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I may be missing something here, but didn't forum member Greg Houser post earlier in this thread that he had actually had transactions with this gentleman at a MacDonalds parking lot? As big a fan of pitchforks and torches as I am, wouldn't it be prudent to maybe hear what Greg had to say about this person and his impressions before we call out Barney to fish out his single bullet and protect the citizens of Forumberry?

John

Last edited by John Meyncke

They would look better photographed on the infamous "park bench" ?  

rtraincollector posted:
wild mary posted:
Matt_GNo27 posted:

If a seller refuses to take PayPal, insisting on cash or money-order only, I consider it a red-flag. It is a deal-breaker for me.

As a seller I only do checks.  If it's a regular on the forum I'll ship as soon as I have an address.  If I don't recognize the buyer I wait until the check clears.  As a buyer I'll only do checks.  I don't do any business that involves PayPal or money orders.  It's that simple.

Just curious as to why you only do checks. I personally won't take checks. ( theres to many places that will take checks out there no matter who it's from)  You have backing with paypal. Checks or cash only are red flags to me. ( that includes money orders )

This sounds like a guy who is living out of his car. And probably uses something like McDonalds hot spots etc. Or Libraries 

  If you don't do cash, check, or money order, what do you use? 

   Cash, check, or money order never got folk's unrelated business accounts locked over a high dollar item and a scammer holding the accounts hostage wanting it for free. I discontinued PayPal for a good reason Any one of the accounts had at least ten times the items value. There was no reason to lock three.

 I have and had neighbors that sit in their cars all day. I think it's the air conditioning, radio, quiet, and/or cigarettes.  

 I'd sooner do a Craigslist meet up than a FB "mail order" ad without a history. The dual address is unfortunate too.

  My buddy once had a chance to sell to two guys going door to door hunting oddball stuff. It seemed too odd to him so he freaked out chased them off giving the plate number to the local cops. I felt bad, they seemed odd, but ok..... Those two had a show on TV a year or so later called Pickers 

Untidy menaces working out of a vehicle, had to up to no good  

The problem paying by check is that out here in western Oregon it is simply unwise to leave an envelope with a check inside in your mail box for carrier pick up. Raising the little red flag invites problems. Mail theft is all too common and the miscreants know little punishment awaits them when and if they're caught. I drive all checks to the Post Office and mail them inside. I prefer PayPal. It's quick, simple and offers the buyer some level of protection against fraud and misrepresentation.

Here's one of our more prolific thieves.

Craigslist is to many scammers. Sorry but I've seen it happen. If you deal with Craigslist and checks, your asking for trouble. They have your item and you have a dead check to nowhere. As it has a fake acc# on it and all. Columbia, S.C. had a rash of that about 5 years ago. They also, at high visibility areas, had where they would rob you. They where not scared. 

Last edited by rtraincollector
Volphin posted:

Seems I heard of a train store robbed in PA a few years ago... it was posted here on OGR, I just don't recall the name.  He could be finally unloading some goods...

Volphin:

There actually were at least two train stores in PA that were robbed; I was friends with Ed Forsythe, the owner of one of them.  Ed passed away earlier this year but, when I visited with him last year, he told me the police had caught two of the people responsible for the break in at his store.  A third person who had been involved was killed before the police could find him.

Ed told me very little was recovered at the time the arrests were made.  Interestingly; he helped the police identify the suspects when one of them posted an engine for sale.  Ed contacted the seller and asked enough questions to identify the engine as one he had in his shop at the time of the burglary.  He then went to the police with the info and they followed up, arresting the fellow who was listing the engine. 

Curt

juniata guy posted:
Volphin posted:

Seems I heard of a train store robbed in PA a few years ago... it was posted here on OGR, I just don't recall the name.  He could be finally unloading some goods...

Volphin:

There actually were at least two train stores in PA that were robbed; I was friends with Ed Forsythe, the owner of one of them.  Ed passed away earlier this year but, when I visited with him last year, he told me the police had caught two of the people responsible for the break in at his store.  A third person who had been involved was killed before the police could find him.

Ed told me very little was recovered at the time the arrests were made.  Interestingly; he helped the police identify the suspects when one of them posted an engine for sale.  Ed contacted the seller and asked enough questions to identify the engine as one he had in his shop at the time of the burglary.  He then went to the police with the info and they followed up, arresting the fellow who was listing the engine. 

Curt

Thanks for the update Curt.  If there is one thing I absolutely cannot stand, it's a thief.  I'm sorry to hear about Ed's passing.  

In the past few years several trains stores have been burglarized and looted. Eds Trains in Burnham/Lewistown PA was one. While Ed is no longer with us, we cannot accuse anyone and its difficult to tell where these trains originated. The only way would be to match the theft list with the items for sale but anyone who sells from his car and who is unknown in the model train community does arouse suspicion.

John Meyncke posted:

I may be missing something here, but didn't forum member Greg Houser post earlier in this thread that he had actually had transactions with this gentleman at a MacDonalds parking lot? As big a fan of pitchforks and torches as I am, wouldn't it be prudent to maybe hear what Greg had to say about this person and his impressions before we call out Barney to fish out his single bullet and protect the citizens of Forumberry?

