Check out what happened to me today (1 Viewer)

[jacampb]

Day starts pretty freakin' good. I'm lined up to buy a 46" Sony Bravia off craigslist for $240 from a guy wanting to upgrade as soon as I get off work. Check my iphone craigslist app and see some infinity ref 1 speakers for 7 bucks, mint. So i get off work, go buy the speakers, go home to get the truck to go get that TV, and I think, lemme check craigslist one more time. Then I see it, a 55" 120Hz 1080p insignia brand new in box for 500. I call my mom, I call my credit cards, I pool every single dollar I have available to me leaving 50 cents in my bank account, and 1 dollar on each of two now maxed out credit cards to pay this guy 485 dollars. (280 via cash, 200 via paypal for those two credit cards). He says he'll deliver it to my house even.

So i give him directions, but I live out in a rural area, and he says he's new to the area and isn't sure where I'm talkin' about. I say ok I'll meet you at walmart. He pulls up in an old cadillac with a 55" TV in a new box hanging out of the back. I've already paid the guy on paypall, and we put the TV up onto my truck bed. I give him the cash, he shakes my hand. I sort of want to check the TV to see if there's any scratches at least since I can't plug it in. But he gets in his car and leaves pretty quickly. I get his license plate number. I think, "Oh well, box is more or less brand new, who'd keep a box like that over the life of a TV until it's broken?"
Drive the TV home, open it up... no remote... no cables... no screws for the stand... and then... gigantic cracks all over the screen, plugged in I just get colored swirls and lines. Immediately call paypal, they say they can't help. Call the guy, cell phone turned off, no voice mailbox set up. Call my credit cards, they say call back in a few days when the payments have actually gone through. Call the police, they say I need to get a lawyer. But I have a total of 2 dollars and 50 cents between two cards and a bank account.


What can I do?! Might get the credit card stuff back, that's 200 back. Still 280 down. Is getting a lawyer something I should do? I mean, I gave him the money before I opened it, that was stupid on my part. Should I just try and part this thing out and cut my losses? What can I expect to get from this thing? Powers on. Could at least sell the power cord and stand. Is there any way this thing can be repaired for a reasonable price?

 

Worst part for me is that I no longer have enough money to buy the legit and very well priced Sony Bravia 46" that I started my day with and I'm back to my 30" CRT. There goes my chance at the big screen.

 

At least those infinity speakers rock

 

josh

 

http://fayar.craigslist.org/ele/1964373760.html

address to the ad before the guy changes it to read broken TV for sale. It doesn't look cracked in the picture. Either that's an old picture, the shadowing was perfect, or he cracked it on the drive down here. I'd try to think the best of the situation that he maybe accidentally and unknowingly cracked in HANGING OUT OF HIS CADILLAC, but his phone turned off is telling me something...

 

[safesinger]

You got worked most likely.

Could try returning it to the store Insignia Is a Best Buy brand I think.

This is a very long shot and BB will most likely ask for a reciept.

When the screen breaks on these things they are just not worth the cost of repair since you can get a new TV alot cheaper than what you can buy a panel of that size for.
 

Or what you could do if you had the $$ is buy that same model at BB then switch back panels and bring the broken one back in for a full refund This is as crooked as it can get but if your tight on money which it seems you are. BB will recover from that loss alot faster than you will or could.

But doing this method makes you no better than the guy that ripped you off.

 

If you read Craigslist it clearly states to never pay first for an item.
I have a minimum fee of $15 for craigs list that i'll pay before recieving an item I can see chancing a $15 purchase but anything more no way.

 

[chuckg]

200 smacker might get you a nice handgun, and a free license plate lookup.

 

[safesinger]

Hey, I may be able to have someone I know run a Tag-Talk on that tag# you have. What state are you in and need the TAG#?

 

If she can do it then you will have this guys Full name and address.

Then you can show up at his door with your request for refund.

Bring a few friends this way if he does not have your money you can take what TV he has in his house that's what i'd so for sure and would surely make sure he spends a night or 2 in the hospital.

 

[CB750]

Joshua,

 

The college of hard knocks is a valuable educational tool as long as you can afford the tuition.

 

I realize you are angry because you were scammed, but I hope you won't resort to the advise given by others to commit retail fraud on BB, or worse to purchase a hand gun and seek vigilante justice. Both of these acts could land you behind bars and in much worse condition than you currently are.

 

You may have a good chance to recover your $200 credit card transaction. As far as the remaining $280, many States have what is known as "Small Claims Courts" where for a nominal charge you can file a civil lawsuit against the guy who sold you the TV set. No Lawyers are allowed and you plead your case to a judge who makes a decision. The downside of Small Claims process is you must be able to identify the person who you are suing so they can be served with a summons. If the creep does not show up in court the judge may issue a default judgment, but collecting the judgment may be difficult.