realmike15
Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA
I'm going to try and summarize this as quickly as possible.
I sold a computer I wasn't using anymore on Craigslist for $200. In a couple days I found a buyer that was interested. The computer was specified as coming with a copy of Windows 7. This buyer informed me he would prefer Windows XP instead, so I told him I could provide a disc for XP if that's what he prefered.
The day of our transaction, I asked him to meet me in a shopping center near my work at 10 o'clock. All my listing specifically state that I will only meet in a public place, for safety reasons. I gave him the computer and the software, and told him he would have to load XP onto the computer himself as I did not have time to do it (and didn't agree to do that either). I told him if he had any questions he had my number.
A few days later, he contacts me saying he's having a hard time getting the computer to work. He says windows is going into recovery mode. I ask him if he installed XP yet, he says no he's trying to run Windows 7 that's installed on there. I kindly explain to him that he paid for XP instead of 7 via his instructions, and he should not be running 7 as he does not own that software. He also mentions something about the screen being choppy. I tell him the card may have come loose a little because he put it in his trunk and then drove over an hour home with it sliding around in there. I suggest he makes sure the card is properly connected. I also tell him he may want to reconnect some fans I had disconnected to quiet the computer down. I explain to him there is no harm in having them disconnected, it just keeps the computer quieter.
From there I hear nothing about the choppy video anymore, but he mentions it's not booting from the CD. Realizing at this point, that when he told me he could install XP himself... he in fact was not capable of doing it. I tell him you have to go into BIOS by pressing the delete key, and make sure the Boot Order is set for the CD as boot item #1. From there he tells me windows XP will not install, and something about it being invalid. Having mentioned I was giving him an XP Upgrade disc when we met, he did not realize with an Upgrade disc you need a prior version of Windows to verify you own a copy. Feeling partially responsible, I offer to mail him the disc he needs so he can complete the installation.
Here's where the problems start. He refuses my offer, and tells me he will be in the area tonight and that I need to meet up with him and make it work. I kindly explain to him there is absolutely nothing wrong with the computer, and that when he told me he could handle install XP by himself... that wasn't true, as I've had to guide him through every step thus far. I also tell him I cannot meet him tonight, but would be willing to meet him any other night to help get the issue resolved. He refuses and tells me I need to refund him the money for the computer. I tell him I'm not refunding him the money because there's nothing wrong with the computer, and it's his lack of knowledge in installing an operating system that's causing him to be unable to use it.
He tells me he's going to take it somewhere for repair, and I warn him against that telling him they will rip him off and I'm offering to do the whole thing for free. He continues to refuse my offer to fix the computer or send him the Windows 98 CD he needs to authenticate XP.
About a week later, he emails me saying he took it to his Uncle. His Uncle (who supposedly cut him a deal), has charged him $120 to reconnect some fan wires and put a new video card in. At this point I'm becoming very suspicious because this is an office computer... which means the $25 video cards they sell online would be just fine. I flat out refuse to reimburse him knowing I had tested the computer 2 days before I sold it and found it to be in perfect working order. Chances are it probably came loose while sliding around in the trunk, but he let his so called Uncle tell him he needed a new one and over charge him for it.
I write him back and tell him I'm glad the computer is working, but I cannot issue you a refund, because I not only warned you not to take the computer to a repair tech where they would over charge you... but that I had no way of knowing if the video card failure was from his own neglect in the decision to put the computer in his trunk for an hour where it probably slide all over the place.
Now he's threatening to take me to small claims court. My aunt is a lawyer, but I've decided to not do anything until I hear back from him. He claims I'll be hearing from his lawyer soon, but who knows if he's just trying to bluff. Anyway can people on craigslist sue you for this kind of stuff?
It's my belief he's trying to squeeze a little money out of me, because he had a difficult time installing XP (when he told me he could handle it).
1. He complicated the whole situation by insisting on XP instead of 7... which was not installed on the computer.
2. After he claimed the video was choppy, I told him to readjust the card in it's slot and never heard another word about it again.
3. He told me he could handle reconnecting 4 fan wires (a process that literally takes about 30 seconds)
4. He told me I had to meet him the same day he contacted me, to pick up the computer and get the operating system installed. When I told him I could do any other day he insisted on a refund. There was no refund discussed in the listing.
5. I offered to send him the Windows 98 CD he needed multiple times, knowing once he had that he could complete the XP installation no problem. He refused to give me his address or meet me.
6. His so called uncle charged him $75 for a video card that should have cost no more than $25-$20, as well as an addition $45 to connect some fan wires... a process that again takes about 30 seconds.
I think he's trying to scam money out of me, with legal threats. Can he really do this? Will he be able to take me to court? I'm not worried about losing, but I don't want to have to take the day off work, bother my aunt with this nonsense, or just be troubled in general. I don't believe there was anything wrong with the video card, I think whoever this tech was that looked at it was looking to make some money and told him he needed a new video card... when all it needed was to be checked that it was securely plugged in after sliding around in the buyers trunk.
I should also note, my Ebay seller history is 100%, and I have plenty of Craigslist buyers who are all happy with their purchases from me. This is literally the only buyer I've ever had a problem with... in selling probably over 50 items online. I just don't feel like being bullied by this guy, and I feel like I am.
