QTH.COM Swap Chat

I noticed that many so called "expert traders" on this board recommend UPS, FDX over the USPS (good ole Post Office) when shipping your goods. While it is true that the private companies have better tracking ability than USPS, but consider this:

Shipped your stuff with UPS, FDX....:
When you get rip off by a scammer, the best you can hope for is a civil action settlement (small claim). You will get a "I'm sorry I scammed you" from the scammer and your money back after you proved your case against him/her in civil court AND only after the judge ruled in your favor. You may have to travel to his/her state to initiate your civil action. You will have to pay for filing fees, and any other court cost before you can get your case heard......on and on and on....get the picture?

Suppose the guy sent you a box of rocks and call it your radio. Do you think UPS will help you out? .....NOT. UPS will tell you that they have done their part delivering the package to you in one piece. You are now on your own with your PET ROCK. So much for the "tracking" feature eh?......

Shipped your stuff with the Post Office....
You will be covered under the USC (United States Code). It is a felony (this means jail time for repeated scammers) for violating the Mail Fraud Statute. You don't have to travel anywhere but to your nearest post office to file your complaint. It is free, all you need to give them is the facts. You will get your money if the item is insured (lost, damage ect...). Priority Mail service has improved significantly lately due to stiff competition with the private sector. You can expect your package to get there within 2 to 3 days at a much much lower cost. I know...I know...we all heard the horror stories but how many actually experienced them?

It gets better since California is a 3 strikes state. Each of these conviction counts as one. After the third strikes he goes bye bye. This knowledge alone will encourage an average scammer to think twice. I always remind this fact to the guys I'm dealing with. I insist on using the post office and twice I got guys changed their minds (they want to use UPS) and cancel the deal. This might explain why I never...I say again...NEVER got scammed. This same rule applies to Postal Money Order.

Something to think about when you ship.

A few words of wisdom from a "NO CODE TECH". Flame all you want cuz I love the attention.

73's de KC6VLG

KC6VLG wrote:

It gets better since California is a 3 strikes state. Each of these conviction counts as one. After the third strikes he goes bye bye. This knowledge alone will encourage an average scammer to think twice. I always remind this fact to the guys I'm dealing with. I insist on using the post office and twice I got guys changed their minds (they want to use UPS) and cancel the deal.

Well if I was the one who was in the process of dealing with you I would cancel as well. By reminding the other person with the above, you are just short of calling them untrustworthy. It appears to me that in your opinion, everyone is a scammer until the deal goes through and the evidence says otherwise. Personally, I wouldn't want to deal with someone like you either. I have done many trades over the years and only got scammed once. I have sent thousands of dollars worth of equipment clear across North America to hams I have never met. Call me lucky, but I am a trusting soul. If I get taken I will do everything legally at my disposal to make sure the loser doesn't get away with it again. But I certainly wouldn't call them untrusting before the deal has even been done. That is only asking for trouble from those that stick around.

Just my $.02

KC6VLG,

You can accomplish your goal without having to "advise" the other person. Just give them the rope and let them decide for themselves.

Send the money via a postal money order through the USPS. Let them send the equipment as they see fit or as per agreement.

You still have the ability to file mail fraud charges should it come to that.

As an aside, be sure to endorse the back (or memo lines) of the money order with exactly what was agreed upon (serial numbers, condition, other FACTS as well as terms and conditions. This endorsement will give you one heck of a leg up should it come to going to court.


--

My uncle is an ob/gyn who doesn't accept lawyers or the wives of lawyers as patients. Why? They are too high maintenance and often make veiled threats that if anything goes wrong...it must be the Doc's fault and it won't cost them much to deal with it in court. He doesn't like to be made to feel like a criminal when in fact he is performing a much needed specialty service.


Be well!

--mike