Switch Theme:

Miniature Wargame Conversions - A warning to avoid  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

Latest info is here.

Unfortunately, I need to put out a warning to avoid giving this conversion website funds of any kind. I have had the following experience with them over the last several months, to give context to this warning:

-Hundreds of emails trying to recover items missing from a transaction from one of their contributors to a member of Dakka Dakka
-11 phone calls in a single day to my cell phone
-2 packages shipped, accounting for a small percentage of what was past due

There have additionally been these discrepancies in my dealings with them:

-The two people whose names were given, who emailed me from the main Miniature Wargame Conversions email address, do not correspond to any of the contributors listed on the website.
-Both of these people said they were travelling in another state, where the items in question were being held
-One of them picked up the items, and then gave it to the other
-A portion of the items were lost as this person transported them to the post office to ship

Obviously, this would give me pause in sending or hoping to receive anything from Miniature Wargame Conversions, as these two people, who cannot be accounted for and apparently work behind the scenes, were unable to successfully ship items that they apparently picked up. There are also obvious discrepancies in their storylines, and it is nearly impossible to know who you are speaking to when emailing them.

Therefore, I'd warn anyone against commissioning them for anything, sending funds, or otherwise financially interacting with them. I see no reason why someone could not participate in posting on their website or the like, however be wary of anything beyond that.

If someone has interacted with their website and has experience in dealing with it, it would be appropriate to post here... however, please keep in mind that the normal rules of this site apply, and avoid speculation or insults that would violate Rule #1. Thanks...

This message was edited 7 times. Last update was at 2012/01/23 14:38:48


 
   
Made in us
Nasty Nob on Warbike with Klaw





St. Louis, MO

I hope this is not out of line. It certainly isn't intended to be.

To clarify: Is that the web site run by Matthew (Matt) Bonder, AKA RedStarOne?

-The two people whose names were given, who emailed me from the main Miniature Wargame Conversions email address, do not correspond to any of the contributors listed on the website.


Will you be sharing those names and email addresses?

Thanks.

Eric

Black Fiend wrote: Okay all the ChapterHouse Nazis to the right!! All the GW apologists to the far left. LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE !!!
The Green Git wrote: I'd like to cross section them and see if they have TFG rings, but that's probably illegal.
Polonius wrote: You have to love when the most clearly biased person in the room is claiming to be objective.
Greebynog wrote:Us brits have a sense of fair play and propriety that you colonial savages can only dream of.
Stelek wrote: I know you're afraid. I want you to be. Because you should be. I've got the humiliation wagon all set up for you to take a ride back to suck city.
Quote: LunaHound--- Why do people hate unpainted models? I mean is it lacking the realism to what we fantasize the plastic soldier men to be?
I just can't stand it when people have fun the wrong way. - Chongara
I do believe that the GW "moneysheep" is a dying breed, despite their bleats to the contrary. - AesSedai
You are a thief and a predator of the wargaming community, and i'll be damned if anyone says differently ever again on my watch in these forums. -MajorTom11 
   
Made in us
Bloodthirsty Chaos Knight





Washington USA

Ah, good ol' RedStarOne.... I remember him....

“Yesss! Just as planned!”
–Spoken by Xi’aquan, Lord of Change, in its death throes  
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

Eric,

Yes, that is correct. However, I did not mention him because my concern, and communications, are with the website itself... as it was presented to me, multiple people can check the main Miniature Wargame Conversions email address. The two people I apparently dealt with both emailed from that same, main contact address for the website.

If we could keep this thread dealing strictly with the website itself, I would appreciate it. The hundreds of emails I exchanged and 11 voicemails I received were primarily from "Damien", but also some contact was made by "Jeff" initially. Neither is listed on the webpage, or corresponds to any of their contributors. Both said they just work behind the scenes.

Hence, my warning about sending any funds to this site, as it seems to be impossible to verify who these two people are, or who is communicating from the main email address at any time.
   
Made in gb
Lord Commander in a Plush Chair





Beijing

nectarprime wrote:Ah, good ol' RedStarOne.... I remember him....


I thought he was getting out of this business after the last lot of problems.

