So I'm selling 3 pins in a package deal on CL, here, and Mr. Pinball.....

I get a text from a Las Vegas area code asking if I still have the deal going and to please email him back at a specific email. Here is the email reply I received.....

From: Stephen Richard ([email protected])
"I hope it is in good condition? and there wont be any cause of disappointment if i purchase it from you? I want to buy it for my son as a birthday gift and I am ready to pay the asking price. I'm an Ocean Engineer and am currently on sea right now which is strictly no calls. My Mode of payment is PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online, but i have it attached to my PayPal account. Since I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, I will be responsible for all the Paypal fees/charges on this transaction, if you don't have an account with paypal, it's pretty easy, safe and secure to open one. Just log on to www.paypal.com. I hope we can make this transaction as fast as possible. Less I forgot, I have a Mover that will come for it once payment is cleared in your paypal account and they will be handling the title for me, as I look forward to hearing from you with your paypal information as requested below.

Your PayPal e-Mail Address :
Full name:
Firm Price:

Many Thanks"

What do you think? Legit?

Yeah, I get all excited............and then let down. It's almost as bad as the guy who acts like its the best deal ever, makes you take time out of your busy day to show him the pins, says he's interested and will call you in a bit..............then nothing.

I'm going to email him that right now and see what happens

Yeah I haven't used it very much except for through ebay. It's funny, their corporate offices are like a block from where I work. They're always hiring.

I asked him to have his movers bring cash. Here is response #2:

"I am glad to read back from you. I would have love to handle this transaction face to face but due to the nature of my job time does not permit me and neither could I make a call, i really need to get it for my son. Please, i want you to get back to me with your paypal info so that i can proceed with the payment and as soon as payment clears my shipping agents will come for the pick up..."

This is getting fun, what should I ask next?

I mean I would love to believe this guy, trust me it's a win for both of us. 3 pins for 4300OBO and I get the money I need to move on. But I have no experience with PayPal and it just reeks of sketchness.

If anyone has the link to those threads please share.

I told him I'd take 500 bucks off if I could bang his wife but he has to send me a pic first. We'll see how this goes.

Hey, hey now! Stephen just wants to surprise his kid with pinball machines on his birthday. He's having a tough time as an Ocean Engineer right now and he can only send a text to link a person to his email. Life is hard out there on the rig and he's just strengthening a father/son bond through pinball.

His heartwarming story of sadness, perseverance, and ability to rise above it all to deliver a 3 pinball package to his son on his birthday is the thing movies are made of. There is no way someone would lie about this! I have to go off my instincts and say this is legit and make the deal happen.

Probably an easier sale than what I've got going on right now lol.

I think there are just so many variables that people don't understand when it comes to PayPal and shipping. Things that aren't understood tend to scare people away and scared people make rash judgments (Oh it must automatically be a scammer). I have little knowledge of PayPal and zero when it comes to shipping a pin, so I guess I fall in the boat of being a little leery. I don't want to, trust me. I'd love to sell these pins!

No, dead serious. He just emailed me saying he needs to pay the $900 commission fee to his agent but has no access to his bank account on the rig. He needs me to western union the money to his agent to complete the transaction. At least he'll add the $1000 to the paypal to cover the costs. Ugh, looks like I'm heading to western union after work. The things dads do for their kids birthdays, luckily he found a nice guy like me.

"Ocean Engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering field aimed at solving engineering problems associated with working in the ocean environment and wisely exploring and harnessing the ocean’s resources. Ocean engineers design, build, operate and maintain ships, offshore structures and ocean technologies as diverse as aircraft carriers, submarines, sailboats, tankers, tugboats, yachts, oil rigs, underwater robots, and acoustic sonar."

See. Totally. Legit.

Because you're going to sell me your TSPP right with the money I get from this Ocean Engineer right?

So far he hasn't responded to that question yet. I assume he's wrangling up a way to scan his pocket pool picture of his wife so he can email it to me. But from what I can tell, he's really excited that I care about his son's birthday and am committed to getting the pins to his house. I see a dumb and dumber road trip coming.

Patrick, nice collection. Looks like I know whos house i'm chilling at in the near future.

Because he said that the agent will only take a money order.

Yeah I hear you, that's one pin that has me trying to sell 3 as a package right now. I want to get one!