Lost money on trademe - am I completely powerless?

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Forums › Finance and wealth management › Lost money on trademe - am I completely powerless?

qwerty7

434 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#119706 11-Jun-2013 01:00

A while ago I lost over $100 on trademe when I paid for something and a seller never sent it.

I contacted the police at the time and they could not have given two flying f*cks about me loosing my money, despite the fact they were trying to find the guy at the same time for other reasons.

The experience made me realise how little trademe and/or traders can do in this situation. You can get a traders address through the courts but that is no use if they are on the move all the time.

So my question is am I completely powerless ? As in there is nothing I can do? I know their full name, last I heard they were in India. What should I have done differently? Was there any way I could have stopped them leaving the country? or is there any way I can stop them coming back in the country? probably not i am guessing

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6019 posts

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Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#833849 11-Jun-2013 01:00

Hmmmm. Here we go.

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

insane

3240 posts

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#833855 11-Jun-2013 01:41

could have used 'safe trader' if their feedback rating was not 100% after a good number of trades

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Elpie

1304 posts

Uber Geek

#833858 11-Jun-2013 03:31

I've got the exact opposite problem. I sold an item on TradeMe and didn't hear anything from the buyer. The money turned up in my bank account over a month later but I can't get any response to emails so have no idea where to send the item. It was low value BUT I'm sitting on the guy's money and the item.

My experience has made me wonder if people have got aggressive spam filters or something because its weird that someone would buy, pay, but not respond to emails. I hope he is not having a hissy fit (I'm not suggesting you are, qwerty7!) somewhere, thinking I've stolen his money!!!

FWIW, TradeMe aren't able to offer any suggestions apart from "wait". I feel for you qwerty7.

traderstu

332 posts

Ultimate Geek

#833894 11-Jun-2013 08:01

We have a qwerty7 on the GZ forums. Not the same one by any chance?

Edit Opps, I thought you were refering to qwerty7 as the trader that you had lost Elpie. Got it wrong sorry.

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#833901 11-Jun-2013 08:11

$100? Put it down as a learning experience.

What was the traders history like? The more expensive the goods the more I investigate the traders feedback history.

Your 'best' case is that he has made a mistake and will deliver. Alternatively, you can get the guys address , file a disputes tribunal case ($35-$40), he turns up, you win, and he pays. but, seriously, thats not going to happen from what you have said.

Trademe understandably cannot really help . And the police? Ha ha that is a joke. The cops don't investigate such minor crimes. Even when my car was stolen they didn't bother fingerprinting etc when it was found.

jeffnz

2870 posts

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#833907 11-Jun-2013 08:26

any real need for the disguised (partially) profanity!

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qwerty7

434 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#833916 11-Jun-2013 08:40

I get your point about profanity but you would think if the police were looking for him anyway and then they found him that they could at least mention my stolen money. They were in contact with him knew he stole my money and did not do a thing.

It definitely was not a spam filter issue.

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Klipspringer

2385 posts

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Inactive user

#833919 11-Jun-2013 08:45

See section 2.2 of the Trade Me terms and Conditions that you have accepted.

While I feel your pain, at the end of the day Trademe is an auction website. Its not foolproof, and you need to take precaution when buying/selling.

qwerty7

434 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#834058 11-Jun-2013 11:29

Yea I know trademe cover their own backside although they do offer help if you loose money they cannot do anything else because they are limited by the law. I am not complaining about trademe's lack of action though. I know if I loose money I have to fight my own battle my question was is there anything I can do?

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#834060 11-Jun-2013 11:30

qwerty7: Yea I know trademe cover their own backside although they do offer help if you loose money they cannot do anything else because they are limited by the law. I am not complaining about trademe's lack of action though. I know if I loose money I have to fight my own battle my question was is there anything I can do?

There is nothing you can do that will cost less than $100.

Infact, your recovery costs could reach over $1000 quite easily.

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#834069 11-Jun-2013 11:46

Elpie: I've got the exact opposite problem. I sold an item on TradeMe and didn't hear anything from the buyer. The money turned up in my bank account over a month later but I can't get any response to emails so have no idea where to send the item. It was low value BUT I'm sitting on the guy's money and the item.

My experience has made me wonder if people have got aggressive spam filters or something because its weird that someone would buy, pay, but not respond to emails. I hope he is not having a hissy fit (I'm not suggesting you are, qwerty7!) somewhere, thinking I've stolen his money!!!

FWIW, TradeMe aren't able to offer any suggestions apart from "wait". I feel for you qwerty7.

I had this problem. What you do is put a positive feedback but say you are waiting for them to pick it up and can they arrange it, and give them a time frame.

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#834077 11-Jun-2013 11:48

This is what safetrader is for if the seller didn't have good feedback. Also perhaps nexttime only buy from traders who have paynow via credit card. Sometimes the problem is an honest mistake, suh as tgheir computer died and they lost all previous emails, some people are useless with computers.

Klipspringer

2385 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#834081 11-Jun-2013 11:58

qwerty7: Yea I know trademe cover their own backside although they do offer help if you loose money they cannot do anything else because they are limited by the law. I am not complaining about trademe's lack of action though. I know if I loose money I have to fight my own battle my question was is there anything I can do?

As others have said there is very little that you can do. I have had my few bad deals too, but the plus is that I have learned from those experiences.

Is this person still on trademe? Or is the account still active?

Pwned

105 posts

Master Geek

#834288 11-Jun-2013 16:01

Had similar problem recently. TradeMe was really helpful, but all they can do is warn and sometimes lock their (bad traders) account. TM warned the seller a few times. I'd get a response promising delivery everytime TM sends them a warning but never received the items. I even placed a negative feedback.

3 months passed and the seller was desperate to sell his car on TM. He can't list it due to the complaint I laid against him. So he asked me again for my address, and I got the stuff in 2 days with some extra freebies for the problems he gave me. Apparently he got redundant and needed to sell his car. It took me a while to tell TM that I got the items, and the seller got really upset :D It wasn't deliberate, I was too busy.

But let's hope they use their account again to sell their stuff. You never know. I even considered my money gone. Good luck!

wanghou168

453 posts

Ultimate Geek

#834458 11-Jun-2013 20:33

To be honest, best way to avoid this is by buying goods from local seller with a NZ city name stated, avoid the ones which says shipping only.

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