Posting ATS

[BLive1972]

I've just started posting ATS, selling mostly, but I'm rather new. I sold a coin to someone over there and we've been exchanging messages. He let me know he received the coin, and I let him know that I didn't receive a payment. I tried to reply to our message and got :

 

You have been forbidden to post/reply or edit a message in these forums.

 

Does anyone know what this means over there? I've never posted anything negative or went against the rules.

 

I'm asking here because 1/2 or more of you post over there. I can't even contact an admin. What can I do?

 

Thanks!!

[cpm9ball]

I don't post over there, but are you sure you're signed in?

 

Chris

[BLive1972]

Yup. I can get to my messages and open a post as if I were to edit it, but after I submit I get the error. If I'm not signed in, I don't think I can get that far. I sent them an email.

[WoodenJefferson]

Sign in with your moniker & password, ~tick~ the "Keep me signed in~ box, if you still have problems, 'toss your cookies' and try again.

[e1cnr]

It frequently means that you can view but not post.

 

One of the rule makers over there decided they don't like you anymore. Did you have a previous handle/account? Did you make any terroristic threats in any private messages?

[BLive1972]

Nope. I think that I'm a friendly person, and non confrontational for the most part. I've commented on a couple of coins that I like, but aside from that, I just lurk. Everyone that's messaged me has been really friendly and I've never sensed any animosity form anyone's post.

 

Is PCGS really that unfriendly? How can I finish a deal that I'm in the middle of?

[BillJones]

I think your first mistake was shipping the item to the person before you received payment. I have a couple of dealers who will ship to me on approval, but by in large most people expect me to send them a check first before they will ship to me.

 

Having said that, I don't know what goes on over there sometimes. I've never gotten their wrong side, but I know of a lot of people over here who have. Perhaps you might go into the PCGS site and look at the "contact us" category. That should give you telephone numbers and email addresses.

 

If this person has tried to cheat you, PCGS should not allow that person to continue to post there. They might not be able to prevent that person from responding to another buy - sell offer, but at least they could lower their level of participation.

 

[robec1347]

Do you have the same user name there as here?

[RWB]

Sounds like you were banned, but system says "Last Visited On: April 3rd, 2013 9:01 AM."

 

[BLive1972]

I think it was a glitch unless they saw my email. All is good. Thanks guys!!

[BLive1972]

...I still like it here better

[RWB]

"Please deposit twenty-five cents for the next three postings. Thank you."

[BLive1972]

[e1cnr]

My worst coin dealing happened over there a few years ago. I guy bought some stuff and sent a check, I sent the stuff to them. They got the stuff and asked if I had any more like that, I said yes and described them. They wondered if I could send on approval so they could decide once they saw them. It had been a couple weeks and it was only another $80 worth of stuff so I decided alright.

I sent the stuff and never heard from him again. A week later I get the first bank check back, and my bank withdrew the check amount plus the $35 bounced check fee. It had been 3 weeks since I deposited the check. The check was a computer printed business check from a bank branch in a state different than the company printed and where I sent the coins. After searching, the bank was a real bank, but did not have a branch as listed on the check, and the tracking numbers were bogus. I was out $200 and it was too many states away to drive/fly and pound them. I never heard from them again.

 

They expanded their operation, but stayed in the same general area. They bought thousands (hundreds of thousands?) from various coin dealerships across the country. Paying with computer printed checks from bogus banks/accounts. They finally got someone who went after them hard, after sending them $12K in Morgans. The guy got sent to jail for 3 years, not sure if he is out yet.

[BLive1972]

I'm hoping that my experience will be a bit better I've never dealt with anyone over there, so we'll see. I'm not too concerned. Seems like an ok guy to me. This will be the first to receive a check. I normally use paypal only.

[cpm9ball]

"Please deposit twenty-five cents for the next three postings. Thank you."

 

Is that using PayPal "Friends and Family"?

 

Chris

[jpcienkus]

"Please deposit twenty-five cents for the next three postings. Thank you."

 

Is that using PayPal "Friends and Family"?

 

Chris

 

Oh sure, open that can of worms again.

[RWB]

Is that using PayPal "Friends and Family"?

 

Nope -- Use the new PayPunk "Enemies and Aliens."

 

[cpm9ball]

Is that using PayPal "Friends and Family"?

 

Nope -- Use the new PayPunk "Enemies and Aliens."

 

May I have a link, please? Do they accept American VISA of Master Express?

 

Chris

[RWB]

They will happily accept American VISA, Master Express, Recover, Anitsocial Security, bank account numbers and anything else that might have value.

