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Man I feel so bad for you guys... Delays are explainable given his stated medical situation, but saying he sent them and didn't, there is no excuse for that, and no sympathy card to play.

I would say that once the maximum stated time for delivery is eclipsed, you guys begin taking legal action. If after all this, the shipping turns out to be BS, I don't see the point in continuing trying to talk it out.

My suggestion to those outside the US, would be to grant one of your fellow victims/plaintiffs power of attourney, and let one of them lump in your goods/debts owed with their own complaint. I am sure this would be a viable alternative for you guys. To make sure it could happen, you could 'sell' the missing items to someone here and then they become the one Redstar owes said items to.

This is all contingent on someone agreeing to help a less fortuitously located (in terms of being able to take legal action) friend. Although at this point I am sure you guys are feeling like a band of brothers lol.

Sorry to chip in but I have watched this crazy thread for a while, I am frustrated just reading it, nevermind being actually involved. I hope my suggestion can help some of you non-north american guys take a reasonable level of legal action.

MajorTom11 wrote:nevermind being actually involved. I hope my suggestion can help some of you non-north american guys take a reasonable level of legal action.

In a way we are all involved since we use swap shop / is dakka community . I too would like to see / learn what can be done in situations like this.

True, it is definitely a warning of what can happen to everyone reading it. I am also very interested to learn how things get resolved in order protect my own dealings better in the future and knowing exactly what the options are.

Sorry, nothing on my doorstep either.

Nothing here...I e-mailed Matt yesterday, so we'll see what he says this weekend.

I have to say, this is sounding... unlikely now.

Hopefully Matt will be back in Texas tomorrow and able to explain what is going on, and finally hand out tracking numbers.

Yes, tracking numbers will prove when packages were shipped, and where along they are. My box people are tired of me calling to see if I'd received anything...

Once again, please keep this thread clear for those involved in ongoing trade disputes with redstarone. I've had to delete several inflammatory posts- further off-topic posts will be deleted.

I suggest you all band together and file charges as one group. Anyone in authority will see the multiple dishonest dealings and more likely do something.

MODS, no offense, but you need to step aside for abit. These guys are being blantantly ripped off and the community is offering help.

Offering help is fine- inflammatory posts are not (here, or anywhere on the site). Not only do they derail the thread, but they keep effective communication from taking place between those who are trying to recover models/funds.

If anyone wants to discuss this further, start a Nuts & Bolts thread, and keep this thread clear for direct dicussions of the issues with redstarone's trades.

MajorTom11 wrote:Man I feel so bad for you guys... Delays are explainable given his stated medical situation, but saying he sent them and didn't, there is no excuse for that, and no sympathy card to play.

I would say that once the maximum stated time for delivery is eclipsed, you guys begin taking legal action. If after all this, the shipping turns out to be BS, I don't see the point in continuing trying to talk it out.

My suggestion to those outside the US, would be to grant one of your fellow victims/plaintiffs power of attourney, and let one of them lump in your goods/debts owed with their own complaint. I am sure this would be a viable alternative for you guys. To make sure it could happen, you could 'sell' the missing items to someone here and then they become the one Redstar owes said items to.

This is all contingent on someone agreeing to help a less fortuitously located (in terms of being able to take legal action) friend. Although at this point I am sure you guys are feeling like a band of brothers lol.

Sorry to chip in but I have watched this crazy thread for a while, I am frustrated just reading it, nevermind being actually involved. I hope my suggestion can help some of you non-north american guys take a reasonable level of legal action.

Thank you very much for the advice. Its muchly appreciated.

I hope i'm not "Derailing", but hear is some stuff you all should do: (Assuming you has his name, and address)

On the national level, report this type of cybercrime to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). On the state level, report the fraud to the office of the Attorney General. For ease of reporting, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership including the three federal organizations above serves as a vehicle to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints regarding cybercrime.

Here is a linky for contact information for the great state of Texas.
http://www.fraudguides.com/report/texas.asp

From the book itself,

"(b) A person commits an offense if he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly misapplies property he holds as a fiduciary or property of a financial institution in a manner that involves substantial risk of loss to the owner of the property or to a person for whose benefit the property is held.

(c) An offense under this section is:

(1) a Class C misdemeanor if the value of the property misapplied is less than $20;

(2) a Class B misdemeanor if the value of the property misapplied is $20 or more but less than $500;

(3) a Class A misdemeanor if the value of the property misapplied is $500 or more but less than $1,500;

(4) a state jail felony if the value of the property misapplied is $1,500 or more but less than $20,000;

(5) a felony of the third degree if the value of the property misapplied is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000;

(6) a felony of the second degree if the value of the property misapplied is $100,000 or more but less than $200,000; or

(7) a felony of the first degree if the value of the property misapplied is $200,000 or more."

