D&J RailRoad
Professor of HO
So it's hosted by US web sites. For a few bucks, some folks will destroy anybody's business.
Buyers BEWARE!!!
- Thread starter goscrewyourselves
- Start date
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
Aint greed wonderful? !!
migalyto
Well-Known Member
Sad thing is that it sounds like they get shut down and are free to open up shop again and again.Aint greed wonderful? !!
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
The way the WWW is run anyone can start an online "business" without any regulation or control what so ever, all you need to do is have some thing like Go Daddy that is willing and happy to take your money, or similar, and of you go. You annoy them, you go to the next hosting mob and so on, or change the name of the business or use an alias to start the business. There are a litany of ways of getting around things because of the lack of (non existence of) regulation and control. Too many people say it is too hard to do anything. Personally, that is just an excuse for "can't be bothered doing anything".
Anyway, the only thing we can do, that honest people can do, is to be vigilant and careful as best we can and bring things like this to the attention of the public in anyway they can, even if the public is only the membership of a forum, a club or whatever. Don't turn a blind eye to those whose only interest is in ripping people off - those sorts of people, like the Bruners, only exist because people let them exist.
Anyway, the only thing we can do, that honest people can do, is to be vigilant and careful as best we can and bring things like this to the attention of the public in anyway they can, even if the public is only the membership of a forum, a club or whatever. Don't turn a blind eye to those whose only interest is in ripping people off - those sorts of people, like the Bruners, only exist because people let them exist.
Rico
BN Modeller
Just this morning I dealt with a company selling sea-cans, told him I'm interested in a few.
He said payment would be sent to his girlfriends account then he'd make arrangements.
When I asked to see pictures he sent a couple showing a field full of containers and said they were out of the city in a town called Selkirk.
Well that's where I work and can tell you that there certainly is nothing like that here.
He hung up.
He said payment would be sent to his girlfriends account then he'd make arrangements.
When I asked to see pictures he sent a couple showing a field full of containers and said they were out of the city in a town called Selkirk.
Well that's where I work and can tell you that there certainly is nothing like that here.
He hung up.
migalyto
Well-Known Member
Don't know if it was Klien's or not, but something got done. Website has been taken down!
CambriaArea51
Well-Known Member
I had a couple of scammer's say where they are at and when I tell them I'm near them I can just go there and pick it up, they hung up on me.
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
Ohh I like that approach - NICE!
Guys, please add to this list - no matter if what you discover is via the internet or phone calls. It appears as though one of these "a - holes" has been dealt with .... with any luck we can help, contribute toward the demise of the others as well
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westtexjohn
Well-Known Member
Another bogus site............
I came across this while looking for some Athearn parts :
Their address shows to be in an Odd Fellows Hall in KS
930 W Douglas Ave suite a, Wichita, KS 67203
While some parts seemed priced at about the same as other sellers, they had Athearn Genesis Challenger locos for $89.95 on sale. Down from $599.95.
Sounds a bit "too good" for me.
Athearn Genesis, SP MT-4 locos for $95.95. These locos have been long out of production but are "on sale" here as new.
Oddly, they have a very professional looking website.
I came across this while looking for some Athearn parts :
Their address shows to be in an Odd Fellows Hall in KS
930 W Douglas Ave suite a, Wichita, KS 67203
While some parts seemed priced at about the same as other sellers, they had Athearn Genesis Challenger locos for $89.95 on sale. Down from $599.95.
Sounds a bit "too good" for me.
Athearn Genesis, SP MT-4 locos for $95.95. These locos have been long out of production but are "on sale" here as new.
Oddly, they have a very professional looking website.
ctclibby
Well-Known Member
Ya, goofy. Take a look at the 'About' section of the website. Talking about 'Backpacks'.
Later
westtexjohn
Well-Known Member
I noticed the backpacks thing. Just didn't mention it in my post. No need to go into Great Detail about what makes this site bogus. The prices on the locomotives should be more than enough to tip off any person with a bit of good common sense. Their phone number also had a bit too many digits for what ever that is worth.
At age 75, I don't take kindly to being called "goofy". You don't get to be my age by being goofy especially having endured the things I have in my life . You don't know me.
John
ctclibby
Well-Known Member
westtexjohn
Well-Known Member
Apology accepted.
Sadly the site looks pretty legit until you start the detective work everyone should do when searching a new website, then all the signs become apparent. They even use the Athearn script logo except it is in yellow instead of the familiar blue.
