# Purchased a lost/stolen DX



## Sparky (Mar 27, 2010)

Well, I just made a poor investment in a Kindle DX, seems like I bought one from somone that FOUND it and said it was there's when it wasn't, I went to register it and Amazon said it was lost and deacted.  So I'm out 380 bux.  Pretty much a useless coaster now.  so I don't have the money to make a good offer on this.  Thanks.


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## Dana (Dec 4, 2009)

Sparky,

Hopefully you can at least get it back to the rightful owner...  Is there any recourse in getting your money back from the seller?  Did you get it through eBay?  (Certainly hope you didn't get it through this board....)  

Dana


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## Bumper (Feb 20, 2010)

if you paid with paypal dispute it now.


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## Sparky (Mar 27, 2010)

Nope didn't get it thru this board or paypal or ebay.  I got it thru a classified ad and meet him at his supposed work.  After a police report where I live and in the city of purchase  they pretty much said I'm outta the money and would like me to turn the kindle into them so they may pursue it, but they say they may not know if they will get this person.  And then there is Amazon who says I can return it to them and they will send it to the person who owns it.  I'm kinda stuck in the middle right now.  I'm out money, police want it and Amazon wants it.  And I'm just in the hole for the money and what I need to do.  I want to give it to Amazon, but then I may be in trouble with the police.  And then there is the whole money bit.  So, I'm in a pickle.


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## JeffM (Nov 22, 2009)

That sucks, Sparky. I'm so sorry to hear that.


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

Hmm, this is the first time I've heard of Amazon asking for a lost kindle back.


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## Dana (Dec 4, 2009)

Is there no identifying info on the Kindle?  Email address, name, phone number, anything in the personal info section on the Settings page?

I think I would give the contact info of the person you're working with at the police dept to Amazon and let them contact the police to request the Kindle back.  (But if I could get any kind of contact info from the Kindle itself, I would contact the true owner and let them know what is going on.  They might even offer a reward.  

In place of my name on my Kindle, I have "FOR REWARD call 555-555-555" so that if the finder can turn on the Kindle, they will immediately see my contact info.  Some people create special screensavers so that the person doesn't even have to be able to turn on the Kindle to see contact info. 

On the Amazon Kindle forums, I once saw that Amazon was not helpful at all in reuniting Kindle with owner, but by checking the personal info on the settings page, a finder was able to reunite a found Kindle with its true owner himself.

I'm really surprised that the police have let you keep the stolen merchandise this long...  Someone stole a mower from our rental property and the police picked it up when the perp tried to pawn it and the police STILL have it a year later.    We replaced the mower before the stolen one was located, but still............


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## Sparky (Mar 27, 2010)

Well, the kindle isn't stolen, it was reported lost to Amazon, and NO police report was filed.  So that is why the police have let me keep it, because it's not stolen just lost as per Amazon.  Amazon won't let the police know anything about who owns it etc, Unless they supply a warrant for the info.  The police want it to charge the crook with Fraud if they catch him, and they said that was a slim chance that would happen.  And I'm out the monies that I was using to get a kindle for a dear friend who turns out is pretty sick at the moment.  So I'm pretty up a creek with a hunk of junk piece of DX that doesn't do me any good, And I've decided I'm not shipping it back because I'd have to PAY for shipping to amazon, so I'd be out MORE money.  So I think it will just end up in file 13 or something, I really don't know yet.


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## nursedina (Mar 18, 2010)

I have heard of AMazon contacting the rightful owner and returning it.  That would be a great thing on your part. That sux BIG time that you are out the money. You can keep it and still download other non -amazon books on it, but I am sure that Amazon will return it to the rightful owner.


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## LCEvans (Mar 29, 2009)

I am so sorry this happened to you, but your post is a good reminder to all of us to be careful when buying from private individuals. I would be trying to return it to the rightful owner. Even if you don't get a reward, you will know you did the right thing. Most likely the person who sold the DX to you is also selling other stolen electronic devices. In our area there seem to be a lot of iphones and ipods stolen. They are popular and easy to resell. Recently the police arrested an eighteen-year-old who was running an electronics resale business out of his home. He claimed he didn't know the merchandise was stolen, but the police didn't go for his story.


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## ayuryogini (Jan 3, 2010)

Sparky said:


> Well, the kindle isn't stolen, it was reported lost to Amazon, and NO police report was filed. So that is why the police have let me keep it, because it's not stolen just lost as per Amazon. Amazon won't let the police know anything about who owns it etc, Unless they supply a warrant for the info. The police want it to charge the crook with Fraud if they catch him, and they said that was a slim chance that would happen. And I'm out the monies that I was using to get a kindle for a dear friend who turns out is pretty sick at the moment. So I'm pretty up a creek with a hunk of junk piece of DX that doesn't do me any good, And I've decided I'm not shipping it back because I'd have to PAY for shipping to amazon, so I'd be out MORE money. So I think it will just end up in file 13 or something, I really don't know yet.


Please reconsider returning it to Amazon; See if you can get reimbursed by them for the postage or get a post paid ticket from them; at least then something good will come out of it; the person who it really belongs to I'm sure would be appreciative; it's not doing you any good, why let it go to waste?

It seems it is stolen, even though it hasn't been reported as such, and it appears that the person who sold it to you stole it.

I'm sorry this happened to you, it feels horrible to be taken advantage of, but it doesn't have to be all bad.

