Blatant Fraud against XJ forum member - take note

Google: Fraud
#1 Wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.

Beware of certain ebay XS / XJ parts seller in North Dakota (go ahead ask me his ebay name) who is developing a following, in more ways than one, for really bad dealings.

Sold my XJ11 and XS11 Standard then bought a doggey XS850 triple with a bad wire harness in August.

This is a case of outright fraud and deceptive sales practices by listing an item using a misleading description; making false statements.

Asked this Ebay re-cycle seller in North Dakota if he had any cutting issues with his wire harness [a direct email question]
he replied; "All known issues are always disclosed" = a bald-faced lie.

Ebay was absolutely no help 'cause the seller withheld an Invoice and lied to them saying he hadn't been paid. I paid with previously & mutually AGREED upon Western Union Money Order; I have my receipt for the exact amount made out to this seller. He just shelved the MO then waited until after the case had been decided in his favor via Ebay's default stupidity.

Early Sept.
I complained Not-As-Described - he then agreed to a full refund if I would send the part back; in writing and verbally.

Three weeks later: "Not my part" he claims (its the Exact same ----- part!).
Have plenty of pics of his harness and my bike with non-functional one still aboard.
I also have pics of his crappy, hacked up harness sitting on my kitchen floor - an exact match to his ebay listing pics.

Ebay tossed out my claim simply because it wasn't paid via PayPal.
Seller gets to keep entire sum, I got nothing but a hard time and a really bad experience.

The capper is this Seller had the gall to imply I was using extortion against him, IN WRITING, well before I'd even sent the part back and before he'd seen HIS part, in the same box, in the same package.
All of this because I asked for a full refund.
He even called me screaming and yelling because I dared to give him richly deserved negative feedback. His emails are full of outright lies, myriad accusations and hyperbole that would make a tabloid editor jealous. Nice.

Seems as if someone else had already pulled a mine-for-yours switch on him in the past (speculation) and he was looking for a way out. When I called him at his business Aug. 31st. he was full of lame excuses;

Me: "Don't you check your parts BEFORE you sent this kind of junk out?"
I_S "Well they're all that way." on and on ...

My case is pending against him and against Ebay in California and North Dakota via their States Attorneys for FRAUD.

Beware of this seller.

My Feedback rating on Ebay was/is 100% for SIX long years.

Epitaph:
Ebay is not a shadow of what it once was. These rogue pirate sellers just make it a lot worse for everyone in a down economy. Well documented fraud cases have become legion against once mighty ebay. Too bad; its hard to watch this company falling toward to a grim and nasty end.
Like it or not I have to keep my account open for records access pending the outcome.

This guy's user name is readily available: Just add the word for Iron_ along with a synonym for horse. He's based in Valley City, ND.

 

Sorry for your issues but...

Non-paypal transactions are a major modern red flag...

 

I got horribly ripped off by a salvage guy who responded to one of my Uneedapart http://www.uneedapart.com/used-motorcycle-parts.php listings. Sent me a half-complete box of rusty junk and flat out didn't include other items he charged me for.

Luckily, I had paid him using my check card, which happens to be through Mastercard. Although it took two and a half months, they returned every penny. My PayPal account funds through the same card.

Oh, and it was Ben Caldwell of Caldwell's Motor Toys in Russell, PA. Ben is a very bad man, stay clear of him.

 

"Western union" the payment of choice for all scammers - mostly those that frequent Nigerian internet cafes!

 

On most money orders, I believe you can cancel it at any time if it is not cashed

 

Agreed. Money order payments are not disputable, and are a major red flag if a business won't accept payment that can be disputed like paypal, credit card, etc. Like Fitz mentioned, debit cards can be disputed also, but I worked in the fraud dept for a large bank and like he said they do drag their feet, and wait on purpose to refund your money on the last possible day. Checks are bad also, they cannot be disputed easily and if the person is a scammer you just have gave your bank account and routing number to a thief.
You only have 45 days to report fraud through Reg E, so if you're working on a deal with someone, and you paid them, and things start going sour and it's approaching the deadline, it would be a good idea to request a refund and file a dispute to protect yourself, the seller/scammer is probably stringing you along until you can't dispute it.

 

Well, what's his name? Both his "real" name and ebay name?

don't you love it when ebay always decides in the other guys favor?

Stop being afraid to name him, don't believe that pile of crap that "he's going to sue you for lible" Trust me, crooks wouldn't get within 10 feet of a lawyer!!

So, go ahead and share........

