Complaint Review: William Berlin - Bill Berlin - Auction Outlet - Auction Sellers - Bill Morton - Will Morton - Encino California

I got involved with "Auction Outlet" when I responded to a job advertisement. I didn't get the job that was advertised, but Bill Berlin offered me a position listing items for auction on eBay. I would list the items, then the winner would pay via PayPal, and I would send him the payments using checkfreeweb.com. His company, Auction Outlet, would ship them. I would get paid $10-20 for each item that sold, and he would reimburse me for the eBay listing fees.

The first problem occured when the first 7 auctions I listed closed (eBay items # 7206290794, 7206745260, 7206917242, 7207161505, 7207334721, 7207313059, 6025701639), and the winners paid (this was over the course of 2 weeks). I was not eligible to create a checkfreeweb account, so I contacted him multiple times asking him how he would like me to forward the payments. I was in a hurry because I wanted the winners to receive their items quickly, but he did not respond until the end of the week. He told me to give him money order for the items. I responded instantly and gave him 3 money orders as I received the payments (USPS # 09102569027 for $479.61, 09102571323 for $449.58, 09414403143 for $361.60).

So he got the payments, and because time had already passed since the winners had received their items, I was expecting he would ship ASAP. He told me to tell the winners that there would be shipping delays due to the holidays, which was true. But two weeks passed, and still the people had not received the items. Next he told me to tell them there had been a holiday backup. I did, feeling iffy but still saying that. Three weeks passed. Now we were well into January and the holidays were long over, but he still told me to say there was a holiday backup. Four weeks passed. 6 people did receive their items, and were not satisfied. But 1 (Dave Hembree) had not, and he was getting angry (naturally!).

Five, six weeks passed and he contacted me multiple times. I did not know what to tell him - Bill kept telling me to tell Dave that "shipping takes time" and "have patience", but I knew that was a load of crap. Dave was getting very angry - 5 weeks had passed since he had paid $243.95 for his item. I told him what had happened with Auction Outlet and that I was not responsible for shipping, but I had forwarded his payment on to Bill Berlin. I gave him Bill's contact info and he contacted Bill several times, requesting tracking #s and eventually, a refund. But Bill never responded.

Now it has been about 7 weeks and this person still has not received his item. I have told Bill that he has been requesting a refund but Bill keeps telling me to say "these things take time", etc. Dave has filed a fraud report with PayPal, and now my reputation is ruined, and his refund will be taken out of my personal bank account. Not only has Bill not given me the money back for his refund ($243.95), but he also has not reimbursed me for my ebay fees, and paid me for the items I listed and sold (a total of $186.08).

I have a record of my emails to Bill stating customer dissatisfaction as well as a request for my payment. I also have a record of Dave's emails to Bill requesting shipping/tracking information for a package that was 7 weeks late, as well as his request for a refund. Because Dave filed the fraud report the refund will be forced out of my bank account tomorrow.

This man needs to be caught and charged with fraud, and the $430.03 he owes me would be fantastic.

Alison

Los Angeles, California
U.S.A.