Being ripped-off by Cuephoric... I hope not

Mr Hoppe

Sawdust maker
Silver Member
Well, I'm a very patient and trusting person and I was hoping that it wouldn't come to this, but here we are.

30 days ago now Cuephoric (Shane Johnson) agreed to sell me a cue rack for a price which included shipment. I even paid the significant Paypal fees on this large purchase price without him asking, so that he could have the full cash amount because he has tripplets on the way and wants to raise some money. At that time he said he would get it shipped out that week. I talked to him probably twice per week for the first couple of weeks, and he said that he was trying to figure out how to make a crate to ship it in. I offered my advice on how to build and pack the crate, and I also offered to send him another $50 to pay for the wood to make the crate. The next time I talked to Shane, he said he decided not to build the crate, but decided to just take the rack in to his local shipping office and have them crate and ship it, so I did not send the extra $50 for the wood that I had offered. (Good thing) As it turns out, he said that they wanted more than he was willing to pay to crate and ship it, so he was going to check around with other shipping companies, so I left him alone for another week and a half to figure out what he wanted to do.

He did not call me in that week and a half, so I called him to find out what was going on. He returned my call two days later and said that he had lost my address (here we go...:rolleyes: ) but he's going to use his business account to send it DHL tomorrow, and he'll call me back with tracking info. I waited another week, and the call never came. So now I try to call him a few more times to find out where we are on this thing, and he's not returning my calls.

Like I said, I talked with Shane on the phone several times. During these conversations, he made it a point to tell me that he is very well know in the pool community of California, (good friends with T-rex, etc) and through his table installation company called A-Best Billiard Service. We both shared that we have babies on the way, and he seemed like an honest guy. However, now that it's been a month and he has not shipped the item, promises have been made and broken, and he is now not returning phone calls, I have to assume that he has no intention of honoring our deal. I hope it turns out that I am wrong, but I wanted to warn fellow AZ'ers. I have completed several $1,000+ transactions with other AZ'ers with no problems . . . until now with Cuephoric, I'm sorry to say. :(

=====================================================
Updated 1/12/08:
Well, it's official. Shane Johnson aka Cuephoric of Elk Grove, CA, has ripped me off for $1,500. For the last several weeks now he has not returned any of my messages to his cell phone nor the business that he owns called A Best Billiard Service, which I assume is in or near Elk Grove, CA. I appreciate those of you who vouched for Shane's honesty when it first appeared that he was a crook, but it is now confirmed. He took my $1,500 as payment for a cue rack, and has no intention to ship the rack, nor return my money. If you talked to this guy you would think he's the nicest guy in the world, but that's how scum-bags, crooks, and thieves opperate, they lie constantly. This guy is nothing but a common THIEF.

Shane is not some teenager who has made a mistake. He is a husband, father of 4, and a business owner. While $1,500 is certainly not a small amount of money, it's also not a large enough sum to through away one's reputation in my opinion. If he wanted out of the deal and needed to pay me back over time, that could be arranged. But that's not what Shane wants to do. He wants to steal it from me. All of it.

=====================================================
Updated 1/13/08:
I'm happy to report that Shane and I have worked out a payment plan to make things right over time. If we're able to stick to it, then this will be behind us in no time. Thanks to everyone for their support!
 
Last edited:
Ouch

All he really has to do is wrap it in a blanket and put it on a greyhound bus. You can pick it up locally
Nick :)
 
nick serdula said:
All he really has to do is wrap it in a blanket and put it on a greyhound bus. You can pick it up locally
Nick :)

I think the point is that he's getting the runaround. No ethical seller takes $1500 from someone and then stalls for 30+ days with lame excuses and stops returning phone calls.

MrHoppe you'd better file a claim with Paypal ASAP... time is running out.
 
