Bogus Online Dealers?!

[PhantomX]

I don't know if this is the right place for this or not...but here goes!

A month or so ago I tried to purchase a VForce Morph from a company called PaintballDeals.com. After getting an error and having to resubmit my order I thought everything was ok. After about 2 days of hearing nothing and not being billed for the mask I went back to their site to look for answers. Much to my horror there was NO email link and I had to fool around with the url to arrive at a link that had a phone number. That number was disco'd. Ok....so I wait.

About two weeks later I get 2 charges on my Visa Check Card from a company in the Netherlands called "Verotel Amsterdam". This company is in the business of credit card transactions of many types. They do automatic billing and a host of other services. They claim to only service 3 countries in Europe!

I call BofA and dispute the charges. They credit my account and I go on my merry way not putting PaintballDeals and this issue together.

Then it hits me! I had to hit "Submit" twice on the PBD web site!

I have only ordered items online from AGD, Paintballgear and Paintballdeals. AGD and PBGear are flawless and upstanding businesses! The later of these is much suspect!

Today I took a look at my online statement and again....two charges. 1 for 19.95 and another for 17.95 both from verotel Amsterdam.

I am 90% sure that PBD is where my cc number was harvested!
The fact that their site takes orders they don't ship really points the finger in a bad direction. The fact that there is no method to contact them also makes them very suspect.

Tidbit! Paintballdeals.com is part of Toledo Indoor Paintball. It took a bit of digging to discover that! Its not advertised at all on the PBD website.

It seems this is a "Bill em small and get em all" scam. You only charge small amounts to avoid detection! They seem to have a commission deal with this company in Europe. They provide active CC accounts and Verotel provides the checks!

I have contacted BofA and given them all the info I have dug up. They were very interested when they found out PBD takes orders but does not ship ANYTHING!

I think we need a little niche on this forum to tell others of our experiences with online retailers. Good and Bad! I would tell anyone that was thinking of buying from paintballdeals to RUN and RUN FAR!

Well I'm off to IRC to stir up the script kiddies! I have a target for them to take out DDOS style! www.paintballdeals.com IP 209.35.165.94!

Sucks to be them!

There is a snake in every barn!

D~

[clockworkmiller]

First Skanline and their WOnderful customer service(:rolleyes:), now this?

Im sorry to hear that, but I have seen it done before.

I only buy from places where I know friends of mine have bought and recieved qualit merchandise. This really helps.

The following online places I would trust are:
AGD
G3PB
Action Village

Honestly, there shouldnt be anything you cant get from one of these three places. Well, Im sure there is, but not for a mag.

Goodluck. The VForce are quality masks.

[Grey_Goose]

DropZone is great, too. They're in the corporate spam section. Free shipping on orders over $100 for AO members, and a great RMA policy.

www.dropzonepaintball.com

[Minority]

xpaintball isn't bad

[TheBigRaguPB4L]

888paintball is good. i go with them often.

[snowman]

Being a Financial Analyst all I have to say is NEVER use a check card to pay for anything Online. If you don't have a credit card to use, get a money order. Once they take the money from your account, it's very difficult to get it back. And the bank who issued the card is NOT responsible for the money, unlike unwanted charges against a credit card. Sorry to hear about your prediciment. Let this be a lesson to us all.

[PhantomX]

In my case the Bank was very helpful and in both cases REFUNDED all my money within 24 hours. I have never had a problem getting things fixed when fraud was involved. In fact, I have had a harder time with Credit Cards in this respect. Priceline.com tried to scam me and they got nowhere! My money was back in my account before the sun went down. I had a problem with a product I bought with a CitiBank Visa and it was a nightmare to solve! To this end I use only my BofA card online.

I have had a relationship with BofA for over 20 years. This in itself has much to do with how they treat me. Your mileage may vary.

I am out nothing here really. I do fear that others will not be so lucky. That's why I posted what happened to me with PaintballDeals.com

[adam68c]

I think I got ripped of in a similar manner. I was looking on ebay for HPA tanks and found one. The only thing is wasn't an individual person it was a compnay called Paintballdream based in california. I bid on a tank and then another from the same company. I won them both. They were around 150 each. I sent an email to the company asking if I could have them shipped together to keep the shipping cost down. I sent a money order and waited. After about a week I emailed the company and waited about 4 days. I emailed them again and this time they told me that they had no record of my money order coming in so they asked me to verify all my information. I did this and still nothing. I went to the post office and had them trace my money order. I got a copy of the money order back and it was signed by Paintballdream. I went to ebay and they told me there was nothing they could do. I did get their phone number and a guys name but when I called it was diconected. Still havnt gotten my tanks and have to listen to my father tell me a fool and his money part fast.

[FaSSt]

Originally posted by adam68c
I think I got ripped of in a similar manner. I was looking on ebay for HPA tanks and found one. The only thing is wasn't an individual person it was a compnay called Paintballdream based in california. I bid on a tank and then another from the same company. I won them both. They were around 150 each. I sent an email to the company asking if I could have them shipped together to keep the shipping cost down. I sent a money order and waited. After about a week I emailed the company and waited about 4 days. I emailed them again and this time they told me that they had no record of my money order coming in so they asked me to verify all my information. I did this and still nothing. I went to the post office and had them trace my money order. I got a copy of the money order back and it was signed by Paintballdream. I went to ebay and they told me there was nothing they could do. I did get their phone number and a guys name but when I called it was diconected. Still havnt gotten my tanks and have to listen to my father tell me a fool and his money part fast.

Write Paintballdream a certified letter stating that unless you receive the merchandise you paid for within 7 days of their receipt of the letter, you will:
1. Have the USPS investigate them for mail fraud
2. Have local California authorities investigate them for fraud
3. Report them to the California Better Business Bureau
4. Have eBay investigate them

It is important to remember that a phone call will often have no results, while a certified letter stating all the relevant facts and including photocopied documentation can often solve your problem.

Good luck

[Sledgehammer]

I ordered once at www.paintball-online.com - no complaints here. And the two JT flex IZE masks were pretty cheap too.

[Dealaman]

Ace Paintball and Best Paintball also do this. I have tried to order a stealth barrel and guns from both but no cigar.

Carson

[Jonno06]

If i find a good deal online that is too good to believe,ill research and dig up some dirt,if there clean,fine,if not,I wont buy.This is the internet you know,you can find anything about anyone and their mom!

[Mild 7]

Do not order from paintballgeeks.com. They will rip you off as well.:mad:

[jackass2030]

www.compulsivepaintball.com is a great place to get things from especially for cockers. the site isnt completely built yet.

I am in no way affiliated (SP?) with this company