Sunkin Ejection Stories
08-11-2012, 12:38 AM
#1931
http://www.mccookracing.com/articles...oidRipoffs.htm
How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off at the Cybermarket
by Chris Sunkin
These are a few things I have picked up over the last few years as I deal more and more in the "cyber marketplace". There's not one of these actions that are unique or unfamiliar to any of us but I make it a RULE to do on each and every transaction.
Here's the first one: "Who do you trust?" That's an easy one for me. We all have folks in our lives that we'd give $20 to no questions asked, knowing with all confidence you're going to see it. Some of us are even lucky enough to have a few folks we'd give $500 (or more) with the same confidence. That's the test I use. I ask myself, "would I hand this person $500?" If not, they go into the second group: the group that needs due diligence before performing a transaction. This is why I wrote "RULE". If you make rules for yourself and consider them to be rules, you're much less likely to "bend" them and make a mistake.
Second: Know who you're dealing with. Even if it's off a website, a message board or an online auction, ask the seller for a name, address and phone number. On big transactions, I ask for a fax of a driver's license. If a guy won't send this info, there must be a reason and I'm gone. Now that you have the information, CONFIRM IT! A simple call to directory information will let you know if it's legit. While you're there, dial the number and say hi. Maybe you just made a thousand dollar deal with this guy's 15-year-old pothead kid. You'll know after the call. Here's another great tool: http://www.langenberg.com. You can look up everyone on this. Remember, kids can now build complete websites. Just because someone looks like a big business doesn't mean they are. Check everyone out unless you trust them implicitly- make no assumptions unless you have the money to burn. While I'm online, I can easily search the county that the seller lives in and in a minute know if he has a criminal record. I figure if a guy does it once, he just may do it again. I don't hire felons and I don't trade with them.
Third: Documentation, documentation, documentation. Every email, auction result page and everything else gets printed and stapled together. If I have a phone conversation, those notes get sent to the other party, either by e-mail, fax or mail. I avoid a lot of misunderstandings this way- even if there's no malice intended on either part. If we both understand the same thing, we're likely to avoid problems. I go into some details, such as "This is what I understand the condition to be... (And write the seller's description in detail)" Sometimes what someone says doesn't look as good to them when they're reading it. Plus, if things go bad, you have proof and evidence of an agreement- in some circles this is known as a contract. Contracts are useful if you ever want to enjoy that other magic word- judgment. There are lots of creative ways to get and collect on judgments and I won't go into them here. Suffice to say that no details make judgments unlikely. No judgment often makes collection unlikely.
OK, so we've made our deal and we both have a clear understanding of what's expected of each other. Time for..
Fourth- Payment. This is a no-brainer. USPS money orders sent via USPS priority mail with delivery receipt. If you pay this way, you just got your own private, nationwide police force in the deal- the Postal Inspector's Service. Soliciting funds for goods and not delivering is fraud. Use the mail and it's POSTAL FRAUD. Fraud is a local thing and the police in Ludowici, Georgia are unlikely to get too interested in some local boy clipping a Yankee for a couple hundred bucks. Mail fraud is a Federal crime and these boys don't screw around. If you did the first steps and documented everything, paying by Postal MO and sending it confirmed delivery is handing it to these guys on a silver platter. Anyone who doesn't want to accept payment in this form KNOWS this is a sure-fire way to end up doing time. I had a fellow in Atlanta get funny on me a year or so ago. Lots of excuses for not sending the package, no response to calls or email. The last e-mail told him about the part where cashing those Postal MO's and refusing to send the item was a Federal crime and I was filing charges in 72 hours. Of course, I didn't hear from him so I did as I said I would. It's an easy form to fill out and you staple all the copies right to it. 2 weeks later, I received a Western Union wire of funds and an apology, asking that I let the Mail cops know he did what they asked. Here's the thing- I made it absolutely simple for the Postal Inspector boys. I had everything on paper- both his and mine. There was absolutely no question on this one and they could clear one quick and easy. I did the tough parts for them and handed it to them "on a silver platter".
Fifth- know the law. A bit of research on State-level laws can be very helpful. A few years back, I got clipped for about a grand from a guy I knew in Connecticut. He was an acquaintance and a business associate. I made the mistake of confusing friendliness for friendship. Familiarity can be dangerous. Anyway, Mr. Deadbeat was slow to send a check and when it did come, it bounced. I called him and he ducked me for a bit but I finally caught him. More excuses and a sob story. I hung up and called the local police station. Amazingly, they were happy to help. The faxed a form and I filled it out, had it notarized and sent it back. They went right out and hooked him. About 3 hours later, I got a call from Mr. Deadbeat's wife begging me to drop the charge and have her husband released from custody. Apparently Connecticut has some very strict check bouncing laws. Wife managed to make it to Western Union and hubby was home for dinner. It's funny how handcuffs and bars eliminate obstacles to locating funds. I know Florida is that same way.
