The "For sale g5 dual 1.8 & 20 inch display.cheap" that attracted so much attention over last few days... Where did the thread go? Get the" You have requested a topic that does not exist! " message on it now, though the topic still displays after a search.
Did someone get either the box or screen? Was it legit? Who deleted the thread? It was from someone in Montreal, so I'd like to know in case more stuff is ever listed from ehMac member "Downtime"...

I communicated with him via email and telephone. Was ready to pay for the 20" LCD but he cancelled our deal because he found a buyer for both the computer and monitor. It was easier for him to complete the deal with one person. He gave me full details as to contact information and didn't "appear" to be hiding anything. I suppose he deleted the message thread himself . . . is that possible?

Perhaps the lucky buyer can declare himself. He was bombarded with emails.

Seems to have disappeared. According to "downtime's" email to me both had been sold. Curious as to the whereabouts of thread though. tongue.gif

YES, I'd like to know as well,
_F

only the admins and moderators can delete a thread .. the original poster can delete the initial post but not the thread.

I too was wondering where this thread went .. and the ultimate results of the sale .. but somebody thought otherwise ..

it sounds like this downtime character played a few of us for chumps smile.gif . I was going to buy the whole system for $3700, and wasw planning a drive to montreal for it this weekend. We were even working out payment when he just sent me an email saying that it was sold. Poor ehMac manners, I'd say! Playing people along like that, I have better things to do with my time!

Moderator's on ehMac make a habbit of deleting threads/posts and not leaving an explantion. I doubt even this thread wil get a response from proper ehMac authorites, if not deleted entirely without an explantion.

Not professional at all if you ask me.

I think you'd better ask the Mayor if you want to know where this thread went. And why.

Downtime asked me to delete his own thread. He was turned off by the barrage of several overaggressive buyers who started hurling false accusations.

Threads or topics are very rarely deleted on ehMac. If appropriate, an explanation is given to the originator of the topic. It's not a moderator's obligation, nor do I think it's appropriate to post a public explanation to the entire forum every-time a moderator exercises their judgment.

Mr. Mayor I respect your decision, and nor do I think it's necessary to post a public explanation everytime.

But let me just say this:

how can misrepresenting himself to MULTIPLE buyers be a false accusation.

I will not deal with him again as he has proved himself to be untrustworthy.

I've said my peace

_F

How did he misrepresent himself? Is it really the case that details of the deal were such that he 100% guaranteed to sell to anyone here or is it that people are upset that they didn't get in on a really good deal?

If someone is getting multiple offers on a piece of equipment, they CAN pick and choose who they want to sell it too. I'd be inclined not to sell to someone who was being rude and over-aggressive.

It's quite common to entertain multiple buyers when selling privately. All too often several people jump on a sale and then back out. I've been burned several times when trying to sell something... several people express they really want to buy it. I pick someone to sell it to and tell the others it's sold... then the buyer than backs out of the deal.

It's a complaint I've had several times in fact from people selling items on ehMac. They've made a deal and a buyer backs out. Same for buyers wanting to make a deal and the seller chooses to sell to someone else.

Unless something is implemented like a formal auction system on ehMac, it's bound to happen sometimes. I'm willing to entertain ideas. (Time is a real scarcity at the moment to implement those ideas, but in time...)

Hi Gang,

I am the hopeful buyer regarding downtime's system.
I have communicated with him via both phone and email, and he has been pleasant and prompt in responding.

He did mention he was inundated with inquires (hence his desire to remove the thread), and was suprised at how quick some members were to "judge" whether the deal was on the level or not.

Anyways, payment is to arrive tomorrow, and the system is then headed my way.

I'll be sure and let everyone know how it goes !

graemlins/nuts.gif

I was one of the people interested in the LCD. I definately wasn't trying to be rude towards downtime. I was a little upset that I wasn't officially notified it was being sold to someone else. Instead I had to publicly inquire to get an answer. :(

But as I said I didn't take it personally. He sold the two items together which is what I think he was looking to do in the first place.

