Got scammed of my DDR knife big time ! No longer stolen !

I feel very bad for the OP, he has all the documents required to go after this scammer via the Postal Inspectors.
 
I agree, the PO did their job, the insurance covers LOSS or DAMAGE. It does not cover drug users scamming people. Once it is delivered to the address it's not their problem anymore. You can't expect insurance to cover any situation. It was delivered to the appropriate address. End of story, they are not going to pay a claim on this nor should they be expected to. I had a fairly expensive violin get lost in the mail one time and they paid up, the full insured value plus the cost of my shipping. I really hope OP gets his knife back also, it makes me sad that people are so dishonest but we all know the hazards of dealing with people via the internet, that's why you should be really careful about who you send expensive things to. I guess the OP was hoping to trade his knife for some more valuable knives and perhaps his desire to get a good deal got the better of his good judgement. I say that not as a put down, I've been there myself...but this is definitely a good reminder to really check out who you are dealing with when valuable items are involved, especially in a trade situation.
 
Has OP talked to the guy who received his knife (Robert Reynolds)? Still not getting why this is complicated. The guy who owns the box is the guy who signed for the knife is the guy I'd be talking to...
 
I don't know how confident I would be about getting a mail fraud charge even brought up against this creep, honestly. The only time I have ever even heard of those kind of charges getting filed are against big-time scammers, and that's pretty rare even then. Mail Fraud is a federal crime, and federal prosecutors are busy making cases against gangland drug dealers, real estate scammers, Mexican cartels, tax evaders, and Wall Street fraudsters. Federal Prosecutors have like a 90% conviction rate, but if a $3K one-off knife scam comes across their desk they wouldn't be likely to pursue it, IMO. I don't want to sound pessimistic here but I think you would be lucky to even get a local sheriff's deputy to write you up a report in order to file an insurance claim. This is looking like a he-said/she-said case that you would have to file a civil case on at the courthouse in the county where this scum resides. Sucks too because this kid looks like such a total sleazebag in need of some time behind bars.

I used to buy and sell vintage audio equipment on eBay back around the early 2000's, and there was some Russian guy who lived in the Pacific Northwest named Vlad who seemed like he got off on ripping people off for items. He was notorious for sending ACTUAL empty boxes, lifting pics from other auctions and taking customers money without shipping the item, or shipping out completely destroyed items. The stereo equipment he actually did manage to ship out looked like it had literally been beaten with a sledgehammer - earning him the moniker "Vlad The Impaler". It was like he got some sort of sick pleasure out of doing this. Every time his account got shut down he would have a new one up and running almost instantly and start scamming yet again. The board I was a member of tracked him doggedly and I know multiple times people tried to levy "mail fraud" charges on him to no avail.

If they [the government] failed to act after Vlad's years of documented criminal activity I wouldn't get my hopes up for this little Frito Bandito.
 
Ok guys this is what is going on so far:

-I did call Robert Reynolds this morning it was to early and some sleepy lady answered me . she was very pissed of that I worked her up, she said Rober wasn't available than hang up.
-I called later and left message for Robert. So far no one called back.
- I was trying to contact local PD but the closest one was as helpful as Robert him self lol. no answer
-I called the USPS inspector line they are sending me some papers to fill up.
-I also went to the post office where I mailed the package.They were very helpful,They took all my info and will push it further , the guy was very optimistic and since he was also "delivering man" he noticed couple things definitely wrong with the delivery and said I shouldn't have problem to resolve this issue,he said it was good thing that I had insurance some people don't have insurance and will get it done.(I'm not saying it will be easy but...) he also said that the inspector is better then Police

Ok about the trade.
Obviously there were red flags (more than you think) and I got anxious to trade the knife and it wouldn't be the first time I made money On trade so nothing suspicious there. I myself value the knife over $4000 but hey.
I always let the other party send the knives first because my reputation can be easily verified a lot of knife makers know me and lot of people buying expensive knives too. I wasn't very comfortable doing this trade and was even going to send empty box just in case, and than I changed my mind and didn't want to stress the kid out. (big mistake) As soon as I would get the knives I would send mine. But I was worry about my reputation too.
It wouldn't be first time dealing with kid that has money, I sold my bike to a 18 old kid that came over put $8K on the table and left saying this is my third Honda different color lol so I don't discriminate.