I'm happy to say that no one I know that uses these techniques has ever lost a dime on a transaction. That doesn't mean it won't happen at some point. There are crooks out there that can and do catch smart, diligent people all the time. The really good ones are usually trolling for a big-ticket score so I figure I'm safe. The one's we usually run into trying to knock off $500 in a knife scam are usually amateurs and penny-ante guys.
The last thing... Most of the people I talk to that got clipped got caught being greedy or doing something they knew they shouldn't be doing. Greed can make smart people really stupid. Ask a cop; they'll tell you hundreds of amazing stories. "Too good to be true" and "hurry before you miss it" are typically recipes for disaster.
***
How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off at the Cybermarket
by Chris Sunkin
These are a few things I have picked up over the last few years as I deal more and more in the "cyber marketplace". There's not one of these actions that are unique or unfamiliar to any of us but I make it a RULE to do on each and every transaction.
Here's the first one: "Who do you trust?" That's an easy one for me. We all have folks in our lives that we'd give $20 to no questions asked, knowing with all confidence you're going to see it. Some of us are even lucky enough to have a few folks we'd give $500 (or more) with the same confidence. That's the test I use. I ask myself, "would I hand this person $500?" If not, they go into the second group: the group that needs due diligence before performing a transaction. This is why I wrote "RULE". If you make rules for yourself and consider them to be rules, you're much less likely to "bend" them and make a mistake.
Second: Know who you're dealing with. Even if it's off a website, a message board or an online auction, ask the seller for a name, address and phone number. On big transactions, I ask for a fax of a driver's license. If a guy won't send this info, there must be a reason and I'm gone. Now that you have the information, CONFIRM IT! A simple call to directory information will let you know if it's legit. While you're there, dial the number and say hi. Maybe you just made a thousand dollar deal with this guy's 15-year-old pothead kid. You'll know after the call. Here's another great tool: http://www.langenberg.com. You can look up everyone on this. Remember, kids can now build complete websites. Just because someone looks like a big business doesn't mean they are. Check everyone out unless you trust them implicitly- make no assumptions unless you have the money to burn. While I'm online, I can easily search the county that the seller lives in and in a minute know if he has a criminal record. I figure if a guy does it once, he just may do it again. I don't hire felons and I don't trade with them.
Third: Documentation, documentation, documentation. Every email, auction result page and everything else gets printed and stapled together. If I have a phone conversation, those notes get sent to the other party, either by e-mail, fax or mail. I avoid a lot of misunderstandings this way- even if there's no malice intended on either part. If we both understand the same thing, we're likely to avoid problems. I go into some details, such as "This is what I understand the condition to be... (And write the seller's description in detail)" Sometimes what someone says doesn't look as good to them when they're reading it. Plus, if things go bad, you have proof and evidence of an agreement- in some circles this is known as a contract. Contracts are useful if you ever want to enjoy that other magic word- judgment. There are lots of creative ways to get and collect on judgments and I won't go into them here. Suffice to say that no details make judgments unlikely. No judgment often makes collection unlikely.
OK, so we've made our deal and we both have a clear understanding of what's expected of each other. Time for..
Fourth- Payment. This is a no-brainer. USPS money orders sent via USPS priority mail with delivery receipt. If you pay this way, you just got your own private, nationwide police force in the deal- the Postal Inspector's Service. Soliciting funds for goods and not delivering is fraud. Use the mail and it's POSTAL FRAUD. Fraud is a local thing and the police in Ludowici, Georgia are unlikely to get too interested in some local boy clipping a Yankee for a couple hundred bucks. Mail fraud is a Federal crime and these boys don't screw around. If you did the first steps and documented everything, paying by Postal MO and sending it confirmed delivery is handing it to these guys on a silver platter. Anyone who doesn't want to accept payment in this form KNOWS this is a sure-fire way to end up doing time. I had a fellow in Atlanta get funny on me a year or so ago. Lots of excuses for not sending the package, no response to calls or email. The last e-mail told him about the part where cashing those Postal MO's and refusing to send the item was a Federal crime and I was filing charges in 72 hours. Of course, I didn't hear from him so I did as I said I would. It's an easy form to fill out and you staple all the copies right to it. 2 weeks later, I received a Western Union wire of funds and an apology, asking that I let the Mail cops know he did what they asked. Here's the thing- I made it absolutely simple for the Postal Inspector boys. I had everything on paper- both his and mine. There was absolutely no question on this one and they could clear one quick and easy. I did the tough parts for them and handed it to them "on a silver platter".
Fifth- know the law. A bit of research on State-level laws can be very helpful. A few years back, I got clipped for about a grand from a guy I knew in Connecticut. He was an acquaintance and a business associate. I made the mistake of confusing friendliness for friendship. Familiarity can be dangerous. Anyway, Mr. Deadbeat was slow to send a check and when it did come, it bounced. I called him and he ducked me for a bit but I finally caught him. More excuses and a sob story. I hung up and called the local police station. Amazingly, they were happy to help. The faxed a form and I filled it out, had it notarized and sent it back. They went right out and hooked him. About 3 hours later, I got a call from Mr. Deadbeat's wife begging me to drop the charge and have her husband released from custody. Apparently Connecticut has some very strict check bouncing laws. Wife managed to make it to Western Union and hubby was home for dinner. It's funny how handcuffs and bars eliminate obstacles to locating funds. I know Florida is that same way.