Thanks for clearing the air a bit. The thread just disappearing made the whole thing seem even more suspicious...Personally, I think threads like this should stand as is, perhaps locked when the item is sold-they often give a pretty indication of some citizens' characters, hints of whom perhaps to avoid or whom to consider for other deals. Ditto with completed deals where the offering/initial price is replaced with a SOLD...we lose another view at what a similar item might be worth/go for, etc. As before, there was obviously too much gratuitious commentary in a for sale thread-things that should be expressed or asked of the seller via email or pm, rather than in a public forum...Otherwise this whole enterprise descends to Usenet newsgroup levels ;) the Horror!!!

Well, fellow EhMac-er's, things dont look good.

After continued promises that "it will be shipped today", I still dont have the system, and he of course has the money.

If I dont receive absolute confirmation that the sytem has shipped tomorrow (Thursday), I'll take appropriate action.

sigh....

:mad:

Sorry to hear about that man ... I hope everything works out OK. I don't like to burn somebody's thread but something just didn't "feel" right and I thought I would "voice" my concern in the original thread.

I guess I offended the seller a bit by doing that as he sent me a few nasty emails saying so, but it just reinforced the thought that something wasn't on the up-and-up. He never offered proof and just called me names for "ruining" his thread. I guess he didn't appreciate the fact that somebody might point out the truth.

I hope this works out for the better ... for you and the overall trust of this board

thats horrible..
perhaps its the same guy ripping people off from former 'macwhizhsop.com' spoken about Mac Rumors Forum


How did you pay?
If you paid via CC call them immediatley and have them do a charge back..

If for some reason you piad via bank money transfer/western union..... yikes

Oh Lord, Macmaniac. I hope all ends well for you.

I dunno. The fact the guy is still responding to email is an indicator that things may work out.

ask the mods here to check the ip address of the original host...
track the s-o-b

I dont think this is gonna work out, seemed to good to be true...
Threaten to call the authorities...

Seems a liitle strange that this seller "Downtime" strung along all those who could show in person to purchase but eventually sold it to someone across the country ..

yeah, well eBay isnt the safest place either..... i turned this guy in over a month ago when he first listed these G4's, eBay suspended him for less than a week then reinstated him for some reason.???

here is the report I sent eBay ( he was suspended the same day)

From: discoveryarts@bellsouth.net
Date: Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:06:59 AM US/Eastern
To: discoveryarts@bellsouth.net
Subject: Report a listing you think is fraudulent (you didn't bid)


Report a prohibited item or listing policy violation > Fraudulent listings (illegal seller demands, you didn't receive item, etc) > Report a listing you think is fraudulent (you didn't bid)

Item number(s):
2779982506 $US US !44400! 101103 ?01 -01


Message: this seller has only been a member for a few monnths.... buying relatively low $ items.... now suddennly he has 4 $1000+ Mac's for sale, offering FREEE shipping (NO local pickups-I emailed and asked him) and only taking M.O. or Checks.

I so far have a 100% rating in turning in frauds for eBay, and this one looked suspicious. I could be wrong, but things dont look right.

...the suspension email I recieved on him...

From: ended@ebay.com
Date: Thu Jan 15, 2004 11:20:52 PM US/Eastern
To: discoveryarts@bellsouth.net
Subject: TKO NOTICE: eBay Bid(s) Cancelled

Dear *********** (discoveryarts@bellsouth.net),

Please be aware that auction:2779982506 -G4 DUAL 1.25 GHZ IN ORIGINAL BOX! FREE SHIP! has been ended early and your bid has been cancelled. Please note that we have recently ended all listings for the seller ryansathlonas it appears the account has been compromised and used by an unauthorized third party. The seller's privileges to trade on eBay may be temporarily suspended while we investigate this matter further.

So when reinstated he turned right around and ripped off Mac peeps for over $8k..and his account is still active.???

http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=lunchboxes

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51035&item=2781323036
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2781322917&category=51035


* Im posting this so peeps can see an example of a scam.things looked fishy to me, so I asked him if I won if I could pick up locally (lol even though I live 1100 miles from him) his responce was no... I replied back with " how odd" he said "actually, thats alot better than risking an encounter with someone i deal with online. nothing odd there."

