Well, I have been making progress on organizing my workshop. In the cleaning process, I got rid of and sold a bunch of old magazines. In fact, I sold a bunch of Model Aviation and Radio Control Modeler magazines to a guy...who is now trying to scam me!

Asshole.

I posted an ad for my magazines on Craig's List - which is like a big pool of easy pickin's for scammers. Normally, I simply don't deal with anyone who is not local. But I had advertised these magazines in a number of places (including an RC forum where someone - probably legitimately - offered to buy them), but I got a better offer from someone off the Craig's List ad who resided in Georgia.

My ad specifically stated it was for local pick-up only and that I *WOULD NOT SHIP THEM*, but the guy really seemed to want them. So I wrote to the other guy on the RC forum to see if he would match the offer, but he never wrote back. Maybe he wasn't legit. So, one day I decided I had some free time and boxed up the magazines and took them to the post office to get an estimate on shipping costs. Then I contacted the guy from Craig's List who said he wanted them.

At least two weeks went by before I got a reply (red flag #2?), and the guy said he still wanted them. Not once during our correspondence did he or I mention anything about PayPal. Not once! They guy only offered to send a check or money order. I told him to send me a postal money order.

Last week, I got a Western Union money order. I was leary about it, but I took it to the bank and deposited it into my account. I was thinking about waiting until I was sure the money order was valid before shipping out the magazines, but for some reason, I felt it was safe enough, so I shipped them. The guy was writing from a Lockheed Martin email address, and he included a phone number in his email (which I never called...until tonight), so I assumed it was valid.

Big mistake.

I got an email from the guy tonight asking where the magazines were. Oh, and by the way, he also said he realized he had also paid me via PayPal and would I please refund the overpayment as soon as possible.

PayPal? Who said anything about PayPal? I never even told him I used PayPal, never mind provided an email address to use for payment!

Fucking asshole.

So, now I'm pretty sure the money order was forged and I will be getting a notice from the bank, soon. I called the number from the guy's email and someone with his name at Lockheed Martin answered, virtually, via his voice mail system, so either this is a professional scam set up, or some guy at Lockheed Martin is pretty damn stupid...cause if this transaction falls through, I'm going to track him down. Either that, or there's some poor guy at LM who doesn't have a clue who sent a bunch of magazines to him from California. I'm just waiting for the scammer to come back and tell me the magazines never arrived.

I wrote back to the guy and pointed out that neither one of us ever mentioned PayPal (and also that I never provided any PayPal payment instructions, nor had I received any notice from PayPal indicating a payment attempt). I didn't actually say that I have a PayPal account, and worded it such that he wouldn't really know for sure if I use PayPal or not. And I'm not telling (him or you)! But I'm sure with a little research, one might be able to find out one way or another. Just not from me.

Anyway, it just goes to show that anyone can be scammed. It just pisses me off, because that sale paid for my smog test...and I'm still unemployed and don't have $50 to lose! I also told the guy to let me know if the magazines come within the next two weeks, because I would be moving to Arizona at the end of the month and would no longer be able to receive email at my address.

We'll see if he believes that. I also told him that I am flat broke, selling old magazines to eat, so scamming me is a waste of time.

I think I'll go make a prank call to his number before going to bed.