So, this would fall in a fiduciary category. Likely the Total amount is over 1,500, so he may be looking at jail time. If I was to do this, I'd file charges via class action so the totals add up.

^^linky for this stuff " If I were you guys, i'd have a lawyer friend read through it. http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/txstatutes/PE/7/32/D

Nothing on Thursday.

Nothing as of Friday here, either...and all I'm waiting on is an envelope with a money order in it. I have emailed him twice since his last communication talking about tracking numbers and have yet to hear back.

I already have the paperwork ready to file for unlawful business practices and mail fraud, but I told Matt that I would wait to file them until after I gave him one last chance to make it right. He has until Monday morning to get me the money via Paypal, the money order shows up, the tracking number hits my inbox, or my thunderhawk (that I have waited over 18 months for) shows up on my doorstep...elsewise I am sending the file and letting the authorities deal with him.

I hate to do it, especially to a guy in his position, but I can only handle so much dishonesty.

-Bry

My Friday is, sadly, another bust.
------------------------------------------------------------
Matt,
If you are reading this PLEASE let us know our Delivery Confirmation or Tracking numbers no later than Midnight Saturday. Otherwise the only possible conclusion is that you are, and have been, lying to us. And for all that people grumble, groan and threaten I know we'd all rather have this finished than know that you'll have to explain to a judge why you could neither fulfill your contractual obligations nor make restitution over the past 6+ months. Of all the parties involved you are the one that needs this aggravation the least. And while most judges are as sympathetic as the next human, I promise you they have no patience what-so-ever for bull .
-------------------------------------------------------------
I'm going to email this to him as well in the hopes he sees some version before it is too damned late.

Nothing here...No contact by Monday equals me filing charges...my patience has worn out.

Unfortunately my paperwork, e-mail copies, and forum prints are all boxed up and ready to ship. Since everyone is giving him until Monday, I will do the same. I have been eternally patient and civil with Matt, but this needs to end.

Matt, if you're listening, you need to make this right pronto. Dealing with the bad press for your business and the headaches of having to finish all of your promised deals when under alot of stress is one thing, dealing with criminal charges is a whole other ball of wax. None of us want to do this (I hope!), we just want you to fulfil the deals you made with us and took our money/products for.

Cheers to all,
Bry

He did respond to my email. And has said that he will call me tonight. I'm hoping this means that he does have tracking info of some flavor. If not...

Does anyone have the ability/interest in being our clearing house for whatever information may be required should we be forced to go forward with a criminal complaint? I think we've all hit the "enough is enough" level of this game and it may be our only choice.

Just got an e-mail from Matt and I've copied the relevant parts here;

Can you do me a favor and post in the dakka thread for people THAT I OWE, not anyone else, should email me. I CAN NOT post on dakka. My phone simply will not sign into it and I can only load pages sometimes when my connection is at its best... other wise it lags out... its fun not being able to even defend myself.

So, if you're in this and haven't e-mailed Matt, then he asks that you do so and he'll get back to you.

I actually just got the same email concerning people emailing him instead of posting here. Which I concur. If he owes you something, then you should email him; if not...leave the guy alone. He is pulled pretty thin and is standing on the edge of a criminal investigation...you should not make things harder and more stressful for the guy. So please, for those of us that need him thinking clearly...leave him be unless he owes you something.

He also promised me that my refund would either be with me tomorrow (by mail) or he would Paypal it to me. This, of course, does not reset the clock (it is not ironclad proof of payment yet, which I told him I require at this point), but it does mean that he is aware of all of this.

On a side note, anytime you e-mail *anyone* concerning business...always email yourself as well to make sure you have an original copy of the message in question. My lawyer told me that it makes a bit of a difference in the credability of an e-mail contracting agreement. Anyway, just a friendly tip, folks.

Cheers and good luck to all of us,
Bry

Not sure what good emailing him is? i mean what does it change? still no package or tracking #. so, what is the point?
more hollow promises? i will, but i don't see what it changes.

B_Steele wrote:I actually just got the same email concerning people emailing him instead of posting here. Which I concur. If he owes you something, then you should email him; if not...leave the guy alone. He is pulled pretty thin and is standing on the edge of a criminal investigation...you should not make things harder and more stressful for the guy. So please, for those of us that need him thinking clearly...leave him be unless he owes you something.

He also promised me that my refund would either be with me tomorrow (by mail) or he would Paypal it to me. This, of course, does not reset the clock (it is not ironclad proof of payment yet, which I told him I require at this point), but it does mean that he is aware of all of this.

