How not to conduct a transaction on the internet...
Was pointed to
this thread on a 4X4 off-road forum via an email list I'm on.
On November 1st, Charlie Wenzel who goes by the screen name of "cdubzon40s" offered a set of new differential gears for sale for $100. Reader "MochaMike" had the same vehicle, wanted the gears and sent off a check for $100 plus the quoted $15 for the shipping charges.
Charlie receives the check,
cashes it! and then goes back to his original post and re-edits the price to $125. He then claims that that was the original price and although holding MochaMike's money, refuses to send the gears.
What Charlie had not counted on was the perseverance of other members of this forum. They found his name, tracked down his high-school yearbook pictures, found out where he worked. Found some of his eBay auctions (under a different name) and the fact that many eBay customers were very dissatisfied with Mr. Wenzel.
The result on this forum is a 53-page slow motion trainwreck as Charlie finally ships the gears, fesses up to the fact that they are not new but came from his truck, claims that he is a poor college student but brags about owning a good number of fancy vehicles. The other readers of this forum found a number of other fora where Charlie posts and sent posts linking to this thread and warning them about doing business with young master Wenzel.
A fun hour -- many of the posts are very articulate, some of them are raving spittle, all of them are fun to read. Some great photoshops of his high-school yearbook photo.
I would hate to be in Charlie Wenzel's position right now...
Posted by DaveH at November 12, 2005 8:13 PM