I'd just like to request that you consider the person from whom it was stolen; they're also being victimized by this, and you have the opportunity to turn that around.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

I'm with LC, I'd return it.  You might as well salvage something good out of this by doing the right thing.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

Scarry. I would also return to Amazon if they can give it back to the rightful owner. At least some good will come out of this mess.


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## angelad (Jun 19, 2009)

Or may be contact amazon and find out if it was lost or stolen.  And may be get ahold of the original owner and go from there.


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## pawsplus (Mar 31, 2009)

Here's an idea: Return it to Amazon w/ a note to the owner, explaining what happened and including your email addy/phone number.  Maybe they'll want to thank you and will offer a reward. *I* would, if it were me.  Then you wouldn't be out ALL the money, which you surely are otherwise.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I'd try contacting Amazon again as well, see if there's any recourse for you.  It's not their fault at all, but sometimes a company will realize that a little charity goes a long way.  I'd also ask if they can send you a pre-paid mailer so you can send it back as you want to reunite the rightful owner with it.  Perhaps they'll do something for you.  It's a long shot but doesn't hurt to try.


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## Mandy (Dec 27, 2009)

Aww, that is awful! Unfortunately, as you said, the Kindle is useless to you, so please consider returning it to the rightful owner. That person was also victimized. Hopefully karma will reward you for your kindness, I know it would sting to pretty much give away $400. If you can't bring yourself to do this, it's my understanding that you can still load books to the Kindle via USB cord. There are several sites you can get books from, Amazon just wont be one of them.

Btw, if you do decide to return the Kindle, I see nothing wrong with insisting that Amazon supply you with a pre-paid shipping box to do so!


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## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

Everything I have read from other sites indicates that Amazon Customer Service (1-866-321-8851)is willing to send you a mailing label and will make sure the Kindle gets back to the owner.  Sorry about your loss of money, but I don't see how you will get that back.

The Kindle is usable even without the use of Whispernet by loading non DRM books with the USB cord.
Chalk it up to being a very expensive learning experience.  Next time ask for the original receipt when buying used electronics.
Best wishes.


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## happyblob (Feb 21, 2009)

You don't have many choices. Since Amazon won't tell you the contact info of the rightful owner and you said you cannot afford sending it back, you need to keep it. Get yourself familiar with the clunky workarounds for downloading non-Amazon books and just go underground until you get ready for a karma correction.


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Contact your home owners insurance and ask them if they cover the fraud issues of it. Its anb outside shot but they may since it was basically theft by deception.

I'm not so sure I'd blindly send it back to Amazon -- I'd be more likely to contact Amazon and provide them with contact information for you and request they forward it on to the owner of the DX with a request that the owner contact you to arrange for the DX's return.


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## Guest (Apr 8, 2010)

sorry to hear all this !


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## pawsplus (Mar 31, 2009)

Tip10 said:


> I'm not so sure I'd blindly send it back to Amazon -- I'd be more likely to contact Amazon and provide them with contact information for you and request they forward it on to the owner of the DX with a request that the owner contact you to arrange for the DX's return.


LOL -- they're never going to do that -- for all they know the OP is holding it for ransom!


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## LibbyD (Apr 28, 2009)

devilmafia said:


> sorry to hear all this !


So am I. I'm sorry that someone lost their DX and I'm sorry that Sparky lost his money, but I am most sorry about the fact that people are encouraging Sparky to keep something that is not rightfully his.

Come on, Sparky -- do the right thing.

(P.S. If you had $380 to spend on a DX, you can manage to come up with a few dollars to send it where it belongs.)


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## blazfglori (Feb 18, 2010)

LibbyD said:


> So am I. I'm sorry that someone lost their DX and I'm sorry that Sparky lost his money, but I am most sorry about the fact that people are encouraging Sparky to keep something that is not rightfully his.
> 
> Come on, Sparky -- do the right thing.
> 
> (P.S. If you had $380 to spend on a DX, you can manage to come up with a few dollars to send it where it belongs.)


Agree 100%.


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## sixnsolid (Mar 13, 2009)

LibbyD said:


> So am I. I'm sorry that someone lost their DX and I'm sorry that Sparky lost his money, but I am most sorry about the fact that people are encouraging Sparky to keep something that is not rightfully his.
> 
> Come on, Sparky -- do the right thing.
> 
> (P.S. If you had $380 to spend on a DX, you can manage to come up with a few dollars to send it where it belongs.)


^^^ This


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Mandy said:


> Aww, that is awful! Unfortunately, as you said, the Kindle is useless to you, so please consider returning it to the rightful owner. That person was also victimized. Hopefully karma will reward you for your kindness, I know it would sting to pretty much give away $400. If you can't bring yourself to do this, it's my understanding that you can still load books to the Kindle via USB cord. There are several sites you can get books from, Amazon just wont be one of them.
> 
> Btw, if you do decide to return the Kindle, I see nothing wrong with insisting that Amazon supply you with a pre-paid shipping box to do so!


I have to agree about karma. Remember that what goes around comes around. I get a bit tired of the somewhat overused (IMHO) term "random acts of kindness," as I believe in doing such things whenever the opportunity presents itself, rather than when someone declares it "random acts of kindness day," but I do believe in treating others as you would like to be treated. If you would appreciate someone returning your lost DX to you if the roles were reversed, then I urge you to do the right thing. As for sending it back to Amazon, that seems a bit odd, as I've read numerous accounts where people have said that Amazon was of little help in such a situation.

