MAJOR ebay rip off....

[acmirro]

I just got back into buying stuff on ebay. A few years ago, i bought and sold a lot of stuff.
A few weeks ago I won a auction for about 70 joes. and I got ripped off... here are the details...
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1659923026

this is the description:

GI Joe Cobra HUGE 69 Figure & Weapons Lot

The pic shows it all.. This is an entire collection all up for auction on one lot. This lot include 69 hard to find figures and 3 bags STUFFED with the GI Joe figure accessories (backpacks, guns, etc... TONS!) Some of the figures that are in this lot include the first Snake Eyes, first Firefly, first Scarlett, first Duke, First Flint, Vipers, Crimson Guard, Shipwreck, Spirit, and MANY more favorites. These figures have been played with. Some have a little paint wear, some have a loose knee, etc. & the top 3 figs (in the pic) have a broken rubberband (I think these can be replaced pretty easily though)... All in all, this is a pretty darn good lot of figs that are already 18 years old! Also included is 5 file cards that I could find. Thanks for looking! I accept money orders and checks.. money orders ship the next day. Only serious bidders please.. thank you. Buyer pays shipping & Form of shipping (UPS, USPS, etc) is BUYERS choice. Peace


What I got was 3 bags of accessory pack weapons, broken original parts and parts I have never even seen before. (maybe HE MAN, transformers, ect...)

and the figures? ALL were broken in some way a thumb, crotch, foot, even a few broken in more than one spot. Major paint wear, busted O rings...you get the point...

I emailed the seller and was told that the sale is final. Because he was once ripped off when the buyer returned broken parts in place of good ones. He also had the nerve to tell me, that he explained that the figures were "played with". Does anyone here consider "played with" the way to describe a figure with 2 broken thumbs and no crotch?

needless to say I was quite angry. I emailed him twice again, no response. I went to squaretrade.com and filed a case, no response.

I again emailed him, today, and the mail bounced back to me with a "user no longer exists". I went to ebay, seller is unregistered.

Clearly this was a con.
I checked his feedback before bidding, and all were positive. A few were joe related, and the seller seemed to know what he was talking about.

So basically I got stuck with a bunch of busted up parts and useless weapons.

Im telling everyone here so they can be on the look out for this seller. Even though his ID/email/ user-name is changed, i doubt the town where the PO box will....

Ebay ID : Master_Praetorian

address:
Tracy Swenson
P.O. Box 1361
La Crosse, WI 54602-1361
usa

Country/Region: USA/Minneapolis-St. Paul

If anyone here has info on this seller, please contact me. Im sick of people ripping off collectors!!!! I want to make an example of this one. Im seeking a case for small claims court, but i need more info...

thanks and good luck!!

[Goldbug]

Whoah! This looks like a guy that just wanted to get rid junk which he got ripped off from. Clearly he shouldn't rip off someone else because he did.
I saw that Prozac bought something from him maybe he has something additional to add.

[Prozac]

I had absolutely no problems with this guy, but have had 3 or 4 people email me about him. Kinda makes me look like I'm incahoots with him, but I;m NOT. I have no other info on him other than what Anthony has posted. I wish I could be of more help.

Prozac

[rottenyolk]

I've actually dealt with that guy twice in 2 different trades. Both were very good. But this is a brain stumper as why he would rip off somebody? I have the same address on my trade file. But I believe that person would be his wife. Because the person I dealt with is name Andrew swenson.

[acmirro]

Thanks everyone for your help and insight.

I have contacted a few other people who had dealt with him, and its the same thing.
No problems.
There was no "all sales are final" info on the auction or any of the emailes I got. Well except when I told him I wanted a refund.
I thought at first that he simply felt that he was in his right not to refund the cost. But if that is the case, why is his ebay ID no longer registered, and why is his email no longer working?
Also, I looked at some of the items he sold a while ago, the pics are still on the auction page, but the pic of my auction is gone....
It just doesnt add up..
Ill keep all posted on what is going on.

Again, thanks for your help!

[ December 11, 2001: Message edited by: acmirro ]

[jlb8118]

I completely agree. I was the guy who bought the mib Mamba. This guy is a freakin idiot. I have yet to hear from him after I sent the payment. The same info was given to me (Tracy Swenson etc.) If any body finds anything out about contacting him/her let me know please.

[ms_skat_kat]

i have read eveyones story...maybe she got mad at him and ruining his reputation some how or cashing in on his collection...it sounds like the guy is a great trader,but the woman is not ,so try not to blame it on him when it may be his wife that is sticking everyone

[OldGoat]

This is a funny subject. I happen to have been trading/buying from Tracy Swenson AND Eric Rice for quite some time now. Both have gotten "negs" on this forum, yet both have sold/traded me nothing but EXCELLENT parts/items.
I would beware of the accusers gentlemen, often times its the POT calling the KETTLE "black."
~Rick

[Digger]

I've traded with this person before, all I can say is that she is a great honest seller and trader, who I've dealt with many times and I've never enountered the slightest problem.
People are entitled to their opions and i'm placing my opinion from experience.

[acmirro]

Here is the first email I sent him and the responce.


Tracy,

I received my package this afternoon. Thank you for sending it so quickly. I am pleased with the speed of the transaction.
I am, however, completely disappointed at the quality of the figures in the auction. Out of the 69 figures 42 are broken and un reparable, either by having a broken thumb (or two) or a broken crotch piece. Some having two broken thumbs and a broken crotch piece. Many figures actually having body parts which are foreign.
Some examples are:
Version 1 Snake Eyes Both thumbs broken
V2 Snake Eyes Broken right foot
V1 Scarlett Broken Crotch 2 broken thumbs and broken back
V1 Zartan broken crotch
V1 EELs broken right foot
V1 Shripwreck broken crotch.
V1 Crimson Guard Broken thumbs

Some paint wear and a few loose limbs is understandable and acceptable, but more than half of the figures are useless. I am not including the 3 figures that I knew were separated that can be fixed, with the broken ones.

While quickly sorting through the accessories, I have noticed that about half of them are not G.I. Joe accessories.

I seriously hope I can return this lot for a complete refund. Please contact me as soon as possible.

Thank you,
Anthony Mirro