Cheers....John
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
One more for the list !! Keep them coming as you find them gents.
dgrafix
Well-Known Member
Adding probably a very late comment...
I am a senior developer working with this stuff and i strongly reccommend using a recognised payment gateway (like paypal, klarna, dibs etc...) always make sure the page they direct you to has https:// (most browsers will have a green padlock to signify this)
If you are on a site and they have an "embedded" checkout taking a CC number, these are the most risky but there are a couple of things you can check. One you can view and explore the page source code to see what the score is, the other for the less adept is to go online, check the company out and see if they are genuine and look at the reviews (which of course can also be nonsense)... so it is up to you.
Also, if it is too good to be true then it probably is. So recognised payment gateways are the safest option by far, but preferably the page should navigate off their site properly, on to the payment handler's domain, and have a valid SSL certificate (the geen padlock).
Oh PS: It is better to use a "credit card" as opposed to a "debit card" (assuming you can control youself ) for online transactions as:
A) they offer better fraud protection
B) -your- money is not gone.. it has just become a debt that can be contested.
I am a senior developer working with this stuff and i strongly reccommend using a recognised payment gateway (like paypal, klarna, dibs etc...) always make sure the page they direct you to has https:// (most browsers will have a green padlock to signify this)
If you are on a site and they have an "embedded" checkout taking a CC number, these are the most risky but there are a couple of things you can check. One you can view and explore the page source code to see what the score is, the other for the less adept is to go online, check the company out and see if they are genuine and look at the reviews (which of course can also be nonsense)... so it is up to you.
Also, if it is too good to be true then it probably is. So recognised payment gateways are the safest option by far, but preferably the page should navigate off their site properly, on to the payment handler's domain, and have a valid SSL certificate (the geen padlock).
Oh PS: It is better to use a "credit card" as opposed to a "debit card" (assuming you can control youself
) for online transactions as:A) they offer better fraud protection
B) -your- money is not gone.. it has just become a debt that can be contested.
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Smudge617
Well-Known Member
If they don't use PayPal, I don't buy from them, simple.
dgrafix
Well-Known Member
Very wise. There are many like paypal throught Europe and beyond who handle secure payments, many as good, some even better. Best thing to do as a rule of thumb is always choose the payment partner option rather than a form on the site, and make sure you are in a new SSL window on said parners official domain. If not sure about a secure trading partner then google them. Do a whois lookup on them and find out more. Paypal is one of many worldwide same sames and all are secure, but as i say if not sure do the research. Most off site "secure payment"options are usually fine, but it is worth the little extra check out.
I added a bit above about using credit cards rather than bank cards too. It makes quite a diff.
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Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I agree, either something like PayPal or a credit card online, never ever any kind of debit card, even when I eat out I use a credit card, it's bank-guaranteed protection if the card gets cloned.
FeatherRiver
Well-Known Member
Hello,Adding probably a very late comment...
I am a senior developer working with this stuff and i strongly reccommend using a recognised payment gateway (like paypal, klarna, dibs etc...) always make sure the page they direct you to has https:// (most browsers will have a green padlock to signify this)
If you are on a site and they have an "embedded" checkout taking a CC number, these are the most risky but there are a couple of things you can check. One you can view and explore the page source code to see what the score is, the other for the less adept is to go online, check the company out and see if they are genuine and look at the reviews (which of course can also be nonsense)... so it is up to you.
Also, if it is too good to be true then it probably is. So recognised payment gateways are the safest option by far, but preferably the page should navigate off their site properly, on to the payment handler's domain, and have a valid SSL certificate (the geen padlock).
Oh PS: It is better to use a "credit card" as opposed to a "debit card" (assuming you can control youself
A) they offer better fraud protection
B) -your- money is not gone.. it has just become a debt that can be contested.
This thread is one of the most interesting (and helpful) that I have read here on MRR Forums.
I agree completely with what has been said about dealing with websites and businesses that use PayPal. I agree.
PayPal offers protection and safe transactions; and for those few negative instances that can occur, PayPal has always "been there" for me.
As for using Credit Cards instead of Debit Cards, that is excellent advice!
The manager of the bank whom I have had my account with for several years, told me not to ever pay with a Debit Card unless absolutely necessary; and only then with a "trusted source".
If I run into any internet firms that seem "to good to be true", or which appear to something they are not, I will come back here to this thread and
let everyone know.