Of course, there's the possibility that you can't find out who the owner is. In that case, if you decide to keep it, you can move lots of free ebooks to your Kindle via USB cord.

Good luck with your dilemma. I'm really sorry to hear that you were taken by such a scam artist.


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## observer1 (Mar 17, 2010)

Why is it "useless"?  Can't it still be used to manually upload ebooks from the computer?  You can still use it to read, right?  Just because you can't connect with the wireless would not make it useless in my opinion.


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## Sparky (Mar 27, 2010)

Well, first of all, lets me say that I'm not made of money and I had saved for over 3 months to get the 370 dollars that I had to buy that device.  It represents 40% of my monthly income as I'm on disability.  I was trying to get a used one so I could help an ailing friend out that is on a Tighter budge than I'm on.  I have contacted Amazon and they sent me an email with a prepaid label, but I have to find a box to send it in and make sure it is bubble wrapped well.  The WILL NOT send on any information to the owner about me or that it was I who found it.  But the will make sure it gets back to the owner.  They where "Sorry" about my situation but could do nothing but encourage me to do the "right" thing and return it.  I have been having a great deal of "guilt" that I still have it, but I wanted to make sure I was covered legally so the LAW would not come after me.  The Police officer did tell me that it would just sit there till the case came to trial and then it would be returned to whoever had a claim on it at that time (prolly a year at least)  but said I did not have to turn it in because it was not STOLEN, but reported LOST to amazon and not to any other agency of any kind.

So all that being said, sometime next week when I get my oxygen supply in, and I can call the Short bus to come pick me up and take me to the post office where there is a UPS drop off, it should be headed back to the Original owner.  So now you know I'm disabled, don't drive, and I'm on oxygen 24hrs a day and 370 is a GREAT deal of money for me to lose.  And karma is a bitch to mess with so I don't need to do that.


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## LibbyD (Apr 28, 2009)

Sparky said:


> I can call the Short bus to come pick me up and take me to the post office where there is a UPS drop off


UPS will pick up a package at your home. Call them. Or you can ask Amazon to arrange for the UPS pick-up.


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## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

Cindy416,
Amazon wasn't much help in situations like this in the past, but more recently they have offered to send pre-paid shipping labels for found Kindles.  I think it is great.


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## GinnyB (Dec 19, 2009)

Odd posts -- $380 now $370? I wonder why exactly you're on this forum.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Because typos happen?


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

luvshihtzu said:


> Cindy416,
> Amazon wasn't much help in situations like this in the past, but more recently they have offered to send pre-paid shipping labels for found Kindles. I think it is great.


I think it's great, too. Glad to hear that Amazon has improved their willingness to help in such circumstances.

Sparky, you're certainly caught between a rock and a hard place. You'll obviously do what seems best for you under the circumstances. Best of luck to you.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Cindy416 said:


> I think it's great, too. Glad to hear that Amazon has improved their willingness to help in such circumstances.


It _is_ good to hear that. . . .but I am not surprised they won't tell someone who the lost/stolen kindle really belongs too. . .that would likely get them in all kinds of trouble: giving out personal information to random strangers.

It does seem that, in sending it to Amazon, one could expressly give permission for Amazon to tell the original owner who it is that is returning it. Then if the owner wants to thank the finder they can get in touch.

It's definitely a bummer of a situation. . . . . .


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## pawsplus (Mar 31, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> It does seem that, in sending it to Amazon, one could expressly give permission for Amazon to tell the original owner who it is that is returning it. Then if the owner wants to thank the finder they can get in touch.


I agree. I know that if I lost Kate Kindle and someone returned her to Amazon, I would VERY MUCH want to know who was so good as to do that--in order to thank him and in order to offer him a reward. There is nothing wrong w/ getting reinforced for doing the right thing.


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## Dana (Dec 4, 2009)

Sparky said:


> Well, first of all, lets me say that I'm not made of money and I had saved for over 3 months to get the 370 dollars that I had to buy that device. It represents 40% of my monthly income as I'm on disability. I was trying to get a used one so I could help an ailing friend out that is on a Tighter budge than I'm on.


Very few people are made of money these days and a loss of such an expensive item is sure to pinch anyone's wallet. For all we know, the person who lost the DX may be in WORSE circumstances that you or your friend. Throwing away the DX won't get your money back, but returning it will subtract one victim from this unfortunate situation.



Sparky said:


> I have contacted Amazon and they sent me an email with a prepaid label, but I have to find a box to send it in and make sure it is bubble wrapped well.


Admirable of Amazon. Hopefully you can find an old shipping box and packing materials around the house. Since it's hard for you to get out, you probably do some shopping online and can recycle some shipping materials.



Sparky said:


> The WILL NOT send on any information to the owner about me or that it was I who found it. But the will make sure it gets back to the owner.


Understandable. But I am surprised that there is no personal info on the Kindle itself in the Personal Info section. Menu>Settings>Personal Info. Maybe that info was wiped by the person who sold the Kindle to you.... or the first time that the Whispernet was turned on after the DX account was deactivated.



Sparky said:


> They where "Sorry" about my situation but could do nothing but encourage me to do the "right" thing and return it.


This I just don't understand. I don't know why a grown human being needs to be "encouraged" to do the ethical "right" thing. Right now, the only thing separating you from the creep that sold you the "lost" DX is that he made a profit on it and you didn't. Surely you want to make the best of this awful situation even though you have lost a great deal of money.



