Possible Fraud? - Bargining Chip?

[waddejp]

I recently sold a computer on Craigslist for $200 in Atlanta. I said I had all the memory erased by Geek Squad when it was actually a friend who did it. I said in the ad "this is like getting a brand new computer". I sold it to a man who hours later said he couldn't get on the internet wirelessly. After trying to troubleshoot with him for half an hour he asked for his money back and I said no. He then texted me that "he hopes my family gets raped and dies in a car crash", among other vulgarities. A woman called me two days later and asked I call her back about the situation, which I never did. She proceeded to E-Mail me saying she had contacted the sheriff's department and filed a charge for fraud. She claims to have my name, address, and liscense plate number. I know the only thing she has is a GMail account I created for the sole purpose of this craigslist ad so I wouldnt get the SPAM sent to my regular account. She claims to be a partner in a law firm that when Googled produces no results and after checking with my State Bar, neither her or any of the partners are listed as practicing law. So I am 90% sure she is just trying to scare me into giving her son back his $200 and getting the laptop back. I don't want to meet him because after his comments I feel he is a threat, as well as his mother. I contacted the sheriff's department and they said the case number she gave me was an active case. What should be my plan of action? Would it be a threat to tell her I will contact the State Bar and report her as impersonating an attorney-at-law unless she drops the fraud case?

 

[Antigone*]

I recently sold a computer on Craigslist for $200 in Atlanta. I said I had all the memory erased by Geek Squad when it was actually a friend who did it. I said in the ad "this is like getting a brand new computer". I sold it to a man who hours later said he couldn't get on the internet wirelessly. After trying to troubleshoot with him for half an hour he asked for his money back and I said no. He then texted me that "he hopes my family gets raped and dies in a car crash", among other vulgarities. A woman called me two days later and asked I call her back about the situation, which I never did. She proceeded to E-Mail me saying she had contacted the sheriff's department and filed a charge for fraud. She claims to have my name, address, and liscense plate number. I know the only thing she has is a GMail account I created for the sole purpose of this craigslist ad so I wouldnt get the SPAM sent to my regular account. She claims to be a partner in a law firm that when Googled produces no results and after checking with my State Bar, neither her or any of the partners are listed as practicing law. So I am 90% sure she is just trying to scare me into giving her son back his $200 and getting the laptop back. I don't want to meet him because after his comments I feel he is a threat, as well as his mother. I contacted the sheriff's department and they said the case number she gave me was an active case. What should be my plan of action? Would it be a threat to tell her I will contact the State Bar and report her as impersonating an attorney-at-law unless she drops the fraud case?

Why threaten her at all, contact the State Bar and find out for sure. Then email her back once you find out. Don't forget to tell her son to enjoy his new computer.

 

[waddejp]

Why threaten her at all, contact the State Bar and find out for sure. Then email her back once you find out. Don't forget to tell her son to enjoy his new computer.

"She claims to be a partner in a law firm that when Googled produces no results and after checking with my State Bar, neither her or any of the partners are listed as practicing law. So I am 90% sure she is just trying to scare me into giving her son back his $200 and getting the laptop back."

Already called State Bar and they want me to fill out a complaint form and mail it in. I don't want it to go that far if she will drop case by my telling her I will go through with this unless the charges are dropped against me. Just want to know if this is a threat in some way? And considering she only has a GMail E-Mail address linked to an IP Address at my work, and a name that is not my own but madeup, and my REAL Cell Phone #; would the Sheriff Department waste resources to trace my cell # to it's real address, etc.?

 

[Proserpina]

Let me get this straight.

You knowingly sold a product under false pretenses and now you're wanting to sue the buyer because they're ticked at you and threatening to involve the authorities?


That's some balls you got there, my friend.

How do you know she doesn't have any of your details? How was the computer delivered?

(Big clue there.....)

 

[Antigone*]

Let me get this straight.

You knowingly sold a product under false pretenses and now you're wanting to sue the buyer because they're ticked at you and threatening to involve the authorities?


That's some balls you got there, my friend.

How do you know she doesn't have any of your details? How was the computer delivered?

(Big clue there.....)

If they flattened the hard drive, and restored it to its original state, there is nothing false about that. The person who purchased the computer should have checked it out thoroughly. Just because this guy could not connect wirelessly didn't mean the OP defrauded him in any way.

