Possibly scammed – advice appreciated

I won’t name names at this stage but I’m concerned I’ve been scammed.

I bought something off the classifieds. When they arrived and I went to fit them on the bike I’ve discovered that they’re absolutely trashed. 4 major issues with them that weren’t mentioned in the advert and renders them absolutely useless without major outlay.

I paid through Paypal so to keep everything official I raised a dispute last night sending a polite message outlining the problems and asking for a refund. The seller replied really quickly by email, using a different address to the one I sent the payment to, asking what the problem was. I repeated what I typed in the Paypal dispute. No response after that.

I don’t want this to drag on so I asked today if they were willing to issue a refund or if I need to escalate it further to Paypal. No response yet.

I’ve done a bit of investigation and it turns out this person has two different profiles on Pinkbike selling a lot of stuff on there and between the two profiles I can identify bits of my purchase. Googling their username from here uncovers one Pinkbike profile, and searching for the items I bought on the Pinkbike Buy/Sell section uncovers their other profile.

In addition, their profile on here shows one location and each of the two Pinkbike locations show different towns. All three are fairly close to each other.

Could all be above board but naturally I’m concerned as the items were in such a poor state that listing them as working fine in the advert just shouldn’t be possible if it was a genuine sale.

So, any recommendations for next steps? How robust is the Paypal dispute service? I’m raging because I bought the items for a trip next weekend and this throws a massive spanner in the works 😡

although it doesn’t solve your problem I think you should name and shame them! either that or the ubiquitous Bombers treatment seems apt.

To be fair, it’s only been a day but I’m naturally paranoid and radio silence from the seller isn’t helping, along with the other strange bits and bobs

I have a few different emails linked to PayPal, but in general I’d say you’ve been had

Is this the brakes from the bloke in Sheffield?

Nope, they were perfect

Still no response from the seller so I’ve escalated it to Paypal.

As a potential warning to others, the seller is Alba23, who also posts on Pinkbike under Alba23 and Alpinestarred. Depending on what profile you’re looking at, he’s located in Reading, Farnborough or Swindon.

I bought a pair of Avid Codes from him which were described as:

Few marks and chips but in good working order. Just had a lever rebuild done on the front brake by Mountain Trax in Wokingham. Will include a 2 new sets of sintered pads.
Rear feels like it needs a bleed.

When I got them I discovered the following:

1) Front caliper pad retaining bolt is missing

2) Front lever reach adjustment screw is missing

3) Front lever is broken. The lever does not return to it’s initial position after being pulled and the lever pulls completely to the bars and stays there.

4) Rear pad contact adjustment knob is broken and it turns without ever reaching a final position in either direction

Hardly what you’d expect from brakes which were “in good working order” and had just had a lever rebuild at a shop.

Looks like it’ll take about 10 days to get my money back via Paypal which is better than nothing but I could have done without the hassle and it really puts me off any significant purchases from the classifieds in the future. I checked his posting history before buying and he looked genuine. Not much more you can do really.

I’m sorry but unless you bought through ebay you will not get your money back. Non ebay paypal purchases only cover item not recieved.

Outside of ebay it also covers items which are “Significantly Not As Described” which is the case here

Oh this is new then! I lost money a couple of years ago in v similar circumstances, where does it say this in the Paypal t&C’s, I want to be able to use this in the future?

https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/marketingweb?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=ua/UserAgreement_full&locale.x=en_US

13.1 Types of Problems Covered. PayPal Purchase Protection (also known as PayPal Buyer Protection) helps you if you encounter either of these problems:

•You did not receive the item you paid for with PayPal – “Item Not Received” (INR), or

•You received an item you paid for with PayPal but it is “Significantly Not as Described” (SNAD) (as described below)

An item is “Significantly Not as Described” if it is materially different from what the Seller described in the item listing.

I doubt that would help you then, as you paid for brakes, and received brakes, not a packet of HobNobs.

It doesn’t refer to the condition of the items, more the fact that you may have received something different to the advert.

Sorry, I know that probably doesn’t help, but hope you get some refund for this, either through Paypal or from the seller.

As an aside, if some money gets refunded from Paypal, does that money get invoiced to the seller, or does he keep the money received? Does it suspend his account? That would also annoy me, knowing that he person who sold the brakes kept the money for them.

Buying inside eBay the minute you raise a dispute the money is not available in the sellers account. Not sure if they do the same outside eBay.