Sparky said:


> I have been having a great deal of "guilt" that I still have it, but I wanted to make sure I was covered legally so the LAW would not come after me. The Police officer did tell me that it would just sit there till the case came to trial and then it would be returned to whoever had a claim on it at that time (prolly a year at least) but said I did not have to turn it in because it was not STOLEN, but reported LOST to amazon and not to any other agency of any kind.


Now you can act on the guilt and get the Kindle back to its owner without fear of the police hassling you which is very good news. This will save the rightful owner from being parted from their DX for a year or more because of the investigation.



Sparky said:


> So all that being said, sometime next week when I get my oxygen supply in, and I can call the Short bus to come pick me up and take me to the post office where there is a UPS drop off, it should be headed back to the Original owner. So now you know I'm disabled, don't drive, and I'm on oxygen 24hrs a day and 370 is a GREAT deal of money for me to lose. And karma is a bitch to mess with so I don't need to do that.


Hopefully you can get a home delivery scheduled, but if not, this is a good plan. You can drop the DX off while you're paying bills, getting groceries, or other of life's necessities. If someone else handles those kinds of errands for you, perhaps they can be trusted to get the DX in the dropoff box.


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## angelad (Jun 19, 2009)

pawsplus said:


> I agree. I know that if I lost Kate Kindle and someone returned her to Amazon, I would VERY MUCH want to know who was so good as to do that--in order to thank him and in order to offer him a reward. There is nothing wrong w/ getting reinforced for doing the right thing.


Yea, that is definitely a gesture worth divulging further into .


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

There's a lot of supposition going on here that's not necessarily backed up by fact.
All we really know is that there is a DX involved that has been reported to Amazon as Lost.

The supposition that the original owner is out a DX is not known -- we all know of SquareTrade and what they cover.
The supposition that the seller had no right to sell the DX is not known -- in many many jurisdictions if an item of value is found and turned in to the authorities it is held for a period of time, rightful ownership is attempted to be determined and if it cannot be (and we all know Amazon's previous stance on the issue of releasing information regarding Kindles) and the item is unclaimed it is then returned to the finder and becomes theirs to do with as they please. 
Sparky may very well have purchased legally owned (albeit perhaps fraudulently - if nothing more than by omission - represented) merchandise.    

This is NOT STOLEN property -- the police have already asserted that. In fact the item was apparently not reported Lost to ANY other entity that can be determined. What we do not know, as I stated above, is whether it was reported as FOUND to any other entity.

In fact, if indeed the item WAS replaced by insurance and Amazon insists that it be returned to the one who originally purchased it they may be doing nothing more than aiding in the commission of Insurance fraud since the item no longer belongs to that individual.

Amazon SHOULD have no play in this OTHER than perhaps to facilitate communications between the original purchaser and the one who now in possession of the item.  For Amazon to demand that it be returned to THEM and THEY will return it is very questionable.  

Legally Amazon should have no play in this game.  Legally there is no clear cut requirement that Sparky surrender the DX. 

Morally there are some issues here but those issues cannot be addressed WITHOUT the WHOLE story being known.  To come on here and lambaste someone on moral grounds to do the "right" thing is wrong.

Let me ask a different way -- suppose there was a SquareTrade policy on the DX and suppose it was replaced and suppose it were to be sent back to Amazon and they returned it to the original purchaser and suppose they decided to simply keep it -- was it "morally right" or the "ethical thing" to abet insurance fraud?

Sparky is caught between a rock and a hard place -- he doesn't need to be barraged with questionable claims of "ethics" or "rights".  I believe he knows where he stands LEGALLY.  

Personally i believe Sparky should work through Amazon to make every effort to contact the original owner and return the item, HOWEVER, I also personally believe that all of those who are questioning Sparky's moral or ethical fiber need to give it a break.


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## Sparky (Mar 27, 2010)

I will say one thing about this board, that it is not easy to be here.  I came here to enjoy MY kindle 2 and the people that are here.  I told my story about a problem I was having and now I'M the bad guy.  I feel like I'm being accused of stealing and being compared to this sleaze ball that took me for my money, even to the extreme of saying I'm not any better than him.  Suffice it to say I feel hurt and angry right now at the pointing fingers and intimated accusations that seemed to be implied by some.  I am a moral person, I may not be a good person, but I have morals.  My neighbor has a box of sufficient size and packing peanuts to spare, so the box is ready to go and the label affixed, and She dropped it off at the UPS drop zone this morning.  So It got DONE TODAY for all you people whining about me not doing it fast enough. I live in a town of very few people, we don't have a UPS station just a damn big box that gets picked up by the UPS guy on his way back to San Antonio.  And GinnyB, I take extreme exception to your comments, yours alone is what got me boiling, but yours where not the only ones to make me feel hurt.



I am here on these boards to enjoy the company of readers, pretty much it.  But I seem to have been jabbed about on this one


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## nursedina (Mar 18, 2010)

Did you try to go to the kindle forums on Amazon?  A few people have posted there that they have lost their Kindles - maybe the rightful owner os there.


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## Dana (Dec 4, 2009)

Tip10 said:


> The supposition that the original owner is out a DX is not known -- we all know of SquareTrade and what they cover.


It is my understanding that SquareTrade does NOT cover theft or loss. I can find nothing on their website that supports this.



