Deals Gone Bad

I've probably done well into the hundreds of audio transactions over ebay, audiogon, USAudioMart and individual dealers  over many years. Quite a few have been international, only one issue and that was from seller in my home state. My greatest problem has been shipping cross borders with US Postal Service, customs big issue here, I avoid them if at all possible, shippers acting as brokers better proposition. As for buying and selling I look for long term, large number of feedback, also conversation via messaging.  Perhaps I've been lucky?

It’s a shame that your federal government has forced everyone away from PayPal. Then again, PayPal is complicit in this theft. 

I refuse to buy without a FaceTime conversation with the seller. It's amazing how well this works as a BS/Scam filter. 

I second oddiofyl on TMR - Joshua and team are really great.

Never gotten fully burned (worst example is that I bought a Technics tonearm on EBay and the tonearm lift didn't work).  I did have one example where a guy in Europe was listing a pair of Amati Homages at $12k that I thought seriously about buying. Had limited but all positive feedback, but he required a wire transfer. I was a little concerned, so asked for home address and phone number.  Did a google search on the address and it was basically a parking lot in an industrial area.  That was a big red flag and I ceased contact.  About a month later another Audiogoner bought the speakers, sent the wire, and the seller disappeared (the buyer posted about it).  Dodged one there.

In short, trust your instincts and don't be embarrassed about asking for an much info as you need to make yourself comfortable with the deal

I guess I have been lucky.  I have made several large purchases both here and on US Audiomart, the biggest being about $7K.  I have never had a problem over the years, although I. Think that scamming seems to have become a lot more prevalent in the past few years.  I always use PayPal or some other buyer protection, and I always make sure that it is shipped with full insurance.  The couple of times that something arrived damaged (both subwoofers, ironically) I was refunded through PayPal (although the seller refused to take responsibility for it arriving undamaged) and in the other, the subwoofer arrived at the buyer’s working fine but a nick in a corner, and I gave the buyer all of the proceeds of the Fed-X insurance, so the sub ended up costing him about $50 and he was happy.  In my most recent purchase, for $7K, the seller would only take PayPal F&F, because of the change in IRS tax regs on such sales.  I was nervous and skeptical, but he had lots of positive feedback, quickly responded to emails, gave me a legitimate address, and we spoke on the phone.  I took the chance and everything was perfectly smooth,  The moral of the story is that due diligence it’s important nowadays.  Does the seller have positive feedback?  Does he quickly respond to emails?  Does he have a traceable telephone number?  Did he give you a legitimate address?  Does the address match up to PayPal’s shipping address? On the phone or by FaceTime, does he sound legitimate or is there something that triggers your “spidey sense?”  This vetting isn’t foolproof for a real professional scammer, but is very reliable.  For even larger purchases, I would investigate an escrow service rather than PayPay F&F.  I recently saw a MSB Reference DAC for $25K (retail, over $50K) that I contemplated, but being sold out of Dubai.  That would be a classic escrow company purchase.  And if that was unacceptable, “if its too good to be true, it usually is!”