Family and Friend payments are OK with great past feedback from sellers. The reason for family and friends' requests now is due to sales being taxed by Paypal even though as we know we never see that money we pay off for the gear that is being replaced. I have purchased items that way from long-time Goners. The Scammers go looking for those who want something almost for free. $15,000 Mark Levinson amp for $2,600...wow! and like-new condition from their pictures used. The thing is this is a group and they use different states for their ads across the country so this is a planned endeavor. Buy from long term Goners with feedback and you are good to go.
Fraud Ads Have Been Posted Lately
I have noticed over the past few weeks ads selling gear at ultra-low prices which is too good to be true. $15,000 amps for $2,500 and so on. They all have one thing in common the date they became a member of Audiogon in May. They have addresses across the USA, and great photos of the gear, but that is to make you think it is a steal of a deal. I reported these to Audiogon and I hope they can stop them. Pair B&W 802D for $2,800 if I recall. I know we are wise but as you know we are always looking for a good price and these folks are praying on that. Too good to be true, no time on Gon and NO customer feedback stay away from them. Just an FYI.
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@phillyb +1 |
continual fraud from experienced fraudsters, whom the police cannot stop, is also common. Repetition leads to an increase in sophistication of the methods. Look up ’john Bowering’ at canuck audio. (web search). He’s a serial fraudster who’s been near impossible to stop, in some 20 years of defrauding people in high end/vintage audio.. There are many people who would like to rain physical harm down on this guy. A long long list of people. It’s a frightening look into the problems with prosecution even if you know who the fraudster is. the guy is so close to taking a beating from those trying to ensnare him so they can deliver said beating..that he plays games like a hostage taker looking for a bag of cash from the police (Drop zones, watching people from afar at the given meeting points, etc) . he’s so well known that this is part of his ’fraudster’ package of contacting buyers and sellers. it’s some seriously freaky stuff going on there. Not all Canadians are good guys. Remember Trevor! (GTA V). Point is, if you can’t name names directly, not much can be done to retrieve funds or property. And if you know who it is exactly, probably near impossible, even then. the modern environment, economically and socially, and legally...is turning it all into a no show regarding any efforts of police or police interest, even if it is a serial defrauder who’s lifetime known totals come well into the hundreds of thousands of $. |
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