Joined Oct 2009
L6: Expert
Forum Thread
Am I being unreasonable or wrong in this Craigslist dispute?
September 27, 2011 at
01:48 PM
Hi folks,
I will keep the story short but sufficient in quickly helping you understand the situation.
I sold a merchandise to a person on Craigslist for $130 dollars. This person was unable to pay the complete $130 at the time and offered to pay in two payments and told me that he was good for it. I initially declined this idea, not being comfortable with it. He later offered to "give up" a piece of electronic as collateral as something for me to hold on to. This was a Playstation 3 Slim. The first payment which I accepted was then $80 alongside the PS3.
He said he would be able to pay the remaining $50 the next weekend. The first meet-up was on a weekend, so it was essentially a week in-between the two original proposed payment times. However, at that time, I was going on a holiday and got stuck at the airport. As such, I couldn't make that weekend and asked if he could do the day after.
The first transaction was made on July 1st, meaning that the second payment was supposed to be on July 8th to 10th?
Since then, he has either been out of town or has repeatedly told me that he does not have the money on dates which he himself set up as dates of payments (3 or more times now). I have also found out that the merchandise which I sold him (a phone), is now broken.
I recently (i.e., mid September) -subtly indicated- to him that I cannot be waiting forever to get my money back and that at some point, I would take the PS3 as collateral. He proposed an October 1st payment as a date where he "should be" able to make the payment.
Based on e-mail exchanges in the past 48 hours, it is evident that he cannot make that date again, to which I provided an ultimatum for an additional one-more week extension.
Should he miss this date, I will terminate the deal and consider the PS3 to be collateral.
He is now flipping out, and mentioning that he couldn't believe that I was like this. He stated that he would be forced to call a lawyer should it come to that. He also indicated that he is only getting paid at the end of October and can only pay "then". He says he doesn't know what else he can do but again reiterated that he would be forced to contact a lawyer should it come down to that.
I haven't responded yet, but I'm looking for thoughts and ideas here. Am I being unreasonable? I'm only asking for my $50 back and it's close to 3 months now.
Thank you in advance to all who respond.
I will keep the story short but sufficient in quickly helping you understand the situation.
I sold a merchandise to a person on Craigslist for $130 dollars. This person was unable to pay the complete $130 at the time and offered to pay in two payments and told me that he was good for it. I initially declined this idea, not being comfortable with it. He later offered to "give up" a piece of electronic as collateral as something for me to hold on to. This was a Playstation 3 Slim. The first payment which I accepted was then $80 alongside the PS3.
He said he would be able to pay the remaining $50 the next weekend. The first meet-up was on a weekend, so it was essentially a week in-between the two original proposed payment times. However, at that time, I was going on a holiday and got stuck at the airport. As such, I couldn't make that weekend and asked if he could do the day after.
The first transaction was made on July 1st, meaning that the second payment was supposed to be on July 8th to 10th?
Since then, he has either been out of town or has repeatedly told me that he does not have the money on dates which he himself set up as dates of payments (3 or more times now). I have also found out that the merchandise which I sold him (a phone), is now broken.
I recently (i.e., mid September) -subtly indicated- to him that I cannot be waiting forever to get my money back and that at some point, I would take the PS3 as collateral. He proposed an October 1st payment as a date where he "should be" able to make the payment.
Based on e-mail exchanges in the past 48 hours, it is evident that he cannot make that date again, to which I provided an ultimatum for an additional one-more week extension.
Should he miss this date, I will terminate the deal and consider the PS3 to be collateral.
He is now flipping out, and mentioning that he couldn't believe that I was like this. He stated that he would be forced to call a lawyer should it come to that. He also indicated that he is only getting paid at the end of October and can only pay "then". He says he doesn't know what else he can do but again reiterated that he would be forced to contact a lawyer should it come down to that.
I haven't responded yet, but I'm looking for thoughts and ideas here. Am I being unreasonable? I'm only asking for my $50 back and it's close to 3 months now.
Thank you in advance to all who respond.
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I will keep the story short but sufficient in quickly helping you understand the situation.
I sold a merchandise to a person on Craigslist for $130 dollars. This person was unable to pay the complete $130 at the time and offered to pay in two payments and told me that he was good for it. I initially declined this idea, not being comfortable with it. He later offered to "give up" a piece of electronic as collateral as something for me to hold on to. This was a Playstation 3 Slim. The first payment which I accepted was then $80 alongside the PS3.
