Fraud /SCAM

The trouble with PP M&S is that now you're treated as a business and get 1099'd for anything you sell.

There are a lot of scams lately on audiogon. When the price is too good to be true, it's probably not true. As well as sellers with accounts that were opened the same month as the listing. I do my best to flag those when I see them. 

@mitch4t this individual still a member of Agon? If so can you PLEASE give us their user name PLEASE

I had a guy try to scam me on a purchase on Audiogon recently.

I’ve been on Audiogon for 21 years without a problem, until some yokel tried to scam me.  I reported it to PayPal and they made quick work of the scammer and gave me my money back quickly.

I will NEVER purchase anything from an individual, not backed up by a company that can handle credit cards,  unless I can buy through PayPal merchandise and services.  

Every other method is a ticket to give money to society's pariahs. 

A lot of guys here and on other threads advising never transact with someone with zero feedback or new to site.

Every person here buying and selling started with zero feedback. Don’t perpetuate a Catch22. If you’re interested in buying/selling an item from/to someone with zero feedback, be smart and cautious about it. Look for red flags. Price too good to be true? Sketchy payment option? Ask questions. Ask for a phone number so you can talk personally. Cover all your bases. There’s no need to exclude someone by automatically thinking because they’re new, they must be a crook. There are more honest folks out there than crooks. Be understandably wary to minimize your risk, but don’t necessarily exclude everyone new. You may miss out on a dandy deal for something you’re looking for.

Hi guys....all I can say is.....If you use paypal for buying audio gear..ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS send through Paypal Merchandise and Sevices...NEVER..NEVER, NEVER  Family and Friends..... I was convinced to use Family and Friends   which is another story..but I got ripped off $11,000  Paid for a dac and never got it.....out $11k   not easy to swallow.....

PayPal almost always favors the buyers.  If you are buying from a site like ebay or audiogon and USAM, paypal is best used as buyer.  

As a seller you can get scammed since they favor the buyer.  A friend sold Rims to a high end BMW and the buyer returned them, but put bricks in the box.  As the seller he had zero way to prove it.  

Best advise is look at the buyer and sellers history.  Zero is very very bad.

Good advice, a day or so shouldn't bother an honest seller.

Another case of fraud implicated me, but was against another member. Someone hacked into my account and posted a listing of a four channel Mcintosh amplifier for sale for $1920 with the scammer's PayPal address for payment. Fortunately, I received an email in time from Audiogon, "my item had been sold" along with the details. I emailed the buyer, told him I had nothing for sale, the ad was a scam - DO NOT PAY. Fortunately, he had not paid yet, (there was a message from the scammer saying it was past midnight and the buyer should pay right away so he could ship it out that day).

I have since changed my password and corrected the data on my account and no harm was done.

Here's a thought:
If you buy something on Audiogon, don't pay right away just in case it is not 100% legit - you might save yourself a lot of grief.

Marc Stager
Stager Sound Systems
NY

$800

curious what the price of the  Oppo was...

There is a Audioquest Speakers cable clear 4foot, listed on Audiogon seller has no feedback, price $250 make offer.i like it a lot ,I did not make an offer, maybe if the seller is posting here at Agon, I might go for it.

Happy for you. 

Glad it worked out. I get real tired of people running scams.

@systemdecor, I have a mint BDP 105D that I was thinking of selling. If you want it I will put it up on Audiogon. 

Wow, that was fast!

Glad you got your money back.

I won't get within 100 miles of PayPal.

If see is posting the seller is professional and regular conman.

Will use another portals to swindle again. Watch for it.

Great outcome, PayPal usually doesn’t move this fast! 

The seller account is now suspended by Audiogon.

I received my money back from Paypal.

Just make sure you use Paypal to buy items online.

Good price item to a member with zero feedback. It’s a big risk.

I have an item advertised on AA and Audio Circle.  Get an email from someone who just signed up for AA and wants to buy.  I asked him if he had any other social media presence and he said no but why does it matter.  He pretty pissed off when i wasn't interested.  Then a week later another email from someone else asking that i text photos of the item to his phone.  No way they are on the website.  didnt even respond.  And this was for an item under $100.00

Never buy from a no feedback DUDE!!

I use paypal shipping.  So the paypal issue is a non-issue.

17 lb sounds much more likely for an oppo player than 1.7 lbs.

My guess is UPS misdelivered it.

Sure you should be wondering if they seller is a fraud but posting it conclusively is way out of line.  

Seller should contact ups.

Another reason not to sell on audiogon.

Jerry