Not sure how to handle this....

[gvl_guy]

Before I badmouth anyone here, I need to ask something. In the several years I've been on this board, I've had nothing but wonderful experiences with everyone I've dealt with - from questions and responses on the forums to making buying and selling deals. Everyone...and I mean everyone...has been so amazing.

But a few days ago, that changed. Someone contacted me through the board saying that someone had a piece of equipment I was looking for. (I had posted it on this forum.) He said they, too, were a member on the board, he had done business with him in the recent past, and all was good.

I contacted that person directly by email. We chatted a bit and came to an agreement. I sent the $$ via Venmo and then all went quiet. It was $100. Not enough to break the bank, but still...it's $100! That was 3 days ago. When I sent an email this morning, asking if it's been mailed and looking for a tracking number, he said he felt that he could get more for it and claimed he had an offer for $150. The email said, if I send the $50 more, he's ship it out to me. I responded that I wasn't interested and asked for him to refund my money. I made SURE I was nice and respectful. He hasn't responded since.

Bottom line: I think I might be screwed, but I'd like to post who the people involved in this were so that no one else will ever have this kind of issue with them on the board. I just don't know the policy about posting something like that.

Thanks for your help

 

[jsulzinger]

This forum previously had a feedback section to handle issues such as this, I haven't seen it in a while. I vote for outing any issues politely and publicly and give the offender the opportunity to come clean.

 

[beerking]

Definitely name and shame.
Sounds like a scam to me

 

[humprof]

Yikes. How long have the members been members, and how active are they? (Maybe one of the mods could indicate discreetly/privately to you whether they've had any other bad experiences with said members, although in the spirit of caveat emptor, they might not want to get involved.)

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

This forum previously had a feedback section to handle issues such as this, I haven't seen it in a while. I vote for outing any issues politely and publicly and give the offender the opportunity to come clean.

Absolutely!

 

[marpow]

As a solid member of QQ, I want to be mean to the other person, but not my style to actually say those words on QQ.
I hope you find a good answer that satisfies both you and it.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Yikes. How long have the members been members, and how active are they? (Maybe one of the mods could indicate discreetly/privately to you whether they've had any other bad experiences with said members, although in the spirit of caveat emptor, they might not want to get involved.)

Before I badmouth anyone here, I need to ask something. In the several years I've been on this board, I've had nothing but wonderful experiences with everyone I've dealt with - from questions and responses on the forums to making buying and selling deals. Everyone...and I mean everyone...has been so amazing.

But a few days ago, that changed. Someone contacted me through the board saying that someone had a piece of equipment I was looking for. (I had posted it on this forum.) He said they, too, were a member on the board, he had done business with him in the recent past, and all was good.

I contacted that person directly by email. We chatted a bit and came to an agreement. I sent the $$ via Venmo and then all went quiet. It was $100. Not enough to break the bank, but still...it's $100! That was 3 days ago. When I sent an email this morning, asking if it's been mailed and looking for a tracking number, he said he felt that he could get more for it and claimed he had an offer for $150. The email said, if I send the $50 more, he's ship it out to me. I responded that I wasn't interested and asked for him to refund my money. I made SURE I was nice and respectful. He hasn't responded since.

Bottom line: I think I might be screwed, but I'd like to post who the people involved in this were so that no one else will ever have this kind of issue with them on the board. I just don't know the policy about posting something like that.

Thanks for your help

I'm someone that really hates (yes "hates") scammers. Here at our house, we hardly ever answer the phones anymore because 9 times out of 10 it's just someone after your money! They get bolder and more sophisticated every year (and yes, the AI and Quantum crap scares me for the future of protecting ourselves!)

If this is an illegitimate, from a "supposedly done", deal (and just the fact they've already reneged on the initial $100 deal and are going for more); tells me it probably is.

These folks should be either outed by the Mods. so someone else here doesn't get scammed out of their money. Or just outright ban them, at least temporarily, until they follow through with your deal or give their side of the story.

@gvl_guy you're a good member here, and don't deserve any of this bullshit!

Just my opinion.

 

[gvl_guy]

I'm going to spill the dirt here because the actual offending person seems to have deleted his profile.

He was leevitalone1. He was a member on the board for at least a few years. I checked to be sure before emailing him. Although his email was [email protected], his Venmo name was Rodney Whisenant. @RodSquatch.

