OUCH! Big doings over on Blowout. 23K scammalammadingdong
TNP777
Posts: 5,710 ✭✭✭
After 10 minutes of reading, near as I can figger a member on BO was selling/giving lots of nice cards away (aka baiting the hook). Then he decided to sell some lots for various price points (aka setting the hook... hard). Then he informed one of his customers through a PM that he was flying to Hong Kong for two months and to contact PayPal for a refund.
4 pages of sales, 6 pages of "uh oh"
followed by 46 pages of anger and terror... all since early this morning
4 pages of sales, 6 pages of "uh oh"
followed by 46 pages of anger and terror... all since early this morning
0
Comments
Edited to add: I prefer Paypal gift and even better, your paypal password.
<< <i>I want two of each. Thank you Toro! >>
Sweet, did you want to gold or platinum? For those that can't afford either, I have a Twilight Silver mystery package for only $1K. On a different topic, I am taking New England and the points in this weekend's NFL action. I will be putting up a contest later for more free stuff.
1. Joined the BO forum June of 2012
2. Gave out free codes, Topps I assume, in July and August.
3. Buys a few 2 figure items in September (People leave feedback)
4. Buys a few 3 figure items in October (People leave feedback saying he's the best)
5. Gives out 2 and 3 figure items out for free or very cheap in November (People say he's the second coming of Tim Tebow)
So by this time he's known for having a very high end collection, a lot of money and is the most trusted person on BO forum (Take it he's been on the forum for less than 6 months)
In November he may have given out $1000 in free/reduced cards.
6. Sells 4 figure lots to people in December and for some reason people are sending this guy 3 figure and 4 figure amounts for "mystery" lots.......apparently almost $20,000......
7. He disappears
8. I did guesstimate the above but I'm not going to trace the detailed amounts
I feel bad for the person who spent thousands but dang..... Edited to add: The super baller joined roughly the same time(a few days apart) as the scammer....coincidence? Maybe, the super baller has an EBay account and I didn't see anything fishy there.
2x Plat
2x Gold
1x reacharound (if still available)
note that we've seen here too how some people make a big public show of giving things away - it nearly always ends badly or with a big fat banhammer. there's a ton of great peeps here, but those who do giveaways without expecting board kudos are generally the good guys. good to remember...
<< <i>n a different topic, I am taking New England and the points in this weekend's NFL action. >>
Like our good friend Haiku, I am an amateur handicapper as well. Last week, I had the Giants, the Buccaneers, and the Chiefs. How did I do?????
<< <i>So this scammer:
1. Joined the BO forum June of 2012
2. Gave out free codes, Topps I assume, in July and August.
3. Buys a few 2 figure items in September (People leave feedback)
4. Buys a few 3 figure items in October (People leave feedback saying he's the best)
5. Gives out 2 and 3 figure items out for free or very cheap in November (People say he's the second coming of Tim Tebow)
So by this time he's known for having a very high end collection, a lot of money and is the most trusted person on BO forum (Take it he's been on the forum for less than 6 months)
In November he may have given out $1000 in free/reduced cards.
6. Sells 4 figure lots to people in December and for some reason people are sending this guy 3 figure and 4 figure amounts for "mystery" lots.......apparently almost $20,000......
7. He disappears
8. I did guesstimate the above but I'm not going to trace the detailed amounts
I feel bad for the person who spent thousands but dang..... Edited to add: The super baller joined roughly the same time(a few days apart) as the scammer....coincidence? Maybe, the super baller has an EBay account and I didn't see anything fishy there. >>
Yep...he feasted on people who have zero social skills and beg for people to like them.
He had 1 kid send him $500 and about $3k in cards because he was waiting for BGS to grade the cards he was supposed to send the kid. He also told the kid he was going to get him an intern interview with the Lakers.
The scammer would tell people what to say in their feedback. People were all over his jock.
He would send people money out of the blue.
Now he claims he is on a plane to Hong Kong, with his gf who he said just had a miscarriage, and will be gone for 2 months.
There were 3 or 4 kids who will/would fight to the death for him because he did things for them. And if you read more postings from these kids you will see that they have issues with life and are generally clinically depressed and he was their magic pill.
One dude went off the edge defending this clown, because he couldn't admin he was duped.
This is a perfect example why I won't solicit fundraising donations via PP and insist they're made through the organizer's website. If a 'trusted' member convinces me to take PP, I'm 100% transparent and document everything, even when they say it's not necessary.
To the new-ish members, this is why some of us older members may be skeptical. One bitten, twice shy; so please don't take it personally.
Most were sent goods.
The scammer is using people to tell the others that he did not scam but he is not sending any packages out becasue of this and that and to file with Paypal.