On a side note, anytime you e-mail *anyone* concerning business...always email yourself as well to make sure you have an original copy of the message in question. My lawyer told me that it makes a bit of a difference in the credability of an e-mail contracting agreement. Anyway, just a friendly tip, folks.

Cheers and good luck to all of us,
Bry

I don't really understand why I or any of the people involved here should email him again. I have emailed him half a dozen times without any new developments. He knows what I'm waiting for. I honestly fail to see what emailing him again will achieve? Anyway, at this point, if he really wants to keep it to emails, which I don't really have a problem with he is more than welcome to email me. He has my email address and I shouldn't have to be running after him at this point. That said I suppose it doesn't hurt to email him again.

I've too have received another e-mail from Matt.

He is 100% sure that the stuff was mailed when he said it was.

He trusts his 'consultant/friend'.

He is also not back in Texas as it looks like his wife's health has take a turn for the worst.

All of the packages were shipped parcel post, which, while being the cheapest, is also the slowest.

This is possibly the explanation for why no one in this thread has received anything yet.

Obviously I wish Matt and his wife the best, and it seems like they need a miracle.

I received a reply as well. he still thinks they're on the way. i, not so much. and a bunch of how he's going to counter sue all that sue him....today is the 2 week mark of his shipping to me. if you think i'm going to believe it takes 2 weeks to ship from Metro Dallas to Metro OKC, i will disappoint you. there's NO WAY! i have shipped items from a town that has had 1-2 buildings besides the PO and have never had them delayed in such a manner. i really don't know what to do at this point.

and since this might get sent to Matt like the other posts, keep what i said in context. i received 5 emails from him. the first 3 where full of anger and insults because of something he "thought" i said. and i really don't see a good position in the end for Matt in this. bottom line, he owes everyone on here and has admited it. the continued wiggling, ranting and delaying isn't helping, it's hurting.
he needs to start being more honest and and less aggressive. he doesn't have a reason to attack those who have a legit claim against him.

alarmingrick wrote:and a bunch of how he's going to counter sue all that sue him....

Silly comment to say the least. Whatever you guys do, don't let the above quote, or any other similar types of comment from him, effect what you do. LOL, sure, he could counter all he wants, it's his right, but I can't imagine any judge agreeing with him. If I were in your shoes (any of you), I'd print out all of my messages from this "gentleman", make a report with my local Police Dept. and fill out a detailed Voluntary Written Statement. This can be done in as little as 30-60 minutes if you've got the supporting documentation with you.

The reality is that the Cops have more important things to do so don't expect any significant follow up on this, especially if they're not Texas, but you'll get a complaint rolling. A copy of the report should be available within 48 hours (time may vary). You've got the beginnings of an official complaint which can be taken to a lawyer if need be. It will also show the "gentleman" which of you is serious and potentially motivate him.

My mailman has come and gone again today with no sign of my tank. Even if the Parcel Post timing is based on Business Days there is just no logical reason why NOT ONE SINGLE package has been delivered.

Assuming even a small part of what he's told us is true, I do feel badly for him. No one should have to go thru this sort of thing. But I'm sorry to say I really don't have a lot of faith in anything he tells me at this point. And that annoys me more than anything else. I know the world is over-run with as-----s. I just hate to think any of them might get my sympathy, money and toys.

Alpharius wrote:All of the packages were shipped parcel post, which, while being the cheapest, is also the slowest.

Im not familiar with US postal service , but please tell me that while its cheap and slow , it comes with some sort of tracking number?

Because i seriously refuse to believe , at this current situation NOW anyone will choose a shipment method that doesnt have some sort of proof.

Can anyone confirm?

Almost any box delivery service of the United States Postal Service has optional Delivery Confirmation, which is under a buck to purchase for one box deliveries and comes with a unique tracking number wherein it details the places it travels to and where it is going.

http://www.usps.com/shipping/deliveryconfirm.htm

That above link is for information about USPS Delivery Confirmation Services.

I have still not recieved the knight toes I'm waiting for.
This is probably the smallest package that's going to/been mailed. They could have been put in an envelope and sent since they are solid.
From the time I jumped in on this thread I've gotten items I ordered from England and the West coast.
I have every sympathy for Matt and his family medical issues, but realistic deadlines should have been given to allow him time to get things done.
Then they need to be followed through with.

dwerger13 wrote:I have still not recieved the knight toes I'm waiting for.

I'd like to step in and take care of this. Please PM me your mailing addy and I'll get those out to you on Monday.

Yes, another day and nothing received. Also have not heard from Matt directly in quite a while. The packages were claimed to have been sent with "tracking numbers" (actually called Delivery Confirmation). Without those numbers, Matt cannot prove either way that the packages were actually shipped by Michael... who purportedly slipped them under the front door of Matt's home after supposedly shipping the packages. It all seems too convienent...