At this point I have filed a "dispute" with Paypal, which means that they will archive communication between the two parties on the issue. If I get no response from Shane with in a day or two, I will then escalate the issue to a "claim" which means that they will begin the process of trying to refund my money. Believe it or not, I'm still hoping that Shane will do the right thing and honor our deal, but I'm not giving him long to do so... I also specifically used my credit card via paypal so that I could get them involved if necessary as well.
 
most likely he sold the rack before he realized what a BIG pain it would be and how much it would cost to ship. in most cases something that big has to go freight and rates will get into the hundreds for big items like that. DHL is an option but with an item that big i'm not sure even they'll do it.


skins --------------- thinks you should "release the hounds'..:)
 
Mr Hoppe said:
At this point I have filed a "dispute" with Paypal, which means that they will archive communication between the two parties on the issue. If I get no response from Shane with in a day or two, I will then escalate the issue to a "claim" which means that they will begin the process of trying to refund my money. Believe it or not, I'm still hoping that Shane will do the right thing and honor our deal, but I'm not giving him long to do so... I also specifically used my credit card via paypal so that I could get them involved if necessary as well.

I also hope he does the right thing. This stuff is getting OLD.

Chris
 
TATE said:
I also hope he does the right thing. This stuff is getting OLD.

Chris
Which is typically why I only deal with "known" people... It is getting old. I recently made a few several hundred dollar transactions and have been sweating those a bit too much...

I hate that it's gotten as bad around here as it has, but what do you do??

-Ross
will fly to buss' some caps!!!!

(I think LDP said it best though...) http://youtube.com/watch?v=gk-Iruh7x1M
 
Thanks to everyone for their support.

I received a voice message from Shane tonight, saying that he will ship tomorrow. I've heard that before more than once, but I think he's an honest guy, and this may just be the result of some procrastination as well as other things going on in his life. It isn't quick and easy to ship a large item such as this, and I hope he indeed does get it out the door and on it's way. I will keep everyone posted. :)
 
Mr Hoppe said:
Well, I'm a very patient and trusting person and I was hoping that it wouldn't come to this, but here we are.

30 days ago now Cuephoric (Shane Johnson, I believe) agreed to sell me a cue rack for $1,500 shipped. I even offered him an extra $45 for the Paypal fees without him asking, so that he could have the full $1,500 because he has tripplets on the way and wants to raise some money. At that time he said he would get it shipped out that week. I talked to him probably twice per week for the first couple of weeks, and he said that he was trying to figure out how to make a crate to ship it in. I offered my advice on how to build and pack the crate, and I also offered to send him another $50 to pay for the wood to make the crate. The next time I talked to Shane, he said he decided not to build the crate, but decided to just take the rack in to his local shipping office and have them crate and ship it, so I did not send the extra $50 for the wood that I had offered. (Good thing) As it turns out, he said that they wanted more than he was willing to pay to crate and ship it, so he was going to check around with other shipping companies, so I left him alone for another week and a half to figure out what he wanted to do.

He did not call me in that week and a half, so I called him to find out what was going on. He returned my call two days later and said that he had lost my address (here we go...:rolleyes: ) but he's going to use his business account to send it DHL tomorrow, and he'll call me back with tracking info. I waited another week, and the call never came. So now I try to call him a few more times to find out where we are on this thing, and he's not returning my calls.

Like I said, I talked with Shane on the phone several times. During these conversations, he made it a point to tell me that he is very well know in the pool community of California, (good friends with T-rex, etc) and through his table installation company called A-Best Billiard Service. We both shared that we have babies on the way, and he seemed like an honest guy. However, now that it's been a month and he has not shipped the item, promises have been made and broken, and he is now not returning phone calls, I have to assume that he has no intention of honoring our deal. I hope it turns out that I am wrong, but I wanted to warn fellow AZ'ers. I have completed several $1,000+ transactions with other AZ'ers with no problems . . . until now with Cuephoric, I'm sorry to say. :(

Just a suggestion here. Tell him to check with UPS frieght and ask for a deal and he can get a better than originally quoted price. Usaully at least 20 to 40% off listed price
 
Glad you heard from him.

I think that Cue needs to chime in on here and Splain himself....

And, I agree, It is getting dissapointing hearing about all these shenanigans. But I would rather hear about them than not.

