[Amps] Buyer beware!

[Paul Whatton]

Hi Dick

Thanks for the message.

I haven't gone as far as saying I've been ripped off yet (but it is 
increasingly looking that way). Maybe I'm being naive but I really do 
believe in the ham spirit. Over the 30+ years I have been licensed I 
have bought and sold many things and if this really is a rip-off then it 
will be the first time it has happened to me by another amateur.

I felt quite safe sending a postal order, especially since it was by 
recorded delivery. I knew who it was, his call, his address and his cell 
number. And he emailed me to say he received the money OK.

All of which has so far stopped me from actually identifying him. I'm 
not quite ready to go public on this and will give him one last chance 
to either send the boards or return my cash.

But after ten weeks of frustration I did want to mention it in here 
because the amateur concerned is a member of this group and maybe I'm 
not alone? It might just save someone else loosing their cash.

Thanks for the link to http://chat.qth.com  I had never heard of it 
before. I'm off to have a look now.

73 Paul G4DCV

PA3DUV wrote:
> Paul,
>
> Too bad to hear from your experience.
>
> Sa far I've always been lucky. As a matter of routine I always check the 
> guys call/name on the QTH.com feedback forum.
> http://chat.qth.com/   The most notorious ones are listed there.
>
> Also Western Union and Money orders are a big no no for me. Paypal or bank 
> transfer only. In that case you know at least who ripped you off when the 
> deal collapses.
>
> I understand that for the time being you'll stand by in order not to run 
> into an argument with the so called "seller", but it wouldn't hurt to share 
> your experience with others on above mentioned forum. I hope in the end it 
> will work out ok for you,
>
> Good luck,
> Dick, PA3DUV
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Paul Whatton" <paul.whatton at ntlworld.com>
> To: <amps at contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 11:33 AM
> Subject: [Amps] Buyer beware!
>
>
>   
>> If anyone is thinking of buying gear from a US amateur please be very
>> careful.
>>
>> About three months ago I put a message in the group to say that I was
>> looking for a G3SEK tetrode board. Ian was out of stock as was Toms
>> Tubes. A US amateur emailed me to say that he had a kit which was
>> surplus to his requirements and offered it to me for $150.00. He didn't
>> have a Paypal account and I don't like Western Union so I arranged for a
>> friend in the USA to send him a USD postal order by recorded delivery.
>> It all checked out. His address is the same as qrz.com and his callsign
>> quite well known, the emails were friendly. He gave me his cell number.
>> A Google search brings up several references to him.
>>
>> He received the postal order on 16 August and acknowledged it by email
>> to me. But as of today I have still not received the boards. On four
>> seperate occasions by email or when I have called him he has promised
>> that they will be mailed "tomorrow" and made the excuse he has been busy
>> and I shouldn't worry. For the past month he has ignored my emails.
>>
>> Half of me (the warm hearted half that believes in ham spirit) thinks
>> this is all OK, that the boards will arrive eventually and there is a
>> reasonable explanation. The other half of me is getting twitchy.
>> Repeated promises and excuses. Surely it doesn't take over ten weeks to
>> mail a packet? It has also been very frustrating because I have a
>> project ready to install the boards in.
>>
>> If any of this is ringing any bells and you have a similar story please
>> contact me so we can compare notes. If any of you are thinking of buying
>> something from a US amateur, please email me off-board before parting
>> with your cash.
>>
>> In the meantime I'm taking advice and looking at ways I might either get
>> my boards or my money back. But it's not easy when the transaction is in
>> the USA and I'm in the UK. I'd welcome any suggestions or advice.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Paul G4DCV
>>
>>
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>>     
>
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