I recently received a refund check from Western Union for a pinball scam that occurred almost 18 years ago on Ebay. Scammer had posted what appeared to be a legitimate Ebay listing and requested payment through a WU money order. Once the transaction was done, the email address for them disappeared, Ebay id was gone and no further communication could be made. I filed a case with my local police dept who subsequently turned it over to both the FBI and Scotland Yard. Didn't hear anything for years until I got a letter from a law firm regarding a class action lawsuit being filed against Western Union for allowing criminals to use them as a front for their illegal activities and money laundering. 2 more years went by after responding to the notice and then about a month before all the covid madness, I received a check for the amount I had been scammed from western Union.
I've purchased 15 pins over the years, 14 off of Ebay and one from CL without any other issues. This kind of experience makes you feel like a fool. Any kind of red flag should make you turn the other way. We need to be diligent and stay safe, not just with covid but with potential scammers as well.