I was ripped of by John Debeck of Wisconsin...and I actually dare the mf to even show himself to me......see, it's easy to name a crook by name!!

jeff

 

Iron_Stallion > is the seller in the article.
BBB says he had a prior consumer case in 2010, as usual, there's no details.

Adding Insult to Injury Dept. >
Western Union will verify any Money Order payment; for a FEE -
a whopping $15 charge must be paid - up front ...
then one can obtain a photocopy of the MO front & back.

Right or wrong, I / we assume most ebay parts sellers are [were] on the up & up ...
Not any more .... reading about similar goings on on other forums / lists.

Guess I was "lucky' it was for a relatively small amt. compared to the $2500 some poor buyer was scammed for recently on ebay. That case is also in court.

 

Always try to stick to paypal. Ebay will not let you post ads anymore requesting money orders or checks. This being why. They have pretty much went over to paypal only. So as a buyer never use paypal, and as a seller, it is against Ebays policeis now.

Good luck with that, I hope it works out for you. I have been buying and selling on ebay for a long time with very few hiccups. Never have I ran into anyone trying to scam me that bad.

 

Sorry to hear your hassle, but I gotta agree with Hasersys.

Dave F

 

Paypal is the reason I don't buy anything through ebay anymore. I think ebay tried to mandate Paypal as the only payment option in Australia a few years back... and got slapped down for it.

With all the nasty things I've heard about them, do you really think I'm going to let them anywhere near my bank accounts?

 

I have been using paypal for years now with only 2 issues that were resolved faster than any of my banks would have taken care of. Just like most customer service it is out sourced to India( I am guessing), but they seem to be fast about the service, and very easy to work with. Now if you want to use a money order there are to many ways to be scammed and no customer service. If you do not want to use Paypal I suggest you just stay away from ebay then, but thats just my personal experience and opinion.

Paypal is the safest way to protect the buyer and the seller. Back when money orders where commonly used on Ebay I had been scammed. Thankfully it was only $13 worth, but there was no way of getting it back.

Goodluck.

 

That's just wrong! People like that shouldn't be allowed near a computer and probably should be in jail. They hurt all the legitimate ones. Being far away makes these cowards bold. I've been burnt on international shipping both ways-receiving and shipping. Always use your own credit card or some other secured way of paying when not doing it in your own county/state. Read the fine print and make sure the company (CC or otherwise) will back you up in the event of fraud. Discover is really good at this and so are others. So sad there are so many of these pieces of #$% out there. Thanks for the warning.

 

Ebay owns paypal, thus the reason they "require" it for "secure" payment. Getting ripped off is part of doing business whether its online or in person, it happens occasionally. Its unfortunate, but That why I will never do ebay business with anyone with less than a stellar reputation and at least 100 transactions. Its just not worth "that cant pass up deal"

 

Taildragger,
I could sit here and tell you how for three months now, one of my paypal accounts has a 3 week hold on my funds even though I’ve never had a complaint because pp says “due to the high risk” simply because the numbers are large. Or how ebay has jacked their fees 5 times the rate of inflation but instead I’m going to tell you a little story…take a little heart from this and hopefully, you’ll walk away from this a little smarter and with a little different attitude instead of being so irate and upset over this whole deal.
I actually recognize that seller. I’ve bought from him before although he's usually too expensive and wants too much for his junk. Most of those wreckers affix a label or sticker to their parts to ID them as theirs. If a part is returned without the identifying mark, they assume it’s not theirs. They have been ripped off by liars too. Most however, are just trying to break even and maybe even make a few dollars.
As you might know, I restore bikes as one of my hobbies. I don’t make a big deal and post every bike I restore on the forums and I don’t need the affirmation from others to validate me in any sick way but suffice to say that I buy a lot of stuff on fleabay because I take old parts and make them look new instead of buying NOS or new repro parts for a restoration…..a lot of stuff. Typically I’ll buy anywhere from one to three thousand dollars worth of stuff each and every month….…so that’s a lot of stuff, at least to me it is and it gets me well over $100 in ebay bucks everytime they send it to me so they must think so too. The delivery guys and USPS probably think I’m a dealer since I get so many packages.
The only reason I’m telling you this is to lend a little credibility to what I’m going to suggest. I’ve had my share of bad sellers and in fact, I’m in a row with one now….”Lazyman41” over him listing a set of chrome fork ears as “VGC” and his only picture was from the front which of course showed nice chrome fork ears. When I opened the box, the backs are covered with rust. So, who’s right here? Can I expect a seller who shows only one side of something and states that they are in Very Good Condition to mean that the hidden sides are in the same condition as the visible sides? I don’t really have an answer to that. I wrote to him and his response was that of an A/H so he chose his own path forward. I never asked for my money back but he got very defensive when I suggested that listing something in VGC and showing one side infers that the hidden parts look just as nice.
The end result is the point I’m trying to get to…..it isn’t worth getting so bent out of shape. I have 30-80 good transactions every month, yes once in a while something goes bad and a seller lies. That is just a sad fact of life, that there are liars. We run into them at work, on the street and on unfortunately on ebay…..I simply blacklist them and move on. I’ll dick with this guy just to twist him but in reality, I don’t really care and I’m suggesting that you adopt this attitude too. I used to get all wired up and be out for blood and “Justice” because it was a matter of “principle” but in the end, I was only hurting myself and my relationships by being so angry…..there comes a time for a little bit of wisdom. I’m sorry that you got ripped off. I’m sorry that you lost your hard earned money and I’m sorry that the seller doubted your integrity since that what I think really has bothered you more then the money. A word of advice though….let it go….go find your part elsewhere and finish your project……..and you’ll be happier for it.

