yee@osf.org (Michael K. Yee) (04/11/91)
Beware of dealing with Donald Burr from UC Berkeley. username - "Donald Burr <dburr@ocf.Berkeley.EDU> " also alias - "Charles Gousha <gousha@ocf.Berkeley.EDU> " I sold him an external 105 Conner drive on March 5, 1991, and cashed his PERSONAL check that same day. Well his check bounced! He had sufficient funds on the day I deposited the check, and INSUFFICIENT FUNDS the day after! I asked Don to please put sufficient fund in his account, or else his check will bounce. He has done the following to me: 1. Told me many time that he would get a cash advance from his VISA card to cover his check, and did not. From dburr@ocf.Berkeley.EDU Tue Mar 5 16:36:15 1991 Subject: Re: Insufficent funds > > Alright, I'll grab a cash advance off my credit card and > stuff it in there. 2. He told me that he got some kind of check from either a scholarship fund, and will be putting that money into his account, but did not ever show up in his account. From dburr@ocf.Berkeley.EDU Sat Mar 9 00:05:46 1991 Subject: Re: Insufficent funds > > I'll call my bank first thing tomorrow morning, and find out several things, > among which if the check bounced yet. If so, then I'll mail you money order a > that same day. If not... I'll make sure that money gets deposited NOW. > (Now that I think about it, it would probably take until tomorrow to clear > the check I deposited, even though it's from a big scholarship coroporation > type); the bank isn't BofA, and it's not local (i.e. it's in Santa Barbara). > When I deposited, they said it *WOULD* be cleared by tomorrow, though... > here's hoping it is... > And Finally the last straw!! 3. He told me that he would send me a check after spring break. In a phone conversation on 4/1/91, Don told me that he SENT A CASHIER CHECK that afternoon. It has been 9 days since then, and NO CHECK! Not a funny April Fool's joke :-(. From dburr@ocf.Berkeley.EDU Tue Mar 19 05:10:53 1991 Subject: Funding... > > I will be leaving shortly (in a matter of hours) for home (southern > California) for spring break. I probably won't be able to call in to check > mail very often, if at all. HOwever, I do have your address, and will try > to get it (the money) out to you by then. I'm selling an old computer that > I have at home, which is where I'll be getting the money from. So after a month of long distance phone calls to the bank and Don, hassles, and stress beyond belief, Don has my hard drive (and is happily using it), and I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in return. Don Burr's .plan file even says: "Computer: Macintosh Classic, 4 MB RAM, 1 floppy (1.4MB), PLI 30 MB hard drive, Conner 105 MB hard drive. Running both Mac OS (System 6.0.7) and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ MINIX (a UNIX operating system for Mac)." LESSON TO BE LEARN ------------------ 1. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ACCEPT PERSONAL CHECK OVER $100. 2. Use Unix "finger username" to find out about the person you are dealing with. 3. Just because someone goes to a prestigious university, says nothing about a person's character. 4. DO NOT DEAL WITH ANYONE WITH THE FOLLOWING COMMENT IN THEIR .PLAN FILE: Plan: > > "What are YOU looking at, Butthead?" > - Biff Tannen, _Back_To_The_Future_ > Personal quote: (and philsophy on life) > "Sometimes, ya just gotta say, 'What the fuck'." > - Joel, _Risky_Business_ If anyone knows how I can get this deal to a happy and/or fair conclusion, please send me mail. =Mike p.s. Don, if you have in fact sent me the check as you have said, then I apologize, and will make a public apology. Otherwise send me the check, or the drive immediately. I have waited a month and I'm too busy to deal with this any longer. -- = Michael K. Yee -- yee@osf.org or uunet!osf.org!yee -- = OSF/Motif Development = "I can't give you brains, but I can give you a diploma." -- The Wizard of OZ
brianm@ecst.csuchico.edu (Brian Meyerpeter) (04/12/91)
Why not just keep depositing his check into your bank account? I think that you will get it back if it bounces. Each time this happens it costs him 10-15 dollars. It wont make friends between him and his bank either. There are laws in Calif about writing bad checks. Sorry to hear about your misfortunes. Brian Meyerpeter
dermer@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Marshall Dermer) (04/12/91)
I'm sorry for what has happened to you. Here is what I would do for Mr. Burr. When a student gains access to a computer on my campus, the student agrees to abide by a set of rules which includes that the machine will be used only for instructional and research purposes. Obviously, the computer is often used for personal purposes the computer administrators know this. But when students or faculty abuse others administrators are likely to take action. So, I would write to the postmaster at the site where Mr. Burr has access. Describe the problem carefully, with due respect for Mr. Burr's rights. And urge the postmaster to bring this matter to the attention of the computer administrators. The administrators at Mr. Burr's site will have access to all his files and will be able to verify your assertions about his messages. I should think that they will also want to hear Mr. Burr's side of the story. There is much that they can do to Mr. Burr besides taking away access to the university machine he now uses. Hope this helps. -- Marshall Lev Dermer [Moshe ben Menasha]|Better living through community Department of Psychology |and positive reinforcement. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee |Is God one name for the eternal E-mail: dermer@convex.csd.uwm.edu | principles scientists seek?
