I sold a trailer for several thousand dollars through eBay to a buyer that's handicapped in Ft Worth, TX.

The buyer contacts me before he bids, and asks how I might be able to deliver. I am from Chicago. Luckily for him, I was planning a vacation to Hot Springs Ark, and offer to bring it with me, and meet him half way. He pays with bank transfer. Problem is, (and he knew) I plan to leave in 48 hours, and bank transfers takes 3-4 days. But we talk on the phone, he has a confirmed address with pay pal, he is disabled, a family man, just new to eBay. I am not too worried...

We meet on Saturday, all is OK, and the transfer is made. I get his Tag number off his truck, and he has an Iowa ID card, NO DL, and I keep the title to the trailer... I am a little worried, but he is handicapped, and he has wife and child with him, real innocent...

I get back Monday, and the payment did not clear!!! He emails me and tells me he had some payments clear his bank that he forgot about; he does not have the money! Maybe he can pay it off in a few months... I do a quick search of what he is bidding on. He as WON a Jet ski, ATV, Race Car, Go Cart, Airplane!!, Boat!!, washer and dryer sets, and a dozen RC cars. He has no legs, and an 8 year old daughter.... He won't answer his phone any more....

I call www.pi-spy4u.com Ft Worth, TX, and give him what info I have, at 9:00AM, and he gets RIGHT on it. Time is of the essence, I can tell this guy is just stalling until he can get it moved (perhaps to Iowa, where he is from!) Meanwhile I email him back, and lead him on, what kind of payment could you make? Stalling, just wasting time!

The Investigator from "Investigation Resource Service" runs the plate, and finds the plates in Texas stay with the truck, and this truck was sold some time ago, and never re-registered!!! The phone number is T-Mobile, pre-pay. No Address... So the PI Quickly Drives over to the guys house, guess what, he moved two months ago, and the place is trashed! So, the PI goes door to door, and sure enough, most people have nothing good to say... But one person did have another phone number, left in case of a emergency, by this guy's wife.... Calls the number, and get his wife. She is now shaken, and can only say "that was his deal, not mine, leave me out of it!!" she calls him on his cell phone and I can hear (in the background) that she is "concerned". She gets back on the phone and tells me to call his number now, he will answer now!

A call to him, and he just wants to pay me later... I say, "No, I think I will just have to pick my trailer up". Stalls some more, then finally he says, "OK, when". I reply "RIGHT NOW". He says, "what do you mean right now?" I tell him I have an investigator in the area that will pick it up now. He stammers, and stalls, for another 2-3 minutes. He is obviously shaken up by this turn of events! Why did I have to get an investigator? What else has he investigated? This guy is scared! I simply tell him I need my trailer back before this gets "out of hand" Finally he tells me it is at a "friends" house and gives me the address....

I call the PI, he is there in minutes! Finds my trailer sitting in a empty lot, in a new sub-division, next to the "model home" (no one lives there) A towing company is contacted, and while the PI waits for them to arrive, The Investigator snoops around a little looking around the area, and there is his truck, down the street! He drives down to the guys' house, and his name is on the front door! He is looking out the front window! The PI starts taking pictures of the house.... Almost instantly I get a email from the Buyer, His "friends" called him and tells him someone is taking pictures of his house, and that's against the law!

I don't even reply; I am done talking to this guy. The PI now has all the info he needs on this guy, the trailer is back with me, and we are not done yet...

He emailed me at 4:00PM Monday to tell me he can't pay, and the trailer is mine again by NOON TUESDAY! I am 1000 miles away! I am amazed at how fast these dedicated investigators; acting on my behalf can get things FIXED!
~Paul Smith, Chicago