Tip10 said:


> The supposition that the seller had no right to sell the DX is not known -- in many many jurisdictions if an item of value is found and turned in to the authorities it is held for a period of time, rightful ownership is attempted to be determined and if it cannot be (and we all know Amazon's previous stance on the issue of releasing information regarding Kindles) and the item is unclaimed it is then returned to the finder and becomes theirs to do with as they please.
> Sparky may very well have purchased legally owned (albeit perhaps fraudulently - if nothing more than by omission - represented) merchandise.


But not likely.... why has the seller just totally disappeared? Why did he lie about his place of employment?



Tip10 said:


> This is NOT STOLEN property -- the police have already asserted that. In fact the item was apparently not reported Lost to ANY other entity that can be determined. What we do not know, as I stated above, is whether it was reported as FOUND to any other entity. In fact, if indeed the item WAS replaced by insurance and Amazon insists that it be returned to the one who originally purchased it they may be doing nothing more than aiding in the commission of Insurance fraud since the item no longer belongs to that individual.


It hasn't been proven to be stolen because the police haven't spoken with the original owner and the seller... that doesn't mean that it wasn't stolen. So while it has been determined not to be stolen, it is for sure LOST and needs to be returned. My cell phone suddenly went missing when I was in a crowd or on the cab ride home. I have my suspicions it was stolen, but since not sure, I told everyone I lost it. I was out of state and leaving the next day. I reported it to the cab company, the business I was in before I got in the cab, and my hotel.... but not the police. Verizon quickly replaced the phone because I do have a plan that covers loss and theft.... whereas my Square Trade warranty does not. I would also not turn a $500 loss into my homeowner's insurance because I would still have to pay a hefty deductible and deal with a possible insurance increase. So the likelihood that the DX has been replaced for free is not that great IMO...



Tip10 said:


> Amazon SHOULD have no play in this OTHER than perhaps to facilitate communications between the original purchaser and the one who now in possession of the item. For Amazon to demand that it be returned to THEM and THEY will return it is very questionable.


How else can it be returned to the original owner? Amazon can't give out their customer info. Apparently Sparky found no info on the DX. Amazon is doing the original owner a favor by getting involved. If for some reason Amazon replaced the lost DX, they deserve to get this one back so that they can sell it as a refurb and get back some of the money they have put into this. They are great about replacing Kindles that owners have accidentally damaged during the first 30 days..... I don't think they're asking too much to have this sent in, even if it's not going to the original owner. (Although I DO believe they would send it to the owner........)



Tip10 said:


> Legally Amazon should have no play in this game. Legally there is no clear cut requirement that Sparky surrender the DX.
> 
> Morally there are some issues here but those issues cannot be addressed WITHOUT the WHOLE story being known. To come on here and lambaste someone on moral grounds to do the "right" thing is wrong.


True.... Amazon, because of their excellent customer service is now getting involved to reunite Kindles and their owners. Morally, this seems pretty cut and dried. You have "found" something that someone lost.... return it.



Tip10 said:


> Let me ask a different way -- suppose there was a SquareTrade policy on the DX and suppose it was replaced and suppose it were to be sent back to Amazon and they returned it to the original purchaser and suppose they decided to simply keep it -- was it "morally right" or the "ethical thing" to abet insurance fraud?


I don't see where SquareTrade covers loss/theft.... and that was a consideration when I was making the decision to purchase a warranty from them.... but if the DX was covered under ANY insurance policy, then it would be upon the original owner and the insurance company to settle the details about a found Kindle. No fraud necessary. Has nothing to do with the decision Sparky has to make.... Sparky says the DX is a useless paperweight and has considered filing it in File 13. Most likely if the original owner has replaced the DX it is out of their own pocket... and they should be able to sell this DX to recoup some of their money or just have the use of it as a second unit because of their original outlay of money.



Tip10 said:


> Sparky is caught between a rock and a hard place -- he doesn't need to be barraged with questionable claims of "ethics" or "rights". I believe he knows where he stands LEGALLY.
> 
> Personally i believe Sparky should work through Amazon to make every effort to contact the original owner and return the item, HOWEVER, I also personally believe that all of those who are questioning Sparky's moral or ethical fiber need to give it a break.


It is your right to prioritize legalities over civilities. Those who feel the opposite have as much right to share their opinions as you.

Many of us really enjoy our Kindles and if we lost one, we would be SICK to know that someone had it, and was having to be "encouraged to do the right thing" to return it. Even if I had replaced the Kindle, I would want my previous one back to let another family member use it or to sell it to recoup my loss.

Sparky is definitely a victim. It is a horrible shame that someone took money from a handicapped individual (or anyone for that matter) for a Kindle that wasn't theirs to sell. Or if it was legally theirs to sell, they didn't disclose that the Kindle was basically locked like a cell phone that is under a contract that hasn't been paid and therefore basically unusable. How many Kindles have been sold on this forum with no proof that Whispernet still works? Many buyers here could have fallen victim to this same scheme? It's awful. I guess we've all learned to ask for some sort of proof that a Kindle can connect to Whispernet before completing a purchase.... and to make sure we have some sort of contact info on the Kindle.

But what we do know is that the Kindle has been reported lost. Lost items should be returned when found. At least I sure hope someone is that kind if I ever lose my Kindle..... I know if I found one, I would go out of my way to make sure it was returned.