I'm happy to say that no one I know that uses these techniques has ever lost a dime on a transaction. That doesn't mean it won't happen at some point. There are crooks out there that can and do catch smart, diligent people all the time. The really good ones are usually trolling for a big-ticket score so I figure I'm safe. The one's we usually run into trying to knock off $500 in a knife scam are usually amateurs and penny-ante guys.
The last thing... Most of the people I talk to that got clipped got caught being greedy or doing something they knew they shouldn't be doing. Greed can make smart people really stupid. Ask a cop; they'll tell you hundreds of amazing stories. "Too good to be true" and "hurry before you miss it" are typically recipes for disaster.
***
08-11-2012, 12:45 AM
#1932
http://www.mccookracing.com/raceTips.htm
Submitted by Chris Sunkin
There are many factors to consider when selecting a fuel. Most of them would require a chemist experienced in hydrocarbon fuels to help you decipher In short, there are many ways to formulate a fuel through selection of base product to a whole catalog of additives and processes that enhance certain attributes The easiest way is to select the right fuel is to visit the VP fuels website No other fuel provider has focused more energy on the 2-stroke motorcycle community than VP They have some new, oxygenated fuels that really add performance.
Octane is just one measure of how a fuel will behave Too much octane without adequate compression will definitely hurt performance Octane is the fuel's resistance to combustion. Compression of the fuel/air mixture reduces a fuel's resistance to combustion and given enough pressure, the resultant heat will cause combustion on its own That's the principle behind a Diesel engine as well as the root cause of detonation Detonation is sometimes helped along by deposits in the combustion chamber Anyway, back to octane- if your octane rating is too high, your compressed fuel/air mixture is going to be harder to light via the spark plug That means that your effective ignition timing- that is, the point not where the spark hits but where the mixture ignites, will be retarded Simply advancing the ignition point in a fixed timing engine will compensate at high RPM but will kill the lower RPM power.
As far as changing fuel/air ratios with race gas- you'd probably see a minor change depending on the fuel you used It could go either way, richer or leaner, depending on the fuel It wouldn't be anywhere near as pronounced as if you went from 32:1 pre-mix to 40:1, maybe a couple percent.
In the end, there are only a few choices- make a compromise and use a fuel that's formulated for a high-efficiency 4-stroke that is required to meet your local emissions regulations (local pump gas) or use a fuel specifically formulated for your exact application (VP or other 2-stroke specific fuel. Home-brew fuel blends are likely to do more harm than good It's unlikely you'll get the best results through random experimentation.
Submitted by Chris Sunkin
There are many factors to consider when selecting a fuel. Most of them would require a chemist experienced in hydrocarbon fuels to help you decipher In short, there are many ways to formulate a fuel through selection of base product to a whole catalog of additives and processes that enhance certain attributes The easiest way is to select the right fuel is to visit the VP fuels website No other fuel provider has focused more energy on the 2-stroke motorcycle community than VP They have some new, oxygenated fuels that really add performance.
Octane is just one measure of how a fuel will behave Too much octane without adequate compression will definitely hurt performance Octane is the fuel's resistance to combustion. Compression of the fuel/air mixture reduces a fuel's resistance to combustion and given enough pressure, the resultant heat will cause combustion on its own That's the principle behind a Diesel engine as well as the root cause of detonation Detonation is sometimes helped along by deposits in the combustion chamber Anyway, back to octane- if your octane rating is too high, your compressed fuel/air mixture is going to be harder to light via the spark plug That means that your effective ignition timing- that is, the point not where the spark hits but where the mixture ignites, will be retarded Simply advancing the ignition point in a fixed timing engine will compensate at high RPM but will kill the lower RPM power.
As far as changing fuel/air ratios with race gas- you'd probably see a minor change depending on the fuel you used It could go either way, richer or leaner, depending on the fuel It wouldn't be anywhere near as pronounced as if you went from 32:1 pre-mix to 40:1, maybe a couple percent.
In the end, there are only a few choices- make a compromise and use a fuel that's formulated for a high-efficiency 4-stroke that is required to meet your local emissions regulations (local pump gas) or use a fuel specifically formulated for your exact application (VP or other 2-stroke specific fuel. Home-brew fuel blends are likely to do more harm than good It's unlikely you'll get the best results through random experimentation.