Good luck,
jeff

 

Jeff -

Funny you should mention this... I'm coming to the same point in the road.
Life is too short and there's many ways to enjoyment; like what you're doing.

Thinking about crafting new custom tank logos & stainless side covers as a specialty; offering them on this site & others.

Projecting forward to handmade unique pieces for XJ / KS bikes to start.

This pay day means ordering the Eastwood Sandbag & Tear Drop hammer kit. Being a navy trained machinist I love metalworking.

The pics are an example of what can be done with just a little effort (Chrome XS and XJ Spider cover not my work).

Cheers, Rob

 

Well said Jeff.
That happened to me too, I found a replacement side mirror for my Monte Carlo that the motor stopped working. I found a deal on the whole assembly and bought it. Well, the seller took a picture of mirror part, but didn't show that the painted part was scratched and gouged and beyond any reconditioning. They didn't leave me feedback, and this was when if you left negative feedback they left it too. Not wanting to risk my 100% I just sucked it up as a bad transaction and took the motor out of their junk one and put it in my mirror assembly.

 

I got burned by a dealer out of texas.

Ordered oem valve shims-they replaced the oem with aftermarket
parts-lesson learned.

I've found a sure-proof fix for all my future part needs.

XJ4EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good 'ol Len has never let me
down.

 

Sometimes it's just not worth it. I got a 550/600 clutch assembly off eBay that the seller had turned in his photos so the broken ear on the basket didn't show.

But I only paid $10 for it, and the plain plates and hub were in perfect shape.

'Twarn't worth the fuss. Just made it very clear in my feedback what had happened.

 

evn in fdbk, its hrd to sa vry mch snce u only gt 1 sntnce....


lol, makes you kind of wish you could leave at least a paragraph but again, you would end up stewing over something that simply isn't worth the rent in your head......that's why when I'm selling, if someone has a question about anything after a sale, the first thing out of my mouth is an offer of 100% refund...funny, but no one has ever taken the refund....

jeff

 

I have over 110 transactions on The Bay and have a 100% rating.
I "won" a service manual for $17 that was never delivered, and Pay-Pal refunded my money.
Some guy would not collect my money for TURBO shocks that I "won" , but I didn't lose anything. Guess he wanted more than $20.26 ??
I won 2 Maxim turn signals for $20.00 shipped, but one was horriblly rashed. I was refunded after complaining. (and kept them)
I won "Ferarri" (spelled wrong) sunglasses and got a full refund, as they advertised them as Ferrari. (kept them too !)

It's buyer beware on E-Bay. It is an auction of stuff the seller does not want and does not want to see again. I've had pretty good luck.

 

Today I received a used, original XS850 Wire Harness from a real savior.

All this time my bike hasn't been usable; from 8/6/11 through today with no headlight, no starter button, no turn signals and spark plugs misfiring.

To date it still has its factory oem wire harness aboard.

The seller falsely stated, “Its not my part” as if I could suddenly make another functioning wire harness appear from a secret stash; thinking I’m some treacherous dealer in junk wire with plenty of used 850 wire harnesses just laying around.

Jerry [from Triples forum] sent me his spare wire harness to replace the piece of junk harness that Iron_Stallion sold me on 8/22/11 after first declaring in writing; "All known issues would be disclosed".