I'm not very clear on how this business is set up. Why are so many people involved? Why are the two people handling things not those listed on the website? Why are people physically travelling around the country moving packages between each other and losing stuff along the way? It seems really weird to me.
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

That is just the information I was given, directly from the main Miniature Wargame Conversions email address, as I corresponded with them... I agree, it sounds completely unbelievable... which makes me extremely wary of the website.

I did verify that the contributors listed on the website are legitimate (I contacted each to be sure). However, the communication from the main email address does not seem to be from ANY of them. Thus, the website itself is extremely suspect in my opinion... people can draw their own conclusions from there.

   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

I contacted the main Miniature Wargame Email address to inform them that I posted this warning. The reply I received was from Matt, who informed me that "Jeff" and "Damien" have quit because of my looking into all this... make of that what you will, but all the original points stand- you can't possibly know who you're dealing with when contacting this website, and thus should be extremely wary of doing business with them.

If you DO find out who you're dealing with, it's likely to be Matt, and Matt alone... who for reasons already discussed on this website is not to be trusted with funds, either. I would not have made this post about him, as we've been over that ground many times before... however, it seems at this point whatever other personas "may" have been checking the main Miniature Wargame Conversions email address, it is now Matt alone. This is the first time I have received a response from that email address signed by him.

If anyone contacts them and is given a name Other than Matt, I would be even more wary... again, as these "people" seem to be impossible to track down and this is the second time I've been informed of their "quitting" and never hearing from them again (it happened with "Jeff" previously, whereupon I continued corresponding with "Damien" at the same email address).

So... you've been warned!
   
Made in us
Bloodthirsty Chaos Knight





Washington USA

Very weird and fishy. Thanks for the warning RiTides.

“Yesss! Just as planned!”
–Spoken by Xi’aquan, Lord of Change, in its death throes  
   
Made in us
Nasty Nob on Warbike with Klaw





St. Louis, MO

RiTides,
Who is your email provider? Some of them allow you to check the IP that your received email came from. You could use that to see if Matthew, Jeff and Damien are all responding from the same IP. If so... Well, I don't think I need to say it.

Eric

Black Fiend wrote: Okay all the ChapterHouse Nazis to the right!! All the GW apologists to the far left. LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE !!!
The Green Git wrote: I'd like to cross section them and see if they have TFG rings, but that's probably illegal.
Polonius wrote: You have to love when the most clearly biased person in the room is claiming to be objective.
Greebynog wrote:Us brits have a sense of fair play and propriety that you colonial savages can only dream of.
Stelek wrote: I know you're afraid. I want you to be. Because you should be. I've got the humiliation wagon all set up for you to take a ride back to suck city.
Quote: LunaHound--- Why do people hate unpainted models? I mean is it lacking the realism to what we fantasize the plastic soldier men to be?
I just can't stand it when people have fun the wrong way. - Chongara
I do believe that the GW "moneysheep" is a dying breed, despite their bleats to the contrary. - AesSedai
You are a thief and a predator of the wargaming community, and i'll be damned if anyone says differently ever again on my watch in these forums. -MajorTom11 
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

That's a good question, MM. It's gmail, so I don't know if that's a possibility.

The phone calls I received were from a private number, so that's no help, either.
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut





Joizey

RiTides wrote:If you DO find out who you're dealing with, it's likely to be Matt, and Matt alone... who for reasons already discussed on this website is not to be trusted with funds, either.


Not for nothing, but his history can't be discussed enough. He's a liar and a thief who deserves much worse than all of his excuses, which I believe were all BS to begin with. He's moved from openly accepting commissions and stealing people's items/money, to hiding behind a "front" and continuing to steal people's items/money. Utterly disgusting.
   
Made in us
Hunter with Harpoon Laucher




Castle Clarkenstein

Known thief runs a scam involving non existant people who 'lose' stuff, then 'quit the company'.

WHY? WHY?!! is there anyone legitamizing this website and sponsoring him? It frankly makes anyone advertising or contributing to his site look bad just by association. Is this guy that good at lieing to people before he screws them?

....and lo!.....The Age of Sigmar came to an end when Saint Veetock and his hamster legions smote the false Sigmar and destroyed the bubbleverse and lead the true believers back to the Old World.
 