*hope this may help someone down the line in spotting flags of a scam. :mad:

[ January 30, 2004, 09:41 AM: Message edited by: LucK ]

....also, maniac, if the deal does happen to go bad ( hoping for the best (took close to 2 months to recieve my QS I bought from a respected forum) ) maybe a couple of these fellow mac "local" members could drive by his residence to help verify things or info that you may need. I got burned on eBay last year for about $1k US, unfortunately the guy was 2000 miles away, sure would have been nice to of known someone that lived near him :D

I do appreciate all the feedback folks, thanks !

Here's the latest: the final straw has just fallen, in that he was supposed to have the package ready for Fedex today, claimed it would be, and now has the nerve to state "there was no waybill".

I have issued him a final statement, in that the system must be shipped tomorrow, as he has all the necessary info (my address, phone number, and Fedex account #) and has no more excuses.

Should he fail to deliver and ship the system tomorrow, I'll pursue all necessary legal means against him and recover not only his debt to me, but any damages incurred as well.

graemlins/ptptptptptpt.gif

I live in montréal. If I had seen this before I could have been used as middle men.. sucks...

if you have no good news in the next few days, email me and I will see what I can do!

I'm in Montreal too, keep us posted.

By your previous post it looks like you have sent him a money order (payment will arrive tomorrow kinda gave me an indication).

I hope he didn't give you a drop address.

Hope it does turn out well for you.

these 'too good to be true' deals should only be pursued if local pick up is an option.

i really really hope you sent a cheque and not a money order. his last message to you makes it look as though he's stringing you along until the cheque clears.

cancel the cheque. if the funds haven't cleared yet and you can't get to a teller, transfer the funds to another account and force the cheque to bounce.

that's too much money to be playing a game like this with.

on the other hand, if you did send a money order and it is a scam then why would he still be in communication with you?

Mr, Mayor can we get this moved to another forum so it can continue?

much thanks
_F

This thing smelled fishy to me back when it first showed up. I had to reset my bullsh*t detector twice while reading the thread.

Still...I hope it turns out OK. :confused:

Still wondering, what happened with this deal?

Did you finally get the goods?

I do remember the ad, and I thought: too good to be true. I just don't remember the specifics especially about the seller. On Magic website (you go to it through Macdoc's site), there is this ad:

Factory Dual 1.8
with 9600
with BlueTooth
with Combo

The seller says that it has been used for about one hour. Again, I say I don't remember the specifics about the seller of the original ad. I just find this coincidence rather "near".

it's a different seller ( kgeorge i think) who has also posted here. seems legit.

the ad that has caused the controversy was for the g5 plus a cinema display.

You're right, Bloodyface. Sorry about my haste.

Hi Gang,

OK, its (almost) over. What a nightmare. Gather round, and I'll tell you a dark tale....

The seller "downtime" (I'll refrain from posting his real name) was the worst seller I have ever dealt with (and thats after using Ebay for 7 years !) His communication skills consisted of stalling, lying, and email messages written all in caps (screaming).

All seemed rosy at the start, he faxed me the original invoices from BMac in Montreal, written to him, and the serial numbers all checked out (I'm a service tech). We then exchanged personal info, and spoke a number of times on the phone.

All seemed fine, and I sent payment ($3800) in the form of a bank draft (= cash) the next day (Thursday) via overnight courier, which he received on a Friday. According to him, the funds were released on the following Tuesday (seemed reasonable), and the machine was to ship the next day via Fedex ground C.O.D. He stated (he tried a number of times, and) there were issues shipping with Fedex ground C.O.D, so I finally told him to ship it overnight (expensive !!!) via our Fedex account number.

:rolleyes:

I'll spare everyone the gory details, but suffice it to say dealing with this guy was worse than pulling teeth. After calling/emailing him repeatedly, I finally lost it and told him ship now or face the (obvious legal) consequences (thankfully, I have numerous clients who are big time lawyers).
The following Monday he left a message stating the Fedex tracking number, and the packages arrived this Tuesday.

