Fraud and scam, how many of you are victims?


I was a victim of the most unpleasant experience just recently.I thought i was buying a preamp, but it proves i have been sending money to a scammer. It turns out the seller had been using a stolen ID and digitally manipulated photos.
I managed to get in contact with the fellow whos ID had been stolen, and it proves many more have been scammed like me. I'd like to point out that this is NOT through Audiogon, but another big sight.

Utterly painful when it's borrowed money. This makes me totally rethink any future purchase on the used marked.

I wonder how many of you fellow audio-friends have had this happen to you?

rird
PayPal has NEVER EVER let me down on the buy side.If a seller becomes uncommunacative a dispute always snap them to attention.
I've always wondered how so many people can send a private person in a distant land (meaning too far away or impractical to drive to for whatever reason), and hope they receive the item they thought they were buying.

Depending upon your budget for this compulsion, the cost of used equipment ranges from a few hundred to thousands and/or many, many thousands. 

Even if the seller is legit and its not defective and/or misrepresented, I don't trust UPS, FedEx or the USPS to appropriately handle sensitive electronics...that's why I only buy locally ... which makes it very difficult to find something specific ... even in S California ... and especially so at this point in time when everybody has money to spend thanks to ..... never mind!
Post removed 
Someone mentioned buying only from reputable dealers like Upscale or Safe and Sound.....both of which are outstanding audio stores.

How about Soundstage Direct??? They "were" also thought to be an honest retailer. Right up to the point they knowingly took paid orders and never delivered. I lost over 5K on a VPI table that I never received. 

Seth at Soundstage should have been prosecuted. There were dozens of people that were stolen from along with me. Yet anytime this is mentioned in one of these threads....its deleted.

My point is...there is always risk when buying online.