Russ
 
you say you only deal with known people but what about your last deal with the joss cues and case I never herd of that guy before that day I think:confused:

Steven




1pRoscoe said:
Which is typically why I only deal with "known" people... It is getting old. I recently made a few several hundred dollar transactions and have been sweating those a bit too much...

I hate that it's gotten as bad around here as it has, but what do you do??

-Ross
will fly to buss' some caps!!!!

(I think LDP said it best though...) http://youtube.com/watch?v=gk-Iruh7x1M
 
I must say having babies to deal with and trying to get a item that big shipped is a job in itself there's alot of running around with both, JMO




Mr Hoppe said:
Thanks to everyone for their support.

I received a voice message from Shane tonight, saying that he will ship tomorrow. I've heard that before more than once, but I think he's an honest guy, and this may just be the result of some procrastination as well as other things going on in his life. It isn't quick and easy to ship a large item such as this, and I hope he indeed does get it out the door and on it's way. I will keep everyone posted. :)
 
And Put Air Holes In The Box

justabrake said:
I must say having babies to deal with and trying to get a item that big shipped is a job in itself there's alot of running around with both, JMO


In that case, he should burp the cue rack and ship the baby.... imo
Doug
:)
 
Smorgass Bored said:
In that case, he should burp the cue rack and ship the baby.... imo
Doug
:)



9e958121.gif
 
justabrake said:
you say you only deal with known people but what about your last deal with the joss cues and case I never herd of that guy before that day I think:confused:

Steven
I didn't think I'd have to stress the word "typically" and focus on the fact that I'd done a few lower dollar transactions that I was sweating...

Seems that English comprehension is lacking for someone...
 
1pRoscoe said:
I didn't think I'd have to stress the word "typically" and focus on the fact that I'd done a few lower dollar transactions that I was sweating...

Seems that English comprehension is lacking for someone...



Ha, my comprehension isn't lacking just pointing out how fast someone trys to grab a deal to fast with unknown sellers to make a quick buck usaully by greed and gets burnt on the deal and comes back to post why it happened to them and then this
e1024e63.gif


now thats what I call good perspective on these type of buys here.

Steven
 
justabrake said:
Ha, my comprehension isn't lacking just pointing out how fast someone trys to grab a deal to fast with unknown sellers to make a quick buck usaully by greed and gets burnt on the deal and comes back to post why it happened to them and then this
e1024e63.gif


now thats what I call good perspective on these type of buys here.

Steven
No, I hear you. There are deals to be had, and the transaction you are referring to went very well.

-Ross
knows that periods are not overrated...
 
I just got the link to this from a message from Mr. Hoppe.
We've been spending way too much time at the hospital, and not enough time near home or a computer to even log on, although I started getting calls from AZers from all over the country who know me, to let me know about this.
It's no secret about the triplets coming, but now we're looking at twins for the moment. And due to the complications it's causing my wife, it's been absolute chaos around here.
And I haven't been able to get around much which alot of you reading this already know.
I'm tired of trying to get a freight company and talked to Glen(RealKingCobra) and he will be picking the rack up on Thursday for me and deliver it to Troy when he gets into Chicago.
But he has Mike Massey's billiards table to do first, and if you guys know Glen, which I'm sure you do, he's a busy man due to his work with Diamond.
Anyway, I'm not trying to screw anyone over, never have, never will, and there are enough of you out there who have dealt with me over the years to know better than to think otherwise.
I've just had alot more on my plate /mind to deal with that was taking precedence.
I'm sorry it's taken so long, but there aren't alot of things that can be done in the middle of the night, even in Sacramento. Or should I say, especially in Sacramento.
If you want the rack, it's going to be hand delivered by someone that I trust to get it there in one piece, which is more than I can say for some of the freighters out there.
If you want to see some pictures of the monster crate I built for this thing, email me, and maybe you'll see why it's been so hard to have dealt with.
Plus, we're in what is know as the rainy season in California.
I'm not leaving that puppy outside for the rain while I'm gone indefinately.
As to one of the earlier posts, yes it's the one in my avatar.
And yes, I'm still including the items you asked me about when we got started.
Talk to you tomorrow-
Shane
 
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