   
Made in us
Bloodthirsty Chaos Knight





Washington USA

What website exactly is this? I found a blog named "Miniature Wargame Conversions", but they don't seem to offer any services? Just seems like a blog.

“Yesss! Just as planned!”
–Spoken by Xi’aquan, Lord of Change, in its death throes  
   
Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User





Okay, so I just got pointed to this thread, and would quite like to point out a few things and set the record a little straighter.

First off, yes, I am a poster on MWC. I am fairly new there, but Matt has been nothing but supportive of me and my own blog, as have the other contributors. I would note however that RiTides has not contacted me to make sure if I am legitimate or not, but you will just have to take my word for it that I am not Matt, I live in the UK, have my own printing firm and like pizza with chillis drowned in vinegar. Yes I am disgusting.

Secondly, as nectarprime pointed out, nowhere on the site does it offer commissions, painting, converting or otherwise. The blog is solely used to discuss the happenings in the modelling world, to showcase some of our own work and insight, and to offer prizes through our monthly competition. To this day, every single winner has either received their prizes or gotten a cash equivalent. So to start a campaign telling everyone to not give us money, is in fact pointless, because we do not take it, everything we offers is from our own pockets.

Now, I understand that some posters on here may have had experiences with Matt in the past, but please understand that this site has nothing to do with the services that he offered, nor do any of us take commissions at this time. I have never met Matt or any other of the guys on there in person, but I have nothing but good things to say about them. To tar us, and indeed the site, with the same brush is unfair and to do so in such a public fashion is doubly so. I would ask that perhaps you do more research into the websites you defame on here, as it may turn out that you end up looking just a little bit silly.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
And just to give some credence to the fact that yes, our winnners do receive their prizes -http://eyeoferror.blogspot.com/2011/08/asdrubael-vect-wins-first-place-in-july.html" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> http://eyeoferror.blogspot.com/2011/08/asdrubael-vect-wins-first-place-in-july.html

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/11/09 20:28:56


 
   
Made in us
Nasty Nob on Warbike with Klaw





St. Louis, MO

AridMonk wrote:Okay, so I just got pointed to this thread, and would quite like to point out a few things and set the record a little straighter.

First off, yes, I am a poster on MWC. I am fairly new there, but Matt has been nothing but supportive of me and my own blog, as have the other contributors. I would note however that RiTides has not contacted me to make sure if I am legitimate or not, but you will just have to take my word for it that I am not Matt, I live in the UK, have my own printing firm and like pizza with chillis drowned in vinegar. Yes I am disgusting.

Secondly, as nectarprime pointed out, nowhere on the site does it offer commissions, painting, converting or otherwise. The blog is solely used to discuss the happenings in the modelling world, to showcase some of our own work and insight, and to offer prizes through our monthly competition. To this day, every single winner has either received their prizes or gotten a cash equivalent. So to start a campaign telling everyone to not give us money, is in fact pointless, because we do not take it, everything we offers is from our own pockets.

Now, I understand that some posters on here may have had experiences with Matt in the past, but please understand that this site has nothing to do with the services that he offered, nor do any of us take commissions at this time. I have never met Matt or any other of the guys on there in person, but I have nothing but good things to say about them. To tar us, and indeed the site, with the same brush is unfair and to do so in such a public fashion is doubly so. I would ask that perhaps you do more research into the websites you defame on here, as it may turn out that you end up looking just a little bit silly.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
And just to give some credence to the fact that yes, our winnners do receive their prizes -http://eyeoferror.blogspot.com/2011/08/asdrubael-vect-wins-first-place-in-july.html" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> http://eyeoferror.blogspot.com/2011/08/asdrubael-vect-wins-first-place-in-july.html


So, you're saying RiTides is lying/mistaken, or...?

Also, as far as Matthew is concerned... you only have good to say because you've never had him indebted to you for anything. A large number of people to whom he's been indebted are still in that predicament... after years.

