Is there anything that can be done...?

carbuster · May 8, 2005

Alright, on this other site I frequent, there was one member, in Mass., that had bought a set of nerf bars for his Colorado from another member, in TX, back in mid-February via the whole Want to Buy/For Sale forum method...pretty common occurrance. He paid the seller with a money order, and he found out that it was indeed cashed in back in Feb, but the seller never sent the nerf bars. The seller's been neglecting his PMs, emails, etc. and still has not sent the items. I figured I'd ask here and and broaden the opinions, since no one there has any good ideas, to see if there's something legally he can do about it, besides getting other members in that area to pay him a housecall. Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Friz · May 9, 2005

You should pm Frank S. or Mervz and let them know.

What do you do in FW? I'm in the P-cola area.

carbuster · May 9, 2005

Well, it happened on the other site I visit, so there isn't much the admins here can do.

I'm stationed here at Eglin.

Mark_in_Tulsa · May 9, 2005

Well you make sure the Admins at the other site know about it. They can ban his IP address, so he wouldn't be able to come back . And maybe the Admins here could some how do the same if he his a member here.....

blue2kzr2 · May 9, 2005

If the MO was a USPS MO, the seller committed mail fraud. The buyer should contact the USPS and let them handle things.

carbuster · May 9, 2005

Well you make sure the Admins at the other site know about it. They can ban his IP address, so he wouldn't be able to come back . And maybe the Admins here could some how do the same if he his a member here.....

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I thought about that, but unfortunately banning him isn't gonna get the buyer his stuff.

If the MO was a USPS MO, the seller committed mail fraud. The buyer should contact the USPS and let them handle things.

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Hmm, I didn't know that. I'll ask him. Thanks.

SnakeEyeSS · May 9, 2005

yeah, and I'll just mention that the Post Office has it's OWN federal law enforcement agency(Postal Inspectors) that deals with Mail related things(child porn, mail fraud, scams, drugs, bombs, terrorists plots etc etc), and they have a 98% conviction rate. highest of any law enforcement agency in the United States.

Other law enforcemnt agencies can't "impede" on mail related stuff unless it ALSO falls in their jursdiction or are given permission.

If a city cop tried to get some mail for some reason, Postal employees are not to allow them. even with a warrant we are told in training(by inspectors themselves) to tell them they can't do anything until postal inspectors arrive to verify it and deal with the situation themselves.. It's that serious, as your right to personal documents being secure is a constitutional right, protected by federal law and employees....Postal Employees are even sworn in to "uphold the consitiution of the United States"!!!! Seems a little crazy, but that's how it is.

RAYS B4U · May 9, 2005

yeah, and I'll just mention that the Post Office has it's OWN federal law enforcement agency(Postal Inspectors) that deals with Mail related things(child porn, mail fraud, scams, drugs, bombs, terrorists plots etc etc), and they have a 98% conviction rate. highest of any law enforcement agency in the United States.

Other law enforcemnt agencies can't "impede" on mail related stuff unless it ALSO falls in their jursdiction or are given permission.

If a city cop tried to get some mail for some reason, Postal employees are not to allow them. even with a warrant we are told in training(by inspectors themselves) to tell them they can't do anything until postal inspectors arrive to verify it and deal with the situation themselves.. It's that serious, as your right to personal documents being secure is a constitutional right, protected by federal law and employees....Postal Employees are even sworn in to "uphold the consitiution of the United States"!!!! Seems a little crazy, but that's how it is.

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That is "IF" you can get a postal inspector to do anything. I've been in law enforcement for over 30 years and in all those years I have only seen ONE, yes, ONLY ONE postal inspector! When ever we have contacted them for mail thefts, bombs in mail boxes, etc. we always get the same answer, "Handle it on the local level".

In my experience, don't expect much help from the postal inspectors.

sincityZ71 · May 9, 2005

...Postal Employees are even sworn in to "uphold the consitiution of the United States"!!!! Seems a little crazy, but that's how it is.