I have pictures, but the simple fact is he packed a DP G5 and a 20" Cinema display in 2 thin cardboard staples boxes, with nothing but loose newspaper to protect them !
Well, the G5 was toast upon arrival (thanks to Fedex+downtime !), but miraculously (it really is incredible), the display survived !

My only salvation is that he did follow my instructions and insure the package for 4K, so I currently have a claim with Fedex, which will hopefully result in a replacement G5.
Otherwise, I'll (legally) pursue him for malicious intent.

- lesson a: some people are jerks (I have to keep reminding myself of this)

- lesson b: I should have taken advantage of either an Escrow service, or retained the service of a fellow Ehmac member in Montreal (to those members who generously offered to do this - thanks !).

- lesson c: insure ALL your valuable shipments (with Fedex) !


graemlins/love2.gif
A big thank you to the Mayor, and all the board members who helped me to resolve this ! Community is truly wonderful.

(I'm now heading out back to hack a certain effigy up with a machete...)

Glad it appears to be working out for you. Still, what a freakin' nightmare, and what a cautionary tale for the rest of us. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

That sounds almost malicously deliberate, packing the equipment in so shoddy a manner.

If you sent him payment, why was he shipping it COD?

perhaps the g5 was dead before he sent it?

You should check. this is probally stolen..
it sounds as if you have been shipped a stolen or dead already g5....

good luck with insurance...
althouhg I have made numerous claims with fedex and never one have they paid out..
there is always a clause or something they find to get out of this.. like perhaps if the system was stolen merchandise..

you will be extremely lucky if they just hand you a cheque for 4 grand...
I think you should still threaten to sue this guy.... or tell him you want your money back and if u don't get it you will sue..

why should this be your responsibility...

In loose newspaper?? What an absolute moron! No one could possibly be that stupid.

For such an amount as you paid, I suggest paying by a certified check written on it: For deposit only. The seller has to deposit in his (hers) bank account. Harder to swindle. Of course, an escrow service would be nice. If need be, ship a box to insure proper packaging.

Express post by Canada mail has VERY reasonable shipping price and is VERY fast, like next day from Toronto to Montreal.

Good luck in all this.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but good luck collecting from FedEx, in the shipping business thin boxes and newspaper = "improper packaging"...claim denied.

There's a reason Apple and other computer makers will send you an empty computer box to ship returns or repairs in.

Courier/freight companies use forklifts, pallets, conveyor belts, rollers, etc. the stuff gets shaken and stired on trucks and in trailers...or in containers during rough landings.<g>

FedEx will tell you straight out, that the packaging must withstand a three foot drop...the height of their belt/roller system.

I heard with Canada Post that even with insurance, it only covers lost items, not damaged..

No Canada Post covers damaged Items. Its just like pulling teeth to get it though, its MUCH easier to get the money if the item was lost, not so easy if its damaged.

Basically the rule of thumb is ship it in ATLEAST the packaging it comes when you buy it retail. The reason behind this is the company that made it in the first place had to have used proper packaging to meet regulations. Anything else and good luck getting that claim..

If you sent him payment, why was he shipping it COD?Yeah, really. I'm confused.

COD is when you pay on delevery, yet you had already paid him before hand...

A few more details to help clarify:

- I know the machine isnt stolen, as I spoke to BMac where it was purchased, as well as the fact that the system is detailed on the original invoice, which I had faxed to me.

- Fedex did come by, take a few pics, and said I would hear from them next week. They also mentioned that customer service has recently had their asses kicked for taking too long to resolve customer claims. So far they have been responsive.

:confused:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but good luck collecting from FedEx, in the shipping business thin boxes and newspaper = "improper packaging"...claim denied.

There's a reason Apple and other computer makers will send you an empty computer box to ship returns or repairs in.

Courier/freight companies use forklifts, pallets, conveyor belts, rollers, etc. the stuff gets shaken and stired on trucks and in trailers...or in containers during rough landings.

