Need advice on an attempted internet purchase from VA. non cigar

[junkinduck]

Need advice from some of you experienced web traders. I found a particular Coleman stove I had been looking for on Craig’s list a couple of weeks ago. I made contact with the seller. He did not have a pp account and requested a money order. This is not uncommon. In the early days of EEbay this was a common way for a transaction to go down. I have never had any problems with sending a money order and later receiving the item. I personally would not send an item without seeing the money first. So I sent the money order after making contact and having a moderate degree of trust in the seller. In a couple of days he called and informed me he had received the money and would be sending the stove in the next day or so. I anxiously awaited my stove and after two weeks it still had not come. I called and instantly got voice mail. I have emailed a couple of times without reply. I don't yet think I have been taken, why would he call and when receiving the money if he were to take it and run. I have done a google search of his name and number and it all comes back to Fredericksburg VA.
I am still being patient giving the benefit of doubt that something has kept him from sending me the stove however any suggestions on how to contact this person or find an alternate number of family member to would be appreciated.
It is not so much the money it is the fact that I really wanted that particular model of stove to add to the rest.

I hope this does not sound rude but I always have read the warning Craig's List puts up about sellers who request money orders or want to ship items. There is a reason they warn against that kind of thing and sometimes people do get screwed. I hope this is not the case here but it does happen which is why they have the warning.

[junkinduck]

It's not about the lost money. It was worth the risk for the deal. I have had a lot of great internet deals. Never had a bad one and haven't given up on this yet. I just wondered if anyone had any ideas on how to contact this guy like certified mail, etc.

[MarkinAZ]

Don,

If you have his name, addy, and telephone number, and you do not receive your product in the next couple of days, you can always contact the USPS Criminal Investigations unit for mail fraud, and making contact with the FBI regarding crimes for crossing State lines may by worth while.

The addy could be a mail drop or post office box. The telephone is either a landline or cell number. The email addy would be valuable for the ISP addy and who may be associated with it. All of this information could be valuable in tracking down this individual by LE agencies.

As far as this person cashing your MO, if it was at his bank, there may be the possibility of your bank being able to ID the name and branch addy of the cashing bank.

Just a couple of thoughts there for you!

[junkinduck]

Thanks,
The addy, number, and name all check out from all directions. I have done this a lot and this didn't seem like a scam. Or it was the best scam I have seen. We were in contact several times before I sent the order. I was on vacation when he called to tell me he had received the MO. I told him not to ship it for a couple of days so it would not beat me home. He ask me to call when I received the stove. I don't know how verozon land line works but the call goes straight to voice mail. By the way it is a land line.

[CigarNut]

One thing to keep in mind (taking the optimistic perspective): when I receive money orders they can take up to 10 business days to be cleared by my bank...

Having said that, the guy should be answering your calls and emails...