Audi-driver needs help with Western Union problem...

[cobram at juno.com]

Western Union will do absolutely nothing for you if something goes wrong.
 They're just an agent, and they're always in CYA mode, it's not by
chance that most of the 419 scammers use Western Union 99% of the time. 
Once the person on the other end of the transaction shows "proper ID" and
receives the cash, Western Union considers itself out of the equation.

In the future I would recommend doing a money wire directly to the
sellers account, this way, in the "observations" section of the wire
transfer, you can put in conditions (such as payable upon shipment
confirmation etc.)  My bank charges less than Western Union for wire
transfers.  When all goes wrong (as it did with me a while back, with an
Italian transfer, long story), if there is money in the other parties
account, the bank will reverse the wire, and you'll get your money back. 
In my case my client was only out the $40 bank wire fee, and not the
$25000 I had wired for some embossing machines.  The company shipped the
wrong models (el cheapo instead of what I had ordered) "by accident", as
soon as the Italian shipping broker informed me of what was delivered to
the airport for shipment, I reversed the charges.  I ended up buying the
correct machines, only the company had to deliver them to the airport
before I wired them the money again.

Depending on your bank, the average wire transfer fee will be from
$20-$40 per transaction.

BCNU,
http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/

Gerard <gerard at 2226.co.za> writes:
> Hi people! :)
> 
> A fellow Audi owner recently had a mishap with a Western Union 
> auction payment that went all wrong.
> 
> Once again, another eBay auction goes funny through Western Union
> payments. The item was advertised on eBay in the USA, being sold by
> someone in Italy. Without PayPal access, the buyer instructed 
> someone in the USA to send a Western Union payment. The payment 
> was delivered,  etc, but no product was shipped.
> 
> The buyer tried to get information out of Western Union, but they 
> reckon they're giving out no details whatsoever unless it's to the
cops.
> 
> Any tips on where to go from here would be helpful. :)
> 
> I reckon the person who sent it who most likely paid by credit card
> simply needs to reverse the transaction on his card and let
> MasterCard/Visa get all up in Western Unions face about it. :) I 
> did that to purchase gone back from the UK.