Anyone have a MechMaxx 3-pt stump grinder?

[John_Mc]

Happy to report that the purchase I made from the scam mechmaxusa [dot] com site as reported back in post 158 and 159 has been refunded by PayPal. The order was placed on May 24. I figured out it was a scam and reported it to PayPal within a few hours of ordering.

It took a bit to find and wade through PayPal's dispute resolution system and register a complaint. I had to contact the seller through PayPal's site dispute system, so PayPal had a record of my attempt to resolve with the seller. I also called the contact number which the seller had listed with PayPal: I got a voice mail system trying to sell me Medicare Advantage plans. There was no way that I could find to get to a real person. I reported that phone call to PayPal's dispute resolution as well. I had to give the seller a few days to respond. When they did not, I could elevate my report from a complaint to a claim. The seller never responded to any of my attempts to contact them.

PayPal gives the seller a couple of weeks to respond to PayPal. Apparently, they did not respond there either. Today, 2 1/2 weeks after I filed the complaint, the full purchase price was refunded to the credit card linked to my PayPal account.

Fortunately, I had two factor authentication turned on on my PayPal account, so the scammer was not able to access it. I changed my password anyway, immediately after figuring out it was a scam. There has been no unusual activity in my PayPal account, so I think I'm OK.

Now that I have my money back, I just have to decide whether I want to spend $400 more for the real thing or not.

 

[LittleBill21]

Fortunately, I had two factor authentication turned on on my PayPal account, so the scammer was not able to access it. I changed my password anyway, immediately after figuring out it was a scam. There has been no unusual activity in my PayPal account, so I think I'm OK.

yea thats not how paypal or any processor works. they are not given your "account" they are not given your passwords. thats why you use them. they request money from paypal, all the processing is done on paypals side without provide anything back to the seller, short of its approved or failed and for what reason, then the money is transferred if successful.

 

[nyone]

Happy to report that the purchase I made from the scam mechmaxusa [dot] com site as reported back in post 158 and 159 has been refunded by PayPal. The order was placed on May 24. I figured out it was a scam and reported it to PayPal within a few hours of ordering.

It took a bit to find and wade through PayPal's dispute resolution system and register a complaint. I had to contact the seller through PayPal's site dispute system, so PayPal had a record of my attempt to resolve with the seller. I also called the contact number which the seller had listed with PayPal: I got a voice mail system trying to sell me Medicare Advantage plans. There was no way that I could find to get to a real person. I reported that phone call to PayPal's dispute resolution as well. I had to give the seller a few days to respond. When they did not, I could elevate my report from a complaint to a claim. The seller never responded to any of my attempts to contact them.

PayPal gives the seller a couple of weeks to respond to PayPal. Apparently, they did not respond there either. Today, 2 1/2 weeks after I filed the complaint, the full purchase price was refunded to the credit card linked to my PayPal account.

Fortunately, I had two factor authentication turned on on my PayPal account, so the scammer was not able to access it. I changed my password anyway, immediately after figuring out it was a scam. There has been no unusual activity in my PayPal account, so I think I'm OK.

Now that I have my money back, I just have to decide whether I want to spend $400 more for the real thing or not.

Why even have a paypal account? I use to have one for year due to being a seller on ebay and canceled it. There no benefit over a credit card.

 

[deezler]

Why even have a paypal account? I use to have one for year due to being a seller on ebay and canceled it. There no benefit over a credit card.

I only use mine for the free cash transfers from friends and family. The one-click checkout at certain sites (ebay, for example) is convenient, but also a bit sketchy

 

[LittleBill21]

Why even have a paypal account? I use to have one for year due to being a seller on ebay and canceled it. There no benefit over a credit card.

because then you never have to input your credit card on another website, if the paypal link is there its all stored, and if its connected to the same credit card, its easier faster and safer.

 

[John_Mc]

yea thats not how paypal or any processor works. they are not given your "account" they are not given your passwords. thats why you use them. they request money from paypal, all the processing is done on paypals side without provide anything back to the seller, short of its approved or failed and for what reason, then the money is transferred if successful.

Of course it's not how the REAL PayPal site works.

However, it can be how a scam site works. They set up a site that looks like a legit seller, then set up a fake PayPal link as well. All the link does is harvest your username and password. I looked for and saw the little lock icon at one point, indicating a secure site, but I couldn't swear it was there through the whole process. As I think back through the process, I think I recall that I had to log in to PayPal twice when ordering. I assumed I had mistyped the password, but I'm betting that one of them was fake (to harvest my credentials), and the other was the real PayPal to put the bill through.

 

[John_Mc]

Why even have a paypal account? I use to have one for year due to being a seller on ebay and canceled it. There no benefit over a credit card.

I keep my PayPal account mainly for transferring funds between friends & family. I only occasionally use it for purchases (usually when I'm organizing a group purchase where several of us band together to get a quantity discount or save on shipping, since I know most of them will pay me back for their part through PayPal as well.) It's quicker than writing & mailing checks.

In this case, it was the only option for the purchase on the fake site.

 

[nyone]

because then you never have to input your credit card on another website, if the paypal link is there its all stored, and if its connected to the same credit card, its easier faster and safer.

So one more site has your info..and easier dosnt always mean safer.

 

[rjpotts]

I have a few observations to share about my SG24 Stump Grinder.

I've been removing green ash stumps, recent victims of the emerald ash borer. It's a tough wood with no decay as the trees just recently died. I'm using my 35 hp Kioti CK3510SE.

I bought the stump grinder last fall for use beginning this spring. Inflation was (and is) raising the price of things so it seemed like the price would only go up. Oh well.

The tractor sits fairly high and judging the depth of cut from the seat is difficult. I saw the posts about using a camera, but not sure I want to do that.

This is the first implement I've had with a slip clutch. The factory setting was too tight, stalled the tractor once. I've loosened the clutch but determining the optimal setting is guesswork. I'm taking the better too loose than too tight approach.

After a few hours of use I found that some cutter teeth had loosened up. all of the teeth on the perimeter (not face) of the wheel needed tightening.

And last, using the stump grinder reminds me of why I switched from a 3 pt snowblower to a front mount many years ago, ouch!

 

[LittleBill21]

So one more site has your info..and easier dosnt always mean safer.

well it does in this case. as someone who owns manages and hosts websites, I'm much more comfortable with paypal holding the processing part on their end.