Name and Shame???

[TheGreek]

Mods please feel free to move this if needed...

 

Anybody who knows me knows that I love a bargain....one appeared on Gumtree earlier in July - Dual Gig bag - for two basses. Selling for £35!! (In hindsight, maybe too good to be true)

 

I contacted the seller - remains nameless for now - we had a exchange of messages and a price including postage was agreed. I paid by Bank Transfer . 

 

Seller says he'll put it in the post tomorrow - tomorrow comes and goes, he says that he has posted it but provides no tracking info. Several days pass - I'm still asking for the tracking No - he's being evasive. Bass DOESN'T arrive as scheduled. I get back to the seller who claims it was delivered Friday at 8am - eventually gives me the tracking No - I check - parcel "delivered" to PF Central Hub, Coventry - Friday at 8pm.

 

I contact PF. They think it contains musical instruments but it's insufficiently packed so can't deliver - I explain there are no instruments, just a case. Really helpful agent says that he'll try to get it released but that I should ring again on Monday.

 

Monday I ring PF again - apparently it isn't my address on the parcel - they advise I go back to the seller, get him to apply for a refund as the parcel is now outside the Guaranteed 48 hour. They will only discuss the release and address issues with him.

 

I go back to seller advising the above and ask for a refund - all correspondence has been through Gumtree - no email, no phone number - You will never believe this - he's gone silent and doesn't (still hasn't) answer any of my messages. 

 

I contact Gumtree - they can't/ won't help with a refund.

I go back to PF - I have no contract with them - he booked the courier - they can not discuss releasing the case or a refund to me.

To the Bank - apparently by using a Bank Transfer my payment's not protected and they will not recover my money even though he banks with the same banking group. 

 

I'm not left with many options - Small claims court, (for £40) which I'm considering - along with Naming and Shaming.  He does have other items or sale on Gumtree so I was considering getting somebody to contact him with the aim of "buying" one of them, get his number and email address.

 

Please note that I'm pretty confident it isn't our old friend Mr Mason, but it seems like he has sold it to more than one person - a la Mr Mason.

 

Name & Shame - should I? Would you?

[asingardenof]

On the basis that you're going the MCOL route anyway, and have resigned yourself to never receiving the item, then as long as you're 100% factual in what you say then go for it.

[Lozz196]

As above Mick, I can’t see any issues in simply putting the truth to text

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Gumtree is for buying/selling when you can transact face to face.

[Burns-bass]

6 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

Gumtree is for buying/selling when you can transact face to face.

I’ll be honest and say this is my first thought too. I’d never send cash to anyone through FB, Gumtree or anything like that. 
 

Hopefully this is a misunderstanding or miscommunication and will be sorted soon. 

[Reggaebass]

I’ve only ever bought and sold face to face with gumtree and Shpock, there is no cover at all as far as I know,

but to answer mick , If you feel it will do some good naming then I can’t see a problem, good luck 

Edited August 2 by Reggaebass
Spelling

[nilorius]

Situation where prices fly on their own rules.

[Doctor J]

Name and shame, 100%.

[snorkie635]

So sorry to hear of your plight here Mick. Best wishes whatever you decide.

[Supernaut]

Name and shame otherwise a clickbait thread. 

[prowla]

Sorry to hear your issue. 
We had an situation a while back where there was a scammer selling the same item to multiple buyers; the loud and clear message was don’t use unsecured means to pay up-front to people you don’t know (PayPal F&F, bank transfer, etc.). 
That seller gave several people the same shipping ref as proof of posting. 
If you’ve decided it is dodgy then it is a good idea to report to the police and get a crime reference number. 
Hope you get it sorted. 

[Paul S]

For £35 I'd take it as a cheap life lesson and move on.  There is a danger it will poison your mind for months otherwise.  Life is too short. 

[Jo.gwillim]

On 04/08/2024 at 08:55, Paul S said:

For £35 I'd take it as a cheap life lesson and move on.  There is a danger it will poison your mind for months otherwise.  Life is too short. 