So for the people that paid for goods and did not receive anything they SHOULD get $$ back. One already did get $400+ back.
Scammer probably emptied the account leaving paypal on the hook for any CC backed funds.
There is so much detective work being done it's amusing. If people had put in 10% of this effore up front they would not be in this situation.
What did people expect to be receiving in these 4 figure lots?
Looking for 1970 MLB Photostamps
- uncut
Positive Transactions - tennesseebanker, Ahmanfan, Donruss, Colebear, CDsNuts, rbdjr1, Downtown1974, yankeeno7, drewsef, mnolan, mrbud60, msassin, RipublicaninMass, AkbarClone, rustywilly, lsutigers1973, julen23 and nam812, plus many others...
<< <i>what was the take? >>
Based on what I've read, about $20K.
<< <i>I'll take:
2x Plat
2x Gold
1x reacharound (if still available)
note that we've seen here too how some people make a big public show of giving things away - it nearly always ends badly or with a big fat banhammer. there's a ton of great peeps here, but those who do giveaways without expecting board kudos are generally the good guys. good to remember... >>
I would like to add that I think the giveaways happen a lot more and seem to work well in the US coin section of the forum.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
<< <i>what sort of things was he giving away in the actual "lots" he delivered?
What did people expect to be receiving in these 4 figure lots? >>
This guy put in a lot of time and effort in the 6 months he was there.
He was giving away Beats headphones, but by the looks of it they were knockoffs OR sent to his minions.
He sold a Drew Brees Exquisite Patch for $10 and sent it to one of the damaged kiddies who sang his praises. The "traded" for the Brees along with other stuff and his trading partner got nothing in return.
He would send money to people who "needed" it drawing them into his web.
Now the kicker....the BIG lots were "Mystery Lots" One guy claims to have spent $4700 on one BUT he has ties to a former scammer. From what I have heard it over $20K but I know of about 6K.
Now people who were vouching for him are being attacked and they "I knew he was a fake" people are coming out of the woodwork.
His shipping address is a box in a UPS Store. But he's played this game before. You can tell.
<< <i>I would like to add that I think the giveaways happen a lot more and seem to work well in the US coin section of the forum. >>
In fact, there is a separate section just for that: link
<< <i>I would like to add that I think the giveaways happen a lot more and seem to work well in the US coin section of the forum. >>
I've been involved with several giveaways, as a giver and receiver (heh), in the SC&M forum. Never had a problem and not once did I ask or be asked to post a 'thank you' thread.
I know one person that traded roughly 13K in cards for a LBJ Exquisite RPA.
The cards had been sent but no LBJ.
Sending all that cash for "mystery lots"!?
I actually give the golf clap to a nice slow play that many will actually be covered for on paypal. my only quibble - hong kong? that cash will last a heck of a lot longer elsewhere...
Selling cardboard dreams.
Strangers trust, Hong Kong or bust.
PayPal gift. Winning.
Dodgers collection scans | Brett Butler registry | 1978 Dodgers - straight 9s, homie
122 total pages
Yikes.
Dodgers collection scans | Brett Butler registry | 1978 Dodgers - straight 9s, homie
-Seems to me most of the people scammed were under the age of 25. Clearly they are not business savvy or enough real world experience to see the writing on the wall.
-Agree with one of the other posts to the newbies on the board about why a lot of the guys that have been on the boards here for awhile are skeptical. The next time you want to bash some of the guys here for seeming "heartless", please refer back to this issue.
-There is something to be said about meeting people face to face and building a relationship. A perfect example is CpaMike. Mike and I had done transactions on the boards and even talked on the phone. After hanging out with him and his wife at the National, we have become even better friends. To many people take people at face value over the internet. This is a bad trait yet is becoming more prevelant amongst the younger generation (BTW I am 41 and don't consider myself old.....LOL)
-If it is too good to be true, IT ALWAYS IS.
-People on the internet aren't always want they seem.
-Why you would send $13K worth of cards in a trade with someone you have never met is freaking beyond me.
Just my 2 cents.
Mark
T206 Set - 300/524
<< <i>my first stab at Haiku
Selling cardboard dreams.
Strangers trust, Hong Kong or bust.
PayPal gift. Winning. >>
<< <i>I tried reading through all the pages but just couldn't keep up. My thoughts are:
-Seems to me most of the people scammed were under the age of 25. Clearly they are not business savvy or enough real world experience to see the writing on the wall.
-Agree with one of the other posts to the newbies on the board about why a lot of the guys that have been on the boards here for awhile are skeptical. The next time you want to bash some of the guys here for seeming "heartless", please refer back to this issue.