08-11-2012, 12:50 AM
#1933
McCookRacing.com Contributing Editors:
Chuck Davis #40
Raphael 'Tag' Hargrove III #366
Steve Clark #309D
Fred '900' Guidi
Dave Russell #832
John Nicholas #12
Charlie Oxford #20E
Rich Fogel
Terry Frazier #71E
John Putkey #253
Fritz Guenther #22T
Al Conte #48J
Giles Nelson #665
Bruce Rounsaville #9J
Marcus Fresco #88L
Mark Hayzlett #85M
Perry Sconzert #99D
Stephen Gautreau #999
Tom Long #20B
Robert Haag #74Y
Stu Osborn #657
'Firko' Mark Firkin #53
Randy Smith #24
Mark Jarecki #45Q
Rick Doughty
Joe Abbate #43F
Siege #306
Joey Poole #962
P.J. Read #357
Nigel Hollingsworth #356
Michael McCook #41
George Lookenbill #84
Chris Sunkin
Chuck Davis #40
Raphael 'Tag' Hargrove III #366
Steve Clark #309D
Fred '900' Guidi
Dave Russell #832
John Nicholas #12
Charlie Oxford #20E
Rich Fogel
Terry Frazier #71E
John Putkey #253
Fritz Guenther #22T
Al Conte #48J
Giles Nelson #665
Bruce Rounsaville #9J
Marcus Fresco #88L
Mark Hayzlett #85M
Perry Sconzert #99D
Stephen Gautreau #999
Tom Long #20B
Robert Haag #74Y
Stu Osborn #657
'Firko' Mark Firkin #53
Randy Smith #24
Mark Jarecki #45Q
Rick Doughty
Joe Abbate #43F
Siege #306
Joey Poole #962
P.J. Read #357
Nigel Hollingsworth #356
Michael McCook #41
George Lookenbill #84
Chris Sunkin
08-11-2012, 05:48 AM
#1934
http://www.mccookracing.com/articles...oidRipoffs.htm
How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off at the Cybermarket
by Chris Sunkin
These are a few things I have picked up over the last few years as I deal more and more in the "cyber marketplace". There's not one of these actions that are unique or unfamiliar to any of us but I make it a RULE to do on each and every transaction.
Here's the first one: "Who do you trust?" That's an easy one for me. We all have folks in our lives that we'd give $20 to no questions asked, knowing with all confidence you're going to see it. Some of us are even lucky enough to have a few folks we'd give $500 (or more) with the same confidence. That's the test I use. I ask myself, "would I hand this person $500?" If not, they go into the second group: the group that needs due diligence before performing a transaction. This is why I wrote "RULE". If you make rules for yourself and consider them to be rules, you're much less likely to "bend" them and make a mistake.
Second: Know who you're dealing with. Even if it's off a website, a message board or an online auction, ask the seller for a name, address and phone number. On big transactions, I ask for a fax of a driver's license. If a guy won't send this info, there must be a reason and I'm gone. Now that you have the information, CONFIRM IT! A simple call to directory information will let you know if it's legit. While you're there, dial the number and say hi. Maybe you just made a thousand dollar deal with this guy's 15-year-old pothead kid. You'll know after the call. Here's another great tool: http://www.langenberg.com. You can look up everyone on this. Remember, kids can now build complete websites. Just because someone looks like a big business doesn't mean they are. Check everyone out unless you trust them implicitly- make no assumptions unless you have the money to burn. While I'm online, I can easily search the county that the seller lives in and in a minute know if he has a criminal record. I figure if a guy does it once, he just may do it again. I don't hire felons and I don't trade with them.
Third: Documentation, documentation, documentation. Every email, auction result page and everything else gets printed and stapled together. If I have a phone conversation, those notes get sent to the other party, either by e-mail, fax or mail. I avoid a lot of misunderstandings this way- even if there's no malice intended on either part. If we both understand the same thing, we're likely to avoid problems. I go into some details, such as "This is what I understand the condition to be... (And write the seller's description in detail)" Sometimes what someone says doesn't look as good to them when they're reading it. Plus, if things go bad, you have proof and evidence of an agreement- in some circles this is known as a contract. Contracts are useful if you ever want to enjoy that other magic word- judgment. There are lots of creative ways to get and collect on judgments and I won't go into them here. Suffice to say that no details make judgments unlikely. No judgment often makes collection unlikely.
OK, so we've made our deal and we both have a clear understanding of what's expected of each other. Time for..
Fourth- Payment. This is a no-brainer. USPS money orders sent via USPS priority mail with delivery receipt. If you pay this way, you just got your own private, nationwide police force in the deal- the Postal Inspector's Service. Soliciting funds for goods and not delivering is fraud. Use the mail and it's POSTAL FRAUD. Fraud is a local thing and the police in Ludowici, Georgia are unlikely to get too interested in some local boy clipping a Yankee for a couple hundred bucks. Mail fraud is a Federal crime and these boys don't screw around. If you did the first steps and documented everything, paying by Postal MO and sending it confirmed delivery is handing it to these guys on a silver platter. Anyone who doesn't want to accept payment in this form KNOWS this is a sure-fire way to end up doing time. I had a fellow in Atlanta get funny on me a year or so ago. Lots of excuses for not sending the package, no response to calls or email. The last e-mail told him about the part where cashing those Postal MO's and refusing to send the item was a Federal crime and I was filing charges in 72 hours. Of course, I didn't hear from him so I did as I said I would. It's an easy form to fill out and you staple all the copies right to it. 2 weeks later, I received a Western Union wire of funds and an apology, asking that I let the Mail cops know he did what they asked. Here's the thing- I made it absolutely simple for the Postal Inspector boys. I had everything on paper- both his and mine. There was absolutely no question on this one and they could clear one quick and easy. I did the tough parts for them and handed it to them "on a silver platter".