FedEx will tell you straight out, that the packaging must withstand a three foot drop...the height of their belt/roller system. I will concur. I had a $1200 LaCie ElectronBlue 22" monitor damaged in transit and the shipper sent it in broken styrofoam. I had no recourse from the seller (As-is) and the UPS denied the claim. My credit only gave me $500 as a coverage for the deductible for my home insurance. My home insurance denied the claim because they don't cover this.

Basically, if you've seen the recent W5 exposés, the insurance companies are out to covering their asses and denying as many claims as possible.

I wish you luck with FEDEX, but don't be too optimistic. :confused:

You are all focused on FedEx paying a claim .. and you're not going to get it.

GO AFTER THE SELLER - why should you pay for his incompetence? If he was such a dweeb to package a $4K computer in a $2 box and newspaper then this becomes HIS responsiblity. If you have no recourse then sue him in small claims court in his region, you can hire a paralegal for a few $$ and they can represent you in court on your claim. He obviously didn't know how to package a system - at worst he misrepresented what he was selling and it was already broken.

Did the packaging have exterior damage corresponding to damage on the system? (eg: was it dropped, kicked, punctured?) If not, I would be very suspisious that the damage wasn't already done. Now that FedEx has examined the package and system - have you taken it to an Apple dealer to see if it's repairable and what the problem is? Apple makes a pretty solid system that can withstand some bumps and bruises. You purchased, in good faith, a working, valid system. The one delivered to you was not. Return for refund .. and if he refuses, threaten to sue, and if he still refuses, then sue.

This is NOT your responsibilty, and as FedEx will soon tell you, not theirs either. Put this were blame truely lies, on the shoulders of the seller.

Yup
It is all the sellers fault! Take him to small claims court if you must, and you will win for sure.
I dont know if you can collect any additional compensation, but what a waste of time.
I sold an old Sawtooth G4 , but shipped in original Apple packaging. Otherwise I would not have done so.
I have done a lot of shipping of delicate things through ebay mostly, and loose newspapers will not cut it.
What a sorry tale. Good luck.

I think the COD part was the courier (FedEx) billing. It's always a good idea to ensure that the goods are being shipped in their original boxes. If not, then its unlikely they will be packed correctly. If the unit was used for a short time, why weren't the boxes kept? Even Dell packs its crap in good boxes and Apple boxes are works of art.

I guess the potential buyers who lost out on the deal are relieved but it sounds like Macmaniac is going through a real ordeal. Since this board is based on mutual trust that's built up over time, I think it would be reasonable to require all buyers and sellers to certify that their contact information/profile is correct and that should anything untoward occur, that their profiles will be clearly marked as "Buyer Beware". The only problem is that such rules cannot be retroactive. While the EhMac board has no liability in what is posted, such pointers and threats of public consequences might encourage better behaviour.

The unfortunate and cruel reality of small claims court is thus:

Most people find some way to dodge the payout. Only the seriously rich are ever forced to actually fork over the cash. If you sue your neighbor for a thousand bucks and win...you will, most probably, never collect the money. There is no real enforcement for this.

Just the way it is. Sorry..

I don't think you can sue out of province.
The great thing about small claims is that it screws a persons credit rating. I beleive that to be the bigger damage. I've threatened deadbeat clients with it and surprise, payment is received within a day or two.
Robert

This deal stunk like stale fish from the very beginning. :rolleyes:

I feel for you macmaniac, and I truly hope that you manage to get a satisfactory resolution. No one should ever have to go through something like this. Especially in a community like ehmac. :rolleyes:

I am not happy about this. Not at all. :mad:

Just wondering: can you sue someone (via small claims court) if they live in another province? And if so, where do the proceedings take place, in the plaintiff's area or the defendant's (i.e. Toronto or Montreal)?

You can sue out of province. Huge hassle, though.

For a pickup, I'm not sure fedex shouldn't be responsible. If the packing is obviously deficient, they shouldn't pick it up. If they pick it up and destroy it, they shouldn't complain about deficient packaging.