Customer shipping his pc from new yor

N1nJaM0nK3y · Jan 25, 2016

I just started a small pc repair business. One day i got an email from this guy saying that he will ship his pc from new york and pay to bring it back. Some people i told said that this is some kind of scam. Is it? Cause i never heard of a scam like this. I just want to know what your guys thoughts were on this.

COLGeek · Jan 25, 2016

Are you a small PC repair business in New York? If not, I would ignore this.

Robert Cook · Jan 25, 2016

not sure what the scam would be. I would obviously not trust it on your internet system, but I seriously question what ill intent could be behind that. just a question, where are you at? if you are nowhere near new york then I would be slightly suspicious. I guess they could be after your address? if it even is a scam?

Robert Cook · Jan 25, 2016

COLGeek :

Exactly what I was thinking....

COLGeek · Jan 25, 2016

Here is what I can imagine....

"Owner" ships a piece of junk in for "repair". Item arrives damaged. Owner attempts to get paid by shipping company (insured) and has shop owner verify item was sent in for repair.

Another scenario, "Owner" ships defective system in for repair and then claims shop damaged and should repair/replace for free.

If the "Owner" walks in the door and puts the system on the counter, I would be okay. This just seems "off" being contacted, via email, for some reason. Why would someone ship a system when so many local repair options are available?

unksol · Jan 25, 2016

No one would ever need or want to ship a PC to a small repair shop they didn't buy it from. Small shops are everywhere.

Scam? Ship you broken stuff and then blame you and threaten to sue if you don't fix it. Ship broken stuff and try and scam the carriers insurance. I'm sure they can come up with more. No reason at all to ever have someone you don't know ship you their PC.

Robert Cook · Jan 25, 2016

COLGeek :

well those are nicer things than I thought of. this seems mighty sketchy the more I think of it. I would say you will gladly work on it if they bring it in, but ( blame it on UPS) as you have had bad shipping experiences, you are unwilling to have it shipped. ( always blame UPS, they ruined a customer build that was worth well over 2 grand. the whole case was bent in. they paid, but not after a month of phone tag )

N1nJaM0nK3y · Jan 25, 2016

Wow! I didn't expect so many replies this quick.

Anyway i am located in Missouri. At first i thought it was weird that a person from New York saw my ad on craigslist. But since i did just start my business up and this is my first customer i didn't think much of it. I have been talking to the guy and he says he has like 8 computers he want's me to work on, not all at once tho.

turkey3_scratch · Jan 25, 2016

If he's willing to send you computers physically, unless they're filled with TNT, I wouldn't have as much concern. If he did do the whole "sue" thing above, there is no proof that you broke anything, and without proof he would never win in court.

COLGeek · Jan 25, 2016

Similar scams have been carried out via Craigslist. I wouldn't touch this.

Why would someone pay to ship something from NY to MO when the cost of shipping would eat any savings compared to local work. Let alone thinking of a warranty issue.

Beware with this. It feels all wrong.

turkey3_scratch · Jan 25, 2016

COLGeek :

Realistically, how is this going to harm the OP though? Even if it is a scam? The OP will have the computers in his possession. The OP would not have committed any crime.

USAFRet · Jan 25, 2016

turkey3_scratch :

Once sent back, the 'sender' will complain that it is missing parts, and the repair shop has stolen them.
"I had 2 x 1TB SSD's in here!"

In conjunction with his brother-in-law the scam lawyer....

It just feels 'weird'.

turkey3_scratch · Jan 25, 2016

So the sender will waste his time basically and never succeed in court. It'd be impossible for the scammer to make any valid argument pointing to the shop owner for breaking the PC.

But, I suppose if you all say so, might as well pass on this "customer".

USAFRet · Jan 25, 2016

turkey3_scratch :

Take pics of "a PC".
Send a PC with different parts.
Sue.

People have done weirder.

How and why would a person in NY find and contact a small PC repair shop in MO?
There is a scam in here somewhere.

"blah blah broken parts....if you don't send me $500, we will take you to court and ruin your business"

turkey3_scratch · Jan 25, 2016

Yeah your right I guess. But that's why in a business you need to have agreement papers. This scam would never work on, say, the Geek Squad.

USAFRet · Jan 25, 2016

turkey3_scratch :

You don't ship your PC halfway across the country to a random GeekSquad locale.

turkey3_scratch · Jan 25, 2016

That's not what I'm saying. If I break my PC, take it to the local Geek squad, get it back fixed, then break it myself, and try to sue and blame them, do you think I'll win? No.

USAFRet · Jan 25, 2016

turkey3_scratch :

This is true.
And as said above...if he walked in and put it on the counter, that is a whole different thing.

What is the rationale of a person in NY shipping it to a brand new repair shop in MO?
He's not local, he has no references....why do this?

Plus which, some random guy suing BestBuy/GeekSquad is significantly different than threatening some small business.

N1nJaM0nK3y · Jan 25, 2016

Thanks guys, you all make great points! I decided to not do business with him.

Robert Cook · Jan 25, 2016

you are no where near new York.

just blame your fear of UPS and let this one go. not at all worth it.

Robert Cook · Jan 25, 2016

not to mention, who knows why he is after you?

Customer shipping his pc from new yor

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