Welborne Labs Fraud

[rp]

Thought I'd post this here too just in case anyone tries to buy from them. I usually don't post bad press on people since life's complicated all around but I've tried everything here and can only conclude outright fraud. I've dealt with them a few times over 20 years w/o issue, but the impression I get now is that they must be going out of business and taking orders and getting ready to run.

I ordered 2 DC filament boards on sale from them, a $60 order on oct 20, still no delivery. Usually from the US a light envelope like this gets to me in 1-2 weeks. Rarely anything gets held up in customs, never anything small. After a month I started sending email inquires, and got no reply. Sent 1/2 dozen more polite emails over these last few months and never anything back. There is no phone on the website but I found it googling. Just a machine that doesn't take messages or no answer. I sent in a BBB complaint and got a report back from the OK BBB that they got no replies to their queries either. So I figure I just got outright scammed. I googled and it's happened to others, he seems to especially screw off overseas customers. I should have used Paypal, I'm trying now to deal with my card but that doesn't look too good, not easy anyway. Best beware.

[Structo]

That sucks.

I know $60 is a chunk of change but good thing it was not more, like the deal at Fat Sounds Guitars.

[Scumback Speakers]

Two things I always do and advise others to do...

1) Always use PayPal to pay, do NOT use the PayPal gift option, and use a credit card to buy it through PayPal.
2) File a complaint after 43 days if you haven't received your goods. The paypal limit is 45 days from the day you pay.

Any legitimate business doesn't need to accept paypal gift payments, as paypal charges the business the 3% fees anyway (domestic USA, 4.2% for non USA buyers) on the paypal gift payment unless the buyer specifies he'll pay the fees.

Sorry you got scammed for $60. Good luck!

Jim

[rp]

Yeh, $60 isn't the end of the world though at the moment money's tight. Anything over $100 from some biz other than Mouser, CE etc I'd prolly have sent to friends in the states and would have used my US cc. Problem w/ Paypal overseas is that 45 days isn't really that much time given a few normal delays here and there.

What irks me is the guy doesn't even bother with the usual excuses, "Ah, sorry been sick... family troubles... vacation... hard drive crashed... thought I mailed it but just found it btwn the car seats....." I'm not even worth the run-around, just piss off and die. Boo hoo

[UR12]

Thought I'd post this here too just in case anyone tries to buy from them. I usually don't post bad press on people since life's complicated all around but I've tried everything here and can only conclude outright fraud. I've dealt with them a few times over 20 years w/o issue, but the impression I get now is that they must be going out of business and taking orders and getting ready to run.

I ordered 2 DC filament boards on sale from them, a $60 order on oct 20, still no delivery. Usually from the US a light envelope like this gets to me in 1-2 weeks. Rarely anything gets held up in customs, never anything small. After a month I started sending email inquires, and got no reply. Sent 1/2 dozen more polite emails over these last few months and never anything back. There is no phone on the website but I found it googling. Just a machine that doesn't take messages or no answer. I sent in a BBB complaint and got a report back from the OK BBB that they got no replies to their queries either. So I figure I just got outright scammed. I googled and it's happened to others, he seems to especially screw off overseas customers. I should have used Paypal, I'm trying now to deal with my card but that doesn't look too good, not easy anyway. Best beware.

I shipped a VVR to Italy a while back and after refunding the guys money he recieved it exactly 2 months after I sent it.

[Cantplay]

You'll find lots of posts about them on diyaudio, and audiogon some going back years.

John

[rp]

I shipped a VVR to Italy a while back and after refunding the guys money he recieved it exactly 2 months after I sent it.

Italy mail does have it flaws but the lack of response from the seller says it all, doesn't it? Besides refunding his $ I bet you replied promptly to his queries. Welborne in this case could have done the same as board and stuffing parts cost him little. I'd have happily repaid if they ever showed up.

I bought an LP once off ebay, private UK seller, never got it and he most unexpectedly credited me back $50 even though I opted out of ins. Most people keep their Karma clean.

[vibratoking]

No offense, but Italian systems seem to take on a life of their own. In Switzerland the train and the bus and the mail arrive exactly when they are supposed too. Not so much in Italy. A few years ago, I scheduled a train trip to Italy from Switzerland. Only the train never happened. The Italian train workers decided to strike for the weekend thereby ending my trip, but the Italian hotel still wanted to charge me. When the train has allowed me to travel to Italy, I discovered that the bus may show up at ANY time, and sometimes not at all. Beautiful country and people...if you can ignore the time warp. No offense to our Italian amp brothers. So there is still hope for a delivery.

[NickC]

No offense, but Italian systems seem to take on a life of their own. In Switzerland the train and the bus and the mail arrive exactly when they are supposed too. Not so much in Italy. A few years ago, I scheduled a train trip to Italy from Switzerland. Only the train never happened. The Italian train workers decided to strike for the weekend thereby ending my trip, but the Italian hotel still wanted to charge me. When the train has allowed me to travel to Italy, I discovered that the bus may show up at ANY time, and sometimes not at all. Beautiful country and people...if you can ignore the time warp. No offense to our Italian amp brothers. So there is still hope for a delivery.

That reminds me of a time I tried to get from Bellagio to Milan airport in the cold, wind-driven rain; waiting for an entire day for a bus (that might, or might never arrive) because the trains weren't running ....... and one of the reasons I don't like to travel anymore.

[telentubes]

I don't agree that PayPal is a "safe" way to do business. As a seller, I got scammed out of over a grand selling an amp, using PayPal. And they charged me over $50 for the transaction. It's a long story that I won't go into, but I won't get near PayPal ever again. They are scammers as well, playing the numbers as most folks are honest, but offer absolutely no support for people who get screwed. I basically got a "tough shit" out of them.