Since I don't have the knife I do really miss it and if I will ever get it back I wont sell it again for this price or in near future:sorrow:

And the last thing even though you all probably think I'm idiot I'm telling you I don't know what happened but I don't make mistakes like that :confused: I don't know what I was thinking.

PS: On the day they picked up the knife I called and try to stop it but I called too late. Part of the problem was they should not have receive the knife until Saturday but it got there on Friday it didn't even occurred to me to double check.
 
SENGVIN said:
I always let the other party send the knives first because my reputation can be easily verified a lot of knife makers know me and lot of people buying expensive knives too. I wasn't very comfortable doing this trade and was even going to send empty box just in case, and than I changed my mind and didn't want to stress the kid out. (big mistake) As soon as I would get the knives I would send mine. But I was worry about my reputation too.
Click to expand...

I hope that you get made whole and this thief what they deserve but.. did what's in bold seriously cross your mind? :confused:

If you had employed that underhanded tactic even with the most honorable of intentions you would be labeled the scammer and they the victim.
 
buendia518 said:
You were going to send an empty box? Jesus Christ
Click to expand...

Yes I was because it really looked fishy, but I didn't exactly for the reason as I don't want to be labeled scammer.( But keep in mind even with the empty box he would get the knife end of story).Than I said to my self I can stop the package got comfortable and waited too long to get tracking number. And then it got delivered ahead of time.
 
SENGVIN said:
Yes I was because it really looked fishy, but I didn't exactly for the reason as I don't want to be labeled scammer.( But keep in mind even with the empty box he would get the knife end of story).Than I said to my self I can stop the package got comfortable and waited too long to get tracking number. And then it got delivered ahead of time.
Click to expand...

If you learn nothing from this experience, please learn this: if it looks, smells, sounds, and flops around like a fish, then it IS for all intents and purposes a fish and you should get out of the deal. Sending an empty box is inexcusable. You can do a trade or not; both parties have to be happy in the end. If you aren't happy for whatever reason, then get out of your own way and move on.
 
Yeah I guess you turned out to be right. I still would hate to be on the receiving end of an empty box and a promise.

Also, to everyone suggesting by a photograph that the kid is intoxicated, what are you talking about? What drug? What are the telltale signs? You guys smell like booze (just kidding).
 
SENGVIN said:
Ok about the trade.
Obviously there were red flags (more than you think) and I got anxious to trade the knife and it wouldn't be the first time I made money On trade so nothing suspicious there. I myself value the knife over $4000 but hey.
I always let the other party send the knives first because my reputation can be easily verified a lot of knife makers know me and lot of people buying expensive knives too. I wasn't very comfortable doing this trade and was even going to send empty box just in case, and than I changed my mind and didn't want to stress the kid out. (big mistake) As soon as I would get the knives I would send mine. But I was worry about my reputation too.
It wouldn't be first time dealing with kid that has money, I sold my bike to a 18 old kid that came over put $8K on the table and left saying this is my third Honda different color lol so I don't discriminate.

Since I don't have the knife I do really miss it and if I will ever get it back I wont sell it again for this price or in near future:sorrow:

And the last thing even though you all probably think I'm idiot I'm telling you I don't know what happened but I don't make mistakes like that :confused: I don't know what I was thinking.

