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I got ripped on a recent purchase, Am I screwed?

Uomo Di Fretti

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So despite knowing better than ever sending money via wire transfer to someone I don't know...I did.

Lost several thousand dollars on a purchase that was arranged via cell phone. I am in Missouri, the SOB seller in Long Beach, CA. I have no mailing address for this person and they will no longer answer my calls. I do however have their banking information and confirmed legal name. So my question is...am I completely screwed on this one?

So far I've requested a return of the money transferred through the account holder's banking institution, which the account holder denied. Also, I just finished filing a dispute with the LA county department of consumer affairs but I really doubt thats going to go anywhere. Any ideas? At this point it really feels like purchasing a ticket to Long Beach and making empty threats would be my best course of action if I HAD HER F&^#IN ADDRESS!!
baldy[1].gif
 

ghulkhan

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whatd you buy?

cant your bank do anything about it?
 

randallr

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listed in the phone book? I'd go kill him.
 

Uomo Di Fretti

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Originally Posted by ghulkhan
whatd you buy?

cant your bank do anything about it?


My bank has said that they can do absolutely nothing about it. Kind of the nature of wire transfers as I understand it. Once the transfer has been confirmed as completed to the correct account they wash their hands of it.

I should also add that some extensive searches have come up with abolutely nothing. The person's bank has told me that the name I gave is correct for the account the money was sent to (doubt if they were supposed to tell me that) so I'm assuming I'm at least looking for the right person.

I guess its true..., "There's so much drama in the LBC".
 

rach2jlc

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Originally Posted by Uomo Di Fretti
So despite knowing better than ever sending money via wire transfer to someone I don't know...I did. Lost several thousand dollars on a purchase that was arranged via cell phone. I am in Missouri, the SOB seller in Long Beach, CA. I have no mailing address for this person and they will no longer answer my calls. I do however have their banking information and confirmed legal name. So my question is...am I completely screwed on this one? So far I've requested a return of the money transferred through the account holder's banking institution, which the account holder denied. Also, I just finished filing a dispute with the LA county department of consumer affairs but I really doubt thats going to go anywhere. Any ideas? At this point it really feels like purchasing a ticket to Long Beach and making empty threats would be my best course of action if I HAD HER F&^#IN ADDRESS!!
baldy[1].gif

Just curious... why would you go around the usual channels on a several thousand dollar purchase? Why wouldn't you check this stuff FIRST? Why would you ever send somebody that much money without a paper trail? Ebay, Paypal, google checkout, etc. were created for JUST this sort of thing. This is the 21st century; why were you doing this 1970's style? The red flags should have been going off from the start on this... This lady didn't claim to be the daughter of the Nigerian king, did she?
 

Uomo Di Fretti

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Originally Posted by rach2jlc
Just curious... why would you go around the usual channels on a several thousand dollar purchase? Why wouldn't you check this stuff FIRST? Why would you ever send somebody that much money without a paper trail? Ebay, Paypal, google checkout, etc. were created for JUST this sort of thing.

This is the 21st century; why were you doing this 1970's style? The red flags should have been going off from the start on this...

This lady didn't claim to be the daughter of the Nigerian king, did she?


I think the first line of my original post acknowledged that it was a very stupid thing to do. I am very familiar with modern modes of money transfer. However since I am apparently an idiot (
worship.gif
Thanks rach), do I have any real means of recourse?
 

ghulkhan

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Originally Posted by rach2jlc
Just curious... why would you go around the usual channels on a several thousand dollar purchase? Why wouldn't you check this stuff FIRST? Why would you ever send somebody that much money without a paper trail? Ebay, Paypal, google checkout, etc. were created for JUST this sort of thing.

This is the 21st century; why were you doing this 1970's style? The red flags should have been going off from the start on this...