 

I'll look up that URL for you --- might be in my Alcatraz research file for a new book “The Coin Collector of Alcatraz.”

 

[BLive1972]

I think your first mistake was shipping the item to the person before you received payment. I have a couple of dealers who will ship to me on approval, but by in large most people expect me to send them a check first before they will ship to me.

 

Having said that, I don't know what goes on over there sometimes. I've never gotten their wrong side, but I know of a lot of people over here who have. Perhaps you might go into the PCGS site and look at the "contact us" category. That should give you telephone numbers and email addresses.

 

If this person has tried to cheat you, PCGS should not allow that person to continue to post there. They might not be able to prevent that person from responding to another buy - sell offer, but at least they could lower their level of participation.

 

I'm not worried about the payment. The person I'm dealing with seems like a nice guy to me. So far everything has been ok up until I couldn't reply to his message. I don't usually send coins to just anyone.

 

I have no other opinion about ATS. I'm not there enough to have an opinion. I think what happened this am was a little strange though. There was no response to the email I sent, so I'm thinking I was temporarily banned..? who knows

[TonerGuy]

My worst coin dealing happened over there a few years ago. I guy bought some stuff and sent a check, I sent the stuff to them. They got the stuff and asked if I had any more like that, I said yes and described them. They wondered if I could send on approval so they could decide once they saw them. It had been a couple weeks and it was only another $80 worth of stuff so I decided alright.

I sent the stuff and never heard from him again. A week later I get the first bank check back, and my bank withdrew the check amount plus the $35 bounced check fee. It had been 3 weeks since I deposited the check. The check was a computer printed business check from a bank branch in a state different than the company printed and where I sent the coins. After searching, the bank was a real bank, but did not have a branch as listed on the check, and the tracking numbers were bogus. I was out $200 and it was too many states away to drive/fly and pound them. I never heard from them again.

 

They expanded their operation, but stayed in the same general area. They bought thousands (hundreds of thousands?) from various coin dealerships across the country. Paying with computer printed checks from bogus banks/accounts. They finally got someone who went after them hard, after sending them $12K in Morgans. The guy got sent to jail for 3 years, not sure if he is out yet.

 

That sucks. Most people have to be forewarned that even if the check initially clears the check can still bounce and they can remove the funds from your account for up to 3 weeks after initial deposit. This can even happen with cashiers checks.

 

If possible it best to have a national bank (BofA ect) and have the purchaser deposit the cash directly into your account. Cant bounce cash...

[Kurtdog]

I've just started posting ATS, selling mostly, but I'm rather new. I sold a coin to someone over there and we've been exchanging messages. He let me know he received the coin, and I let him know that I didn't receive a payment. I tried to reply to our message and got :

 

You have been forbidden to post/reply or edit a message in these forums.

 

Does anyone know what this means over there? I've never posted anything negative or went against the rules.

 

I'm asking here because 1/2 or more of you post over there. I can't even contact an admin. What can I do?

 

Thanks!!

Just don't describe "toning" as "tarnish" over there. You do that enough you're going to be ridden out on a rail. They're in denial over there. That's what those forums are about. You hang around there for any length of time and still got a brain that can think, consider it an accident.

 

[copper toning]

I've just started posting ATS, selling mostly, but I'm rather new. I sold a coin to someone over there and we've been exchanging messages. He let me know he received the coin, and I let him know that I didn't receive a payment. I tried to reply to our message and got :

 

You have been forbidden to post/reply or edit a message in these forums.

 

Does anyone know what this means over there? I've never posted anything negative or went against the rules.

 

I'm asking here because 1/2 or more of you post over there. I can't even contact an admin. What can I do?

 

Thanks!!

Just don't describe "toning" as "tarnish" over there. You do that enough you're going to be ridden out on a rail. They're in denial over there. That's what those forums are about. You hang around there for any length of time and still got a brain that can think, consider it an accident.

 

Plenty of informative collectors there as well. You just have to weed through them. It should not be hard to tell which posters are just looking to stir the pot. Of course this may be more difficult if you are one of them. In fact you may get ridden out with out a brain.

[Kurtdog]

Plenty of informative collectors there as well. You just have to weed through them. It should not be hard to tell which posters are just looking to stir the pot. Of course this may be more difficult if you are one of them. In fact you may get ridden out with out a brain.

You don't understand how it works. He'll find out soon enough why they're referred to as the "Kool-Aid gang." I'll give him until his first independent thought.

[coinman_23885]

You have been forbidden to post/reply or edit a message in these forums.

 

Does anyone know what this means over there? I've never posted anything negative or went against the rules.

