Ripped off by scrapyard

Hello, I’m new here. I don’t scrap a whole lot of metals mostly just copper once every couple years. He recently I’ve been saving up for about three years and had a few hundred pounds of some decent copper tubing #1&2. Everything I’ve been reading online Has been saying the average price is around 2.60. I just went to Scrap partners recycling Center in Metter Georgia and got paid $1.67 for number two and I believe $1.76 for number one. After leaving in a fairly irate rage I called a couple local other recycling centers and found out they’re giving 3.50 a pound. I know that I carry some responsibility for not checking the price before I sold it in which it’s not like it’s posted anywhere and I have to unload the copper and then go get my check before I even see what the price is but if this is not illegal it **** sure should be!!

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Originally Posted by Jduffy351

Hello, I’m new here. I don’t scrap a whole lot of metals mostly just copper once every couple years. He recently I’ve been saving up for about three years and had a few hundred pounds of some decent copper tubing #1&2. Everything I’ve been reading online Has been saying the average price is around 2.60. I just went to Scrap partners recycling Center in Metter Georgia and got paid $1.67 for number two and I believe $1.76 for number one. After leaving in a fairly irate rage I called a couple local other recycling centers and found out they’re giving 3.50 a pound. I know that I carry some responsibility for not checking the price before I sold it in which it’s not like it’s posted anywhere and I have to unload the copper and then go get my check before I even see what the price is but if this is not illegal it **** sure should be!!

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It pays to call around!

You have to check prices BEFORE you even unload 1 bucket of anything and also check prices at all yards. If you do get a price over the phone that you're happy with be sure and get their name and relay that info to the person at the scales before you unload.
I think we've all been there before. Once bitten twice shy.
Welcome to the forum.

Everything jimicrk said. Still what a bummer. There's a yard here in Las Vegas that even the on foot crowd avoids for similar reasons. The old threads in this forum have lots of other learning experiences from all of us and can help you avoid some of the mistakes we've made.

I can’t believe it but the scrapyard is actually going to make it right. After a phone call to the corporate office and speaking with some very nice young lady I received a phone call back from a district manager. He explained that that particular yard is for big commercial companies that’s why they pay less. He agreed since I haven’t deposited the check yet to “make it right” He said he would give me a price that reflects their other near by yards. Guess wil see Monday. I’m just glad to get anything, like I said in the beginning I take responsibility for not checking first but I don’t generally assume I’m going to get ripped off. Definitely a learning experience I guarantee I will never sell anther ounce without checking price first

Wow! Great to hear they're gonna make you whole! Good work following up. The bit about big commercial companies being paid less doesn't really make any sense. Unless they're just a commercial yard and buyers price the scrap rather than the scale workers in which case the scale workers might not know market prices and just focus on receiving and grading. Anyway congrats!