Western Union or Moneygram?

"Red Flag" stay away.

How bad do you want the item? lol

 

You can send money in minutes via a credit card with Western Union. 

 

The red flag to me is that he's not a regular member of the forum and is asking to be paid in an uncommon manner.

 

Personally, I couldn't be bothered with anything more than writing a check and sticking it in the mail but I'm not the one wanting to purchase an item. 

 

--Greg

That is a Red flag. How long has he been on the forum?

I don't know.  He did not post to my ad with his forum name.  He only sent me an email.  I had posted my email on the WTB ad.  Probably a bad thing because it draws non-members, both good and bad.

I would say that you were right to think it is a scam.  I wouldn't respond to anyone requesting payment by MoneyGram or Western Union.  (And on a similar note,  I wouldn't use the PayPal "gift" option for a payment unless I personally knew the recipient.)

 

A friend of mine recently had a similar encounter with someone wanting payment like this for an ad he put on the WTB section of the forum, and it turned out to be a scam (fortunately he escaped without losing more than a couple of bucks due to an error on the part of the con artist).

 

Andy

Not that bad.

No way, no how!

 

I would not go near this one with a ten foot pole.

 

 

ptalar,

Using PayPal and/or U.S.P.O. is safer, as they will investigate, quicker and don't forget the U.S. Mails is the U.S. Federal Government, which have U.S. Postal Inspectors, who are Federal Law Enforcement Agents!!!!!

Ralph

We should not be using the OGR Forum for selling stuff. this is a learning forum,

not a used car lot. 

 

If you have train items to sell, use e-bay, There are all kinds of safe guards built into the process to protect the seller & buyer. 

Then why is there a buy/sell section?

 

Seems like the OP is asking advice, which constitutes learning in my book.

 

Besides, not everyone does e-bay.

 

Rusty

 

quote:

I don't know.  He did not post to my ad with his forum name.  He only sent me an email.  I had posted my email on the WTB ad.  Probably a bad thing because it draws non-members, both good and bad.

 

BINGO!

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!

Western Union does money orders which are just like any other money order. Maybe that's what he meant.

Just tell him you will only take money order, personal check or PayPal.

He is BUYING not selling. I'd not buy over the net from a stranger. I have many ebay transactions and many OGR Forum transactions that went well. I have had two net transactions that went south because I did them outside these two methods.

Lets get ride of Buy - Sell, ORG Magazine does not need

Law Suits over this Issue. Members not getting paid or buying junk

 

We have e-bay, that has protections for the buyer & seller and a way to pay.

 

My suggestion - Post you model train items on e-bay, then post e-bay links to these items on the OGR Forum.

 

 

WHY??? I have had many transactions with OGR Forum members that were flawless and aloud me to buy items I may never have found. Many of these folks are now what I'd call friends.

 

Part of the issue is putting your contact info in the post....DO NOT DO IT! Members can find your info easily and thus ONLY members can deal with each other. It's working well....leave it alone.

AMCDave - If you are going to quote me, please put all of my statement in your quote Just not parts.

 

Here it is again, in full,

 

Lets get ride of Buy - Sell, ORG Magazine does not need

Law Suits over this Issue. Members not getting paid or buying junk

 

We have e-bay, that has protections for the buyer & seller and a way to pay.

 

My suggestion - Post you model train items on e-bay, then post e-bay links to these items on the OGR Forum.

Since the long established rules state 'NO LINKS TO EBAY AUCTIONS ALLOWED' and it's been working fine for years I decided not to call you out on telling OGR staff they are doing things wrong. SORRY I will never quote or read your posts again. Thanks!

The OGR Buy/Sell Terms of Use expressly prohibit what you are suggesting; i.e. our OGR hosts are not in the business of providing a free venue to announce your sale items that are listed on another fee-based site such as eBay. You may NOT post links to other sites.

 

Additionally, OGR has no legal liability for any Buy/Sale transactions that might go bad; they have made this explicitly clear: CAVEAT EMPTOR.

 

Suggestion to trainroomguy: if you don't like the Buy/Sell don't use it.

 

And maybe you should actually read the Terms of Use before you bash this service that many of us use and enjoy.

Mack

 

 

The Forum has been the best place to buy and sell, and it's free. Ebay has become a rip-off. No matter what you use, there will always be someone trying to steal from another.

 

By the way, the thread the OP talked about is still there, but the guy who posted the for sale ad, his post is gone.

There are many convenient ways to pay electronically.

However, I personally prefer paying with a cashiers check.

It is a funded item so the seller can feel better.

It is a verifiable (call the bank) item so the seller can feel better.

It is payable to an individual so it is not anonymous this makes the buyer feel better.  Your bank can help verify item paid and where.

They have to negotiate it at their bank or the issuing bank with an I.D. this makes the buyer feel better.

I mail it to a physical address, not a P.O. box this again makes the buyer feel better.

Nothing is perfect when person-to-person transactions involved. It's just my preference.

I deal with fraud situations at work weekly. So I know there are plenty of examples of people getting burned by fraudsters in any situation.

Buyer Beware!

Bottom line in my experience.... electronic real money payments to anonymous payees give little recourse or paper trail. If it is a bad deal the money is gone and hard to trace.

I have had a real pleasant time buy and selling right here on the Ogr forum.

 

Only had one guy complain because he wanted a refund after he bought a engine 3 years before and wanted me to take it back , yes three years later.  He got tired of running it and wanted me to buy it back at the price he bought it for.

 

Can you imagine? 

....that reminds me David...give me my money back and take your crappy engine....after 3 years I'm bored with it!!!!

Ha ha!

I hope Rich or Ed Boyle chime in on this one. Let them know who the guy is .

I've  (along with several others), been ripped off on another site a few years ago. We won a judgement against the guy and his wife, but "how" to collect.

BTW, this is how this couple made their living. As I recall only 1 forumite got a settlement.

The experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Dave G.

Thanks to our OGR Forums I was able to find items that I wanted, because I very rarely shop on other mediums and the purchases on this forum and with the forum members, who were selling, went very well.

Besides, the original poster is asking for friendly advice, so's not to be taken!

Ralph

I like using the Forum because it is train people dealing with train people unlike Ebay where some sellers are selling something they got from someone and dont know what they are really selling or maybe they do and play dumb when you ask a question about it.

The Buy & Sell Boards on our Forum offer a wonderful resource to our members.It is without a doubt the best way to sell or acquire train merchandise.

 

It also offers the protection of having a good idea who you are dealing with. How long have they been on this Forum? Are they active participants? Is there profile full of information or is it sparse with details?

 

In the case mentioned by the OPS, it appears the potential buyer used the e-mail posted that was available to the general public. I think we all agree that this is never a good idea. I would further suggest that the seller's proposition is DOA.

 

 

Guess he thought I just rented him the engine. You have to admit he has balls.