China Scam

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Don't want to start a war but the only time I was scammed was from a USA based on-line chandlery. Took the money (a couple hundred bucks) but never sent the goods and then went silent. Maybe 8 or 10 years back. It took awhile (like almost a year) before I got my money back via the CC company.

No war here. there are scammers everywhere i suppose. Maybe use Paypal or order off of ebay. That way you can get your money quicker.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

BTW, exactly what was in the package?
Jim

Appear to be children necklace beads.

[wingssail]

I have had good luck buying from Chinese merchants. Some slow and many with poor language skills, but honest in the end.

My last two shipping failures were with USPS and UPS from USA marine merchants. One case the item just "disappeared". A claim was filed and eventually paid by UPS.

In the other case the (two cases actually) USPS handed the shipments off to a Mexican Postal Service and the items got lost, for weeks, never to be delivered. I finally tracked them down to a back room in a local post office and collected them. Turns out USPS does not pay them enough to actually deliver the packages, and anyhow they don't have a truck or driver. Meanwhile my vendors shipped the items again using FedEx. I got them in days.

I don't generalize and certainly don't avoid vendors because they are in China.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I have had good luck buying from Chinese merchants. Some slow and many with poor language skills, but honest in the end.

My last two shipping failures were with USPS and UPS from USA marine merchants. One case the item just "disappeared". A claim was filed and eventually paid by UPS.

In the other case the (two cases actually) USPS handed the shipments off to a Mexican Postal Service and the items got lost, for weeks, never to be delivered. I finally tracked them down to a back room in a local post office and collected them. Turns out USPS does not pay them enough to actually deliver the packages, and anyhow they don't have a truck or driver. Meanwhile my vendors shipped the items again using FedEx. I got them in days.

I don't generalize and certainly don't avoid vendors because they are in China.

When I was cruising in Mexico, it was more than once that cards and letters were often "lost". It was speculated that the possibility of money in those cards and letters might have been the motivator. I live on my ranch here in Ca. Our problem is mail thieves able to sneak up on mailboxes or packages left at the beginning of a long drive. Problems exist everywhere.

I was just sharing an incident that happened to me.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Appear to be children necklace beads.

Or...dehydrated transmission parts! [emoji6]

[Island Time O25]

What were the alleged savings, i.e. the market price vs. that seller's price?

[gonesail]

No matter what they say: I like using PayPal as well. In this case it's another layer between you and the people trying to get your money.

[boatman61]

I got scammed over a new laptop battery..
Bought from what appeared to be a UK site only to find the reciept of payment came from China.
No battery has arrived 6mths on and despite early contact with PayPal.. no refund either.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

What were the alleged savings, i.e. the market price vs. that seller's price?

Ok...this is where you really get to laugh at my foolishness. A TMC 60 transmission is normally around $1200. It was advertised $97. as surplus.

Originally Posted by gonesail

No matter what they say: I like using PayPal as well. In this case it's another layer between you and the people trying to get your money.

I'm hoping I get my money back but not the end of the world. I used Paypal for the exact reason you are stating.

Originally Posted by boatman61

I got scammed over a new laptop battery..
Bought from what appeared to be a UK site only to find the reciept of payment came from China.
No battery has arrived 6mths on and despite early contact with PayPal.. no refund either.

This site gave no indication it was China until I clicked the purchase button. Then when I saw contact information, the cat was out of the bag. It wasn't until I had to repeatedly ask for tracking that I thought something was up. That's when I contacted Paypal. I immediately got a tracking number which was different than the one they gave Paypal.

[zeehag]

bought alleged birkenstock shoes via online source... got a tracking number that didnot work and filed a complaint with paypal..i get my money back. the alleged birkenstocks were cheap less than half price china made knock offs. bait and switch happens.. i figger just donot fall for it. now i just go to mexican sources to supply the items i need.
for online purchases paypal does supply decent support.

[Cheechako]

So.... Saturday I received a small package from China. Inside was a fancy looking POS watch. Nothing I ordered, no papers or anything. I'm wondering what kind of scam this is. The watch is so cheap, if you turn it, the minute hand flops back and forth!

a couple years back I bought a casual shirt off a Facebook ad, it was a long time coming. I ordered a Large, the shirt was labeled Large but it was probably about a woman's Petite #4!

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by gonesail

No matter what they say: I like using PayPal as well. In this case it's another layer between you and the people trying to get your money.

Yep anything I use only once or is iffy I use Paypal. Easy refunds if "not as described"

[Baba Buoy]

Tracking number information does not contain address information, so some scammers send a small package to an address near scammed buyer to acquire a tracking number. PayPal will rule in favor with a seller in a dispute of nondelivery, because the tracking number shows the item had been delivered. You could ask for more details from the post office, but they consider such info proprietary. If you push post office long enough, they can provide you with such detailed info such as package weight, and you can use it in your PayPal dispute. It also helps to pay for PayPal purchases with a credit card, so you make two dispute complaints for one scam. . I have had many good purchases from China, so a few lemon purchases is price of business so to speak.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

So.... Saturday I received a small package from China. Inside was a fancy looking POS watch. Nothing I ordered, no papers or anything. I'm wondering what kind of scam this is. The watch is so cheap, if you turn it, the minute hand flops back and forth!

a couple years back I bought a casual shirt off a Facebook ad, it was a long time coming. I ordered a Large, the shirt was labeled Large but it was probably about a woman's Petite #4!

Ahhh...I thought that was you!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Baba Buoy

so a few lemon purchases is price of business so to speak.

I would rather turn that around and say that other sellers loose out in China since i will not do that again...and that is their price for doing business not mine.