Fifth- know the law. A bit of research on State-level laws can be very helpful. A few years back, I got clipped for about a grand from a guy I knew in Connecticut. He was an acquaintance and a business associate. I made the mistake of confusing friendliness for friendship. Familiarity can be dangerous. Anyway, Mr. Deadbeat was slow to send a check and when it did come, it bounced. I called him and he ducked me for a bit but I finally caught him. More excuses and a sob story. I hung up and called the local police station. Amazingly, they were happy to help. The faxed a form and I filled it out, had it notarized and sent it back. They went right out and hooked him. About 3 hours later, I got a call from Mr. Deadbeat's wife begging me to drop the charge and have her husband released from custody. Apparently Connecticut has some very strict check bouncing laws. Wife managed to make it to Western Union and hubby was home for dinner. It's funny how handcuffs and bars eliminate obstacles to locating funds. I know Florida is that same way.
I'm happy to say that no one I know that uses these techniques has ever lost a dime on a transaction. That doesn't mean it won't happen at some point. There are crooks out there that can and do catch smart, diligent people all the time. The really good ones are usually trolling for a big-ticket score so I figure I'm safe. The one's we usually run into trying to knock off $500 in a knife scam are usually amateurs and penny-ante guys.
The last thing... Most of the people I talk to that got clipped got caught being greedy or doing something they knew they shouldn't be doing. Greed can make smart people really stupid. Ask a cop; they'll tell you hundreds of amazing stories. "Too good to be true" and "hurry before you miss it" are typically recipes for disaster.
***
How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off at the Cybermarket
by Chris Sunkin
These are a few things I have picked up over the last few years as I deal more and more in the "cyber marketplace". There's not one of these actions that are unique or unfamiliar to any of us but I make it a RULE to do on each and every transaction.
Here's the first one: "Who do you trust?" That's an easy one for me. We all have folks in our lives that we'd give $20 to no questions asked, knowing with all confidence you're going to see it. Some of us are even lucky enough to have a few folks we'd give $500 (or more) with the same confidence. That's the test I use. I ask myself, "would I hand this person $500?" If not, they go into the second group: the group that needs due diligence before performing a transaction. This is why I wrote "RULE". If you make rules for yourself and consider them to be rules, you're much less likely to "bend" them and make a mistake.
Second: Know who you're dealing with. Even if it's off a website, a message board or an online auction, ask the seller for a name, address and phone number. On big transactions, I ask for a fax of a driver's license. If a guy won't send this info, there must be a reason and I'm gone. Now that you have the information, CONFIRM IT! A simple call to directory information will let you know if it's legit. While you're there, dial the number and say hi. Maybe you just made a thousand dollar deal with this guy's 15-year-old pothead kid. You'll know after the call. Here's another great tool: http://www.langenberg.com. You can look up everyone on this. Remember, kids can now build complete websites. Just because someone looks like a big business doesn't mean they are. Check everyone out unless you trust them implicitly- make no assumptions unless you have the money to burn. While I'm online, I can easily search the county that the seller lives in and in a minute know if he has a criminal record. I figure if a guy does it once, he just may do it again. I don't hire felons and I don't trade with them.
Third: Documentation, documentation, documentation. Every email, auction result page and everything else gets printed and stapled together. If I have a phone conversation, those notes get sent to the other party, either by e-mail, fax or mail. I avoid a lot of misunderstandings this way- even if there's no malice intended on either part. If we both understand the same thing, we're likely to avoid problems. I go into some details, such as "This is what I understand the condition to be... (And write the seller's description in detail)" Sometimes what someone says doesn't look as good to them when they're reading it. Plus, if things go bad, you have proof and evidence of an agreement- in some circles this is known as a contract. Contracts are useful if you ever want to enjoy that other magic word- judgment. There are lots of creative ways to get and collect on judgments and I won't go into them here. Suffice to say that no details make judgments unlikely. No judgment often makes collection unlikely.
OK, so we've made our deal and we both have a clear understanding of what's expected of each other. Time for..
