Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Pennsylvania

Recourse for paid item not delivered

I attempted to purchase an item through an internet auction site. I mailed a money order for the item to the private party selling the item. The money order was cashed but I never received the item and the party discontinued contact with me. Do I have any recourse for either getting my money back or the item?


Asked on 2/04/00, 4:29 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Joshua Genser Joshua G. Genser, Attorney at Law

Re: Recourse for paid item not delivered

The primary recourse for recovery of small amounts

is always small claims court. It's cheap, fast,

easy, no lawyers are allowed. The results aren't

guaranteed to be what you want, but hiring a lawyer

can often cost more than you're trying to recover.

In your case, however, you'd probably have to to

to the seller's state to file the action. Even if you

could file in your own state, you'd have to go to the

seller's state to enforce your judgment. If you're not

willing to go to another state to sue, you might try

complaining to the auction site, contacting the

postmaster and making a complaint of mail fraud, and

contacting the police or district attorney in the

place where your seller lives.

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Answered on 2/04/00, 6:35 pm


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