 

It means that you were banned.

[coinman_23885]

Plenty of informative collectors there as well. You just have to weed through them. It should not be hard to tell which posters are just looking to stir the pot. Of course this may be more difficult if you are one of them. In fact you may get ridden out with out a brain.

You don't understand how it works. He'll find out soon enough why they're referred to as the "Kool-Aid gang." I'll give him until his first independent thought.

 

The whole group isn't that way; in fact, most of them aren't. There is a handful or so of posters that I think are obnoxious (some more visible than others), but every forum has those. The majority of the people ATS are outstanding people and are helpful and friendly. Many of them, including some of the bigger dealers, are very candid in PMs and are willing to help out collectors. Also, it is nice to have an account across the street; there is more traffic there and the BST threads are more active.

 

Edited to add: Also keep in mind that a lot of posters that post here are or were forum members on the PCGS site at some time. This includes MarkFeld (coinguy1 there), RWB, Condor101, BillJones, PerryHall, TradeDollarNut, Dirtygoldman (RYK there), James_EarlyUS, and several others. Every single one of them has been very helpful to me whenever I have asked a question. At least half of them still post there. I also have executed dozens of transactions with collectors over there, and never had one subscribe to the aforesaid "kool-aid" mentality. Most were phenomenal to deal with and were a pleasure to chat/do business with.

[Kurtdog]

Plenty of informative collectors there as well. You just have to weed through them. It should not be hard to tell which posters are just looking to stir the pot. Of course this may be more difficult if you are one of them. In fact you may get ridden out with out a brain.

You don't understand how it works. He'll find out soon enough why they're referred to as the "Kool-Aid gang." I'll give him until his first independent thought.

The whole group isn't that way; in fact, most of them aren't. There is a handful or so of posters that I think are obnoxious (some more visible than others), but every forum has those. The majority of the people ATS are outstanding people and are helpful and friendly. Many of them, including some of the bigger dealers, are very candid in PMs and are willing to help out collectors. Also, it is nice to have an account across the street; there is more traffic there and the BST threads are more active.

 

Edited to add: Also keep in mind that a lot of posters that post here are or were forum members on the PCGS site at some time. This includes MarkFeld (coinguy1 there), RWB, Condor101, BillJones, PerryHall, TradeDollarNut, Dirtygoldman (RYK there), and several others. Every single one of them has been very helpful to me whenever I have asked a question.

I was a poster, there, too. When I saw how the big brains treated Mark, that was the last straw.

[coinman_23885]

Plenty of informative collectors there as well. You just have to weed through them. It should not be hard to tell which posters are just looking to stir the pot. Of course this may be more difficult if you are one of them. In fact you may get ridden out with out a brain.

You don't understand how it works. He'll find out soon enough why they're referred to as the "Kool-Aid gang." I'll give him until his first independent thought.

The whole group isn't that way; in fact, most of them aren't. There is a handful or so of posters that I think are obnoxious (some more visible than others), but every forum has those. The majority of the people ATS are outstanding people and are helpful and friendly. Many of them, including some of the bigger dealers, are very candid in PMs and are willing to help out collectors. Also, it is nice to have an account across the street; there is more traffic there and the BST threads are more active.

 

Edited to add: Also keep in mind that a lot of posters that post here are or were forum members on the PCGS site at some time. This includes MarkFeld (coinguy1 there), RWB, Condor101, BillJones, PerryHall, TradeDollarNut, Dirtygoldman (RYK there), and several others. Every single one of them has been very helpful to me whenever I have asked a question.

I was a poster, there, too. When I saw how the big brains treated Mark, that was the last straw.

 

I understand your frustration with some of the moderators and PCGS principals. I do not agree with the way the forum is run, and I think, in many instances, it quells legitimate dissent that can be educational. I think it was stupid to ban Feld, RWB, Condor, and others. I agree with you regarding the administration of the forums. With this said, your post went beyond criticism of the moderation, and made comments that could reasonably be interpreted to apply to all or most of the posters over there. I am telling you, if you talk to most of the posters in private messages, most of them are very candid and don't subscribe to the "kool-aid" mentality that you describe. Moreover, most of them are very friendly, and the particularly knowledgeable members (and there are too many to name) are very helpful. Despite my disagreement with the censorship, it still proves to be a valuable resource in my opinion, at least for the time being.

[Kurtdog]

Edited to add: Also keep in mind that a lot of posters that post here are or were forum members on the PCGS site at some time. This includes [...] PerryHall, TradeDollarNut [...].

Wait a minute, I have to back up, when did those two get the boot? I don't believe it.