Eric

Black Fiend wrote: Okay all the ChapterHouse Nazis to the right!! All the GW apologists to the far left. LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE !!!
The Green Git wrote: I'd like to cross section them and see if they have TFG rings, but that's probably illegal.
Polonius wrote: You have to love when the most clearly biased person in the room is claiming to be objective.
Greebynog wrote:Us brits have a sense of fair play and propriety that you colonial savages can only dream of.
Stelek wrote: I know you're afraid. I want you to be. Because you should be. I've got the humiliation wagon all set up for you to take a ride back to suck city.
Quote: LunaHound--- Why do people hate unpainted models? I mean is it lacking the realism to what we fantasize the plastic soldier men to be?
I just can't stand it when people have fun the wrong way. - Chongara
I do believe that the GW "moneysheep" is a dying breed, despite their bleats to the contrary. - AesSedai
You are a thief and a predator of the wargaming community, and i'll be damned if anyone says differently ever again on my watch in these forums. -MajorTom11 
   
Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User





I'm saying that he is mistaken in defaming MWC in this thread, we do not do commissions nor do we accept money for anything we do. We are trying hard to promote the good side of the hobby and threads like this do no end of damage, despite the seemingly good intentions of warning others away from a dodgy commissions site, which we are not.

As to your other point, you are right, he has never done anything bad to me. You have never done anything negative towards me either, so I hold no grudges against you. I will hold no negativity towards anybody unless they have wronged me in someway or been found guilty of a serious crime in court. I would assume (and hope) it is the same for most people.
   
Made in us
Bloodthirsty Chaos Knight





Washington USA

AridMonk, I don't think RiTides is trying to start a bandwagon or anything, but you really need to research Matt's past (RedStarOne).

RiTides--- can we get some more clarification? Is RedStarOne still taking commissions on the side or something? I'm honestly curious why he has items belonging to others if this site doesn't sell any products or provide any services (at least that is how it appears to me when viewing said site).

“Yesss! Just as planned!”
–Spoken by Xi’aquan, Lord of Change, in its death throes  
   
Made in gb
Battlefield Tourist






Nuremberg

AridMonk, fair or foul, by associating yourself and the webpage with a controversial figure who has been associated with scandals in the past, you have doomed yourself to "threads like this".

Might not be fair, but there it is.
As for RiTides, he's gotta be one of the nicest guys on Dakka. I am pretty confident he'll be in here to clarrify shortly, and that he wouldn't have posted without a damn good reason in the first place. Dude is very community minded.

   
Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User





I have researched his past, but like I said he has done nothing to wrong me so why should I hold a grudge against him?

TBH, this is besides the point, RiTides has said that he wants to keep it about the site, but his information about the site being a commission one is wrong, and so telling people to stay away for that reason is also wrong.
   
Made in us
Bloodthirsty Chaos Knight





Washington USA

AridMonk wrote:I have researched his past, but like I said he has done nothing to wrong me so why should I hold a grudge against him?

TBH, this is besides the point, RiTides has said that he wants to keep it about the site, but his information about the site being a commission one is wrong, and so telling people to stay away for that reason is also wrong.


So he's ripped off tons of people, lied over and over, and you think it's ok to work with him? I wouldn't entrust that guy with a dollar. Sorry but associating yourself with folks with such a reputation as he has will do no good.

“Yesss! Just as planned!”
–Spoken by Xi’aquan, Lord of Change, in its death throes  
   
Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User





Like I say, he has been nothing but kind to me or the many others that I have spoken to. Many many people have sung his praises, and on here is the only negativity I have seen towards him. Micheal Jackson was seen in a negative light by thousands, yet just as many saw him as their hero. Perspectives are just that, perspectives, so please do not judge me on mine.

Anyway, like I have said twice now, RiTides has said already that this thread was to be about the site, not Matt, so if we could get back to that that would be good.
   
Made in us
Anointed Dark Priest of Chaos






Da Boss wrote:AridMonk, fair or foul, by associating yourself and the webpage with a controversial figure who has been associated with scandals in the past, you have doomed yourself to "threads like this".


Choose your friends wisely holds very very true...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
AridMonk wrote: Micheal Jackson was seen in a negative light by thousands, yet just as many saw him as their hero


You might not want to choose a child molester as someone to compare yourself to.

I'm just saying...

