Please be careful when buying things.

[Mango]

Please read this story if you are new to internet purchasing:

http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00W8zE

(I hope you don't mind my posting this story from another forum, otherwise, please delete this.)

 

[stephengilbert]

1. Transferring money to strangers is foolish, on the internet or not.

2. I loved all the confident (and wrong) legal advice given on the linked thread:

a. Paypal won't pay until you receive your purchase. Simply wrong, as pointed out by many replies there.

b. Report to the FBI, they'll investigate. Based on my report of an eBay faud, it's unlikely that any law enforcement agency in the US will do anything. I never even got a reply message.

c. Getting the seller prosecuted won't get you repaid. It is common in US criminal cases that a convicted defendant will be ordered to make restitution to his victim. A restitution order is easier to obtain than a civil judgment, and cannot be discharged in bankruptcy.