Gumtree !!!!-up made - advice required

TerryandGaby

Before I begin, yes I know I've made a silly error.

I advertised a phone on Gumtree as I do not have an eBay account - I asked for £200 cash on collection. A buyer got in touch and offered £190 which I accepted. I asked when he would come and collect it, and he said he lived too far away (in London) and wanted it posted. So I did that when I had recieved his money (he paid by bank transfer).

I posted it last Tuesday. He hasn't received it. Like a total fool, I posted it first class only and did not keep my reciept proving I had sent it (although looking online since, it seems that means little). He is demanding I refund him the full price, and I don't really know what to do. I know I could have covered my own back, but I didn't, and now I don't know where I stand.

This morning he has sent me text messages saying I have "obtained money by deception" and that he will go to the police tomorrow. I called my local force this morning and explained the situation, who advised me that if he does make a complaint that they virtually have to side with him, but then in the next breath said it's my word against his. At the end of the day, if I wanted to scam him, I wouldn't have provided my actual name, address, bank details and phone number nor would I have wanted him to collect it.

Abuse taken, but advice welcomed

madison-nyc

If you can't prove delivery then I think your going to have to refund , costly mistake from not send special delivery :0(

What postage method did you use?

TerryandGaby

madison-nyc wrote: »

If you can't prove delivery then I think your going to have to refund , costly mistake from not send special delivery :0(

What postage method did you use?

1st class. In the back of my mind I have this sinking feeling that he has actually had the phone and sold it on or something. Also worry I'm gonna have the Police knocking on my door when I've sent it in good faith.

custardy

afraid you set yourself up for this

RainbowDrops

Unfortunately whether you think the phone may or maynot have reached the recipient is irrelevant.
You sent it un-insured and with no proof of delivery you have no argument for keeping the buyers money.
The only recourse for you is, if you at least got a proof of postage certificate, is seeing if you can make a claim through Royal Mail. CHances are, as the most they refund for standard mail is £46, you won't get anything, as they'll argue that you used the wrong service with insufficient coverage for the item.

imho

If it doesnt turn up anywhere can you not get the mobile blocked so no one in the UK can use it ?
Thats if you have the imei number for it .

StuC75

speak to your mobile network, they usually have imei logged (I know when got o2 to unlock my iphone that they were able to confirm what the imei was that they would unlock)..

then advise the buyer that you will contact your mobile phone company to get the handset blocked.. if it was the iphone did you ever setup any tracking software as that would allow you to see where it was..

TerryandGaby

It wasn't an iPhone, but I've had the mobile blocked. It's pretty immaterial I guess because any phone can be unblocked dodgily for a fee (somewhere in the town I work advertises it specifically) but at least it's a try.

I've tried to explain to the buyer that neither of us have done anything underhand and that we should perhaps agree that, for example, I refund half but he's not having any of it. He was also getting a bit abusive with his messages this morning. I will probably wait and see what the Police have to say, at the end of the day I haven't purposely done anything wrong so we'll see I guess.

ess0two

TerryandGaby wrote: »

It wasn't an iPhone, but I've had the mobile blocked. It's pretty immaterial I guess because any phone can be unblocked dodgily for a fee (somewhere in the town I work advertises it specifically) but at least it's a try.

I've tried to explain to the buyer that neither of us have done anything underhand and that we should perhaps agree that, for example, I refund half but he's not having any of it. He was also getting a bit abusive with his messages this morning. I will probably wait and see what the Police have to say, at the end of the day I haven't purposely done anything wrong so we'll see I guess.

Someone openly advertising a service to unblock fones?you sure.

newbutold

TerryandGaby wrote: »

It wasn't an iPhone, but I've had the mobile blocked. It's pretty immaterial I guess because any phone can be unblocked dodgily for a fee (somewhere in the town I work advertises it specifically) but at least it's a try.

I think you are getting confused between unblocking a blocked phone and unlocking a network locked phone. If the phone has been blocked by its IMEI number it hashes been rendered useless.

I would hazard a guess the advert you saw was to unlock a network locked phone not unblock a blocked phone.

Sorry doesn't actually help you sort your problem out.

RainbowDrops

There's probably a thread on another forum about someone who's paid £190 for a phone that never arrived.
I'm not surprise the buyer isn't accepting half the money as a refund, that sill leave them out of pocket.
While you haven't done anything underhand, your poor choice of delivery method is your own wrongdoing.