-There is something to be said about meeting people face to face and building a relationship. A perfect example is CpaMike. Mike and I had done transactions on the boards and even talked on the phone. After hanging out with him and his wife at the National, we have become even better friends. To many people take people at face value over the internet. This is a bad trait yet is becoming more prevelant amongst the younger generation (BTW I am 41 and don't consider myself old.....LOL)
-If it is too good to be true, IT ALWAYS IS.
-People on the internet aren't always want they seem.
-Why you would send $13K worth of cards in a trade with someone you have never met is freaking beyond me.
Just my 2 cents.
Mark >>
Well said old man
WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
<< <i>I tried reading through all the pages but just couldn't keep up. My thoughts are:
-Seems to me most of the people scammed were under the age of 25. Clearly they are not business savvy or enough real world experience to see the writing on the wall.
-Agree with one of the other posts to the newbies on the board about why a lot of the guys that have been on the boards here for awhile are skeptical. The next time you want to bash some of the guys here for seeming "heartless", please refer back to this issue.
-There is something to be said about meeting people face to face and building a relationship. A perfect example is CpaMike. Mike and I had done transactions on the boards and even talked on the phone. After hanging out with him and his wife at the National, we have become even better friends. To many people take people at face value over the internet. This is a bad trait yet is becoming more prevelant amongst the younger generation (BTW I am 41 and don't consider myself old.....LOL)
-If it is too good to be true, IT ALWAYS IS.
-People on the internet aren't always want they seem.
-Why you would send $13K worth of cards in a trade with someone you have never met is freaking beyond me.
Just my 2 cents.
Mark >>
Mark, That advice is worth a lot more than 2 cents. It's priceless.
It's always sad to see old friends leave the hobby.
Only an idiot would have a message board signature.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>Don't get me wrong as I'm kind of a night owl myself, but I can't believe the amount of activity over there at like 3 or 4 in the morning... busier than a whorehouse on nickel night. Now I know why they show so many infomercials late at night.... Don West's former customer base perhaps? >>
Thanks for the morning laugh!
<< <i>Don West's former customer base perhaps? >>
While it's a horrible situation, that's funny.
<< <i>Wow, I had no idea Jean-Claude Van Damme was in Breakin'. Turbo and Ozone must be so proud. >>
That is so great, I bet I win some money off that obscure fact, it might be 2 years from now, but someone will lose.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
<< <i>There is so much detective work being done it's amusing. If people had put in 10% of this effore up front they would not be in this situation. >>
There is no excuse for thousands of dollars in losses. Again, this reinforces why sellers on eBay(Probstein,PWCC, etc) and auction houses do good business.
Isn't the whole point of the hobby to have fun and collect for enjoyment and not try and buy shiny lottery tickets with the hope of turning it around into more money?
Most of this game-used stuff will lose money over the years, unless you are lucky enough to grab a Pujols, Brady or some other superstar.
The people scammed here looked like they emptied out bank accounts and went behind wives/girlfriends back to give this idiot money.
I see some of this mentality at the sports store I work at. They aren't buying cards to collect, they are buying lottery tickets to cash in on.
To me, it is very sad.
<< <i>I would agree with you but you make it sound like that's something new. People have been doing that since time and memorial in all walks of life. Unfortunately that IS life, as disheartening as it sounds. Even within the confines of baseball cards, 25 years ago, people would pay several dollars for a pack of 1984 Donruss or 1985 Donruss to try and score a Don Mattingly rookie or Eric Davis rookie or whatever. I remember people throwing virtually everything away that wasn't the "chase" rookie cards of that time, including many star player cards like Brett, Schmidt and Ryan. >>
I'm not going to disagree with that at all.
Hell, I spent my fair share of money during the overproduction boom looking for the lottery ticket myself.
Then I moved out on my own and couldn't afford it.
We can't teen-young adults now to even keep the base cards. We give them to kids at Halloween.
<< <i>
Didya know that show was beatable? Some guy figured out the pattern and won a bunch of money:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Larson#Broadcasts_of_the_Larson_game
Tabe
<< <i>Like our good friend Haiku, I am an amateur handicapper as well. Last week, I had the Giants, the Buccaneers, and the Chiefs. How did I do????? >>
If I put $20,000 of other people's money on those three teams, I'd be flying to Honk Kong right now.
I have to admit reading it reminded me of our "beloved" Felicia.
- John Wooden
<< <i>I have to admit reading it reminded me of our "beloved" Felicia >>
LOL! I was thinking the same thing....
That being said, it would seem a guy at that level that is that good at it, would do it all for more than 25K. That's basically about 8 months work of time consuming work he put into it, then to walk away with 20-25K seems a little anti climactic for a guy that seems like he's been doing it a while
TheClockworkAngelCollection