Re: [CR]Please be careful

(Example: Framebuilders:Richard Moon)

Date: Wed, 04 Jun 2003 22:13:42 -0400
From: "Mara & Steven Maasland" <TheMaaslands@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Please be careful
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


Ray wrote:
> Some of you may have already seen these bikes. Some of you may
> have bid
> but just a word of caution. I don't know this person so I hate to
> judgethe book by its cover but here goes. This seller has zero
> feedback, they
> are selling a lot of bikes at one time. Some very enticing bikes
> that look
> like a deal. I see the one antique is up to almost $1300 with
> three plus
> hours to go. The rest are not yet that high. The seller is in
> Moskow "The
> Russian Federation" so you cannot visit easily should something go
> wrong.The last thing that raised the red flag for me (no pun
> intended) was this
> note recently added to all the auctions.
> "I should warn everyone who wants to participate in auction. I
> also want
> to warn everyone who already participates in auction. I do not use
> escrow.I ask you to understand me correctly. Time of delivery of a
> cargo will be
> 4-5 weeks. It does not depend on distance. It depends on
> efficiency of
> work of a delivery service. Thus I should wait for money of 4-5
> weeks. In
> my present position I can not so long wait. I want to apologize
> before all
> for this inconvenience."
> I have been around the block a few times and this just does not
> look good.
> I could be all wet but if any one of these issues was different my
> reaction would also be different. If it were me starting out I
> think I
> would explaine myself better and not sell this much at one time. I
> wouldbuild a reputation first. Hopefully this is just me being
> anal but wanted
> you to at least see what I see. Check any one auction and then
> look at all
> his auctions by hitting the "Visit Sellers Other Items" link on
> the page.
>
> http://ebay.com/<blah> ViewItem&item=2177007343&category=420

Should any list-member be the winning bidder on one of these bikes, I am certain that we can collectively find somebody in Moscow who can act as escrow party. I have a number of former business contacts there that would probably be willing to act as Escrow for a fee. Do any other listmembers have any ties?

Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