all my money plus more.

As for Melvin . . .tis a sad day indeed. The best way is to file with your credit acrd company right away. CC companies have a longer dispute period. I don't like Paypal form the standpoint that they somehow cater to the sellers as well . . .So, if you file a claim past the Paypal deadline . . .you're screwed.

Just remember the old saying --- if it's too good to be true . . .it probably is.

 

[Vader AL]

i cannot stand using paypal..hate it. haven't been screwed though....yet.

 

[sunohc]

melvinpelayo , I just realized he's been on the ENTERBAY forums .

enterbay.com/bbs

yet his last post was on the 21st.
I emailed enterbay about this guy and I'll tell you guys if I hear from him on the forums.

 

[LordAzrael]

Out of curiosity - you guys who get defrauded as sellers - what sort of feedback do the buyers have ?

To be perfectly honest I've never had a problem with paypal from a buyer's perspective - and without it I wouldn't be able to bid on most things offered in the US as money orders and such a prohibitively expensive since www.sendmoneyorder.com went out of business (of course i believe it was acquired by paypal..........).

My only issue has been their coverage period is way too short to allow for international shipping - but in both cases the product eventually turned up - the delay was due to the seller charging me for a higher level of shipping than they actually used (i.e. charging the higher, using the lower, keeping the difference).

 

[creecher]

It would probably be best to start a new thread to get your answers Lord. In this particular case, the seller was a new member doing deals through the board.

 

[darthviper107]

Well, there are ways to be secure in that you won't be scammed. As a seller, I would make requirements, you get insurance and Tracking number or there is no responsibility if the item arrives damaged or gets lost. Or you could just require insurance and tracking automatically with no other option, besides that, you can use just money order/cashier's check/cash or if you're using paypal you can use just remember to take the money out of the paypal account once you recieve it.

For buyers, you can get insurance, tracking number or if you're scammed and paypal doesn't do anything, just file with your credit card company because they'll actually take the money back from paypal. But if you send money order/cashier's check/cash, there is absolutely no security, so you better trust the person really well.

This guy is probably going to end up MUCH worse off.

 

[JGouse0498]

Why is this thread being constantly derailed?

It was derailed the moment Melvin promised to return and never did.

Honestly, I like seeing all the discussion about Internet fraud and what buyers/sellers can do to both protect and defend themselves. It is EXTREMELY informative.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

Why is this thread being constantly derailed?

If it wasnt it would sink into the abyss..

 

[JGouse0498]

Honestly, it's extremely too late for me......

Which really, REALLY sucks. But at least those of us who haven't been victimized will be better informed because of the discussions in this thread.

Of course, I understand if that comes as a small consolation to you. Hopefully, your CC company fixes everything for you.

 

[pfronz]

Why is this thread being constantly derailed?

What would you like to be discussed here if not the very relevant topic of internet fraud

We can't threaten or curse Melvinpelayo and he's certainly never going to return to chime in on the discussion... would you rather the thread just die and the topic begin decending into obscurity?

You're right, it is too late for you. Just like it's too late for the rest of us who have been scammed before and have been sharing our experiences and what we've learned from them. This discussion has served to inform as well as to keep the thread going until those who have been conned by the little punk return to give their updates.

Sorry, I'm not meaning to rant. Just saying that I think the discussion in this thread has been very constructive.

 

[King Darkness]

What would you like to be discussed here if not the very relevant topic of internet fraud

We can't threaten or curse Melvinpelayo and he's certainly never going to return to chime in on the discussion... would you rather the thread just die and the topic begin decending into obscurity?

You're right, it is too late for you. Just like it's too late for the rest of us who have been scammed before and have been sharing our experiences and what we've learned from them. This discussion has served to inform as well as to keep the thread going until those who have been conned by the little punk return to give their updates.

Sorry, I'm not meaning to rant. Just saying that I think the discussion in this thread has been very constructive.

 

[Customikey]

I'm not sure I understand why it's bad if a topic gets "derailed." It mimics the natural flow of conversation. Eventually, the original subject does return.

 

[creecher]

Why is this thread being constantly derailed?

Because it's not just about you perhaps?

You yourself are derailing the thread asking a question like that, without explaining how you think it is being derailed. It smacks of arrogance to me. Now here I am having to explain that point to you and thereby am, also now, categorized as being a derailer, for doing so. When you leave a question open ended, like that, it is up to the reader to determine what it is you seek, and how they interpret the mood of your question, which has a bearing on the mood of the answer they will give.

I could go on and on into a huge rant now, and explain more than you probably care to listen to, only to be dismissed by you in a later post, whereby I would begin another rant, become upset, and end in some philosophical justification for you being ripped off by a totally dishonest lying thief, without knowing the circumstances which brought this scammer to resort to taking no responsibilty for his part, other than for greed, by saying kharma has brought you to where you are now, and starting a flame war between board members. I could easily have shut my mouth and turn away, and left it to the members who have previously posted, and managed to stay calmer than I would rather be.