How many ounces is this Silver Bar??? Help please!

I could tell right away that the bar was stainless based on its texture. Stinks you got burned, but you live and learn.

 

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I'm not going to post much more about this but I just got a text from the seller and I thought that I would share:
Note...sorry for the poor grammar on his end...i am quoting him word for word.

Ninety minutes after our meeting was supposed to happen, I sent him this text (because he didn't answer his phone):

Me: Please know that if I don't hear from you within 24 hours, I will be calling the police and small claims court. I know that the address that you sent me was fake. Please contact me within 24 hours so we can rectify the situation.

Seller: Wow a threat. I tell you what...I really don't appreciate treating text message about calling the police. I am NOT a criminal. I have done nothing wrong. you took it upon yourself to purchase as-is after you performed a battery of tests. you told me what you would give me for it. if you want to file a claim, be my guest. i have been advised by a lawyer you've let that change hands at least three times. I am not responsible for what you got back. I was told it was silver...that's what I asked you could check and you tested and said in fact it was. call the police. be my guest. it is only a civil matter.

Me: What about "standing behind the deal"? Why did you set up a time/place to meet when you didn't?

Seller: I am a man of my word. the only reason I got upset was your threatening text message.

Me: Ok. What happened last night then? Why didn't you meet me?

Seller: Honestly, I was asleep.

I have a lawyer friend and will ask her what my options are. I do have 3 pictures that he sent me via text message that would prove that the bar I have is the one he sold me. But I'm sure that I'm just plain out of luck.

 

Did you in fact perform a battery of tests and conclude it was silver?

 

Unfortunately, I did a few tests and my naivety told me that it was. I told him that I would purchase it and get it tested. I am not passing blame at all. I put myself in this situation and I have no one to blame but myself. As someone mentioned, my hopefulness of making a "good deal" replaced my common sense and logic.

I hope that, if anything, this will remind people (and myself) to be very careful when making "non-professional" deals.

 

im glad this wasn't me....i don't know if I am as calm as tabor is or as I should be and I would probably be plotting all kinds of mischief towards this person which would make me feel guilty afterwards......or land me in more trouble than this scumbag who knowingly ripped you off. The fact that he returned your messages instead of just ignoring you would be what made me the maddest....trying to blame you like its your fault...what a piece of dump. He will get his somehow in the end....he will do this to the wrong person and then there will be actual **** to pay, he had no idea if you were a crazy person and sooner or later he will meet up with someone who fits that bill and then watch out!

 

He is completely BS'ing you. At this point, I would stop contacting him and talk to a lawyer if you wish to find out your options. Bottom line, he has you by the stones, he knows it and is not going to give you your money back regardless if "he is a man of his word". Again, sorry you got in this mess. Some people get scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars or worse. Look at those who had money wrapped in Enron. Be glad it's only 500.

I honestly think you should just cut your losses and move on with this one due to the low dollar amount. I know out of principle I would want to take the guy to court too, but I don't know if it's worth the effort and hassle especially since you have a good chance of not getting your money back one you do take him to court. You can't even positively identify the guy and since the cops aren't going to investigate since it's a civil matter, the investigation falls on you. So IMO, I would just walk on this one.

 

He needs to contact the guy because he doesn't know who he is. If he finds out who he is, then he can sue the seller and recover his money.

I don't think it's that much hassle. It's probably just a few hours of time.

 

I agree with you but the problem is that I have no way to identify him. I wasn't smart enough to take of picture of his ID or even get his license plate number. He gave me his name and address over the phone but when I checked out his address, it was in the middle of an industrial park...no residential houses near it. Therefore, I doubt if his name is legit. All I really have is his cell phone number and that hasn't gotten me anywhere.

 

Right. You cannot do anything unless you meet up with him again and get a photo and a license plate.

 

I would keep in contact with him. He might let slip something that can tell you who he is. At the very least it will make him nervous. He might cut off contact with you, but I'll bet he has a contract on his phone and can't give it up easily.

 

Try searching craigslist for a similar scam he might be trying to perform. Call from a different number to set up a meeting to "buy" what ever he has to sell. It may or may not be a safe way to deal with it, but its a way to contact him face to face and maybe even get his license plate number.

When this happened to me last year when I was got burnt for $75 I noticed the guy had more ads on cragslist for other scams and even left the same number. Because it was only $75 I didn't pursue anything, but I flagged his posts and contacted craigslist about him. I told the $75 lost as a lession learned and desurved it for being naive. To me however $500 it a big difference and I may have tried more if I were in your position.

 

I am sorry Tabor.

 

The seller has been lying from thr start. He gave a fake address and didn't show up to a meeting to return his money. You really think he's going to volunteer his correct information especially now since the OP was telling the guy he was calling the cops and taking him to court?

 

I agree (mostly). If the time you'll spend pursuing this is less than $500 (or if you don't have anything else better to do), you can go to the county courthouse and ask to file a small claims action. I believe small claims is up to $5000 now. Lawyers are frowned upon in small claims court so don't waste your money. Just fill out the paperwork, give them the fee to serve this guy, then wait for your notification to appear.

If the guy doesn't show, you get an automatic judgement against him. Unfortunately, the best you can do with that is take out another small claims action to collect. If the guy doesn't show for that...I'm not so sure.

I "think" this now opens some doors where you can engage a collections agency and add things to the guys credit report...but I'm not 100% sure of the particulars. In any event, you can cause the guy some pain if you're willing to take some yourself.

Personally, I would just go over to his house some night with a gas can and write a nasty message on his front lawn.

(that's just me...I would never condone such behavior of others).


Good luck!

 

I never said he would volunteer the information.
If he gets a photo and a plate number or something he can find out who it is.

Or he can give up and quit.

 

That's my point. How is he going to get his license plate number and find out who it is? He already gave a fake address and probably a fake name as well. Someone on here checked the phone number for him and came up with nothing.

 

Have a friend (preferably female) answer his ad to buy another bar...
(only, he doesn't know it's your friend...:secret

 

The problem is that he answered my ad...he doesn't have an ad on craigslist.

At this point, even though I have lost money, I am going to cut my losses and move on. The incident still makes me upset, but there's nothing that I can do. I have put the "$500 bar" with the other coins in my collection and put it directly in the front. That way every time that I do something with my collection (buy or sell), seeing it will be a constant reminder of the incident and I will be on guard. This is my biggest mistake that I've made in this amazing hobby and I will be MUCH more careful from here on out.

Thanks for everybody's interest in this incident and the advice that you've offered.

 

Sorry...you're right. I was thinking you answered his ad...that must have been another thread.

If this is your biggest mistake, consider yourself lucky. I have an 1843 Seated Liberty dollar I bought on eBay that I didn't find out was fake until months later. I think we've all been there (whether we care to admit it or not).

Purveyors of falsehoods will never discover true happiness.

 

well then I would reverse "catfish" him....wait awhile so he forgets about the whole ordeal and pats himself on the back.....take up another ad similar but not the same as you did this time with a different name...maybe get a friend or CT member to help you.....when that same guy contacts you this time you can meet up with him and get the deets on his license plate or something....i guarantee he has more of these "silver" bars at home and he will probably be dumb enough to try to scam someone else this way. Then once you got a license plate or possible way to id him you can pay him back for his grief. Some might call this a waste of time but I dont.....I would look at it as justice and helping to keep this from happening to someone else just like you. Lets open this thread in two months and lay the trap.....