Football Programmes Centre

thfcbasil · Joined: 23 Feb 2013 Posts: 339

A warning to fellow collectors. I paid £44 on July 3rd for Legends programmes and have not been sent them or been refunded the money despite a succession of messages and more recently threats to take legal action. The excuses given began as he had lost my list, then he was waiting for that weekends games, then his partner had died of cancer. This i doubt as further messages were he was making post funeral arrangements and three weeks later planning the funeral. Meanwhile activity was continuing as per normal on his website. I made enquires and the time between death and a funeral in the UK is usually 5-10 days. His claim that he was planning the funeral 6/7 weeks after the supposed death did not seem true. He has failed completely to reply to me for a fortnight, maybe he has also died. Anyway it was a lesson learnt not to buy outside of ebay as I have no way of getting anything back. I did contact various legal bodies but nobody is interested in such a small sum. Please do not make my mistake this chap cannot be trusted.

Wullie · Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 3427

what a nightmare. It's certainly a risk buying outside the protection of eBay. A lot of people slag it off but I have never had trouble getting money back for items not sent.
I once had a bullshiter who's father died, his company didn't pay his wages, the local post office was burnt down etc. In the end I said I was going to visit his house with my brothers within the next couple of weeks. Of course that was bullshit, but I hope it made him nervous when there was a knock on the door.
Since then I have never sold outside of eBay.

thfcbasil · Joined: 23 Feb 2013 Posts: 339

I agree, in many ways it was my own fault. However his prices were very high and I asked what he would accept for ten for a friends birthday. The first lot turned up recorded and good quality and he asked if I wanted more and once i paid then I do not think there was ever any intention of sending the programmes. The frustration is there is nothing you can do. Even paying by paypal he asked for it sent as a gift, they will then not do anything so I suspect he has done this before. I just wanted to warn others not to make the same mistake. It is the first time in years of collecting I have been conned so I realise that 99% of those both buying and selling are completely reliable. Even the website has a different contact name. I just have written it off but hopefully he will lose more than the £44 in custom he may have got. by making fellow colletors aware.

thfcbasil · Joined: 23 Feb 2013 Posts: 339

I agree, in many ways it was my own fault. However his prices were very high and I asked what he would accept for ten for a friends birthday. The first lot turned up recorded and good quality and he asked if I wanted more and once i paid then I do not think there was ever any intention of sending the programmes. The frustration is there is nothing you can do. Even paying by paypal he asked for it sent as a gift, they will then not do anything so I suspect he has done this before. I just wanted to warn others not to make the same mistake. It is the first time in years of collecting I have been conned so I realise that 99% of those both buying and selling are completely reliable. Even the website has a different contact name. I just have written it off but hopefully he will lose more than the £44 in custom he may have got. by making fellow colletors aware.

Wullie · Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 3427

Personally I can't see how anyone would dare rip off a collector for £44.
If he was making a habit out of it , thinking it's easy money , well one day he could pick on the wrong person and Goodness knows what could happen. £44 is a lot to lose but it's not a huge amount to gain for putting yourself at risk.

thfcbasil · Joined: 23 Feb 2013 Posts: 339

The thing is there is nothing you can do, believe me I have tried. On ebay it actually has a fraud aware site if you feel ripped off but when I entered all the details on line they were not interested. I threatened to contact a friend who is a soliciter, the local police etc but all these were a bluff to see if they would refund. The fact all my messages were ignored would indicate they are aware that they are untouchable.

goonerboy · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Posts: 1047

did you actually complete any deals with him through ebay as well ? if yes then you can get contact details of the seller including phone number and then give him a "friendly" ring.

1980Cossie · Joined: 16 May 2009 Posts: 830

thfcbasil wrote:

The frustration is there is nothing you can do. Even paying by paypal he asked for it sent as a gift, they will then not do anything so I suspect he has done this before.

The only reason anybody asks for gift payment is because they are expecting to receive £44 net, the best thing to do is pay the fees yourself so your still covered if you need to make a claim, send the seller £45.75 with ''i'm paying for goods or services'' this way he still receives his £44 net after fees and your still covered to make a claim.

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

A worrying scenario, and it only happens because of ebay / Paypal charging people to transact money that normally doesn't happen in the normal world of banking. Pure corporate greed.

thfcbasil · Joined: 23 Feb 2013 Posts: 339

A message from him. He has lost my list!! His daughter is running the business and does not know what to do. He has been in hospital. He will sort it out after the funeral. God knows what state the body would be in two months after death!!!!! He is not impressed by my threats and intends to contact the Governors of the school I work at. What planet is the chap on? By now I think I would prefer him to just say there is nothing I can do rather than this load of rubbish. I did contact the business email given on the website someone completely different and got no reply.

Auchinleckian · Forum Moderator Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 4352

thfcbasil wrote:

A message from him. He has lost my list!! His daughter is running the business and does not know what to do. He has been in hospital. He will sort it out after the funeral. God knows what state the body would be in two months after death!!!!! He is not impressed by my threats and intends to contact the Governors of the school I work at. What planet is the chap on? By now I think I would prefer him to just say there is nothing I can do rather than this load of rubbish. I did contact the business email given on the website someone completely different and got no reply.

You'd better ask to deal with his mummy.....

thfcbasil · Joined: 23 Feb 2013 Posts: 339

I am baffled. Having threatened one last time more in frusration than hope he has just sent me the refund. I can only assume after this length of time he thought I would not give up without a fight. I would still advise people not to trust this website as it has taken so much effort and time to get a response. I was so close to giving up. Thanks for advice and support. Just maybe he heard about this from someone. If at first you don't succeed, try , try again. I know it was just £44 but it was the principle. .......I still cannot believe it!!

martino · Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:52 am Post subject: Re: the mummy returns!!!!!!!

thfcbasil wrote:

I am baffled. Having threatened one last time more in frusration than hope he has just sent me the refund. I can only assume after this length of time he thought I would not give up without a fight. I would still advise people not to trust this website as it has taken so much effort and time to get a response. I was so close to giving up. Thanks for advice and support. Just maybe he heard about this from someone. If at first you don't succeed, try , try again. I know it was just £44 but it was the principle. .......I still cannot believe it!!

I probably missed it above but which website is it?

thfcbasil · Joined: 23 Feb 2013 Posts: 339

norris-nora on ebay. He is now selling the UEFA media presskit for buy it now £9.99 plus £2.85 post and the teamsheet at £7.99 plus £2.85 post. Both of these you can download from the UEFA media site for free. Call it good business sense if you like but personally I reckon he is ripping off collectors. His feedback score is fine just do not buy outside of ebay as I did as he was a nightmare.

thfcbasil · Joined: 23 Feb 2013 Posts: 339

norris-nora on ebay. He is now selling the UEFA media presskit for buy it now £9.99 plus £2.85 post and the teamsheet at £7.99 plus £2.85 post. Both of these you can download from the UEFA media site for free. Call it good business sense if you like but personally I reckon he is ripping off collectors. His feedback score is fine just do not buy outside of ebay as I did as he was a nightmare.