Unfortunately, I am a victim of a scam here on my350z. I will not go too deep into details on this story, but I would just like to warn my350z private sellers and buyers about a scam artist on this site.

-I posted on the private classifieds selling wheel/tire combo.
-I posted my number for contact info.
-I was contacted by text by someone named RYAN ALVARADO.
-We exchanged information about the wheels, pricing, and shipping info.
-He agreed to pay trough paypal and sent the money once we agreed on pricing.
-The next day when the funds were in my wallet I shipped the wheels out and gave him all the shipping and tracking information.
-The day after I gave him shipping information, he filed a claim on paypal saying he never received the item. PayPal took back the funds from my account and put them on hold.
-After research I came to realize there were many red flags in this transaction and that this is a common scam practice. I quickly canceled the shipment.
-He began to harass me through text about it. Sending me text messages non-stop for hours.
-I was advised, by my lawyer not to respond.
-Legal actions were taken and fortunately I did not lose my funds and I got the wheels shipped back to me.

There are a lot more details to this story, but I wanted to keep it short and simple just to warn My350z members about the scam artist on here.

THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED BY SCAM ARTIST
Name: Ryan Alvarado
Number: 1(931)709-0452
Email: barbg23@outlook.com
PayPal Email: ryana2000@yahoo.com

Please beware this buyer.

 

User name?

 

Glad you got your wheels back. This is a lesson for everyone. If your instincts tell you something is not right you should listen. We don't have all the details but it sounds like you knew long before you shipped the wheels that something wasn't right.

 

Were the text messages coming from that phone number?

 

Yes, the texts were coming from that number. Unfortunately, I do not know what his my350z username is. I should have gotten that information before hand.

 

can't they cross reference emails to the ones used when they signed up?

 

931 is the area code for Clarksville, Columbia, Manchester, Cookeville and Central Tennessee

 

I thought about that, but it's not that easy.

I'm glad the OP was able to avoid losing everything.

 

A real shame that his my350Z.com username is not (yet) known, scumbags like this ruin the good name and trust between members buying and selling. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was trying this scam on many different forums

 

I know there are bad apples no matter where you go - so when I hear about these stories I'm not entirely surprised.

OP, you had tracking information on your shipment? So what did Paypal do when you proved that they were shipped out and not scheduled for delivery the day after you shipped them?

 

If you post your phone number instead of having someone contact you through PM your info can be seen by anyone

We will try to get to the bottom of this, if we have a name and a location so he must be on some forum or social media outlet so we can warn others

 

I would suggest not using your real phone number to avoid people who will do things like call and text you non-stop. There are apps on the app store on iPhones, and I assume on Androids as as well that are like another phone. Similar to a burner, just more convenient.

 

What are the names of those apps? What search terms should one use to find them?

 

if you want to call someone and make it display another number on androids, look up SpoofPro

 

The reason I ask is I'm showing that number is a land line. There is a user on the 350Z Facebook page with the same name. Ex-Navy and Z owner but owns a BMW now so I wouldn't think it's him but who knows.

 

I did some general searches last night and couldn't find anything definitive. I think he's spoofing his number, and those emails are more than likely not his, especially that "barb" one.

 

I have a feeling there is a lot more to this story and the OP is holding details that would change things a bit. Just speculation but I'll bet it's not cut and dry.

I've never been able to stop a shipment once it has been dropped off. Ever. And I've tried. Ups, FedEx, USPS all say that once you drop off a package it doesn't belong to you. How did you get your wheels back if they had been shipped?

 

You can request the shipment to be redirected to another address. Worked at a shipping warehouse for several years and dealt with USPS, UPS, and DHL. Never had a issue with it as long as it wasn't delivered by then. Of course you get charged for the redirection.

Sorry for your experience OP. This is why I only purchase and sell local. I sold and shipped a car part years ago and a simple sale became this huge problem where the person must have installed the part wrong and it "fell off the car" and demanded I refund the money. They put a claim into PayPal and it was really a big headache. After that said I would never buy or sell anything other than local.

 

And this is exactly why I don't buy from or sell to a private party if it's not a face to face transaction.

 

Probably more to the story. Nobody with at least a 6th grade education would file a dispute right after the seller claims they shipped the item. Paysuck gives someone plenty of time after they have received an item to file a claim, he would have waited until he actually got the wheels in hand.