Anyone near Oregon I think I am being scammed for 1200 dollars!!!

[AK47]

I found a Spector NS2 Bass on Craigslist for 1200 dollars. There was 4 pics uploaded and everything so I knew what I was getting and it was a hell of a deal. He wanted a postal MO and I sent him two for 600 dollars each on Monday with tracking number to his PO.

MO arrives on Wendnsday according to tracking. I E-mail and call numerous times and I hear nothing.

Today I decided to check craigslist and the same seller has almost the exact same ad except he has the cheaper Spector NS2a bass listed which normally sells for 600 dollars and no pics. He just edited the original ad and put in NS2a and put dot inlays.

My postal MOs are dated on the 5th his revised ad is dated on the 6th.

I think he is trying to bait and switch the bass on me. I dont know what to do he wont respond to my calls or e-mails.

Here is a google cache of the history I am still trying to locate the original ad with pics but it has expired.- You can read part of the description where is clearly states NS-2

http://www.google.com/search?q=spect...r=all&filter=0

Here is his revised ad:

http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/msg/983327383.html

Either he has two basses to sell or I am getting a 600 dollar bass for double what should I pay and he has not contacted me. I am freaking out.

Just so you guys know:

Spector NS2 bass is the high end all bells and whistles model that normally sells for around 1800 dolars.

Spector NS2a bass is the cheaper model that sells for around 600 bucks used.

What do I do now...I hope this is a misunderstanding but something feels really bad...

ETA: made some additions to clarify any confusion.

If you google his number you can see he has done legit wheeling and dealing in the past.

[Newc]

Hmmm. Is his name Don Billingsley?

Try here. http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

[AK47]

His name is David Walker...

[AK47]

...

[AK47]

This matches his E-mail this is getting weird...

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=413306449

[AK47]

UPDATE!!!

I have been Scammed!

The bass has been refinished and repaired! I just got of the phone with Portland Fretworks and they told me that thing was a turd that they refinished.

I am trying to get my money back in full.

[MartinBarre]

So do you have his address? You sent the money to his house right?
I'd be phoning the polis if I were you.

Good luck bro, this shite really sucks.

[phill_up]

Ouch!

http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

[joelayres]

That sucks - a $1200.00 lesson.

[AK47]

I reported the MOs "missing" to the postal inspector told him not to cash them in a E-mail and that actual got him to respond to me in a E-mail he said he will call me. I did dig up a whole bunch of information on him so I think he may work something out. I hope.

Yes this was veryyyy stupid of me. I just saw a deal that was too good to be true and jumped.

[Rsmacker]

Well, you weren't to know, just lucky you were on the ball and spotted the revised ad. You can't stop jumping on great deals just because of this, I bet we've all got tales of fantastic gear picked up fully legit for bargain prices (or missed, like the original 60's AC30 I saw listed in the local paper for £50, dismissed it, and later on that day had my friend come round with the amp he had bought and it was MINT. Boy was I sick....)
You just have to make sure there are enough safeguards in case you get scammed, rather than just buying a lemon.

(Apparently, the police are warning about selling high value items on E-bay. Buyers pay with stolen card, come and collect in person, the card gets traced and the money gets snatched back by credit card co. The seller is then out of pocket because collection in person is excluded from Paypal's T&C, so no protection. Cunts! And here's me thinking I'm far happier the buyer comes and collects, I put it in his hands and there's no later grief when he says it was left in street by couriers, or that it got broken in transit. Seems I'm wrong!)

Anyway, send someone to piss in his milk bottles.

[AK47]

Update!

So I caught the guy in the act.

Here is what he was going to do. He had a old beat up and broken NS2 and I dont think its a USA model either, refinished and repaired at Portland fretworks.

He claimed it as a original 1986 USA Spector NS2 and was going to ship it to me. Once I reported the Postal Money Orders missing he calls me out of the blue screaming and yelling.

I had to bite my lip and listen as he is in a better postion than me right now. He has my bass and my money I have neither. I calmed him down and told him I had not heard from him and was worried he may have been killed or had a heart attack or something. It was only normal after a week for me to report the funds missing to the post office.

He tried to double talk and say the bass is original and it being repaired or refinished should not matter. I told him it matters very much and pointed out my copy of the E-mails stating the cleary the bass being fraudelently misrepresented.

He agreed to a refund and claims he already shipped my bass but could not produce a tracking number. He says he will resolve everything on Monday.

I got everything on this guy in writing now. Confirmation by him he received funds, misrepresented item and a home address with full name and number.

Portland Fretworks was very open about giving me all the information about this bass and told me headstock was broken, repaired and refinished. Electronics were repaired as well since they were damaged.

[lerxstcat]

So did he try to cash the money orders and get denied? Is that what prompted him to call? Or just that you emailed him that you reported them missing?

Sounds like a real sleazebag. Even if you get your money back you should try to get him prosecuted for attempted fraud if you can. He's just going to turn around and do this to someone else.

Can you place a CL ad saying that HIS CL ad is a fraud? I imagine that even if he tried to complain about it they would remove both ads.

[Larz]

Damn bro, you haven't had the easiest of times with multiple guitars.

[AK47]

So did he try to cash the money orders and get denied? Is that what prompted him to call? Or just that you emailed him that you reported them missing?

Sounds like a real sleazebag. Even if you get your money back you should try to get him prosecuted for attempted fraud if you can. He's just going to turn around and do this to someone else.

Can you place a CL ad saying that HIS CL ad is a fraud? I imagine that even if he tried to complain about it they would remove both ads.

This is my real world view and assessment. I cant find out the status of my money orders till next week and I am speculating but I think I am 100% on whats going on.

Whoever this person is probably already cashed my MO at the PO. He then probably has already spent the money. If you look at his other ads on craigslist it says he collects scrap and is looking for a trailer for 500 bucks.

I am guessing he does meth and is freaked out I started suck a big shit fit so he is trying to buy time to sell the bass to someone else to return my money back to me. I know he is claiming he shipped me the bass but he is using that as a excuse to buy time.

I have a felling he has another buyer already that will get scammed or a bad bass. I have done my best to keep an eye on Craigslist for his relists.

I am pretty sure I will get my money back but the question is when. I do have a slam dunk small claims case right now.