It doesn’t refer to the condition of the items, more the fact that you may have received something different to the advert.

They were described as “good working order”. In reality they’re broken and unusable which is significantly not as described.

From my link above

An item is “Significantly Not as Described” if it is materially different from what the Seller described in the item listing. Here are some examples:

You received a completely different item. For example, you purchased a book and received a DVD or an empty box.
The condition of the item was misrepresented. For example, the description when you bought the item said “new” and the item was used.
The item was advertised as authentic but is not authentic.
The item is missing major parts or features which were not disclosed in its description when you bought the item.
You purchased three items from a Seller but only received two.
The item was damaged during shipment.

hmm I do hope you are right, I’m not sure though. Those t&c’s are US, the UK ones mention ebay much more..

Nah, I’m logged in just now and the UK agreement is the same re. SNAD

https://cms.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=ua/UserAgreement_full&fli=true&locale.x=en_GB

Look for either a PayPal Buyer Protection message or an eBay Buyer Protection message in the eBay listing. If you see this message and you meet the other eligibility requirements, your item is eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection. You can view this message in the listing after you complete your purchase by logging into your eBay account, going to “my eBay,” then “won”, and looking at the listing. If the listing does not include the buyer protection message, then it is not eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection.

for purchases made outside of eBay: the Send Money tab on the PayPal website by clicking the “Purchase” tab, or the Payment Recipient’s PayPal checkout flow; and

Which I did. I didn’t pay by Paypal gift

yeah I saw that. Like I said, I hope you are right. I lost out in simliar circumstances.

A real WTF moment.

It appears the rip off merchant is re-advertising the brakes on Pinkbike

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1100546/

How is he going to sell them when they’re sitting in my cupboard waiting to be sent back to him when I get my refund?

He’s also failing to mention all the problems with them.

That’s just crap really.

Someone needs to inform pinkbike what he is up to !

Has he offered you any sort of refund .

Nope. Completely ignored everything.

Result.

Got my money back.

Now off to report him to Pinkbike.

Destroy him……

I find pinkbike is full of kids who trash their stuff.
Bought a few things from the classifieds and whilst mostly happy, I tend to find the stuff is normally a fair but tattier than when bought off guys on STW classifieds.

I recently bought a cheap commuter frame and forks from a young chap on pinkbike. Described as having headset and forks have some surface rust. Turns out headset cups only, and the forks are buckled like someone cycled into a wall. But I only really wanted the frame so wasn’t fussed. But not the first time I’ve bought something there and it’s not been as good condition as described

Who’s the scammer?
I guess the easy solution would be to delete the ads and run away. But i have no intention of doing so.
No contact what so ever or words to that effect.
When i received the email from Paypal i email as soon as i had open itas i was surpised you had an issue as the brakes had been in the bike shop weeks before. You replied with an abrupt ” I have stated in the pay pal complaint” again or words like that. When i contacted the bike shop they said there was little chance of what you said being true. And the buyer was more than likely trying it on trying to get money knocked of or a full refund. Or a ham fisted amatuer mechanic messed them up. The brakes were used for one day since the rebuild so doubt the damage you claim would have been done then
Why would i mention they had just had a lever rebuild if they had not.
You complained to paypal first , you didnt email me first.
And i did contact you to ask what the problem was.
You dint even no your postcode as you emailed after payment saying you had sent the wrong one. I didn’t even check if it was the address registered to your Paypal account.
Paypal nearly always sides with the buyer and not the seller.
If i was going to Scam you i would have insisted on you pay by another means, not paypal.
I had been on holiday and have not been logging on to pay pal on my phone. And when i was told you had named and shamed me on Singletrack (by Mart208) there was no chance i was paying for Internet connection to sort the problem out.
As far as i am concerned there is nothing wrong with the brakes unless you have damaged them installing them.
Mart208 on pinkbike was dealing with the other parts i was selling on pinkbike while i was away. HE reposted them not me.

Now for your pathetic private detective bit.
When i lived in Farnborough i had the Alba23 pinkbike account i had an it asked for my email. Unable to do so i started an new account. Alba23 pinkbike account.
When i moved to reading i cancelled my ntlworld account and doing so cancelled my email address. When i forgot the password it asked for my email. Unable to do so i started an new account. Im sure you have looked at the buying history on both the accounts. Quite a varied amount of bits i have sold more or less problem free.
When i had the Alba23 account i my property broken into and my bikes and other stuff was stolen. This was a week after i had somebody collect a stem and i told someone in an email pick was not possible as i was working away from home.
I had an offer to pay cash on collection from somebody for a wheel that had already been sold. They had started there account that day. I got nervous about going on holiday and people thinking my alpine was home with me on holiday.what bikes i had so changed the location to Swindon and the bike to a carrera with suntour forks. Try asking pinkbike for a keylog of what has been going on with my account.
Feel free to slate my grammar and cry bollocks to this.

are you related to Jessica?

