Is there anyway to tell if an internet dealer is legit?

[tefaber]

When wiring money to a dealer, is there any way to know youre not being scammed? Is there anything that you can do to protect yourself?

Thanks
Tim

 

[dpe49]

Use Credit Card! The additional insurance of the credit card company can buy a lot of piece of mind!

 

[tefaber]

So you wouldn't wire the money huh? I have already half committed to wiring it, now, but I can of course rearrange that. I wouldnt have a problem if there was someway I could verify the company.

Thanks for your help though!
Tim

 

[Trinity]

I would rather charge then wire too.
The only thing is, most internet companies, (not sure if all) add an extra 3% or about to the price. Not really fair in my opinion.

 

[alexah]

I called the Jewelers Vigilance Committee and that made me feel somewhat better: http://www.jvclegal.org/

I also did a google search on the company, trying to see if I would find any consumer complaints against them (on a forum like PS).

This was when I was considering using Cut Rate Diamonds (and before I discovered Pricescope). I didn't find anything negative against them through my searches but I had a bad experience with them & did not keep the diamond.

I ended up going with a Pricescope vendor (Mark at Engagements Rings Direct) and have been very happy with him. And we did pay cash but, if we had been at all uncomfortable with him, we would have put it on the charge card for the added protection.

 

[strmrdr]

One of the best ways is to ask on forums like this one.

That is the main reason you see the same handfull of sites recomended so much here they have an extablished track record of being good people to deal with.

 

[hoorray]

Some vendors will ship the stone to an appraiser near you for your review BEFORE you wire the money. Once they receive the money, they will release the stone from the appraiser. We found this a nice middle ground. You don't send money sight unseen and you don't pay the extra credit card fee. If you do a search on the vendor here you may find some testimonials or comments on that vendor.

 

[Trinity]

If you send it to an appraiser, then decide to buy it, using a charge as your method of payment, you will still get the fee.
Well, that was what they told me.

I wanted to have a stone sent to an appraiser, I called the guy and asked him how it worked. Found this out this past week.

If you know a site that does it like you stated, let me know what it is lop. I want to charge, I don't want a fee.

 

[aljdewey]

Tefaber, if you'd let us know who the vendor is, perhaps people who've bought from them in the past could chime in with feedback. I wired money to my vendor, but I knew they were reputable because I asked first in places like this.




Otherwise, it's hard to help you. Some internet jewelers are absolutely above board, and some unfortunately are not.

 

[aljdewey]

Trinity, most places don't charge an *additional* fee for credit card.




Most vendors offer a *discount* if you pay in cash because they don't get charged by the credit card company for the transaction and they pass that savings along to you.




In most instances, t's a discount for cash payment, not an add-on fee for credit card payment.

 

[tessa]

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On 3/22/2004 10:28:51 AM aljdewey wrote:


Trinity, most places don't charge an *additional* fee for credit card.


Most vendors offer a *discount* if you pay in cash because they don't get charged by the credit card company for the transaction and they pass that savings along to you.


In most instances, t's a discount for cash payment, not an add-on fee for credit card payment.
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The difference is rather philosophical.
Like when ObiWan told Luke...

So, you see, what I have told you is true....FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW!

 

[aljdewey]

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On 3/22/2004 10:38:37 AM tessa wrote:




The difference is rather philosophical.
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The difference is more than philosophical. It's mathematical.

Assume a diamond lists for $5,000. If there is a 2% credit card charge, that raises the price to $5100 for a credit card purchase.

That's different from the price of the diamond being $5,000 unles you pay cash, in which case the price is discounted 2% (or $100) to $4900. In this scenario, the credit card purchase price is $5,000.

That's more than a philsophical difference.

 

[tefaber]

Wow...great information...thanks for the help!! I did finally bite the bullet and wired the money, but only because I found their listing under the better business bureau and that they had been in business for quite some time. I didn't know about the other sites...this is all great information - I'm so glad I found this forum!
Tim