 

[Proserpina]

If they flattened the hard drive, and restored it to its original state, there is nothing false about that. The person who purchased the computer should have checked it out thoroughly. Just because this guy could not connect wirelessly didn't mean the OP defrauded him in any way.

He specifically and falsely advertised the drive as being erased by the Geek Squad, which strongly implies something quite different than "my friend did it".

I'm not saying the buyer has any real recourse - after all, caveat emptor - but seriously...

 

[Antigone*]

He specifically and falsely advertised the drive as being erased by the Geek Squad, which strongly implies something quite different than "my friend did it".

I'm not saying the buyer has any real recourse - after all, caveat emptor - but seriously...

You're right Pro, but the purchaser would have to prove that it wasn't flattened by the Geeks. I personally would have requested a copy of the work order but the purchaser did not ~ but then again I would never buy a used anything from craigs list.

 

[Proserpina]

You're right Pro, but the purchaser would have to prove that it wasn't flattened by the Geeks. I personally would have requested a copy of the work order but the purchaser did not ~ but then again I would never buy a used anything from craigs list.

Ditto and ditto!!!

 

[waddejp]

He specifically and falsely advertised the drive as being erased by the Geek Squad, which strongly implies something quite different than "my friend did it".

I'm not saying the buyer has any real recourse - after all, caveat emptor - but seriously...

If this gets to court, would the Geek Squad issue really be addressed? Would I have to be subject to giving a work order up, altough none exists? I only see the Geek Squad thing as a minor inconvience, am I wrong? I called my friend who fixed it a minute ago and he said it is most likely a software issue which could be remedied by downloading new software and uploading it via flashdrive onto the "scrwed-up" one.

My main question is: Can I legally take the route of telling this woman to drop all charges or I call the State Bar of GA and address the issue of her impersonating a lawyer? When I called the State Bar and spoke with an investigator he told me to go online and fill out/mail in a standard complaint form... I don't want to do this, only threaten to, but in a lawful way. If I did get a Summons to Appear in Court, then I would mail in the complaint to the State Bar immediatly. Could this create some type of mistrial?

 

[waddejp]

And considering she only has a GMail E-Mail address linked to an IP Address at my work, and a name that is not my own but madeup, and my REAL Cell Phone #; would the Sheriff Department waste resources to trace my cell # to it's real address, etc.?

 

[HighwayMan]

I think his is a big to-do over nothing.

File a complaint with the state bar association, and that's it. I can't see someone suing you because they can't get the wireless adapter to work on a laptop.

Was EVERYTHING wiped off the hard drive, or just user data?

 

[waddejp]

I think his is a big to-do over nothing.

File a complaint with the state bar association, and that's it. I can't see someone suing you because they can't get the wireless adapter to work on a laptop.

Was EVERYTHING wiped off the hard drive, or just user data?

I spoke with him recently and he said he probably just forgot to install some drivers or one was outdated. He said nothing was wrong internally with hardware from his diagonistics tests.

My biggest question is whether calling the woman claiming to be an attorney and saying something along the lines of "drop your small claims case OR I call the state Bar and file a complaint" is an ill-advised or potentially illegal threat...

 

[waddejp]

Can somebody please tell me if this "threat" would be a bad idea or potentially illegal?

 

[davew128]

Can somebody please tell me if this "threat" would be a bad idea or potentially illegal?

Depends on whether you want to go through with it.

Case in point:

Recently an Australian gentleman here on a visa was getting a little too....close to my girlfriend. She was uncomfortable about it so I told him back off. Next thing I know he's leaving all sorts of voice mails on my cell phone threatening to beat me up. Rather than confront me on in and do the manly thing, I asked my Border Patrol friend if he would be inclined to help deport this individual if he happened to be arrested for threatening to commit a crime and making annoying phone calls thus violating the terms of his visa......

 

[waddejp]

Depends on whether you want to go through with it.

Case in point:

Recently an Australian gentleman here on a visa was getting a little too....close to my girlfriend. She was uncomfortable about it so I told him back off. Next thing I know he's leaving all sorts of voice mails on my cell phone threatening to beat me up. Rather than confront me on in and do the manly thing, I asked my Border Patrol friend if he would be inclined to help deport this individual if he happened to be arrested for threatening to commit a crime and making annoying phone calls thus violating the terms of his visa......

This still doesn't help me decide wether or not to call her and "threaten her" by telling her to drop her case OR ELSE...