Sparky said:


> I will say one thing about this board, that it is not easy to be here. I came here to enjoy MY kindle 2 and the people that are here. I told my story about a problem I was having and now I'M the bad guy. I feel like I'm being accused of stealing and being compared to this sleaze ball that took me for my money, even to the extreme of saying I'm not any better than him. Suffice it to say I feel hurt and angry right now at the pointing fingers and intimated accusations that seemed to be implied by some. I am a moral person, I may not be a good person, but I have morals. My neighbor has a box of sufficient size and packing peanuts to spare, so the box is ready to go and the label affixed, and She dropped it off at the UPS drop zone this morning. So It got DONE TODAY for all you people whining about me not doing it fast enough. I live in a town of very few people, we don't have a UPS station just a d*mn big box that gets picked up by the UPS guy on his way back to San Antonio. And GinnyB, I take extreme exception to your comments, yours alone is what got me boiling, but yours where not the only ones to make me feel hurt.
> 
> I am here on these boards to enjoy the company of readers, pretty much it. But I seem to have been jabbed about on this one


It was me that you quoted, so I wanted make sure GinnyB didn't take the rap for the words you quoted from my post... only her own. You have proven that you are much better than the person who sold you the Kindle by going to the effort to work this out with Amazon, pack the item, and make sure it was safely shipped. You've done everything you can do to try to get the missing seller prosecuted, reunite the DX with its owner, and help Amazon out too. I hope you are rewarded in some tangible way for these good deeds, but if not, hopefully knowing you did your best to make a bad situation better will help soothe the pain of the loss of your $480. You definitely got the short end of the stick and I hope the seller will be prosecuted and forced to pay damages to you.


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## Mandy (Dec 27, 2009)

I think some posters were just a bit wary. Just as you (Sparky) were taken advantage of and swindled, there have been people who have used similar stories to swindle others online. It's hard to know who to trust these days. Not that it excuses any less than nice comments, however. 

I understand how difficult the situation must be for you, I'd be extremely upset if it happened to me. (In fact, last week, I accidentally left my bank card in the ATM and the person behind me not only stole money from my account, but tried to do so at another ATM.) No matter who's legally responsible and all that stuff, I hope you'll at least feel better knowing you did do the right thing. Hopefully the DX will find it's way back to it's rightful owner, who will no doubt be extremely grateful. Kudos to you!


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## Ilovetoread (Apr 4, 2010)

Tip10 said:


> The supposition that the original owner is out a DX is not known -- we all know of SquareTrade and what they cover.


I hate to hijack the thread, but my understanding is that with a Square Trade warranty you have to have the kindle, functional or not, to mail back. Is that correct?


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## pawsplus (Mar 31, 2009)

IMO everyone should lay off Sparky.  While I do think returning it (w/ a note to the original owner) is the "right" thing to do, I really wouldn't fault someone for not doing so, given the circumstances.  Those who are out buying 3 iPads may not get this, but not everyone has $400 to throw around, and this represents not only a major financial investment for Sparky but also a significant loss (since he/she is disabled and clearly relies on the Kindle/computer a great deal).  

I think several people here have been unaccountably rude and should apologize.


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## Dana (Dec 4, 2009)

Ilovetoread said:


> I hate to hijack the thread, but my understanding is that with a Square Trade warranty you have to have the kindle, functional or not, to mail back. Is that correct?


Quoted from my Square Trade Warranty:


> WHAT IS COVERED:
> 
> * Mechanical and electrical failures that occur during normal use of your item. Your item is covered for up to the full purchase price of your item (tax and shipping are excluded.
> * Some examples of covered issues include computer hard drive failures, iPod2 batteries that stop charging, cell phone keypads that get stuck, and digital camera sensor failures.
> ...


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Ilovetoread said:


> I hate to hijack the thread, but my understanding is that with a Square Trade warranty you have to have the kindle, functional or not, to mail back. Is that correct?


I'll stand corrected on this -- I don't have a SquareTrade and may have misunderstood what they covered. I thought they covered one such loss per covered item. You all that have it know better than I.

It does not however, change the fact that lost of electronic equipment is covered by other types of insurance including homeowners insurance policies. Whether or not someone chooses to use their insurance is irrelevant and immaterial to the discussion.

It also does not change the fact that if Amazon were interested they can and should facilitate communications between the parties and still protect their personal info -- physical possession of the device is not required to do this.

It also does not excuse the attitudes of superiority and the rudeness of some posters here.

Sparky -- good for you -- you chose to take a path that you are comfortable with. I'm sorry for your loss.


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## Dana (Dec 4, 2009)

pawsplus said:


> Those who are out buying 3 iPads may not get this, but not everyone has $400 to throw around, and this represents not only a major financial investment for Sparky but also a significant loss (since he/she is disabled and clearly relies on the Kindle/computer a great deal).


Sparky is not recouping his/her loss by not returning the DX. He/she was ready to toss it at one point and is apparently not interested in downloading non DRM books from places other than Amazon. But if it is best for someone with 3 iPads to return a lost item, would it not also be the best thing for someone with physical and financial limitations to return lost items?


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## brandy1 (Jan 19, 2010)

pawsplus said:


> IMO everyone should lay off Sparky. While I do think returning it (w/ a note to the original owner) is the "right" thing to do, I really wouldn't fault someone for not doing so, given the circumstances. Those who are out buying 3 iPads may not get this, but not everyone has $400 to throw around, and this represents not only a major financial investment for Sparky but also a significant loss (since he/she is disabled and clearly relies on the Kindle/computer a great deal).
> 
> I think several people here have been unaccountably rude and should apologize.


I totally agree. I would like to say I would have done the right thing and returned the DX, but under Sparky's circumstances, I may have kept it.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Sparky, in the event that I appeared to be rude to you, I apologize. I meant no offense, and probably should have just stayed out of the discussion.  

