Marketplace Problem Revisited

Uberopa · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 12:28 pm Post subject: Marketplace Problem Revisited

This was my original post.

"Hi All,

I have used the TH Marketplace to buy, sell and even trade trumpets and gear. I always felt more comfortable with the Marketplace than EBay, believing that the integrity of the membership on the site was a controlling force in ensuring honest transactions to take place.

Unfortunately, I have found this not a surefire guarantee. Here is a copy of an email I recently sent to a fellow TH member that sums it up.

"I paid you on May 30th for your Conn 22B by Paypal and you promised to send it out to my repair tech within the next 2 days. I called the tech about 2 weeks later and he had not received it. I called you on your cell phone and you promised to send it out promptly. I then received an email about a week later stating that the horn had not been addressed properly and had been returned to you. You expressed regrets and apologies and promised to send the horn out by UPS this time. I waited another 3 weeks and the tech still does not have the horn that I paid for. I have tried to email you and contact by cell phone you for an update as to the whereabouts of my horn with no response. This is unacceptable behavior in a TH member and Marketplace user.
Please contact me to assure me that the horn has been sent and provide me with a UPS tracking number. Thank you."

Now, I live in a foreign country and a long way from being able to physically contact this person so has anyone got any ideas as to how I should proceed?

Thanks,

Brian"

After months of fruitless attempts to contact the seller I finally was able to touch a nerve. He had placed an ad in the marketplace for another trumpet. I replied to his ad with my concerns about his business ethics thinking that he would provide some acceptable explanation. Finally after many daily messages he responded with the most interesting email:

Brian-

I don't understand your incessant emails. I am reluctant to respond as they are all under a spam folder, but I will not have my integrity questioned. A week after I got your payment from Paypal I had my credit card company call and inform me of an attempt of identity theft of my paypal account connected with your payment, which was thereafter deemed fraudulent. I then spent weeks sending my hard drive to be cleaned out and my bank account reviewed and re-secured. Unless you can explain to me why you tried to steal my identity through paypal, I see no reason to continue any correspondence.

That was last night. I immediately provided proof of the Paypal transaction from my Paypal account: May 30, 2010 Payment To John Heckathorn Completed ... -$220.00 USD

Now, my reply has been returned undelivered and he has taken down the Marketplace ad which the only way I could connect with him.
Paypal has made payment with my M/C and has not indicated that there was any problem with the transaction.
It would seem that I have paid $220 to be branded an identity thief. I think that the thief in question would be the party that received the money and didn't send the goods as promised or provide a refund or make any attempt to clarify the matter with me. This is the most patently absurd situation - an alleged thief pays his victim in order to steal from him.

Brian

slide911 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 27 May 2007 Posts: 894

Paypal does have a service to handle disputes, but I think there is a time period of a few months to file a claim, although i could be wrong here. The first time you received a delay, you should have filed a complaint with Paypal. They won't release the funds until it is resolved. At least that is my understanding.
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gbdeamer · Heavyweight Member Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 2302

That's crazy.

Make sure to keep this guy's name out there. seems like he simply decided to steal money from you.

LittleRusty · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:31 pm Post subject:

You might try googling. He is on TM, pip and other sites. This site was interesting http://pipl.com/directory/name/Heckathorn/John

fraserhutch · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:55 pm Post subject:

+1 the whole story is BS. If there was such an paypal issue (did he offer any proof of such a claim?), he would still be honor-bound to return the money.

Please give us all the details you have on him so all could be warned and avoid him like the plague.

Crazy Finn · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:58 pm Post subject:

Good to keep everyone appraised of scammers.
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Yamaha 731 Bb Flugelhorn

40cal · Veteran Member Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 177 Location: MN

Where does the John Heckathorn you dealt with live?

gbdeamer · Heavyweight Member Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 2302

Uberopa · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 8:32 pm Post subject:

The John Heckathorn in this sad tale lives in Middleburgh Heights, Ohio.

I was contacted by another Th'er about his purchase of a Bach Strad from this guy for $800. I told him that based on my experience he should cancel the sale immediately. I also stated that the scam M.O. was to delay shipping and then claim that the instrument was sent to an incorrect address and returned but would be sent out right away. This stalling tactic serves to prevent a dispute claim being made through Paypal, his preferred method of payment. It cued me to continue trying to make some kind of contact to find out what happened with my situation. You can see the absurdity of his response for yourself.

I am sure I will likely not receive any type of refund and that my payment is gone forever. I have absolutely no recourse. The only thing I will do is to continue to scan the Marketplace as a public service and alert the media if he shows up again.

Cheers,

Brian

fraserhutch · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:56 pm Post subject:

Sorry about that, dude, it really sucks.
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RandyTX · Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:28 am Post subject:

If that's his real name, and you change the spelling to "Middleburg Heights", google coughs up some interesting information, including possibly a home address. If so, contacting the local police department with the information, as well as PayPal could go a long way to recovering your money, or at least putting a stop to this guy.
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"Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."

40cal · Veteran Member Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 177 Location: MN

Man, I would be so PO'd.....you have his email addy that he used for paypal, a middle initial?

LittleRusty · Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 3:52 pm Post subject:

I talked with a friend at lunch today who works for pay pal. He pointed out that if the transaction was done out of state that could make this a felony.

mcollard · Regular Member Joined: 28 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

I am the unfortunate person who sent John Heckathorn $800 for a Strad he had listed in the marketplace. Since then I have been getting nothing but ridiculous excuses much like those he gave to uberopa.

I am in a somewhat better position than uberopa, in that I still have time to dispute the payment with PayPal, and in that I am a (non-practicing) attorney working for a county government in Wisconsin.

Today I filed my claim with PayPal. I also sent Mr. Heckathorn an email stating that I would meet with detectives from the sheriff's department to begin a criminal investigation for fraud unless he returned my payment in full by next Wednesday.

We'll see what happens next. In the meantime, can't Heckathorn be barred from posting any more ads? Before buying, I searched for and read some of his posts in the forum, but didn't find this discussion until too late. I should think that two strikes are enough.

mcollard · Regular Member Joined: 28 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

I am happy to say that yesterday I received the trumpet from Mr. Heckathorn.

Crazy Finn · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 7:58 pm Post subject:

Wow! A miracle!

Glad to hear you received your horn!
_________________
LA Benge 3X Bb Trumpet
Selmer Radial Bb Trumpet
Yamaha 6335S Bb Trumpet
Besson 709 Bb Trumpet
Bach 184L Bb Cornet
Yamaha 731 Bb Flugelhorn

forrest · Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 5:41 am Post subject:

Maybe uberopa will be so lucky as well.

metzlerbrass · New Member Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Elkhart

I just noticed this topic and thought I would add my experience with Mr. Heckathorn.

In late August of 2009 Mr. Heckathorn sent me a Conn 22B trumpet for some repairs. I completed those repairs and invoiced him on 9/13/2009. I received repeated promises of payment and claims of computer problems, online account problems, etc. The last communication I received was 2/23/2010, in which he said all his computer and online account problems were resolved and he would make payment first thing in the morning. I still have yet to receive payment, or response to my occasional reminders.

At this point, I do not expect he will make good on the repair bill...but, thanks to my policy of requiring payment before I ship a repair back, I still have his 22B! Or should I say, MY 22B.
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Crazy Finn · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 5:51 pm Post subject:

RandyTX · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject:

This guy sounds like a real piece of work. I can not imagine why you would ship an instrument off for repair, then not pay for it, especially when you lose it in the bargain. He's definitely not running on all cylinders.
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"Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."