Craigslist transaction

[sam31444]

My jurisdiction is: NC(WAKE)

I sold a laptop on craigslist on monday (12/22) for $300. The transaction took place at my house. The woman who bought it tested it for like 20 minutes before she decided to buy the laptop with a check. That night I got an email from her stating that the DVD drive did not work and she wanted her money back and she was putting a stop payment on the check. She took it to a computer technician after the email was sent to look at the DVD drive and he said it was a software problem. She is now wanting me to give the $300 back in return for the laptop. If I decline the offer due to the fact that she took it from my house and emailed me 6 or 7 hours later about a problem can she really demand this money back?
Thanks
Sam

 

[ndragon]

Did you know the DVD ROM drive was broken when you sold the laptop?

-Nick

 

[sam31444]

no I had no idea! and I never advertised the laptop with the specifics of the DVD drive.

 

[Duranie]

Reason number 1 you should never accept a check for payment. Cash only or legit cashiers check.

Did she actually stop payment on it? If you are not able to collect $$$ from this check you might want to just take the laptop back so she cannot keep it, and you have no money. I would not give her any money back until you verify the laptop is in the exact condition you gave it to her in, and you verify the check is going to clear.

If you have the money in your hands from the check, I would not give her any money back. It is her laptop now.

 

[dee_dub]

she was putting a stop payment on the check.

She is now wanting me to give the $300 back

If she put a stop payment on the cheque, you don't have her $300.

You have two options:

1) Tell her to keep the laptop, try to cash the cheque, and sue her in small claims if she has stopped payment.

2) She keeps her money, you take the laptop back. As Duranie said, make sure it's in the same condition.

Generally, sales are considered to be final unless you agreed otherwise. So if you pursue option 1), your chances are decent. She'd need to show the judge you agreed to some sort of refund policy.

Whether it is worth your time and effort to go through all that is up to you.