12-08-03 03:50
No 475312
I found a web site (US-based) where this guy was selling common solvents and photography chemicals. The website was the poorest excuse for an online shop and it looked like it was created in a single day. I ordered 2.5 liters of Xylene (it's difficult for me to obtain OTC) and paid with a money order, but the package never arrived. It's been about 10 days and still no package. According to a note on the website all packages are sent US-parcel and according to DOT regulations, so it's not like he is shipping chemicals illegally or anything, not to mention that it's only Xylene, not sassafras oil. Could it be a sting operation? I really don't think ordering Xylene by itself is very suspicous. I sent several emails inquiring about the order. I even sent a few emails from completely different email addresses disgiused as new orders for other more suspicous chemicals, but no response at all to any emails. Could be I was ripped off, or the guy is dead somewhere, who knows in this world anything is possible.
(Hive Bee)
12-08-03 04:22
No 475319
Parcel post takes 2-9 days according to the USPS. Plus you need to include the perhaps week your money order took to get to em. And if the guy only ships once a week....
Or you got ripped off, which should teach you not to order from shady looking places..
But probably it's just the former.
No worries.
T
P.S. - you shouldn't be ordering stuff to your home or lab anyways, which it sounds like you are.
Though I've broken that rule on occasion myself.
(Stranger)
12-08-03 04:56
No 475324
I'll give it more time, I'm just getting paranoid. No big deal if I got ripped off, who the hell cares.
(Hive Bee)
12-08-03 06:44
No 475357
During the holidays, packages take a lot longer to get around, especially if your in an area that gets alot of snow. I remember last year i waited 4 weeks for a package to arrive around xmas time. I called up ups and they told me that it got sent accidently to Florida first
. She said that mistakes like that happen during the holiday rush. Dont sweat it.
mr president theres drugs in our residents
(Instant Karma)
12-08-03 08:48
No 475382
The website was the poorest excuse for an online shop and it looked like it was created in a single day. I ordered 2.5 liters of Xylene (anyway)... and paid with a money order
I'm going to have to create an award for that level of dumbness.
Keyboard not found. Press F1 to continue.
(Newbee)
12-08-03 21:26
No 475480
If you are worried about a xylene order not making it through due to suspicion that it will be used in drug manufacture, you are paranoid, and not in the good way. If you ordered a ridiculously large amount, maybe 50 gallons or more, suspicion might surface. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, except the guy ripping you off.
There's a right way and a wrong way to be paranoid. Educate yourself on the laws, and inquire through law enforcement or some other authority what might be deemed as a suspicious order. This will save you a lot of worry and time.
Jizzy Jizzy Bang Bang
(Stranger)
12-09-03 03:29
No 475543
I'm going to have to create an award for that level of dumbness.
To be honest, I was expecting to take a loss if I got ripped off, that is not a big deal, and I knew that it was a possibility due to the gimmicky-looking web site. But before you are so quick in posting a useless remark, think about why I choose to order from the web site in the first place. These cheap web sites are maintaied from people working from home and looking to make a living. Sure, some of them are complete scams, but I'm sure most are legit as those that continue to rip customers off would not last very long. The legit web sites most likely have no clue of reporting customer orders to the authorities, nor do they care, and this is a good thing for me since I don't want any trace of the order. You can order all of your supplies from Sigma-Aldrich and you will be gauranteed that everything will arrive, but large suppliers are all aware of regulations and report all of their orders.
You really think I care if I lost a couple of $$$ but evaded order tracing in the process?
(Stranger)
12-12-03 03:21
No 476279
Well, here's the update. Since this guy was not responding to any emails, I figured I would call. The web site does not have a phone number to call, but since I had his address to where I shipped the money, I used Yahoo White Pages and found his phone number, no problem. I called him and asked "Hello, is this [fakeName]?", he says "Yes, who's this?" I say "Well, I was told to call this number for good prices on photography supplies, can you help me?, and he says "Sure, what do you need?", and I say "Well, there were a few items that were not at your web site that I would like to order", and he says "How did you get this number?" Now, at this point, he essentially revealed to me that I was in fact talking to the person that clearly runs the web site selling the chemicals and photo supplies. He was starting to get nervous as I could hear it in his voice (the fucker!). Anyway, I know he received my letter with the payment that I sent because I sent it with delivery confirmation. Then, I break it to him hard! I say "I recently sent you payment for an order over 2 weeks ago and I still have not received my pakcage in the mail, do you want to tell me what happened to it?", and he says "What did you order?", so I tell him what I ordered. I also tell him that I was informed by the post office that he received my letter with my money for the chems. At this point he starts getting really nervous, like "Ahhhh, Uhhh, I'm not sure about that order, and I think you have the wrong number, CLICK!"