Fourth- Payment. This is a no-brainer. USPS money orders sent via USPS priority mail with delivery receipt. If you pay this way, you just got your own private, nationwide police force in the deal- the Postal Inspector's Service. Soliciting funds for goods and not delivering is fraud. Use the mail and it's POSTAL FRAUD. Fraud is a local thing and the police in Ludowici, Georgia are unlikely to get too interested in some local boy clipping a Yankee for a couple hundred bucks. Mail fraud is a Federal crime and these boys don't screw around. If you did the first steps and documented everything, paying by Postal MO and sending it confirmed delivery is handing it to these guys on a silver platter. Anyone who doesn't want to accept payment in this form KNOWS this is a sure-fire way to end up doing time. I had a fellow in Atlanta get funny on me a year or so ago. Lots of excuses for not sending the package, no response to calls or email. The last e-mail told him about the part where cashing those Postal MO's and refusing to send the item was a Federal crime and I was filing charges in 72 hours. Of course, I didn't hear from him so I did as I said I would. It's an easy form to fill out and you staple all the copies right to it. 2 weeks later, I received a Western Union wire of funds and an apology, asking that I let the Mail cops know he did what they asked. Here's the thing- I made it absolutely simple for the Postal Inspector boys. I had everything on paper- both his and mine. There was absolutely no question on this one and they could clear one quick and easy. I did the tough parts for them and handed it to them "on a silver platter".
Fifth- know the law. A bit of research on State-level laws can be very helpful. A few years back, I got clipped for about a grand from a guy I knew in Connecticut. He was an acquaintance and a business associate. I made the mistake of confusing friendliness for friendship. Familiarity can be dangerous. Anyway, Mr. Deadbeat was slow to send a check and when it did come, it bounced. I called him and he ducked me for a bit but I finally caught him. More excuses and a sob story. I hung up and called the local police station. Amazingly, they were happy to help. The faxed a form and I filled it out, had it notarized and sent it back. They went right out and hooked him. About 3 hours later, I got a call from Mr. Deadbeat's wife begging me to drop the charge and have her husband released from custody. Apparently Connecticut has some very strict check bouncing laws. Wife managed to make it to Western Union and hubby was home for dinner. It's funny how handcuffs and bars eliminate obstacles to locating funds. I know Florida is that same way.
I'm happy to say that no one I know that uses these techniques has ever lost a dime on a transaction. That doesn't mean it won't happen at some point. There are crooks out there that can and do catch smart, diligent people all the time. The really good ones are usually trolling for a big-ticket score so I figure I'm safe. The one's we usually run into trying to knock off $500 in a knife scam are usually amateurs and penny-ante guys.
The last thing... Most of the people I talk to that got clipped got caught being greedy or doing something they knew they shouldn't be doing. Greed can make smart people really stupid. Ask a cop; they'll tell you hundreds of amazing stories. "Too good to be true" and "hurry before you miss it" are typically recipes for disaster.
***
When did he write that ?
Unphuckinbelievable
08-11-2012, 06:46 AM
#1935
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http://www.mccookracing.com/articles...oidRipoffs.htm
How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off at the Cybermarket
by Chris Sunkin
These are a few things I have picked up over the last few years as I deal more and more in the "cyber marketplace". There's not one of these actions that are unique or unfamiliar to any of us but I make it a RULE to do on each and every transaction.
Here's the first one: "Who do you trust?" That's an easy one for me. We all have folks in our lives that we'd give $20 to no questions asked, knowing with all confidence you're going to see it. Some of us are even lucky enough to have a few folks we'd give $500 (or more) with the same confidence. That's the test I use. I ask myself, "would I hand this person $500?" If not, they go into the second group: the group that needs due diligence before performing a transaction. This is why I wrote "RULE". If you make rules for yourself and consider them to be rules, you're much less likely to "bend" them and make a mistake.
Second: Know who you're dealing with. Even if it's off a website, a message board or an online auction, ask the seller for a name, address and phone number. On big transactions, I ask for a fax of a driver's license. If a guy won't send this info, there must be a reason and I'm gone. Now that you have the information, CONFIRM IT! A simple call to directory information will let you know if it's legit. While you're there, dial the number and say hi. Maybe you just made a thousand dollar deal with this guy's 15-year-old pothead kid. You'll know after the call. Here's another great tool: http://www.langenberg.com. You can look up everyone on this. Remember, kids can now build complete websites. Just because someone looks like a big business doesn't mean they are. Check everyone out unless you trust them implicitly- make no assumptions unless you have the money to burn. While I'm online, I can easily search the county that the seller lives in and in a minute know if he has a criminal record. I figure if a guy does it once, he just may do it again. I don't hire felons and I don't trade with them.
Third: Documentation, documentation, documentation. Every email, auction result page and everything else gets printed and stapled together. If I have a phone conversation, those notes get sent to the other party, either by e-mail, fax or mail. I avoid a lot of misunderstandings this way- even if there's no malice intended on either part. If we both understand the same thing, we're likely to avoid problems. I go into some details, such as "This is what I understand the condition to be... (And write the seller's description in detail)" Sometimes what someone says doesn't look as good to them when they're reading it. Plus, if things go bad, you have proof and evidence of an agreement- in some circles this is known as a contract. Contracts are useful if you ever want to enjoy that other magic word- judgment. There are lots of creative ways to get and collect on judgments and I won't go into them here. Suffice to say that no details make judgments unlikely. No judgment often makes collection unlikely.
