francis - 10-25-2009 at 07:29 AM
Hi,
I haven't written anything about this story for more than one year.
When I bought my "Nahat copy oud" ( August 2008 ) and I received it brocken, many guys here on the forum gave their opinions about the way to buy an
oud and the consideration about sellers.
Now that the story seems to be at an end, I feel that things must be said to avoid some buyers being fooled in the future, and to prove to some of you
that my suspicions have now became a reality.
There is now no doubt possible, the seller who sold me the oud , Mr A.H ( if anyone wants to know his name ....please send me a U2U), is a thief, and
had no intentions of acting honorably.
After I discovered that he didn't insure the oud for the shipping as I requested ( he kept the money I gave him for that) I spent a lot of time
inquiring from France to find a way to receive official reports and claim forms. A luthier estimated the reparation coast ( 600 euros, more than the
price for a new oud) and from French post I asked for an insurance report from the Swiss post. No help from the seller with this.
In the first days of March 2009, thr french post sent 492 euros to the swiss post regarding insurance/damage claims.
The seller told that he didn't have time enough to take the money and send it to my bank: he had to go to Cairo ten days after and then for two
weeks.
So, no money for me afterit has been credited in Swiss.
To weeks in Cairo ended ( maybe?) on september the 12th 2009. During the time he spent in Egypt, he said it was impossible to get hold the money from
the swiss post; a friend would try, but impossible to contact him by phone, no bank accounts, and i was given promise after promis that he would send
the money by this date, to which he never did, always having yet another excuse.....wait, wait, wait....etc.
I phoned the swiss post towards the end of July. They told me that the insurance money had been taken on April the 8th 2009.
Of course, no new from this seller since he came back to Swiss. No bank transfer from his account to my account, no paypal from him to my account, no
international bank cheque or electronic transfer , no emails or no contact at all from this seller of ouds since september.
650 dollars for the oud price, 25 dollars to insure the post, 492 euros ( 700 dollars) from the french post insurance......all went to this lucky
seller!
I paid 650 dollars for the oud, 25 for insure tha transport, 200 dollars to a luthier for the damages don't progress.
Here is the story.
This man is selling ouds, he is located in Swiss and do his business in Swiss and Germany, by his own or on ebay...
I believe that it must be known, especially for oudists from these countries.
And may be guys from the forum who bought ouds from him could write him a short message to tell they know.....may be it could be an help?
I thank you.
Francis
alfaraby - 10-25-2009 at 08:33 AM
A. H. ??
Did you decide to spare his "reputation" by not telling us his name ?
Who's the hell is this man ?
fernandraynaud - 10-25-2009 at 09:08 AM
Whoa, I can't see why you have to keep his name a secret only to be revealed in U2U. So you purchased this from our Ouds For Sale? It's important to
police our own so we can keep our forum a safe place to shop.
francis - 10-25-2009 at 09:20 AM
The name is not a secret, if you prefer I give it here, no problem:
Abdelaal Hassanin.
He wrote on this forum last year: first to sell ouds, second to tell I had brocken the oud he sent to me and so on........After many discussions and
lies from him, that has been discovered and proved here, he asked Mike to delete his posts.......to be an easy thief.
MatthewW - 10-25-2009 at 12:41 PM
Hello all- I recall the original post by Francis when he received his Nahat copy in 2008, and which arrived broken. I'm sure many of you will recall
that thread. Francis posted photos of the broken oud. I would like to add that I can say that everything Francis is sharing with us is unfortunately
true.
I have actually seen some of the emails from both the French and Swiss postal insurers/agents, and also emails from the seller 'A.H.' to Francis.
'A.' repeatedly promised to pay Francis the insurance money by this date or that date, but he never did and he always had an excuse why he couldn't.
He also was rude at times to Francis in his emails, and what's really nasty is that he did receive the insurance money from the Swiss insurers even
while sending emails that he didn't receive a penny and for Francis to be patient.
To make a long story short, a member of this forum was ripped off by a dishonest oud seller who was selling ouds in this forum, and we should make a
note of this man's name so none of us get ripped off by him again.
regards, Matthew
sabbassi - 10-26-2009 at 01:13 AM
Sorry to hear this Francis. I haven't heard before of this oud maker.
Thanks for sharing.
francis - 10-26-2009 at 02:28 AM
Hello Sabbassi.
Not oud maker, just seller. He buys ouds in Egypt and sells them from Swiss.
I don't believe that a maker could act like he does.
Thanks for your answer.
fhalaw - 10-26-2009 at 12:31 PM
Anytime anyone sees anything from this guy in the future, we should raise a red flag. Its amazing how people can be so petty and rip people off for
4-5 hundred dollars. And its really stupid, since in a forum like this where a lot of oud players meet and which pops up at the top of the google
searchs, it is so easy to damage your reputation. This guy might have ripped you off for 4-5 or more but probably will loose a hell lot more because
of his horrible reputation.
Its sad how petty people ruin it for all of us.
I bought a 1000 dollar oud a few months back and I was paranoid about it coming broken and dealing with insurance sellers etc..fortunately mine had a
happy ending.
My heart goes out to you man!
Yeah we should have rules for the buy and sell.. No one can delete any postings from the Buy and Sell forum (so the benefit for future research) and
should put his full name at least if he is selling.. or something, or link to a legitimate site (ebay etc..)