** warning ** scammers alert ** UPDATE August 17 ! !

[snoballz]

Wow, really wish I had known about watchme2 a week and a half ago. Now I am out a $2K Eterna Kontiki!

Holy crap... hopefully things ended well (i.e. you are not out $2K).

[blues22]

Thanks, Ernie..... This is the best!

[corny]

Wow, really wish I had known about watchme2 a week and a half ago. Now I am out a $2K Eterna Kontiki!

You need to reach out to the membership and see if anyone is in this scammers area. A little checking and a police report might be in order.

I am Corny and I approve this advice.

[G-Shocked]

Any suggestions of how to catch someone who ripped you off? I have spoken with police and still I have never gotten a straight answer of how to proceed with a fraudulent internet payment.

Several years ago (when I was newer to ebay) some SOB in Illinois won a Tag that I sold in an auction; the guy paid with a fraudulent credit card...I mailed the watch and then a couple weeks later had the funds taken out of my account. The guy vanished after that. All I have is a dead e-mail address and a legit Illinois mailing address. Is there no way to ever recover my watch/money?? You would think there HAS to be a way (through a credit card company or something) to track this...I gave up a year or so ago that i'll ever get my money back. I live in CA and he's out (if he's still there) Illinois.....suggestions?

Thanks a Mill, David

[cflye]

Please check out my thread on the Omega Forum with all the details:

Anybody want to see my new Speedy Gemini 4?

[USP45Tim]

Thank God you put this on here! I nearly got taken by MrGolfwatch a few weeks ago for a too good to be true Omega Seamaster deal. He was even willing "to take a deposit." Phew... got saved from that one. Thanks!!

[Willith]

Do we have real names, addresses or e-mail addresses for these guys, they could be working other forums?

[Jeff Caldwell]

I am a Detective Lt. for a Sheriff's Office in NC and an avid watch guy. I have had many great deals with forum members. Here is some advice for what it's worth.

Every State has different laws so my personal knowledge only pertains to NC but in training I have had throughout the country, I have found most states laws are about the same.

In NC Obtaining Property by False Pretense is a Felony. Example I send you my watch under the pretense you are sending me your watch and you never do is a false pretense= Felony NCGS 14-100.

The problem you and I run into is location. Example, you live in Florida and send you watch to a guy in NC. Most will argue the crime occured in NC. At this point you file a report in NC. If an arrest is made, travel expense to the many court settings are on you. Many times due to a full courtroom, a case set to be heard is set over to another date. This meaning you have taken a couple of days off work, come to NC just to find out you will need to do it again. To some it may be worth it just for principle. Many times after an arrest, the suspect will through his attorney return the property or pay for it if you are willing to drop charges, in this case you are back with your watch or money and are never required to come to court.

When in doubt, ask for a all the information you need to make you feel good about the individual. If you get a bad vibe at all, pass on the deal. If something does not feel right about the deal, side with caution. I have no problem with providing my home address, phone number and work number and address with anyone I deal watches with. I expect the same in return. If I am sending you a 3K watch, you should be prepared to prove to me that you are you.

As long as the deal in conducted here in the states and you have done your homework, chances are you will be fine. If you send the watch out of the country, good luck. This does not me you should never deal out of the country, it just means I do not like to do so.

Hope this helps,
Jeff

[lamerfreak]

Any suggestions of how to catch someone who ripped you off? I have spoken with police and still I have never gotten a straight answer of how to proceed with a fraudulent internet payment.

It's probably too late to get any details, but if you've exchanged emails, then I'd generally recommend get the police to use the details to pull the details of the customer from the ISP.

Then you know who to go after, but not necessarily how.

Too late after a year, though, usually.

[Jeff Caldwell]

An IP address is great but the problem we run into is placing someone behind the computer. I have run into this in many investigations. An IP address that comes back to a computer with numerous people using it can make it tough. What we know and what can be proved can be tricky. Even an IP that comes back to a computer with just a single family using the computer can be tuff, If mom dad or 18 year old son state they did not do it and the watch was not shipped to this address or not sent to this address in a name other than a named person living at this address, where are we at?

Jeff