He said he would be able to pay the remaining $50 the next weekend. The first meet-up was on a weekend, so it was essentially a week in-between the two original proposed payment times. However, at that time, I was going on a holiday and got stuck at the airport. As such, I couldn't make that weekend and asked if he could do the day after.
The first transaction was made on July 1st, meaning that the second payment was supposed to be on July 8th to 10th?
Since then, he has either been out of town or has repeatedly told me that he does not have the money on dates which he himself set up as dates of payments (3 or more times now). I have also found out that the merchandise which I sold him (a phone), is now broken.
I recently (i.e., mid September) -subtly indicated- to him that I cannot be waiting forever to get my money back and that at some point, I would take the PS3 as collateral. He proposed an October 1st payment as a date where he "should be" able to make the payment.
Based on e-mail exchanges in the past 48 hours, it is evident that he cannot make that date again, to which I provided an ultimatum for an additional one-more week extension.
Should he miss this date, I will terminate the deal and consider the PS3 to be collateral.
He is now flipping out, and mentioning that he couldn't believe that I was like this. He stated that he would be forced to call a lawyer should it come to that. He also indicated that he is only getting paid at the end of October and can only pay "then". He says he doesn't know what else he can do but again reiterated that he would be forced to contact a lawyer should it come down to that.
I haven't responded yet, but I'm looking for thoughts and ideas here. Am I being unreasonable? I'm only asking for my $50 back and it's close to 3 months now.
Thank you in advance to all who respond.
btw, i'm not a lawyer, i think you should contact a lawyer just to make sure.
Also, it is strange that he has money to hire a Lawyer, but not $50 to pay you? Is he thinking he can get a lawyer to take the case on contingency and if he wins the lawyer gets... the PS3?
Also, it is strange that he has money to hire a Lawyer, but not $50 to pay you? Is he thinking he can get a lawyer to take the case on contingency and if he wins the lawyer gets... the PS3?
To answer your question, I don't think you're being unreasonable or wrong. And I usually do think the OP is wrong in these types of threads :-) (not you personally)
Also, it is strange that he has money to hire a Lawyer, but not $50 to pay you? Is he thinking he can get a lawyer to take the case on contingency and if he wins the lawyer gets... the PS3?
In my last e-mail to him this morning, I highlighted the discrepancy there that he has the money to get a lawyer, but not the money to get a happy-ending through with our deal. He ignored his point in his response and stuck to the "I will only get my last paycheck at the end of October and if you cant wait I will be forced to get a lawyer, I am not joking okay".
Firstly, I thought people in the US operated on a bi-weekly payment scheme? I've never heard of a monthly payment scheme, unless if that is what the employee opts in on?
To answer your question, I don't think you're being unreasonable or wrong. And I usually do think the OP is wrong in these types of threads :-) (not you personally)
This is starting to irk me. I just want my $50. =( Over the months, I just feel like the only way I'm ever going to see the money or to get things rolling along is if I put forth my ultimatum. If not, it's going to repeated weeks of not having it and "promises" of getting it soon.
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You gave him an ultimatum, it's fair. Either he gives you the $50 by some date, or the PS/3 is yours. If he asks for an extension of even one day, make him sign a letter that you write, which puts everything in writing. You don't need to be a lawyer to do this. Sleep well.
@OP, keep the PS3. The guy's trying to scam you. The PS3 is probably stolen, but there is no evidence suggesting that (meaning you have no real reason to believe that it is).
In my last e-mail to him this morning, I highlighted the discrepancy there that he has the money to get a lawyer, but not the money to get a happy-ending through with our deal. He ignored his point in his response and stuck to the "I will only get my last paycheck at the end of October and if you cant wait I will be forced to get a lawyer, I am not joking okay".
Firstly, I thought people in the US operated on a bi-weekly payment scheme? I've never heard of a monthly payment scheme, unless if that is what the employee opts in on?
I've been told by some friends that this guy was doing exactly this, and that he would keep threatening me with a lawyer or that the end of the month payment is just to buy more time again, at which I'm uncertain if he's even going to be able to make it, as he himself agreed to and looks like will be missing the October 1st deadline.
I was worried that I was being very unreasonable, but some of my friends pointed out that I've been way too patient to even consider 3 months and not even think of interest, etc. I still do not really care about trying to get some form of late payment compensation, I just want the end of my bargain on the deal.
I was thinking just that, although my friend indicated that some lawyers do agree to jobs without advanced payments?
This is starting to irk me. I just want my $50. =( Over the months, I just feel like the only way I'm ever going to see the money or to get things rolling along is if I put forth my ultimatum. If not, it's going to repeated weeks of not having it and "promises" of getting it soon.
...seems unlikely though.