PS: On the day they picked up the knife I called and try to stop it but I called too late. Part of the problem was they should not have receive the knife until Saturday but it got there on Friday it didn't even occurred to me to double check.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you're going on my Ignore list. That you'd even consider sending an empty box makes you no better than this kid. Especially since you have a six year old account, and a whopping three feedbacks (all of which are over a year old), so frankly, you don't have any big reputation here. Also? No one cares who you know, or what reputation you may have elsewhere. Frankly, why would I be reassured by a reputation elsewhere? If you scam me on a deal, you send me an empty box, am I supposed to call those makers you know and ask for help? Try to find another forum you're known on, and hope that I can sign up as a no-count nobody and demand recompense from somewhere where you're well known? Yeah I'm sure that will go well. An instaban AND I'm out my knives. No thanks.

I think this is a case where maybe you shouldn't have overshared, but I'm certainly glad you did.

P.S. I highly recommend against trying that trick here, you'll be bounced quick. The moderation staff here won't stand for BS shenanigans like that.
 
You can also report internet based fraud to IC3.Gov. That reports the crime to a Federal clearinghouse that will give you documentation via an intake number. The report will be looked at by them and then forwarded to the appropriate jurisdiction for investigation. The more people report the same type of fraud, from the same suspect, the more likely you would get Federal intervention. Might be worth a try.
 
SENGVIN said:
Ok guys this is what is going on so far:

-I did call Robert Reynolds this morning it was to early and some sleepy lady answered me . she was very pissed of that I worked her up, she said Rober wasn't available than hang up.
-I called later and left message for Robert. So far no one called back.
- I was trying to contact local PD but the closest one was as helpful as Robert him self lol. no answer
-I called the USPS inspector line they are sending me some papers to fill up.
-I also went to the post office where I mailed the package.They were very helpful,They took all my info and will push it further , the guy was very optimistic and since he was also "delivering man" he noticed couple things definitely wrong with the delivery and said I shouldn't have problem to resolve this issue,he said it was good thing that I had insurance some people don't have insurance and will get it done.(I'm not saying it will be easy but...) he also said that the inspector is better then Police

Ok about the trade.
Obviously there were red flags (more than you think) and I got anxious to trade the knife and it wouldn't be the first time I made money On trade so nothing suspicious there. I myself value the knife over $4000 but hey.
I always let the other party send the knives first because my reputation can be easily verified a lot of knife makers know me and lot of people buying expensive knives too. I wasn't very comfortable doing this trade and was even going to send empty box just in case, and than I changed my mind and didn't want to stress the kid out. (big mistake) As soon as I would get the knives I would send mine. But I was worry about my reputation too.
It wouldn't be first time dealing with kid that has money, I sold my bike to a 18 old kid that came over put $8K on the table and left saying this is my third Honda different color lol so I don't discriminate.

Since I don't have the knife I do really miss it and if I will ever get it back I wont sell it again for this price or in near future:sorrow:

And the last thing even though you all probably think I'm idiot I'm telling you I don't know what happened but I don't make mistakes like that :confused: I don't know what I was thinking.

PS: On the day they picked up the knife I called and try to stop it but I called too late. Part of the problem was they should not have receive the knife until Saturday but it got there on Friday it didn't even occurred to me to double check.
Click to expand...

Stupidity (Your own words, post #6 ) and Greed got you into this mess where you were taken by a kid for a sizable amount of money, not to mention you yourself were considering sending a empty box. You need to take a serious look in the mirror and figure out how the hell you got to this point.
 
SENGVIN said:
Yes I was because it really looked fishy, but I didn't exactly for the reason as I don't want to be labeled scammer.( But keep in mind even with the empty box he would get the knife end of story).Than I said to my self I can stop the package got comfortable and waited too long to get tracking number. And then it got delivered ahead of time.
Click to expand...

You're an idiot. Enough of this non sense.
 
Calling someone you don't know at 4:30am outside of an emergency is unforgivable. Shipping an empty box as a test....dude.

I hope you get your knife back because you losing means a scammer wins but I'm not at all sympathetic to your situation and tactics.
 
Don't really know what to say about the empty box thing. That's a really weird way of doing business.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top