I didn't realize that you already own a K2, and have been on these boards as a K2 user. (That doesn't really make a lot of difference, but I thought, as others may have, that you were posting here only because you were swindled out of your money. I thought you were asking for opinions about what you should do, but maybe that wasn't the case.) Anyway, I apologize.  I don't think very many of us here would be able to lose $380 and not feel a real pinch in the wallet, so a lot of us can certainly empathize with you.


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## Dana (Dec 4, 2009)

The only way she/he can recoup her money is to sell it to someone else like it was sold to her.  Would you have her do that?  If not, he/she's still out the money and the original owner...  could be any one of us...  is still out a Kindle.


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## Sparky (Mar 27, 2010)

Well, I did mention in another posting on the topic, that I made a report of the incident in my local town, and the officer called me back and let me know he had TALKed to Amazon, and they let him know that the owner reported it LOST and they would not give any info to the police without warrant/writ etc.  I also stated that I wanted to make sure I was legally in the clear by not giving it to the police because I didn't want it to go to waist just sitting on the shelf in an evidence locker for at least a year (estimated time)  And the officer in San Antonio did say it was most unlikely that the person would be caught so it would just sit there UNLESS it went to trial.

I also want to stress, I NEVER asked for ANYTHING from ANYONE on this forum, but I am gladdened by some of the sympathies I have received due to the situation.  That has  been a boost to me.

I will be honest.  I never thought about throwing it away.  I did think about getting it returned, that is when I contacted amazon again and found out that I would have to send it to them at my expense, then I thought about parting it out for parts to recoup cost, but dismissed that because it was a stupid idea.  My live in companion told me to keep it along with some of the other folks on the forum, but I've been besot by guilt for just having someone elses kindle, because YES, I would want someone to return mine.

AFTER finding out that I was not legal responsible for it, and I could do as I please, and knowing they never would catch the turd who sold me the DX, AND I must admit the good advice from someone saying to ASK amazon about them paying for the return because of my situation, I did so, they sent me a email with the attachment I printed it out, got my neighbor to do the deed for me.



But at no time did I feel like I could keep it, because it wasn't mine.  And the GUILT i had was due to the fact I wanted to give it back, but didn't want to get some kind of ticket/charge or something like that, because it would effect my disability, If you don't know it, if you get charged with a grave crime of some sort, you lose your disability because THAT part of the government thinkgs your guilty first.  I have to get checked out every 3 years for renewal and they always ask me if i have had any misdemeanors or Felonies since my last, and they then have me sign a release to verify.... And I come up for renewal this May so I was sweating bullets over that.

And Dana, I did get hurt by some of your stuff, but GinnyB is the one that lit the fuse.  It felt like she was accusing me of something, or trying to filch someone outta something other than sympathy.

And Tip, thanks for you interjections, they helped.

All being said and done, the DX should be at Amazon sometime around Tues.  And then however long it takes them to get it to the owner.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

I hope you don't let this influence you to stay away from the board. This a very friendly place and I wouldn't want this incident to spoil your stay here with us. I really hate that you lost so much money trying to do something for a friend. Hopefully, the rightful owner will reward your honesty.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Sparky - forget the negatives and concentrate on the positive statements.  When I was first on the board someone got after me and I tried to kiss and make up, but they were too self-centered to even answer me.  So I forgot all about them because there are so many other wonderful folks here, so come on back, have a cuppa tea, coffee, whatever and enjoy our ramblings and rantings about nutin'


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## robjond (Nov 19, 2009)

Maybe I am just too darned cynical....but this whole story sounds fishy....


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

The only person who should be feeling guilty in this kind of situation is the person who sold something that did not belong to them, and misrepresented the product in the sale.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

It's too bad there's no a way to get the word out about these sorts of people.  All you can really do is live and learn.  I bought a K1 through Craig's List and had no idea to even check if it could connect to the Amazon store.  I did go in and make sure it was not still subscribed to an account, which it was, and let the person watch me deactivate it so I couldn't be accused of using their account to buy books or anything.  This, at the very least, is a good warning for folks buying Kindles off Craig's List and the like.  Always ask to see it first, try to go in and register it before you hand over your money.  If the person is legit they shouldn't mind letting you if it meant a sale, if they act weird about it then bail.

And yes, do stick around the boards.  You'll have a Kindle eventually and folks are friendly and welcoming for the most part.  I'm glad you were able to get it to Amazon, I just hope they really get it to the owner so it isn't a waste.  I know you don't want glory or credit for doing it, but it would be nice if they could pass along your email at least.  I know if someone went through that much to return my Kindle that I would want to help them recoup their losses at least a bit.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

robjond said:


> Maybe I am just too darned cynical....but this whole story sounds fishy....


I am with you.


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## sem (Oct 27, 2008)

I think that it is time to let this thread die - or lock it. The horse has been beaten to death!


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Just found this thread and am so sorry that Sparky has had to endure this - the loss of his money (which is to me a great deal of money) and the accusing comments.  Just my two cents.


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## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> Just found this thread and am so sorry that Sparky has had to endure this - the loss of his money (which is to me a great deal of money) and the accusing comments. Just my two cents.


Agreed. Some people need to calm down. It doesn't matter if you believe him or not, he's not asking for anything besides some friendly faces. And frankly, it's not your job to get on your high horse and tell him he's a horrible person if he does "A" and a good person if he does "B." He can do whatever he wants.
Sorry you've had to go through this, Sparky! And I hope you stick around if for nothing else than the fantastic book recommendations!


