Worst buying experience?

[txteach]

In the mid 1990's I collected the Star Trek playmates figures big time. I looked in toyshop and saw that some guy had some rare ones at a decent price (around $350 total). I sent him an email and arranged to buy them. Money was sent and weeks went by. finally I call him and he says he sent them. More time goes by and nothing. I call him every day after a month and he stops answering his phone. After 2 months I actually hird a collections agency to get my money back. Well, 6 months later I get 80% of my money back. The collection company took 20%. This was a VERY aggrivating time because I was in college and money was hard to come by. I couldn't just write off the $350.

[Mikey]

How did you pay him ?

If you didn't send cash, I don't think you needed a collection agency to get your money back.

If you did send cash, how did THEY prove he got it ?

[Adam West]

Mine happened a couple of years ago on Ebay. Seller had a yellow sleeved RMR...didn't appear to be a stolen picture or anything. I paid around $500 or so for it and he only accepted money orders or checks (even had impeccable feedback).

I contacted him by phone and he said a friend hacked into his account and was stealing money from people but assured me I'd get my money back. Kept waiting and calling and finally the negs came pouring in and he wouldn't answer or return phone calls.

Just by pure luck, I googled him and saw him quoted in a newspaper and it mentioned a gas station where he worked. I called the gas station and sure enough it was him. I basically told him to refund my money or I was going to let the owner of the gas station know that he had an employee who was committing theft over the internet.

Thankfully, he took my threat seriously and promptly returned the funds.

[palitoy]

Oh I've got so many in the past few years it's depressing:

Mark Harrison, a person whom I dealt with for years on the Levy list sold me a MIB Elastic Hulk but never bothered to send it. Negs came pouring in, Harrison himself still attempts to sell repro boxes on yahoo groups, beware! I called the sherrif and the post office in his town but got nothing.

John Schmidt- Famous Supergirl screw around, never shipped it, refunded my money. Put it on ebay a month after at a higher price. Also told me they had my entire wantlist and played head games "Oh I'm going to sell it to someone else" kind of stuff. The whole thing was motivated by getting "revenge" on the Megomuseum for pointing out their shabby selling habits over and over again.

Joegrengo- sold me a boxed phaser game from Star Trek, never sent, pretty average rip off clown.

[toys2cool]

Oh I've got so many in the past few years it's depressing:

Mark Harrison, a person whom I dealt with for years on the Levy list sold me a MIB Elastic Hulk but never bothered to send it. Negs came pouring in, Harrison himself still attempts to sell repro boxes on yahoo groups, beware! I called the sherrif and the post office in his town but got nothing.

John Schmidt- Famous Supergirl screw around, never shipped it, refunded my money. Put it on ebay a month after at a higher price. Also told me they had my entire wantlist and played head games "Oh I'm going to sell it to someone else" kind of stuff. The whole thing was motivated by getting "revenge" on the Megomuseum for pointing out their shabby selling habits over and over again.

Joegrengo- sold me a boxed phaser game from Star Trek, never sent, pretty average rip off clown.

That sucks man,how much did you lose on the Hulk?


Mine was when I was in High school working at checkers for $5 an hour,I had just started on ebay and didn't have a clue about anything...I bought a WWF LJN lot for like $550 and never got anything

[Marvelmania]

I remember Mark. He took me for around $45 on acouple of boxes. Thankfully that was it.
I've been pretty lucky otherwise and only lost about $30 a couple of times on Ebay.

[txteach]

Well Mike I bought the figures with a check. I did have proof he cashed the check and I paid for insurance. He lived in Utah so It was hard to get there to collect my money. The agency was convenient. Hope this answers your questions.

[Mikey]

When I posted the above.... I didn't even think of a check.

[mitchedwards]

This year I bought a Green Goblin off a guy on E-bay. When it arrived it was not as described, head rubs galore, bad costume etc.... I also payed through the nose on shipping.

After contacting him about the problem, and asked about a refund, all I got back was a real nasty E-mail.

[ramsey37]

Oh I've got so many in the past few years it's depressing:

Mark Harrison, a person whom I dealt with for years on the Levy list sold me a MIB Elastic Hulk but never bothered to send it. Negs came pouring in, Harrison himself still attempts to sell repro boxes on yahoo groups, beware! I called the sherrif and the post office in his town but got nothing.

I think around five or six years ago I bought a MOC Tomland Glow Coth figure off Mark on eBay. I paid around $100 or so and it took him frikkin' forever to mail the derned thing. I guess I caught him just before he turned to the dark side....
Overall I've been pretty fortunate buying online. I've only ever gotten completely stiffed once, and that was on a $2.00 item. I've gotten a few things in crappy condition, poorly mailed, etc though.
George