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Eh, all federal employees have to swear an oath when they first become employed. I worked for the U.S. Geological Survey and I had to swear an oath to uphold the Constitution...and all I did was measure water for a living...

Wingnut · May 9, 2005

It is a little odd for a psuedo-federal service to require a constitutional oath.

sincityZ71 · May 9, 2005

It is a little odd for a psuedo-federal service to require a constitutional oath.

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yeah it is now that I think about it...I can understand the law enforcement people since they are fully-federal...but the postal service is only partially federal anymore...interesting...

At least my old agency was a normal part of the federal government...though I still don't know how measuring water helps to defend the Constitution...ha

SnakeEyeSS · May 9, 2005

That is "IF" you can get a postal inspector to do anything. I've been in law enforcement for over 30 years and in all those years I have only seen ONE, yes, ONLY ONE postal inspector! When ever we have contacted them for mail thefts, bombs in mail boxes, etc. we always get the same answer, "Handle it on the local level".

In my experience, don't expect much help from the postal inspectors.

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thats because there are only a handful of them. something like a few thousand applications a year, only a couple are hired.

SnakeEyeSS · May 9, 2005

It is a little odd for a psuedo-federal service to require a constitutional oath.

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yeah it is now that I think about it...I can understand the law enforcement people since they are fully-federal...but the postal service is only partially federal anymore...interesting...

At least my old agency was a normal part of the federal government...though I still don't know how measuring water helps to defend the Constitution...ha

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actually, it's fully federal as far as ridiculous regulations go. people who have never carried mail in their come come up with all these senseless rules rules that make no sense, waste time and money......people grip about carriers getting paid too much or not doing their job, if they cracked down on stupid policy's they'd save the postal service MILLIONS a year. Stuff they force us to do, which makes no sense slows down every carrier every day. a few minutes per carrier, for a few million carriers?

oh and we are not allowed to have any clothing at our cases anymore unless it is on our body.....they are afraid we might hide mail in it. another carrier stated "yeah, I'm so stupid I'm gonna steal mail IN THE OFFICE with security cameras and people watching me, when I'm out where no one can see me for 6 hours a day, if they don;t trust us, why are they hiring us!"

yeah I can see taht it could happen, but come on, we can't have a spare hat laying there!

carbuster · May 9, 2005

Well we finally got the seller to respond (lots of peer pressure) and there happens to be more to the story than the rest of us were aware of, but of course there always is. I actually thought the response was pretty funny...

May I ask why anytime someone hollers "wolf" the crowd stampedes? I guess it is only human nature to believe the worst in someone or in situation pertaining to the first named. Why do you wish so badly to be the "victimised"? You have already got the bars you paid for. If not, why did you ask me about the missing mount bracket? C'mon man. If you wanted to purchase something and get your money back too, you should have went another route. Yes, please do file mail fraud, that doesnt get you far. You may want to try the IFCC. Internet Fraud Claims Center. You should have better luck there. But, I will tell you that I have all the documentation needed to .......How would my brother say it......."Back that ass up". If you do choose to go to court thats cool with me too. I will also sue for Libel and hope that a co worker sees this and word gets around then ill sue for Defamation of Character as well. If you wanna play idiotic games then go ahead. I hope you grow up.

Frank S · May 9, 2005

May I ask why anytime someone hollers "wolf" the crowd stampedes? I guess it is only human nature to believe the worst in someone or in situation pertaining to the first named. Why do you wish so badly to be the "victimised"? You have already got the bars you paid for. If not, why did you ask me about the missing mount bracket? C'mon man. If you wanted to purchase something and get your money back too, you should have went another route. Yes, please do file mail fraud, that doesnt get you far. You may want to try the IFCC. Internet Fraud Claims Center. You should have better luck there. But, I will tell you that I have all the documentation needed to .......How would my brother say it......."Back that ass up". If you do choose to go to court thats cool with me too. I will also sue for Libel and hope that a co worker sees this and word gets around then ill sue for Defamation of Character as well. If you wanna play idiotic games then go ahead. I hope you grow up.