John

John - that was a totally tongue-in-cheek response.  I should have used a different emoticon.   Sorry for the confusion.

-Greg

 

 

Keystone posted:
Volphin posted:

Seems I heard of a train store robbed in PA a few years ago... it was posted here on OGR, I just don't recall the name.  He could be finally unloading some goods...

I think that was English's Model Railroad Supply in Montoursville, PA. and Ed's near Lewistown, PA

OGR Forum thread

The thief/thieves who broke in English's Model Railroad Supply removed a small lower wall panel from the outside which gave the thief/thieves access entrée under one of the office desk. Don't know if they stole any of the late Lou English's collection.

 

I have not had a single problem in selling items to OGR Forum members with payment by check or money order. I usually wait for the check to clear before shipping unless I have had previous transactions with the buyer. I have sold many items over the years since the buy/sell forum was initiated and a few before that! And most items were sold without photos. There are many generalizations in this thread that are questionable - the bottom line is to have reasonable trust and not to be too cynical!

Greg Houser posted:
John Meyncke posted:

I may be missing something here, but didn't forum member Greg Houser post earlier in this thread that he had actually had transactions with this gentleman at a MacDonalds parking lot? As big a fan of pitchforks and torches as I am, wouldn't it be prudent to maybe hear what Greg had to say about this person and his impressions before we call out Barney to fish out his single bullet and protect the citizens of Forumberry?

John

John - that was a totally tongue-in-cheek response.  I should have used a different emoticon.   Sorry for the confusion.

-Greg

 

 

Greg, 

Understood, no problem. Everyone have at it.

John

Matt_GNo27 posted:
Allan Miller posted:
wild mary posted:

As a seller I only do checks.  If it's a regular on the forum I'll ship as soon as I have an address.  If I don't recognize the buyer I wait until the check clears.  As a buyer I'll only do checks.  I don't do any business that involves PayPal or money orders.  It's that simple.

That's pretty much the way I do things as well. I don't do PayPal, and prefer checks, although I also accept money orders. If the buyer is a forum regular or someone I know, I tend to ship the day the check arrives, or often enough even earlier than that.

Allan—and Wild Mary, too—I'm curious, if you don't mind me asking, why don't you do PayPal? Did you you have a bad experience? Did you hear a horror story? Or are you wary of linking it to your bank account or credit card?

Tom Tee, have you had a buyer claim bad product and lost your money through PayPal? Did you ask for photos of the damage and/or ask that he return the item?

—Matt

Matt,

I'm currently fighting PayPal for a refund on a Lionel PRR 4-4-2 Atlantic #18095 that I bought off Ebay. It was supposed to be NIB, but arrived in used condition with obvious roller and wheel wear. Also the locomotive would not accept TMCC programming. The seller posted a refund which I confirmed with Ebay, but PayPal is refusing to credit me the money.

Haven't given up yet, still fighting it.

I have successfully bought many items off the OGR For-Sale list from members using checks and money orders without any issues.

Bruce

Last edited by PRR Bruce
PRR Bruce posted:
Matt_GNo27 posted:
Allan Miller posted:
wild mary posted:

As a seller I only do checks.  If it's a regular on the forum I'll ship as soon as I have an address.  If I don't recognize the buyer I wait until the check clears.  As a buyer I'll only do checks.  I don't do any business that involves PayPal or money orders.  It's that simple.

That's pretty much the way I do things as well. I don't do PayPal, and prefer checks, although I also accept money orders. If the buyer is a forum regular or someone I know, I tend to ship the day the check arrives, or often enough even earlier than that.

Allan—and Wild Mary, too—I'm curious, if you don't mind me asking, why don't you do PayPal? Did you you have a bad experience? Did you hear a horror story? Or are you wary of linking it to your bank account or credit card?

Tom Tee, have you had a buyer claim bad product and lost your money through PayPal? Did you ask for photos of the damage and/or ask that he return the item?

—Matt

Matt,

I'm currently fighting PayPal for a refund on a Lionel PRR 4-4-2 Atlantic #18095 that I bought off Ebay. It was supposed to be NIB, but arrived in used condition with obvious roller and wheel wear. Also the locomotive would not accept TMCC programming. The seller posted a refund which I confirmed with Ebay, but PayPal is refusing to credit me the money.

Haven't given up yet, still fighting it.

I have successfully bought many items off the OGR For-Sale list from members using checks and money orders without any issues.

Bruce

If you pay your PayPal account with a credit card, you would have leverage with PayPal as you could put in a dispute with your credit card company against a  PayPal charge that was not fair. 

Man has this train left the tracks.....

Sure someone selling from their car is odd, so what, don't like it, don't buy from the guy.

There are pros and cons to each payment method discussed, don't like one, don't use it.

That so many place an absolute trust in the buyer protections offered through either their credit card or PayPal, is interesting that it allow the buyer to forgo common sense and use of their own judgement as they feel free to act without possible downside risk. A bit of either common sense or judgement might reduce overall fraud, which in the end we all pay in some form or fashion --  when the bank repays you, they get their money back from us all. There is no free lunch.

 

 

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