OK, so we've made our deal and we both have a clear understanding of what's expected of each other. Time for..
Fourth- Payment. This is a no-brainer. USPS money orders sent via USPS priority mail with delivery receipt. If you pay this way, you just got your own private, nationwide police force in the deal- the Postal Inspector's Service. Soliciting funds for goods and not delivering is fraud. Use the mail and it's POSTAL FRAUD. Fraud is a local thing and the police in Ludowici, Georgia are unlikely to get too interested in some local boy clipping a Yankee for a couple hundred bucks. Mail fraud is a Federal crime and these boys don't screw around. If you did the first steps and documented everything, paying by Postal MO and sending it confirmed delivery is handing it to these guys on a silver platter. Anyone who doesn't want to accept payment in this form KNOWS this is a sure-fire way to end up doing time. I had a fellow in Atlanta get funny on me a year or so ago. Lots of excuses for not sending the package, no response to calls or email. The last e-mail told him about the part where cashing those Postal MO's and refusing to send the item was a Federal crime and I was filing charges in 72 hours. Of course, I didn't hear from him so I did as I said I would. It's an easy form to fill out and you staple all the copies right to it. 2 weeks later, I received a Western Union wire of funds and an apology, asking that I let the Mail cops know he did what they asked. Here's the thing- I made it absolutely simple for the Postal Inspector boys. I had everything on paper- both his and mine. There was absolutely no question on this one and they could clear one quick and easy. I did the tough parts for them and handed it to them "on a silver platter".
Fifth- know the law. A bit of research on State-level laws can be very helpful. A few years back, I got clipped for about a grand from a guy I knew in Connecticut. He was an acquaintance and a business associate. I made the mistake of confusing friendliness for friendship. Familiarity can be dangerous. Anyway, Mr. Deadbeat was slow to send a check and when it did come, it bounced. I called him and he ducked me for a bit but I finally caught him. More excuses and a sob story. I hung up and called the local police station. Amazingly, they were happy to help. The faxed a form and I filled it out, had it notarized and sent it back. They went right out and hooked him. About 3 hours later, I got a call from Mr. Deadbeat's wife begging me to drop the charge and have her husband released from custody. Apparently Connecticut has some very strict check bouncing laws. Wife managed to make it to Western Union and hubby was home for dinner. It's funny how handcuffs and bars eliminate obstacles to locating funds. I know Florida is that same way.
I'm happy to say that no one I know that uses these techniques has ever lost a dime on a transaction. That doesn't mean it won't happen at some point. There are crooks out there that can and do catch smart, diligent people all the time. The really good ones are usually trolling for a big-ticket score so I figure I'm safe. The one's we usually run into trying to knock off $500 in a knife scam are usually amateurs and penny-ante guys.
The last thing... Most of the people I talk to that got clipped got caught being greedy or doing something they knew they shouldn't be doing. Greed can make smart people really stupid. Ask a cop; they'll tell you hundreds of amazing stories. "Too good to be true" and "hurry before you miss it" are typically recipes for disaster.
***
How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off at the Cybermarket
by Chris Sunkin
These are a few things I have picked up over the last few years as I deal more and more in the "cyber marketplace". There's not one of these actions that are unique or unfamiliar to any of us but I make it a RULE to do on each and every transaction.
Here's the first one: "Who do you trust?" That's an easy one for me. We all have folks in our lives that we'd give $20 to no questions asked, knowing with all confidence you're going to see it. Some of us are even lucky enough to have a few folks we'd give $500 (or more) with the same confidence. That's the test I use. I ask myself, "would I hand this person $500?" If not, they go into the second group: the group that needs due diligence before performing a transaction. This is why I wrote "RULE". If you make rules for yourself and consider them to be rules, you're much less likely to "bend" them and make a mistake.
Second: Know who you're dealing with. Even if it's off a website, a message board or an online auction, ask the seller for a name, address and phone number. On big transactions, I ask for a fax of a driver's license. If a guy won't send this info, there must be a reason and I'm gone. Now that you have the information, CONFIRM IT! A simple call to directory information will let you know if it's legit. While you're there, dial the number and say hi. Maybe you just made a thousand dollar deal with this guy's 15-year-old pothead kid. You'll know after the call. Here's another great tool: http://www.langenberg.com. You can look up everyone on this. Remember, kids can now build complete websites. Just because someone looks like a big business doesn't mean they are. Check everyone out unless you trust them implicitly- make no assumptions unless you have the money to burn. While I'm online, I can easily search the county that the seller lives in and in a minute know if he has a criminal record. I figure if a guy does it once, he just may do it again. I don't hire felons and I don't trade with them.
