North Texan Who Used App To Buy Used Computer Ends Up With Stolen One – CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

Watch Alanna’s story on CBS 11 at 5:00 p.m.  It will likely be posted right here after it airs.

WYLIE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – The comfort of shopping for and promoting on-line may put you in danger.

One North Texas man found the merchandise he purchased from a cell market had really been stolen.

The app generally known as letgo connects folks trying to purchase and promote used merchandise.

However in some instances, there’s no solution to inform who or what’s on the opposite finish of the sale.

Utilizing letgo, Eddie Robles discovered a used Mac desktop.

“I figured, why spend the cash on a model new machine for $2,000 to try it out? Purchase a used one,” stated Robles.

Eddie Robles used the letgo app to purchase a Mac desktop that turned out to be stolen. (CBS 11)

Robles met the vendor at his residence in Wylie. After negotiating a value, he ultimately paid $550 for the machine. However as a substitute of a deal, Robles stated the one factor he acquired was a headache.

“I had no thought there was something unlawful occurring,” Robles stated.

It was solely when Robles began utilizing the pc did he discover one thing unusual.

Robles noticed a message that recognized the pc because the property of the corporate, Conduent. He stated he then known as the corporate to study extra.

“That’s once they knowledgeable me it was a stolen, non-returned machine,” Robles stated.

He stated Conduent claimed the vendor was a former worker. Robles not too long ago returned the stolen laptop to Conduent.

However his cash could also be gone.

A spokeswoman for letgo says whereas they banned the vendor from the platform, the corporate isn’t within the place to situation refunds.

“Principally they informed me they only facilitate the setting for the customer and vendor to fulfill and something previous that’s between them two,” Robles recalled.

letgo app (CBS 11)

Letgo’s coverage states it’s the customers’ duty to ensure the sale is authorized.

However Robles stated on his finish, that’s laborious to do.

“You’ll be able to’t do analysis on stolen stuff, there’s no database on the market,” Robles stated.

Robles filed a report with Wylie Police, who indicated the vendor is somebody who’s identified to the division, Robles stated.

In the event you’re assembly up with a web based vendor, be sure you learn their buyer critiques first.

It’s at all times safer to fulfill in public locations, resembling malls, financial institution lobbies or grocery shops.

Higher but, police division provide up their parking heaps as protected areas to conduct such transactions.

If somebody is refusing to fulfill in public to trade the gadgets, that could be a pink flag.

A spokeswoman for letgo launched the next assertion:

“letgo’s highest precedence will at all times be our customers’ belief and security. That’s why we’ve included in-app chat; person profiles, rankings and critiques; account verification and different safety features that make it simple to see who you’re chatting with and what different customers have stated about them. We use human and synthetic intelligence to reasonable our market and we ask our person neighborhood to flag something or anybody that raises issues in extraordinarily uncommon instances the place that’s obligatory. Once they do, we rapidly take applicable motion, like completely blocking a person. We additionally share security ideas proactively, encouraging customers to fulfill in a public place like a espresso store, grocery retailer, financial institution foyer or shopping center. If something raises a pink flag – like a person making uncommon requests or refusing to fulfill in public – we inform customers to belief their instincts and discover one other purchaser or vendor. Our Buyer Care staff can reply any questions customers have and our Belief & Security staff works carefully and proactively with legislation enforcement.”