This lady didn't claim to be the daughter of the Nigerian king, did she?


i guess maybe he trusted them?


i have had many people put several hundred dollars to several thousand on this forum and others into my account (direct cash deposit, transfers). i dont know why they do it but at the end of the day they did. some guy who saw the ad for the rolex i had up for sale actually deposited all cash (about 5k) in my bank account. and he had never posted on this site. we just spoke on the phone for a bit.

I admit to having done the same. I once put 3k cash into a sales associates bank account for some shop in Los Angeles who was hooking me up with a discount. I think I had spoken to him for maybe 1 hour total in my entire life on the phone. And yes I got everything in the mail. He did this because he was quitting in a few weeks anyway.

Sometimes people just gauge the trustworthiness of a person. But it must suck to be dead wrong.
 

Uomo Di Fretti

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Originally Posted by ghulkhan
i guess maybe he trusted them?


i have had many people put several hundred dollars to several thousand on this forum and others into my account (direct cash deposit, transfers). i dont know why they do it but at the end of the day they did. some guy who saw the ad for the rolex i had up for sale actually deposited all cash (about 5k) in my bank account. and he had never posted on this site. we just spoke on the phone for a bit.

I admit to having done the same. I once put 3k cash into a sales associates bank account for some shop in Los Angeles who was hooking me up with a discount. I think I had spoken to him for maybe 1 hour total in my entire life on the phone. And yes I got everything in the mail. He did this because he was quitting in a few weeks anyway.

Sometimes people just gauge the trustworthiness of a person. It sucks a$$ to be dead wrong.


You're right on ghulkhan, and I've done the same several times in select situations with no problem. I did make one edit above though.
 

Edward Appleby

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Well, you could send him a letter, ideally from a lawyer, threatening to take him to court. Other than that or just paying him a visit, I don't really know what you can do.
 

rach2jlc

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I'm sorry it happened to you fretti, but scammers are out there. There is a reason why "caveat emptor" is in Latin and not modern English; this **** happening isn't new. I doubt you have much recourse honestly, because YOU verified the wire transfer and it was legitimately sent and received. A similar thing happened with an item I sold once; the buyer paid via paypal, but forgot a letter in my email address and paid the wrong guy. Luckily, he refunded, but Paypal themselves could do nothing about it as it was an authorized transfer. If the guy who received the money did want to refund, there was really nothing that could have been done. It's up to you to check/verify/research before submitting. Nevertheless, given that you have the person's real name and bank account information, my guess is you could open a complaint with the Police or possibly the FBI (or some such law enforcement agency). An expensive lesson learned, but just that.
Originally Posted by ghulkhan
i guess maybe he trusted them?
And that's a smart thing to do in this day and age? Trust is fine and all... but trust and verify. Also, "cover your ass."
 

Stazy

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I enjoy the fact that ghulkhan is posting in this thread.
 

rach2jlc

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Originally Posted by Stazy
I enjoy the fact that ghulkhan is posting in this thread.
lol8[1].gif
I was thinking something very similar, but decided that I'd leave it on that thread. Nevertheless, it is a bit ironic that he's discussing buyer/seller issues of trust and verification.
 

Edward Appleby

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Originally Posted by rach2jlc
Nevertheless, given that you have the person's real name and bank account information, my guess is you could open a complaint with the Police or possibly the FBI (or some such law enforcement agency).

I would try looking up the relevant bit of the USC, quoting it to him, and then threatening to press charges unless he gives you your money back. Because at the end of the day you're more interested in that than in having him convicted of something.
 

rach2jlc

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Originally Posted by Edward Appleby
I would try looking up the relevant bit of the USC, quoting it to him, and then threatening to press charges unless he gives you your money back. Because at the end of the day you're more interested in that than in having him convicted of something.
Good point; I really wasn't sure what recourse he might have (if any), but it was just something that popped into mind. Nevertheless, if the person isn't answering his calls or communications, I don't see what he's going to do.
 

SoCal2NYC

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Funny that Ghulkan is chiming in for this thread...
 

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