Now, this set off a red flag to me, but I contacted the person on the board who told me that he bought some equipment from this guy. He assured me that all was good with his transactions with leevitaline1/Jeff/Rod. His board name here is @Eric_Aston . I see he is a "new member."

I want everyone on the board to be aware and to watch out for this guy/these guys. I'm not 100% sure they are two different people.

Yes. I'm the idiot in this. My spidy-senses told me something was up, but the reassurance from another member helped squash that. I hate that stuff like this goes on in such an amazing group.

**Moderators, please feel free to contact me directly if you need me to adjust, delete or change this posting. Thank you.

 

[beerking]

I'm someone that really hates (yes "hates") scammers. Here at our house, we hardly ever answer the phones anymore because 9 times out of 10 it's just someone after your money! They get bolder and more sophisticated every year (and yes, the AI and Quantum crap scares me for the future of protecting ourselves!)

If this is an illegitimate, from a "supposedly done", deal (and just the fact they've already reneged on the initial $100 deal and are going for more); tells me it probably is.

These folks should be either outed by the Mods. so someone else here doesn't get scammed out of their money. Or just outright ban them, at least temporarily, until they follow through with your deal or give their side of the story.

@gvl_guy you're a good member here, and don't deserve any of this bullshit!

Just my opinion.

We get just the same problem here in the UK Pups, these damn scammers are everywhere. We don't answer our phones either, unless it's family.
They try every trick in the book.
The trouble is there are vulnerable people who fall for their utter s.h.i.t and some lose a lot of money.
I'm a member of a consumer group called Which, they regularly update it's members on the latest scams.
Scum is what they are.

 

[steelydave]

I'm sorry to hear this has happened to you, and think that 'name and shame' is probably the best way forward.

Leevitalone1 is (was?) a member here, but he hasn't logged in since 2020 - I haven't looked through all his posts, but my recollection is that he had a stroke, and his son 'Andrew' was trying to sell off his collection on his behalf.

Given his medical status, I have to wonder if someone managed to hack one of his dormant accounts and used it to defraud you? The conflicting names thing is a real red flag that things aren't above board...

 

[humprof]

I'm sorry to hear this has happened to you, and think that 'name and shame' is probably the best way forward.

Leevitalone1 is (was?) a member here, but he hasn't logged in since 2020 - I haven't looked through all his posts, but my recollection is that he had a stroke, and his son 'Andrew' was trying to sell off his collection on his behalf.

Given his medical status, I have to wonder if someone managed to hack one of his dormant accounts and used it to defraud you? The conflicting names thing is a real red flag that things aren't above board...

I was just in the middle of writing that this was my vague memory, too. (Although I was thinking--probably erroneously--that while the son had initially written under his late dad's handle, "leevitalalone," he created a similarly named account "leevitalone1," after losing the login info to the original. I think what actually happened was that leevitalone senior disappeared for a while when he first had health issues, and then re-appeared with a new account a while before his death. And so both father & son were writing under that name at different times.)

Anyway: this is a real drag, gvl_guy. So sorry.

 

[peloton]

Gvl_guy, I'm real sorry to hear about this. Yes, unfortunately it has all the earmarks of a scam I'm afraid. I've used Venmo a few times myself but from what I've read, it can certainly be risky. This info may not help get your $100 back, but I would peruse over the Venmo Help Center info nevertheless...
https://help.venmo.com/hc/en-us/art...porting-Fake-or-Suspicious-Messages-or-Emails

 

[GOS]

I am so sorry this has happened. What a total load of BS.

 

[stoopid]

I cover the Paypal goods and services costs for items so I have some recourse. If I establish a relationship with the person over the course of time and a few deals I'll send Venmo/Zelle/Paypal Friends and Family. Not until then.

This sucks but at least it was only $100 (that's still a worthy chunk of change to me, but in the history of scams it's chump change).

 

[andyp]

That sucks. All of us here in this group share a strong common bond and I consider everyone here like family. Yes, family has arguments but in the end, we kiss and make up. This guy, as has been outlined, was NOT one of our family members.

 

[mandrix]

I too remember leevitalone, although whether it was he or his son selling off equipment I'm a bit hazy on.
I seem to remember him saying he had some issues raising his son though no specifics....been quite a while.

 

[armyjazzer]

I only use Paypal since they have been good at refunding money when I didn't get shipped goods. Sorry, it seems you have been scammed. Classic thing with scammers is to ask for more money once they get a little out of you. I don't know how Venmo handles this type of thing, but you should report it at least.