Thank heaven for the good and honest riders on these forums.

Rob

 

hah, I used to live in your neighborhood.


(edit: went to look it up and I lived a couple blocks from 1100 EAST Prince Rd, not West. I lived in Tucson for 8 years. I still have some very good friends down there. )

 

I'm glad that you got your parts. Its a sucky feeling to have a bike that you can't ride......and the upside is that you were able to warn a couple hundred folks about a bad seller!
Jeff

 

It can happen on ebay, it can also happen right here. I lost some shims to a fellow in Jeffersonville, IN, who has still not returned anything to me. After several emails reminding him, and some pm's that I've sent.......still nothing. Not planning to name names (yet, at any rate) but maybe he'll read this and actually send the other shims back.

On the other hand, I've had most of my best transactions right here, too. Many of which had payments and items cross paths in the mail.

Dave Fox

 

Yeah, I've still got some shims floating around out there somewhere too; plus a kid that owes me $15 for a clutch pressure plate who signs in once every 6 months or so and promises to pay me then disappears again.

Then again, I just did a "crossed in the mail" type transaction with a member with no issues whatsoever.

 

I've got one of those 'I'm sending the gauges out to you' things going on right now too. Was supposed to get a new set of faces last year. I understand that things can happen. But when I get the every so many months apart emails that say 'I'm sending them out....." and nothing shows up, welll.........eventually I'll learn to ignore them and go on.

On the good side....I did just receive a real nice part in the mail yesterday from another list member and should be receiving another within in the next week.

The issues are the rarity..........the awesome transactions, friendship, business and comeraderie far exceeds anything else here.

I'll try to stop griping now, go lick my wounds and shutup.

Dave F

 

Resurrecting this thread, because of an article I saw over on fark.com.

Cats 1, Kids 0 (Regretsy)

I'd love to give you that fire truck, Timmy, but Paypal says cats are more important than people in need (Fark.com comments)

Paypal was flooded with complaints, and eventually reversed course, but needless to say, this isn't always the case.

 

paypal and ebay are great if you're a buyer..
seller however, ebay doesn't really stand by, even though the seller is what keeps ebay afloat... proof in point that a seller can't leave negative feedback..
I feel sellers should be able to leave poor feedback if they lose like 2 cases or something...

I have 116 feedback transactions, 100% feedback, I always provide a tracking number... guy doesn't get item 10 days later, blames me, opens case, ebay hates me, tracking number shows i dropped it off at the post office but nothing else... our post office is the size of a storage unit... it's not sitting around in our post office.. after many nasty emails he finally reveives the wheel, he acts like i only just shipped it after he threatened me, he turns out fine.. me? I get a paypal hold of 30 days on all received funds... I have had probably 3 cases against me from either ignorant buyers or slow shipping... i've won them all..
I've got another round of stuff to sell on sleaze bay, i'm not looking forward to it.

 

I was done with them when they refused to handle my case properly / intelligently. Even after I sent them the Official US Postal Service Proof of Delivery for the payment and sent comparison pics of his nasty part they stonewalled the entire mess.

Found out this no appeal / flat / unresponsiveness is common company policy at their San Jose HQ [you won't find it in print anywhere on their site]. Its how Ebay not "handles" customer complaints, valid or not. Despite being wrong / mistaken / uninvolved they won't admit to it and they won't give a buyer a refund even when its due unless the buyer takes Ebay to court and sues the pants off them.

The only customers the firm really values are big volume sellers. People with thousands of transactions, not in hundreds like you and me.

So, like Dave said - I found my wire harness part elsewhere. They lost any chance of my being a mc parts volume seller [i.e. having an ebay "store"].

Now I have my own online store / domain doing eCommerce.
Its SBB Custom aka streetbikesandbetter

Rob and Family
That's what is called "moving on".

 

Ive tried selling stuff on ebay before and found the whole process to be a pain. Adding every individual item (figuring out what they are. I have a box of old yamaha parts all pre 80's), your only aloud to have up to 10 items as a new seller. Id rather just throw my stuff up on a site like this and have some one buy it ALL. Any one want a box of old yamaha gaskets?

 

Bobby,

PM me......let me know what the gaskets are -- I might be interested!

Dave F

 

Holy crap! I just googled his company and found like 4-5 pages talking about how horrible this guy is... read about a guy (out of literally more than 20) who actually showed up at this dudes place of business and from the description it's apparent why they are the way they are. And PayPall all the way, I've used Western Union with members on here and with Chacal, but that would be about it.