THAT DIRTY FUCKER! Now, if this guy was even half-way legit he would not have hung up on a customer asking about an order. Oh well, what can you do? Fuck the guy, who cares about the money. At least now I now the package was not nailed by the authorities and I only lost about $25. That's the last time I order from a gimmicky-looking site
(Instant Karma)
12-12-03 20:10
No 476445
He'll just continue to screw over other people unless you fuck with him a little.
Send him another letter saying that if your money isn't returned, you'll call the FTC and ask them to investigate his "business".
Keyboard not found. Press F1 to continue.
(Stranger)
12-12-03 21:07
No 476452
I'll take my loss and move on. I dont care about other people that might get ripped off, and I certainly don't want to risk bringing attention to myself by making threats using the FTC. It made for a good story, that's about it!
(Stranger)
12-12-03 21:43
No 476457
Man, you guys are very unforgiving in this place. I would actually expect to hear about the DEA intercepting my shipment of WD-40 (an entire case is very suspicous) before the Xylene.
(Hive Bee)
12-13-03 02:40
No 476521
shit in a box and sent it to him.
(Hive Bee)
12-13-03 02:47
No 476524
Send him a letter from some fake organization, the better business beurea maybe, make it formal, make a notary with a little national symbol at the top, inform him that due to several complaints from unsatisfied customers he will soon face investigation and that you have also informed the IRS of his unreported income, find someone ho is good at writing lengthy, realistic looking letters, use some formal letter you have received as a guideline, type it up on your comp, leave a fake return address, you can get those pretty looking papers and envelopes at your local post office or hobby shop, scare the shit out of him, there is no room in this world for one more con-artist.
--Word on the street is, You Reap What You Sow
(Hive Bee)
12-13-03 04:52
No 476547
That's more likely to get him to pack up and move than make him send you your shit. Just play crazy man, call him up and tell him that if he won't ship it to you, that you'll just have to go pick it up in person at such and such address. Don't add any more details, no overt threats, nothing childish. Just, "I'll come pick it up in person." I bet that'd get him on the right track.
over and under, then back to the start
this sidewalk's bottom is the same as its top
(Newbee)
12-13-03 20:16
No 476635
I would actually expect to hear about the DEA intercepting my shipment of WD-40 (an entire case is very suspicous)
Wrong again! You really need to learn what is suspicious, so you don't pay unecessary attention to an item that isn't while one that is passes by you and into the hands of authorities.
Jizzy Jizzy Bang Bang
(Stranger)
12-15-03 08:05
No 476936
Back to what DMT said, surely to god there has to be a major or even a small hardware store within a few hours drive at the most.Around here one could drive less than 3 miles and find about 5 or 6 places that sell it. Dont sweat the law on this,its no big deal.The worst that has happened is you got ripped off by this dude.
(Newbee)
12-15-03 23:16
No 477069
you could just go to your lokal hardware store and ask them if they would order some xylen for you if they dont have some. xylen is used in painting buisnes. ask them for 5L to start with.
(Newbee)
12-17-03 00:22
No 477265
hehe no they sell them in 1L glas conteiners but you could just order more and get a biger conteiner with the order.
nothing odd about that.
btw they dont use gallons only L where i live in the europe.
(Newbee)
12-17-03 23:49
No 477490
quart! never heard of it. btw i am sorry if i am confusing anybody with the L but thats the only weight i use.
(Hive Bee)
12-17-03 23:56
No 477491
Quart = Quarter Gallon (Fuck, I think so atleast)
A Liter is like ~.26 gallons so its pretty close to a quart...
I love metric
We don't give a shit, and the kids just love it.
(Stranger)
01-23-04 17:31
No 484197
Here's a nice converter for metric to standard or visa-versa
http://www.overgrow.com/tools/mcc.php
JG