SOLD Circus Voltaire

[DRANO]

I think that, sometime in the distant future, 'scammer' will be granted unique language status and it may even be taught as a 2nd language in many parts of Asia and the African continent.

 

[TrueJedi]

@atariaction so what's the deal from the seller side Mike? Are they looking to fake fund you. You feel the money is there, ship the item and after it's shipped somehow find the funds are not real?

 

[atariaction]

@atariaction so what's the deal from the seller side Mike? Are they looking to fake fund you. You feel the money is there, ship the item and after it's shipped somehow find the funds are not real?

Yes exactly. Whatever method they use wether it is PayPal or credit card. Once you have shipped the item they would have the funds reversed. Then you would be SOL.

 

[mwong168]

Another scam I have heard of is if you list a game for say $1500 they will send you $1800 and say they made a mistake. Then they say it's ok and you can just send them back the difference via wire or some method that is non reversible. You do that and they will somehow reverse their funds and you are out that difference.

Unless you are buying from someone with a good reputation in the community or they have strong references from other reputable members I would always say deal face to face. This way you can exchange cash in person or pass on the machine if it is not exactly as described or even exists!

 

[superjackpot]

Some guy tried a scam out on me. My game was listed for $1400 on kijiji. I got the following reply via email from a jasonhartley000123@gmail.com after I had initially replied with my payment preference (i.e. cash):

Thanks for the information provided. Got your details, the payment
>> will be issued and mail out to you without further delay. I want you
>> to mark the item SOLD now. Kindly keep your eyes on the payment and
>> let me know immediately you receive it. Await your reply so as to be
>> rest assure you received this message. It my pleasure doing business
>> with you.
>> Regards​

...the next email said:

Hello, am writing to let you know that the payment has been mailed out
to you and it will deliver to you by UPS on Wednesday and i will give
you the tracking number tomorrow. The payment include an excess funds
which is for the shipper coming for the pick up of the item. As soon
as the payment arrived, you're to get it deposited in your account and
wait till the funds are available. Mind you, it after the funds are
available in your account before the pick up can be done as stated
earlier.

I will need your immediate response via email assuring me that i can
trust you to handle this with care and have the remaining funds
returned appropriately. I will give you the shipper's info to send the
remaining balance to and mind you, i will offer you extra $50 for the
stress going around to send the balance. Thank you in anticipation of
your favorable assistance. It my pleasure doing business with you.
Regards​

and after I clearly asked for details like: how much money was sent by UPS, who is the shipper, etc., I got this reply 4 days later:

How are you doing today? Am writing to update you regarding the
payment for the item. It will deliver to you today by UPS and here is
the tracking number: E8561994692. I want you to get it deposited in
your account immediately it arrived so as to complete the transaction
without further delay. Looking forward to read from you so as to be
rest assured you received this message. My pleasure doing business with you.
Regards​

<cont'd>

 

[superjackpot]

Sure enough, an envelope arrives, Canadian UPS. Tracking shows it came from Ottawa, but the return address is in someone else's name in Delaware U.S.. It contained a Canadian Draft (Bank of Montreal?) for $4980 made out in my name.

I replied:

just received UPS delivery of the CAN$ draft for $4980. I will deposit it later this afternoon and advise you when funds clear. Per our communication I will take $1500 for myself (thank you!) , and will give the remaining $3480 to your shipper. I will be able to get the funds within a day of the draft clearing at the bank...
​

I visit my branch and they are suspicious, says it has all the signs of a scam, specifically the overpayment. They won't cash the draft. (They actually told me to go to the ATM and deposit it there. If the ATM takes it, it's good and the branch is not on the hook for the funds. Not surprising the ATM won't accept it). In the end I deposit it into my account and put a hold on the amount. My bank balance is $4900 higher, but the "available balance" doesn't include this amount. Regardless, to the unsuspecting person, it looks ok... My bank said it would take a week to clear.

So, like I told the guy, I am waiting for the funds to clear. Meanwhile I get a few daily emails with the subject line: WHY SILENT???, e.g.

>>How are you doing today? Why have you been silent since you cashed the
>>payment? Kindly let me know what's going on because i want the
>>transaction to be completed without further delay. Looking forward to
>>read from you.
>>Regards​

I tell him I am waiting for funds to clear... he replies:

>>Good to read from you that you've deposited it but in how many days
>>did your bank says the funds will be available? All you need is to be
>>checking your account daily in order to know immediately the funds are
>>available. Await your reply.
>>Regards​

And another email the very next day with subject CHECK YOUR ACCOUNT ONLINE NOW
And again each of the next few days, with notes like:

>> Good to read from you. I believe it should clear tomorrow. I will get
>> the shipper's account details for you to send the remaining balance
>> to. Please let me know when the shipper can come for the pick so as to
>> aware. Thanks​

and

>>How was your night? By now the funds suppose to have been available.

​

After the week goes by, the bank shows 'Returned Cheque'. As suspected, the draft was bogus.

 

[TrueJedi]

@superjackpot Cripes no wonder people have no interest in shipping. Look at all the back and forth + time you spent just to conclude what you suspected.

 

[atariaction]

I have heard of (and been offered) overpayment scams as well. If these people put in the same amount of time effort and energy into something actually legitimate they could probably make an honest living but obviously these scams work or they wouldn't be devoting this much effort and time to them which is unfortunate.

 

[EvanDickson]

So it's a (badly programmed) bot?

 

[superjackpot]

@superjackpot Cripes no wonder people have no interest in shipping. Look at all the back and forth + time you spent just to conclude what you suspected.

This thing was all wrong from the start and you knew it was a scam. Yet the draft looked legitimate. The bank manager said it was a real Canadian draft (at one time) and that 'these guys' have special machines (printers) and can repurpose a draft and print your name on it. Because it takes so long to clear, it can go wrong for the seller.

I was tempted to play the game and tell this guy that my bank balance showed the money was there early on, just to see how this guy would go about collecting the surplus cash.

I've only bought and sold my pins in cash, and will continue to do so. I shipped a game once to someone I didn't know, packed it on a pallet, took it to the depot, and at that moment, over the phone, the buyer paid full pop (emt) and then I signed off and let the game go. There has to be some level of trust. Asking others to vouch for the buyer/seller is the way to go.

 

[Coitusmysterioso]

While you guys were giving this good honest businessman such a hard time I drove to Michigan and picked up the machine!

 

[mwong168]

You see guys deals can still be had. Congrats on the pick up! !! !!! !

 

[EvanDickson]

I just noticed this bit, "Backglass is in great condition and has been sealed to prevent paint loss."

CV is from 1997, there's no way that would be a painted BG, rather than a translite, is there?

 

[ritewhereiwant2b]

Crab? Really? Is it how rude people are in this forum ?

SO, what do you have to say for yourself "Chris?" Or shall we call you "dick?"

 

[Hazzard]

The first clue may have been that the machine is CirQus Voltaire.... not Circus Voltaire... just sayin'... if I was selling an actual machine and LOOKING at an actual machine I would probably notice that.

Or, more likely, if I was the kind of guy that had a MINT FUCKING CV I WOULD KNOW HOW TO SPELL IT.