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA
I'm going to try and summarize this as quickly as possible.
I sold a computer I wasn't using anymore on Craigslist for $200. In a couple days I found a buyer that was interested. The computer was specified as coming with a copy of Windows 7. This buyer informed me he would prefer Windows XP instead, so I told him I could provide a disc for XP if that's what he prefered.
The day of our transaction, I asked him to meet me in a shopping center near my work at 10 o'clock. All my listing specifically state that I will only meet in a public place, for safety reasons. I gave him the computer and the software, and told him he would have to load XP onto the computer himself as I did not have time to do it (and didn't agree to do that either). I told him if he had any questions he had my number.
A few days later, he contacts me saying he's having a hard time getting the computer to work. He says windows is going into recovery mode. I ask him if he installed XP yet, he says no he's trying to run Windows 7 that's installed on there. I kindly explain to him that he paid for XP instead of 7 via his instructions, and he should not be running 7 as he does not own that software. He also mentions something about the screen being choppy. I tell him the card may have come loose a little because he put it in his trunk and then drove over an hour home with it sliding around in there. I suggest he makes sure the card is properly connected. I also tell him he may want to reconnect some fans I had disconnected to quiet the computer down. I explain to him there is no harm in having them disconnected, it just keeps the computer quieter.
From there I hear nothing about the choppy video anymore, but he mentions it's not booting from the CD. Realizing at this point, that when he told me he could install XP himself... he in fact was not capable of doing it. I tell him you have to go into BIOS by pressing the delete key, and make sure the Boot Order is set for the CD as boot item #1. From there he tells me windows XP will not install, and something about it being invalid. Having mentioned I was giving him an XP Upgrade disc when we met, he did not realize with an Upgrade disc you need a prior version of Windows to verify you own a copy. Feeling partially responsible, I offer to mail him the disc he needs so he can complete the installation.
Here's where the problems start. He refuses my offer, and tells me he will be in the area tonight and that I need to meet up with him and make it work. I kindly explain to him there is absolutely nothing wrong with the computer, and that when he told me he could handle install XP by himself... that wasn't true, as I've had to guide him through every step thus far. I also tell him I cannot meet him tonight, but would be willing to meet him any other night to help get the issue resolved. He refuses and tells me I need to refund him the money for the computer. I tell him I'm not refunding him the money because there's nothing wrong with the computer, and it's his lack of knowledge in installing an operating system that's causing him to be unable to use it.
He tells me he's going to take it somewhere for repair, and I warn him against that telling him they will rip him off and I'm offering to do the whole thing for free. He continues to refuse my offer to fix the computer or send him the Windows 98 CD he needs to authenticate XP.
About a week later, he emails me saying he took it to his Uncle. His Uncle (who supposedly cut him a deal), has charged him $120 to reconnect some fan wires and put a new video card in. At this point I'm becoming very suspicious because this is an office computer... which means the $25 video cards they sell online would be just fine. I flat out refuse to reimburse him knowing I had tested the computer 2 days before I sold it and found it to be in perfect working order. Chances are it probably came loose while sliding around in the trunk, but he let his so called Uncle tell him he needed a new one and over charge him for it.
I write him back and tell him I'm glad the computer is working, but I cannot issue you a refund, because I not only warned you not to take the computer to a repair tech where they would over charge you... but that I had no way of knowing if the video card failure was from his own neglect in the decision to put the computer in his trunk for an hour where it probably slide all over the place.
Now he's threatening to take me to small claims court. My aunt is a lawyer, but I've decided to not do anything until I hear back from him. He claims I'll be hearing from his lawyer soon, but who knows if he's just trying to bluff. Anyway can people on craigslist sue you for this kind of stuff?
It's my belief he's trying to squeeze a little money out of me, because he had a difficult time installing XP (when he told me he could handle it).
1. He complicated the whole situation by insisting on XP instead of 7... which was not installed on the computer.
2. After he claimed the video was choppy, I told him to readjust the card in it's slot and never heard another word about it again.
3. He told me he could handle reconnecting 4 fan wires (a process that literally takes about 30 seconds)
4. He told me I had to meet him the same day he contacted me, to pick up the computer and get the operating system installed. When I told him I could do any other day he insisted on a refund. There was no refund discussed in the listing.
5. I offered to send him the Windows 98 CD he needed multiple times, knowing once he had that he could complete the XP installation no problem. He refused to give me his address or meet me.
6. His so called uncle charged him $75 for a video card that should have cost no more than $25-$20, as well as an addition $45 to connect some fan wires... a process that again takes about 30 seconds.
I think he's trying to scam money out of me, with legal threats. Can he really do this? Will he be able to take me to court? I'm not worried about losing, but I don't want to have to take the day off work, bother my aunt with this nonsense, or just be troubled in general. I don't believe there was anything wrong with the video card, I think whoever this tech was that looked at it was looking to make some money and told him he needed a new video card... when all it needed was to be checked that it was securely plugged in after sliding around in the buyers trunk.
I should also note, my Ebay seller history is 100%, and I have plenty of Craigslist buyers who are all happy with their purchases from me. This is literally the only buyer I've ever had a problem with... in selling probably over 50 items online. I just don't feel like being bullied by this guy, and I feel like I am.
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