Buyer: Scott Meece (from Lillington, NC)
Sold on: Raleigh, NC Craigslist Photography section
Note: Since this is not a forum sale I'm posting here so that, hopefully, a lesson will be learned from my experience. Thanks for the advice I've received from members of this forum via this post. All 84 of those posts really helped guide me through this experience.
I posted an ad on Raleigh Craigslist selling photography equipment worth more than $500. The following took place over approximately 35 days and 25 emails.
02/02/09 - Received email from above buyer stating interest in purchasing the items. Could not work out meeting time (he lives in Lillington, NC) so we agree that I would first send the items, then he would send a check. (don't ever do this). I had his model mayhem, myspace, photography website, and spoke to him about drag racing photography, etc and all seemed to indicate he was a legitimate photographer so I thought I could trust him.
02/04/09 Items sent.
02/05/09 Items delivered to buyer.
02/11/09 Six days pass with no contact. Emailed buyer, who states he received items in good working order. States he will call me, though I never spoke with him.
02/19/09 8 days pass, No Check. Email buyer regarding payment not received. States payment was sent 02/11/09 but "don't show records of the check going through...it was done via our business account. I am going to put a stop on that check and just send out another one from my personal."
02/26/09 7 days pass. No Check. Email buyer regarding payment not received.
03/01/09 3 days pass. No Check. Email buyer at his regular email address and contact him through Myspace.
03/02/09 Next day his wife contacts me through myspace stating does not know what is going on, and she will find out.
03/04/09 3 days pass and finally get response from buyer himself, who states: "once again I have mailed that check out...... This is really getting to be annoying..."
03/05/09 States he "actually copied the envelop before I mail it out this time." (spelling) and that he would "make sure the address is correct." (he didn't)
03/10/09 Five days pass and still no check and no follow-up email. Email buyer again and ask "Did you send it registered / certified mail with return receipt?" and offer to drive to him to pick up payment if necessary.
03/11/09 On the sixth day of no contact I contacted the local police department as it has been 30+ days and no payment has been received despite repeated emails. The officer comes to my house and I show the officer copies of all correspondence. I was advised to send one final email requesting payment within 48 hours. If no payment is received, they advised that I file a complaint with the county court system. So, I emailed him once again stating the above to buyer. Responds immediately (within 12 minutes) stating that he will send payment (third time). The next day, I received a package that is (literally) several individual pieces of cardboard duct taped together into a makeshift box. It contains payment for two of the four items along with the remaining two items. One part of one of the items was physically taped to the outside of the box because he states he forgot to include it inside the box after it had already been packed.
Note this is approximately 25 emails and 35 days later, so at this point I am simply happy I got anything.
Moral of the story:
1. Do not send items without getting paid first; just because it is a local transaction does not mean you can trust the person.
2. For some good advice on craigslist transactions, seethe thread that got me through this. Thanks for the help guys!
