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e(vil)Bay!!!

Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

Ok so everyone has heard of eBay the internet place to buy & sell. Most praise it to the heavens. I for just can’t figure out why?

Anyway I have a vintage Checker Taxi, that I have been using as my daily driver for the past 3 summers while I was in Canada,  for sale. Last prior to leaving for my new home in El Salvador I listed it on Kijiji, all was fine until time came to renew the listing, after 3 months without a bite. Now Kijiji has a big fit & refuses to renew the listing as I am not in Canada, car is but makes no difference to the morons who haven’t been able to sell it in 3 months. So tell them what they can do with their useless site.

Check out eBay which appears on the surface to be on the up & up with no complaints. Decide to sell by auction with a reserve bid + a buy now price, according to Hoyle, in 7 days the car either would have been sold at my reserve or not, with a possibility that someone would want it enough to pay the buy now price.

At the end of the 1st day there appears to be a buyer at my buy now price. However I then receive an email from the buyer with a song & dance about how he can’t pay his agent & he would appreciate it if I would trot right down to my local Western Union & send his agent $1550 US which he would add to my payment.

Next I receive an email from PayPal which says that as soon as I have the conformation # from Western Union they will release my funds.

At this point the bells & whistles saying scam are going off, so I email the supposed buyer asking who is going to pay Western Union’s usurious fees? When no response is received (not surprisingly), sirens were added to the bells & whistles screaming FRAUD!!!

Went through the process on eBay to cancel the sale, 6 days later they got back to me saying they guessed the buyer was not legitimate however my eBay still lists the car as sold but not paid for & when I try to delete my account they claim I owe them $120+ for the sale.

As I didn’t fall off the turnip truck just yesterday, I didn’t fall for the scam! However there is no way anyone will ever convince me that eBay/PayPal are not fully aware of this OLD scam  & as they are NOT doing anything to stop it, they are most likely complicit in it. After all if it walks like a duck & talks like a duck, it most likely IS a duck!!!

For the love of the Great Turtle I just can’t figure out what’s with all the people who sing the praises of eBay telling me how I have to be wary & watch what I do on their site.

Heck eBay/PayPal have just proven themselves to be involved in FRAUD & are THEIVES!

Personally I refuse to deal with such SCUMBAGS!!! 🙁

Checker will be sold, in a couple weeks, at a REAL SALE with a real live auctioneer, who just happens to be a friend. 🙂

Kijiji, eBay/PayPal can stick it where the sun doesn’t shine!!

Back in the COLD country

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

So after a total of 78 hrs riding buses (that’s strictly traveling hrs, not including waiting around bus terminals) I arrived back in Peterborough ON to yucky cold 50oF, drizzly May weather (93 back home in El Salvador).

Was the trip a success? A big si, yes, oui to that. The CA + Mexican buses were a pleasure to ride, while the “Hound” was a sad experience (as expected).

However Mexico City turned out to be well worth the short visit & is placed on the return list, needs a minimum of 4 days to do it justice.

San Antonio exceeded all expectations, not only was the Alamo impressive but the city offers much to do with more history to experience. Reminds me of Brisbane, Australia, a town where one can have an enjoyable time for the price of a hop on/off bus ticket just sight seeing & chilling or spend a ton of money, if that’s your thing.

Memphis turned out to be pretty cool with Beale St, the home of the Blues (so they claim) to explore. Actually found the best hamburger ever at the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale St. Of course no visit would be complete without a visit to Graceland to check out the home of the “King”

It’s been an interesting few months, first driving the “Mother Road” US Route 66, stumbling across Tombstone, home of Boot hill & the OK Coral.

Finding “Paradise” in El Salvador & opening a B&B there!

Then seeing the Alamo & Graceland on the flipside. Not to forget my visit to Alaska in the summer.

Just a matter of selling the Checker & Scout then I will be finished with Canada & the US so I can concentrate on SE Asia + Central & South America.

Greyhound,The Rabid Dog!!!

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

An example how capitalism has gone awry in America/Canada.

Once upon a time there was an international bus line giving good service to both countries however the “car culture” combined with good economic times led to financial problems for ... [Continue reading this entry]

Checker

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

Dare to be different.

Drive a Checker!

Unfortunately I have to find a good home for my faithful Checker.

Now listed on eBay motors auction.

One more week driving then Bye, bye Checker :(

On the Road again

Friday, May 13th, 2011

Been on the road now for 10 days, 2 more & the Grey Dog’ll drop me off, in Peterborough, where I started my 5 country road trip from back in September.

The shuttle to Antigua stopped at the Royal ... [Continue reading this entry]

I’m off

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

Bit of a plan change, first stop Antigua Guatemala.

Netbook died so shall replace in San Antonio, update then.