How about public introductions BEFORE buying from the classifieds?

[Yohan]

I have just gone through one of the most bizarre ettempted transactions for the purchase of an item I am selling here on SS and think others may benefit from a requirement for new members (unless it already is a requirement?).

Without getting into tons of detail, I was contacted by a new member with ZERO posts who committed to buying my 106mm RR mount U-bolts for the M274 Mule for a total of $110.00 shipped anywhere in the CONUS (as the ad stated). The first contact was oddly worded via an email and I thought it was a scam, like the one where someone agrees to buy your car for their agent, but wants to send you a check for more money than the car and send the extra back to them kind of scammery. The "buyer" didn't say this in the email; it was just strange in the wording and direction to caontact him with no explanation as to why I had to contact him. Turned out he is located in Italy and I told him shipping may be extra. The "buyer" clicked the "Commit to buy" link in my SS ad. I gave him my address for his contact in the US to send the MO. Then he wanted me to send the item to his contact in the US and his contact would pay the shipper. Then he wanted me give him my number so his contact could call me. I got the contact's # and called him, but didn't get to talk long and I never called him back. Then the "buyer" PM's me and says his contact said my address doesn't exist! I told him to let me know if he is sending payment or not so I can relist the item. Then he PM's that I should call is contact and find out what the problem is myself! I just PM'd back and basically outlined how totally strange the whole exchange has been and respectfully backed out of the transaction.

My point is, is there (or shouldn't there be) a requirement for new members to introduce themselves in the public forum before they can buy anything from the classifieds here on SS? I'm not saying I have dealt with a scammer in the above experience, but it had my "Spider Sense" tingling from the first contact I got. Enough that I contacted a moderator and did some of my own "detective work" on IP's and the US contact. Could the classifieds be blocked to new members until they have posted once in the "Requirements for new members" section? I may be over-reacting here, but it wasn't like I was arranging the sale of an $800,000.00 M60A1 Main Battle Tank???? The whole thing was too weird. Just my .

 

[emr]

I think it may be a time of things that has come, along with the rule post and a suggested reading list of the new member, of things that may contain posts like, batteries,tires, tow bars, with all the things that a Military vehicle site as harmless as ours is,and has in it, it may also show we are already taking steps to keep our hobby in order and SS may be on the fast track for this..good post, ...never a such thing as to safe, once i had a Humvee at my place for a friend for sale and a middle eastern gentlemen and his buddy came to look at it, they wanted it for hobby use, yet had no real hobby knowledge, I fowarded his number to the FBI # in the phone book in our area, and stated it is probably nothing, but..." I am sure it was nothing,

 

[m16ty]

I don't think you even have to be a member to read the classifieds. You may have to be a member to get your e-mail address (unless it's posted in the add), I don't know.

 

[tuff-truck-guy]

hmm thats a good idea, now that i said that i'll prolly get shut down on my first buy off the classifieds

 

[LanceRobson]

Wouldn't you like to get a hold of the guy and slap him 'til the snot is running down his chin?

Lance

 

[wreckerman893]

While I feel the pain of our friends across the pond in regard to getting parts I do not sell to over seas parties mostly due to the probs described in the first post.
This is in addition to all the scams going on.
I am also currently fighting a virus that invaded my computer through a link I clicked on that was supposed to show Russian Military Bases.
I've spent 130 bucks at the puter geeks and still can't use my primary laptop.
If the guy has a communication prob (can't speak English) he should ask someone to assist with his transaction.
Too much spooky mojo going on for me to hassle with stuff like this.

 

[Yohan]

He wrote English OK, though you can tell it's not his first language. His contact in the US had a thick accent and I think his email address means "sun" in Czech. The thing is, the "buyer" sent a picture of his mule and accoutrements that looked like it was in a meuseum, though he said it was his store in Italy. I encouraged him to post here as many folks would enjoy seeing his collection. With all the 106mm RR's in Spain, one would think he could get the U-bolts somewhere there. It just didn't make sense how we kept going around in circles when the transaction would have been so simple.

I guess I will have to put a disclaimer in my ads stating that I will not sell to anyone who doesn't post an introduction in the open forum.

 

[Dodge man]

I don't think that a seller would gain much just by a buyer posting an introduction. After all the information in the introduction could be completely bogus. I would suggest that sellers (AND buyers!) use a bit of common sense, especially in odd transactions such as these, and one of the logical things to so would be to look at the number and/or quality of the posts made by the other party involved. As an Ebay buyer I routinely check the feedback, shipping requirements and conditions that E-bay sellers have and I FREQUENTLY refuse to deal with some E-bay sellers because of their excessive shipping charges or unreasonable terms and conditions. Unfortunately, that's a necessity/cost of doing business by long distance and that applies to any non-face to face transaction whether it's on SS, E-bay or even non-internet.

 

[Yohan]

My thought was that it would be less likely that a scammer would want to post anything if he were going to pull something funny. If he did post and he did pull something, the more info out there (like what IP addresses he posted from?) would be better than nothing if any criminal action had to be taken. Probably more times than not, that "feeling" we get about things serves us pretty well if we listen to it. I just backed out as gracefully as I could without trying to make any enemys.

 

[popacom]

Yohan! popacom / BILL in Ky here. another thing we need to take into consideration here is that even though
the parts you were contacted about are old school parts they are still listed as munitions list items MLI for
short and are a restricted export component which selling outside the CONUS can get your "TIT IN A TWIST"
with uncle sugar Via the state dept. guys in the hobby should be aware that just cause YOU have it you are
not free to sell outside the U.S. without prior approval. This is why the people that sell on here and e-bay will
state" DO NOT SHIP OUTSIDE CONUS or NO EXPORT ON THESE ITEMS. And take it from me the question of
someone was trying to rip you off or not will pale in comparison to having the Feds climb up your keester for selling
or shipping an MLI(Munitions list item) or a SLI ( Strategic list item) they have no sense of humor on this subject
and people that do this either by not knowing the rule or choosing to dis-regard the rule, put all of us who
enjoy playing with this stuff at the risk of loosing what we now enjoy to more stringent rules or banning
private ownership of said items. Well that's my hope it makes everyone realize it is our responsibility
to know and obey the rules governing ownership/sales of these items.


Thanks for my time on the podium and I yield the remainder of my time LOL!!!!
popacom

 

[WillWagner]

I went thruogh a similar issue with a mess of M151 heaters I had. This guy from Italy somehow got my cel # and said he wanted to buy all I had. he talked a good talk, but the shipping was turning into a joke...send them here and i'll arrange shipping through a "contact". After a week of bantering back and forth through e-mail, I declined the sale. Then this guy gets real pushy and starts harrasing me and talking smack. I finally had to block his calls and e-mail attempts.

On another note, I DID sell about 25 heaters, one at a time, to a single guy in Italy that has a surplus store. He was very polite and didn't care that the shipping was more than the product. He finally told me he was selling them for the sum of $500. USD over there

Maybe we need to have an iTrader type of thing?

 

[Yohan]

Good advice, papacom. All these are, are U-bolts!