Third: Documentation, documentation, documentation. Every email, auction result page and everything else gets printed and stapled together. If I have a phone conversation, those notes get sent to the other party, either by e-mail, fax or mail. I avoid a lot of misunderstandings this way- even if there's no malice intended on either part. If we both understand the same thing, we're likely to avoid problems. I go into some details, such as "This is what I understand the condition to be... (And write the seller's description in detail)" Sometimes what someone says doesn't look as good to them when they're reading it. Plus, if things go bad, you have proof and evidence of an agreement- in some circles this is known as a contract. Contracts are useful if you ever want to enjoy that other magic word- judgment. There are lots of creative ways to get and collect on judgments and I won't go into them here. Suffice to say that no details make judgments unlikely. No judgment often makes collection unlikely.
OK, so we've made our deal and we both have a clear understanding of what's expected of each other. Time for..
Fourth- Payment. This is a no-brainer. USPS money orders sent via USPS priority mail with delivery receipt. If you pay this way, you just got your own private, nationwide police force in the deal- the Postal Inspector's Service. Soliciting funds for goods and not delivering is fraud. Use the mail and it's POSTAL FRAUD. Fraud is a local thing and the police in Ludowici, Georgia are unlikely to get too interested in some local boy clipping a Yankee for a couple hundred bucks. Mail fraud is a Federal crime and these boys don't screw around. If you did the first steps and documented everything, paying by Postal MO and sending it confirmed delivery is handing it to these guys on a silver platter. Anyone who doesn't want to accept payment in this form KNOWS this is a sure-fire way to end up doing time. I had a fellow in Atlanta get funny on me a year or so ago. Lots of excuses for not sending the package, no response to calls or email. The last e-mail told him about the part where cashing those Postal MO's and refusing to send the item was a Federal crime and I was filing charges in 72 hours. Of course, I didn't hear from him so I did as I said I would. It's an easy form to fill out and you staple all the copies right to it. 2 weeks later, I received a Western Union wire of funds and an apology, asking that I let the Mail cops know he did what they asked. Here's the thing- I made it absolutely simple for the Postal Inspector boys. I had everything on paper- both his and mine. There was absolutely no question on this one and they could clear one quick and easy. I did the tough parts for them and handed it to them "on a silver platter".
Fifth- know the law. A bit of research on State-level laws can be very helpful. A few years back, I got clipped for about a grand from a guy I knew in Connecticut. He was an acquaintance and a business associate. I made the mistake of confusing friendliness for friendship. Familiarity can be dangerous. Anyway, Mr. Deadbeat was slow to send a check and when it did come, it bounced. I called him and he ducked me for a bit but I finally caught him. More excuses and a sob story. I hung up and called the local police station. Amazingly, they were happy to help. The faxed a form and I filled it out, had it notarized and sent it back. They went right out and hooked him. About 3 hours later, I got a call from Mr. Deadbeat's wife begging me to drop the charge and have her husband released from custody. Apparently Connecticut has some very strict check bouncing laws. Wife managed to make it to Western Union and hubby was home for dinner. It's funny how handcuffs and bars eliminate obstacles to locating funds. I know Florida is that same way.
I'm happy to say that no one I know that uses these techniques has ever lost a dime on a transaction. That doesn't mean it won't happen at some point. There are crooks out there that can and do catch smart, diligent people all the time. The really good ones are usually trolling for a big-ticket score so I figure I'm safe. The one's we usually run into trying to knock off $500 in a knife scam are usually amateurs and penny-ante guys.
The last thing... Most of the people I talk to that got clipped got caught being greedy or doing something they knew they shouldn't be doing. Greed can make smart people really stupid. Ask a cop; they'll tell you hundreds of amazing stories. "Too good to be true" and "hurry before you miss it" are typically recipes for disaster.
***
VIP Member
08-11-2012, 01:18 PM
#1938
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
iTrader: (1)
I was just reading a old thread where some deadbeat had declared bankruptcy and was on here asking how to get a loan for a gofast. When the guy was chastised for being a POS Sunkin jumped right in and helped pummel him until a couple of long time oso'ers admited THEY were bankrupt at one point too and then he was kissing there azz saying it was OK, this guy is a frickin Chameleon!!!!!
08-11-2012, 01:25 PM
#1939
Registered
iTrader: (6)
I was just reading a old thread where some deadbeat had declared bankruptcy and was on here asking how to get a loan for a gofast. When the guy was chastised for being a POS Sunkin jumped right in and helped pummel him until a couple of long time oso'ers admited THEY were bankrupt at one point too and then he was kissing there azz saying it was OK, this guy is a frickin Chameleon!!!!!
08-11-2012, 02:26 PM
#1940
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
iTrader: (1)
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/i...-after-bk.html
The OP deleted a bunch of stuff after he started threatening CNC for ripping on him but the Sunkin "wisdom" was left for posterity!!!
That is typical Sunkin, jump on the band wagon spouting off as if he was Bruce Williams handing out advice!
The OP deleted a bunch of stuff after he started threatening CNC for ripping on him but the Sunkin "wisdom" was left for posterity!!!
That is typical Sunkin, jump on the band wagon spouting off as if he was Bruce Williams handing out advice!