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/11/09 22:04:05


++ Death In The Dark++ A Zone Mortalis Hobby Project Log: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/663090.page#8712701
 
   
Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User





I'm not comparing myself to anyone, I'm comparing the situation, I could use multiple examples of Obama, George Bush, Tony Blair, or a multitude of other high profile figures that are loved by some and loathed by others.

@Da Boss: I'm not calling RiTides character into question, I'm calling his judgement on posting this thread, like I say RiTides has made no foul against me, but I do not want to damage the blogs reputation via misinformation on RiTides part.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/11/09 22:13:27


 
   
Made in us
Anointed Dark Priest of Chaos






Could you post some links to people that have "sung his praises" on other forums/blogs/etc.?


++ Death In The Dark++ A Zone Mortalis Hobby Project Log: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/663090.page#8712701
 
   
Made in us
Battleship Captain





USA-Illinois- the Chi

I think to continue this discussion, and to help RiTides out, we might need a bit more info.

 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





Biloxi, MS USA

CT GAMER wrote:Could you post some links to people that have "sung his praises" on other forums/blogs/etc.?



I think I'd like to see that, too.

I've always been neutral about it(only one transaction with RSO and it went well, but only the money was handled by him from my knowledge), but I can link to a very telling thread outside of Dakka.

You know you're really doing something when you can make strangers hate you over the Internet. - Mauleed
Just remember folks. Panic. Panic all the time. It's the only way to survive, other than just being mindful, of course-but geez, that's so friggin' boring. - Aegis Grimm
Hallowed is the All Pie
The Before Times: A Place That Celebrates The World That Was 
   
Made in us
Battleship Captain





USA-Illinois- the Chi

Please do^^

 
   
Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User





I already have, in my first post on this thread.

I really do not want to post much more in this thread, as I can already see it devolving into a hate thread. But I will leave saying once again that we do not take money, donations, sprinkled change or ice cream in return for services. We run these competitions out of our own pocket, and the models we post are either our own or ones from the community that we want to highlight for being awesome. My only reason for posting in the thread in the first place was to tell RiTides that his information about us is wrong, and to amend it as such.

Right now, I have a Necron Command Barge i need to figure out how to magnetise and BF3 to play, so with that I will leave you guys to it.
   
Made in us
Anointed Dark Priest of Chaos






AridMonk wrote:I already have, in my first post on this thread. .


i see no specific praise of matt Bonder/Red star one in that link.

Surely if "many" people sing his praises it would be easy to post sone links that demonstrate this...

++ Death In The Dark++ A Zone Mortalis Hobby Project Log: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/663090.page#8712701
 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





Biloxi, MS USA

Capitansolstice wrote:Please do^^


If you really want to see it, I'll PM you. We take our separation from Dakka a bit seriously(well, as seriously as anything really gets there), and the types of things we say there would get us IP Permabanned if we said its like here. Note, it DOES refer back to a thread here, but we're still anti-reverse invasion.

It takes a certain kind to understand what we say and do there and that thread alone is perhaps potentially one of the most offensive.

Just as an example of his stellar attitude:

redstarONE wrote:
No deliveries? Your fething stupid.

Go down the list., Every god damn person has goten at least partial payments and refunds.

You stupid feths banning me then telling me its ok to make another name because you guys just dont want my drama is a fething joke.

As for Alpha, I talk to him at least 3 times a week.

As for banning me, how the feth can i FINISH the dealings when you stupid donkey-caves dont give a feth about you own members.

And when Im back on dakka, ill be sure to make my sig have a big feth you to you Lorek you sorry gakky feth.

PS I like the out of business conversionist when I still get 10-20 fething emails daily about people wanting work. You a fething loser Lorek. Go back to fething your mother.

I CHOOSE to not take them.

Maybe go after real scammers like the trader or all the other people that go on dakka feth over people then VANISH.

I havent even changed my name you stupid bitch.

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2011/11/09 22:35:50


You know you're really doing something when you can make strangers hate you over the Internet. - Mauleed
Just remember folks. Panic. Panic all the time. It's the only way to survive, other than just being mindful, of course-but geez, that's so friggin' boring. - Aegis Grimm
Hallowed is the All Pie
The Before Times: A Place That Celebrates The World That Was 
   
 
Forum Index » Dakka Discussions
Go to: