Is it a red flag if the seller refuses to do a face to face transaction

[daveathall]

Originally Posted by rr-nyc

While your illustration may go both ways, its heavily weighted to one side, but not the side you're arguing. The seller is avoiding meeting in person, not the buyer. While I don't have statistics, there are plenty of stories in the news where crooks places an ad on craigslist. A buyer goes to meet the seller and is robbed of the cash. That is how it works. It's counter intuitive for a would-be thief to respond to a for sale ad and robbing the person of the item that they would in tern, have to sell for cash.

Your point abut a wallet is hardly the same as jewelry to watches because you can see the goods before stealing and target high value items such as gold and diamonds. A wallet is not the same at any level. First, you have no idea is there is any cash inside and second, the average person carries less than $50 - hardly a score. Best case it may be a few hundred bucks. But, if a guy is carrying enough cash to buy a Rolex, like in this scenario, who's the easy target here? A watch is insurable. Cash is not. The potential victim in this thread is the OP.

I disagree, all your assumptions are of your opinion only (my opinion differs) and of statistics you gathered through reading "plenty of stories in the news." I too have read differing reports from different newspapers from a different country than yours that I do not present as factual evidence. I did point out that my illustration could be worked both ways. I do agree it was weighted in favour of the seller, it would have made no sense when answering the original post otherwise, only you chose to turn it around for some reason. I do however acknowledge, that from you writings above, you may have a larger insight into the criminal world than I, in which case I concede to your greater knowledge on the subject and withdraw from our engagement.

Originally Posted by rr-nyc

But, if a guy is carrying enough cash to buy a Rolex, like in this scenario, who's the easy target here? A watch is insurable. Cash is not. The potential victim in this thread is the OP.

You seem to forget that in "this scenario"(from the op) that it was the seller that did not want the face to face, it was the original poster who wanted to meet (the one with the cash).

[AK797]

Originally Posted by T. Ferguson

Cash goes in the account or leave with a certified check, watch goes in the safe deposit box.

Great for you US guys, sadly hardly any safety deposit boxes here any more so have to plan ahead.

[returntorolex]

Originally Posted by bluerolex

Of course having the piece authenticated at a watcher maker or jewelers then have the cash changes hands is out of the question.
.

This is an even bigger RED FLAG in my opinion. Refusing to allow the piece to be authenticated absolutely smacks of distrust. I would insist that any PM piece be sent to RSC (at my expense) prior to wiring $25k + to someone posting a watch for sale on the Internet.

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by daveathall

I disagree, all your assumptions are of your opinion only (my opinion differs) and of statistics you gathered through reading "plenty of stories in the news." I too have read differing reports from different newspapers from a different country than yours that I do not present as factual evidence. I did point out that my illustration could be worked both ways. I do agree it was weighted in favour of the seller, it would have made no sense when answering the original post otherwise, only you chose to turn it around for some reason. I do however acknowledge, that from you writings above, you may have a larger insight into the criminal world than I, in which case I concede to your greater knowledge on the subject and withdraw from our engagement.

Your first post in this topic was to justify why the seller may not want to meet for a face-to-face transaction to which I responded. I never stated any statistics rather news stories that corroborate my contention that it is common for a thief to post items for sale on craigslist with the sole purpose of robbing the buyer who is guaranteed to have cash.

I'm not quite sure whether your comment about my insight into the criminal world was intended to insinuate that I am a criminal so I will make it simple for you so there is no confusion here: I am not a criminal but I have a whole lot of street smarts. I never have nor ever will be a victim to a thief because I am smarter than them, period.

Originally Posted by daveathall

You seem to forget that in "this scenario"(from the op) that it was the seller that did not want the face to face, it was the original poster who wanted to meet (the one with the cash).

I didn't seem to forget anything. If you had the slightest amount of reading comprehension, you would have realized that I mentioned that the seller did not want to meet the buyer in second sentence of my response. My comment was to point out that your wallet argument is nonsensical and to underscore who is the potential victim here. The fact that you are finding excuses for the seller, by claiming he is announcing to the world that he will have a Rolex and he might get robbed is paranoid at best. The overwhelming odds are that he is a scammer and doesn't want want to meet since the watch doesn't exist or was planning to send a fake.

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by AK797

Great for you US guys, sadly hardly any safety deposit boxes here any more so have to plan ahead.

Do you mean that banks are no longer providing safety deposit, or they're all taken so you have to wait?

[AK797]

Originally Posted by T. Ferguson

Do you mean that banks are no longer providing safety deposit, or they're all taken so you have to wait?

Most UK banks have now stopped and even had existing customers take back their items.

[Sperry]

Rather odd.

There are a number of sellers I've spoken with, and the worse they say is, "We can meet up at a jeweler friend's store during normal business hours".

Even NYC sellers with no bricks'n'mortar store will meet in a bank lobby.

[threemonkeys]

Maybe they're just very unattractive. Just saying.

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by AK797

Most UK banks have now stopped and even had existing customers take back their items.

Interesting, Neil. Safe deposit to me is a basic bank service, so I'm surprised unless people in the UK just didn't use them so the demand wasn't there. Assuming that's not the case it sounds like there's a business there waiting for someone to fill the void.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by T. Ferguson

Interesting, Neil. Safe deposit to me is a basic bank service, so I'm surprised unless people in the UK just didn't use them so the demand wasn't there. Assuming that's not the case it sounds like there's a business there waiting for someone to fill the void.

Yes, there are more safety deposit companies now, and last time I went to view a Patek from a dealer I went down into Harrods' Safety Deposit to view it and with all the metal bars it wasn't quite so glamorous as upstairs.