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## Sparky (Mar 27, 2010)

Well, i agree too, that this thread should locked and or whatever.  It has been beaten to death.  

I do have a Kindle2i that someone helped me purchase back in Feb.  I had to come up with 50 dollars of it and my Aunt paid the rest as a gift of encouragement for me to read again.  I had not read a book or much else in .. well over 5 years at least.  since Feb I've read voraciously, and My family has given me Amazon Giftcards to help with the defrayment of any books I purchase. My book fun is limited to 2 a month.  But I've been reading as many of the free books as I can find gutenberg etc.  But enough of my ramblings.

I don't plan on going anyplace, because in general the people seem nice and all here.  And I believe that most only read a small portion of the posted thread and may have jumped to conclusions about the thread.  I've calmed down mostly, and know that most of everyone had my best interest at heart, as well as the owner of the DX.


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Hey Sparky hang around.  There are a ton of really nice folks here.  

A few snarky ones who are too into themselves too but you'll quickly learn who they are -- they usually draw attention to themselves in other ways too.  

For the most part the good out weighs the bad.


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## sem (Oct 27, 2008)

Glad you plan to stick around. One of the problems with electronic communication is that the usual cues - ie: body language, tone of voice, etc. is lost and comments that are well intended can sometimes seem harsh. Time between comments can also cause problems, too. When my husband was in the service, we made the conscience decision to not have email "fights". No sooner would one of us calm down than the email would come and start everything all over again. We only did that once! (Been married 42 years, you do learn!).


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## angelad (Jun 19, 2009)

sem said:


> I think that it is time to let this thread die - or lock it. The horse has been beaten to death!


Its still got some legs


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## GinnyB (Dec 19, 2009)

robjond said:


> Maybe I am just too darned cynical....but this whole story sounds fishy....


That's kinda my take on it. Well, whatever floats your boat. You get a too-good-to-be-true buy on Kindle, you find out it doesn't work, you learn it wasn't the other person's Kindle to sell, so you know it's not yours to keep. What's so hard about figuring out what to do? Just odd.

Well, sorry OP that my question on the price bothered you. I'll move on along so you can keep your discussion going w/o touchy questions.


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

GinnyB said:


> Well, sorry OP that my question on the price bothered you. I'll move on along so you can keep your discussion going w/o touchy questions.


I can't speak for the OP, but I do sometimes wonder why people seem to automatically jump to the worst possible conclusion when interpreting a situation and a person's intent.


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## MagicalWingLT (May 12, 2009)

I think it's time to close this topic... Some of the replies towards Sparky are uncalled for... This is usually a friendly board, but I must say I'm a bit shocked by this...


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## Sparky (Mar 27, 2010)

Listen Ginny, it was a good buy, the price was fair for a Dx US version, I've even seen them go on the boards for around that price once or twice since I've been here. So it wasn't a to-good-to-be-true buy. It was just a bad decision on my part that I was trusting of this person, I'm a pretty trusting person till I get burned, i would have trusted you too, if you hadn't burned me as well, along with mr. fishy.  I can take the other people saying do that or do this, but I will not tolerate someone telling me I'm a thief and I'm the one at fault and that I'm up to something, just because you don't have a brain in your head or open eyes or an inkling of compassion, doesn't give you the right to open your mouth and spew garbage.  Go someplace else and cause havoc and leave me alone.  I have enough problems without you giving me more.


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## MagicalWingLT (May 12, 2009)

I got to agree with Sparky... I've seen DX's on this board and on E Bay going around that price range...

And let me tell you guys this... I wouldn't know what to do with the DX, if this situation was happening to me...

1. Try to return it to the owner
2. Return it to Amazon
3. Give it to the police
or
4. Keep the darn thing


I'm the same as Sparky, I don't make much money... And the DX is very expensive... You guys should understand why I would still want to keep the DX... But it will still be a No Win situation either way... If I returned it to the owner, then I'm at a loss... If I keep it then the owner is at a loss... 
You guys shouldn't accuse Sparky of anything... He did nothing wrong... He bought a DX from a seller and didn't know that seller had stolen the DX... It was a hard choice for him to make... Sending the DX back to Amazon... So yes I can understand if he wanted to keep it... So I think it's time to lay off, and close the topic...


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## JeanThree (Feb 22, 2009)

A good con man (thief) creates a situation that doesn't raise too many red flags. If it was really low Sparky would've been wary. I wouldn't have thought about it being lost/stolen either. If I thought the guy looked good I woulda bought it too. Now  that I've heard this storyI would call amazon at the time of the purchase before the money exchange--would have been interesting to see how t he guy would have reacted to that. So--thank you, Sparky, you have informed us of another way people scam and probably saved another person some pain.

Here's how someone I know was scammed looking for a place for his elderly dad--I don't know how he got the listing initially but he looked at a residential in-home care facility, they had it set up with separate bedrooms, the caregiver gave a tour, and he talked with an elderly resident already there. He put down a $5000 deposit.  You guessed it, they flew the coop--they were using their own elderly relative to make the con believable!! Where there's a will there's a way--unfortunately some people's will is to be a thief.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Folks, this thread is now locked. . . .there have been more than one insensitive posters. . . . Moderators and Admin will discuss and re-open if warranted.










Ann
LTK Moderator


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