edw@sequent.UUCP (Ed Wright) (04/12/91)
In article <YEE.91Apr10132021@katana.osf.org> yee@osf.org (Michael K. Yee) writes:
paraphrase: I got burned.
Deposit his check for collection.
That means that you get the first crack at any money thet goes into
his account.
You may have to mail the check to his bank.
If that fails offer to contact the Calf States Atty and the School.
When I buy things over the net, I suggest who ever is selling me
something deposit the check and wait two weeks before shipping the
goods, and I have sent many a check over $100.
The whole thing is an act faith on the part of both parties.
Ed
--
I think I've got the hang of it now .... :w :q :wq :wq! ^d X exit
X Q :quitbye CtrlAltDel ~~q :~q logout save/quit :!QUIT ^[zz ^[ZZ
ZZZZ ^H ^@ ^L ^[c ^# ^E ^X ^I ^T ? help helpquit ^D ^d ^C ^c help
exit ?Quit ?q anybackbone!sequent!edw edw@sequent.COM KA9AHQ 28.340swansonc@acc.stolaf.edu (Chris Swanson) (04/13/91)
I am very sorry this happened to you. I have bought and sold quite a few things over the net, and have never had any problems. However, it seems to me that these kind of complaints seem to be getting more frequent lately. In my oppinion the safest way to buy and sell over the net is via the COD system (I have used the "trusted" method quite a few times, and like I said, no problems, but I am getting more hesitant to do so). The purchaser does not receive the goods until the UPS/USPS man has the money (you can state if it is to be cash only or if you will accept personal checks) in his hot little hand. Conversely, the purchaser does not pay until the item is there and the package is not visibly damaged (although that *never* happens with UPS/USPS - right:). It would seem that COD is the safe way to go. -Chris P.S. How about an "alert" posting that records the names of abusers here and is posted like an FAQ. However, I realize it could be abused, any ideas to prevent that? -- Chris Swanson, Chem/CS/Pre-med Undergrad, St. Olaf College, Northfield,MN 55057 DDN: (CDS6) INTERNET: swansonc@acc.stolaf.edu UUCP: uunet!stolaf!swansonc AT&T: Work: (507)-645-4528 Home: (507)-663-6424 I would deny this reality, but that wouldn't pay the bills...
wewst1@unix.cis.pitt.edu (William E Williams) (04/13/91)
In article <SWANSONC.91Apr12192036@grendel3.acc.stolaf.edu> swansonc@acc.stolaf.edu (Chris Swanson) writes: [...] > >In my oppinion the safest way to buy and sell over the net is via the >COD system (I have used the "trusted" method quite a few times, and [...] > > -Chris > Not so. There is no way for the purchaser to know that the package he(or she) just payed $500 for contains a brick or hard drive. The COD only insures that the purchaser will pay, there is no guarantee that the seller is honest. My advise is to deal only with users of universities and businesses. Ted wewst1@unix.cis.pitt.edu
gavron@alpha.sunquest.com (Ehud Gavron) (04/14/91)
In article <115246@unix.cis.pitt.edu>, wewst1@unix.cis.pitt.edu
(William E Williams) writes...
#...there is no guarantee that the seller is honest.
#My advise is to deal only with
#users of universities and businesses.
#
Um. Er. This is ridiculous. The users of the Internet fall
into many categories, and deciding someone is honest based on
the last three letters of their email address (.EDU or .COM)
is as hokey as using the first three!
What is my magic solution? None. I've bought a few things.
Mostly I arrange with the seller that he sends me something,
I use it; if it works he gets a check. If he doesn't want to
trust me, we don't deal. He feels better, I feel better, and
I sleep well at nights :-) (followups to alt.sex)
#Ted
#wewst1@unix.cis.pitt.edu
Ehud
--
Ehud Gavron (EG76)
gavron@vesta.sunquest.com