Hmmm, you’ll have to come up with better grammar than that if you’re gonna convince anyone. I’m with the OP.

When i moved to reading

Leave him alone, he’s only recently moved to reading, I’m sure writing will come in time.

Alba, do you have photos of the brakes in the condition they were when you sent them?

Send me the money and the brakes and I’ll sort this dispute out.

Have to say pinkbike has gone really downhill, not sure if it was any good in the first place actually.
I would never entertain the idea of buying off there.
It’s generally spotty teenages who use and abuse their equipment that sell stuff on there which is in appalling condition.

Now on to the brakes. I’m with the OP. The brakes don’t sound fit for purpose.
The seller uses the excuse that the have been damaged by the buyer when fitting which sounds a bit cheap as several of the problems were missing bolts and dials so what’s your excuse for that Alba23?

I very rarely buy second hand and this is another good example why not to bother.
Makes you appreciate the luxury of buying brand new when you see stuff like this.
You can’t beat shiny new bike goods that work perfectly.

Sometimes it’s just not worth the hassle of saving a bit of money.
Exceptions I have made are seat post, stem and bars. That is it!

I’m like, stoked.

i have sold more or less problem free.

That’s quite an endorsment. Quality Assured!

BoardingBob, I’m chuffed my scepticism was wrong! Gives me marginally more confidence using PP out of ebay now.

When i received the email from Paypal i email as soon as i had open itas i was surpised you had an issue as the brakes had been in the bike shop weeks before. You replied with an abrupt ” I have stated in the pay pal complaint” again or words like that.

I was abrupt? Really? My paypal message said:

“Hi David, I’ve received the brakes but unfortunately they’re not as described…”

*I listed the problems*

Then I said

“I’m really sorry to have to do this but I have no other option but to ask for a refund

Thanks

Bob”

Your reply by email was

“What’s wrong with the brakes?”

One sentence. And I’m the abrupt one?

When i contacted the bike shop they said there was little chance of what you said being true. And the buyer was more than likely trying it on trying to get money knocked of or a full refund. Or a ham fisted amatuer mechanic messed them up

If they were in “good working order” and had just been repaired by a shop, why would a “ham fisted amateur mechanic” even need to touch them?

The brakes were used for one day since the rebuild so doubt the damage you claim would have been done then

If they had just had a lever rebuild and had been used once since, why was the fluid in them jet black?

Why would i mention they had just had a lever rebuild if they had not.

Because if you said they were knackered and listed the missing parts, no one would buy them???

And i did contact you to ask what the problem was.

Once. And I replied within minutes, and never heard from you again until now.

Mart208 on pinkbike was dealing with the other parts i was selling on pinkbike while i was away. HE reposted them not me.

So your friend reposted brakes which I reported as broken, which neither you nor he had in your possession, and you were selling them for £25 less than I paid. Sounds like you were desperately trying to recoup some funds as Paypal automatically took £130 out of your account while the dispute was being resolved.

I’ve got my money back.

Give me your address so I can return the brakes.

Alba, do you have photos of the brakes in the condition they were when you sent them?

Interestingly, in the photos he posted, the front caliper was always positioned in such a way that you couldn’t see the pad retaining bolt was missing. You could however see that the tab on the brake pad for removing it from the caliper was broken off, something which I actually didn’t complain about.

I’m sure the name of the bike shop that carried out the work and the assurance from them that they woudl talk to anyone interested and detail the work they had done might give future buyers some confidence in them?

Glad Bob’s got his money back.

I know it’s been discussed before but is it worth putting a comment on the actual advert upon receipt of item/s ‘Received – Great’ or in this case ‘Not as described – Not HAPPY’.
I have bought and sold on STW and have generally been quite happy, I always look at the previous advertisements prior as it seems to be a good gauge; I feel sure this would assist further.
Anyway I’m glad Bob has his money and hope no one else gets caught out.

Personally I am always suspicious of anyone who neither bothers with grammar or capitalisation (I think that’s a word).
John