Yes that's the buzzer for me, the feeling you can't trust people hurts more than the lost 35 quid.   It's a life lesson no-one should have to learn. Hope it works out. 

[miles'tone]

Write it off as a lesson learned. Move on.

[PaulThePlug]

Name and Shame for others awareness, then move on...

[Japhet]

Never pay by Bank transfer unless you're 100% confident who you're dealing with. I was caught once for £2,500 when I thought I was dealing with a proper company. Turned out it was some scumbag masquerading as a legit business and a check at Company's House showed he'd made a career out of going bust owing God knows how many people money. I got his address but in the end decided I didn't want to get locked up.

[Dan Dare]

On 04/08/2024 at 08:55, Paul S said:

For £35 I'd take it as a cheap life lesson and move on.  There is a danger it will poison your mind for months otherwise.  Life is too short. 

 

This, but name and shame anyway (assuming he's operating under his right name, which is doubtful) in the hope someone else may be spared being scammed. And never pay by bank transfer. Ever. Who doesn't have PayPal these days?

[prowla]

1 hour ago, Dan Dare said:

 

This, but name and shame anyway (assuming he's operating under his right name, which is doubtful) in the hope someone else may be spared being scammed. And never pay by bank transfer. Ever. Who doesn't have PayPal these days?

And not PayPal F&F!

[Kiwi]

Generally we would discourage naming and shaming unless there is irrefutable evidence...which means the necessary legal standards of acceptability.  FWIW in the case of Mick Mason, he's shamelessly promoted himself and there are multiple 'witnesses' all supporting the same conclusion.  Other cases may be less clear.

[christhammer666]

clickbait

[TheGreek]

Despite all my efforts to resolve this amicably, the seller has become invisible and is refusing to answer any of my messages - he isn't even reading them - had he, there would be a second tick in the message record. Bank, PF and Gumtree will not intervene or moderate.

 

My only option is Small Claims Court but I would need his address to serve the papers. Nobody will provide me with this.

 

I am therefore forced into Naming and Shaming this individual - a Mr Kenneth McFarlane of Drylaw, Edinburgh. "My bank details are sort code 80-46-69. Account no 01001771. Account name mr Kenneth McFarlane."

 

 

He was also selling several left handed basses - seemingly sold. He currently has the following items for sale - https://www.gumtree.com/profile/account/42ea679c931341e260b8422addc067df

 

If anybody knows Mr McFarlane and can convey my disappointment, my preferred outcome would be the item I paid for, failing this a full refund.

 

If the mods wish to see evidence of the transaction I can provide this on request.

 

 

[MacDaddy]

38 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

My only option is Small Claims Court but I would need his address to serve the papers. Nobody will provide me with this.

 

Try the Electoral Roll. Do a search of Edinburgh Council.

[MacDaddy]

47 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Despite all my efforts to resolve this amicably, the seller has become invisible and is refusing to answer any of my messages - he isn't even reading them - had he, there would be a second tick in the message record. Bank, PF and Gumtree will not intervene or moderate.

 

My only option is Small Claims Court but I would need his address to serve the papers. Nobody will provide me with this.

 

I am therefore forced into Naming and Shaming this individual - a Mr Kenneth McFarlane of Drylaw, Edinburgh. "My bank details are sort code 80-46-69. Account no 01001771. Account name mr Kenneth McFarlane."

 

 

He was also selling several left handed basses - seemingly sold. He currently has the following items for sale - https://www.gumtree.com/profile/account/42ea679c931341e260b8422addc067df

 

If anybody knows Mr McFarlane and can convey my disappointment, my preferred outcome would be the item I paid for, failing this a full refund.

 

If the mods wish to see evidence of the transaction I can provide this on request.

 

 

 

You can report a bank account you believe is being used for criminal activities.

Contact Action Fraud.

You can also report it to the bank, it's a Bank of Scotland account, and they are part of the Lloyds Banking Group.