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I have compiled some data on this guy and have sent a PM to cowen70.

I've also made contact with scud1703 on Bartertown on the scam in question and have relayed information to him as well.

Let me know if there is something people want PMed to them. Some of it I'm keeping to the vest just in case.

I have this sneaking suspicion this person may be another alias of a long time scammer come back...just something seems awfully familiar about the whole situation...

I spent around $260 to but a large ork lot from him and some chaos pieces that he never sent me. I have all of the messages sent back and forth. I also have his name off of his paypal.

Do you have a list of what he was trying to sell you?

yes i do give me a minute and i will post them.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
This is what i asked him for and he threw in all the boxes of extras along with 4 chaos rhinos.


The box of extras, the flyer, 6 copters, both land raider conversions the stompa lamun russ conversion, rhino conversion, 20 boyz 10 lootas if possible bits that came with any of the original conversions, if not thats fine.

all 14 thousand suns and both sorcerers and the defiler with bits for weapon change

I sent him $70 for 2 stormravens... I have yet to receive. I have filled a claim via PayPal .

Updated information on all victims so far to come forward on DakkaDakka-

cowen70- Ork army to Ahriman085
quickfuze- Metal Ahriman model, 15 CSM Legs
IMPERIALGUARD40K- Bits and $40 in Steam games.
Ifurita- paypal for 20 Lootas
Centurionpainting- $200 of Ork bitz
Myrthan- Money for paints
zeke48- $52 paypal
Traceoftoxin- $70 Warstore giftcard
WarOne- traded BA and Ork items for CSM items
For my trade, here is the USPS track # 9505510182783103389042
herpguy- FW MegaDread
DaKKaLAnce- $70 Paypal
Inksoul- $260

In NY state, the amount has exceeded the definition of Grand larceny in the fourth degree, a E Class felony.

I have called PayPal and have told them about this guy. They said if he gets enough complaints , they can look into it and press charges.

We are continuing investigating this user as much as we can but as an aside, I suggest working as a team in the TR and pass all the relevant info to the authorities as a single, unified case. It would be advantageous if a US-based Dakka user would take up the lead to collate and pass the info onto the scammer's local PD/FBI or what have you. If one of you US based users affected by this chap would kindly volunteer to step up and gather/pass-on all the relevant evidence and communication trails, then all of you stand a better chance of getting some sort of result. Ultimately, people like the scammer in question should be prosecuted to the full extent possible - being apathetic about it and thinking that nothing will come of filing charges only helps perpetuate these things from happening. If you don't complain, nothing gets done.

DaKKaLAnce wrote:
I have called PayPal and have told them about this guy. They said if he gets enough complaints , they can look into it and press charges.

We only have a handful of people who have used paypal so far. Not sure what constitutes "enough" by their definition but so far the amount in question exceeds about $1500-$2000 in value and currency between here and Bartertown.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 filbert wrote:
- being apathetic about it and thinking that nothing will come of filing charges only helps perpetuate these things from happening. If you don't complain, nothing gets done.

This, a hundred times.

I'm one of the closer members to where he lives. I've already been collecting as much data as I could on him. I'll start to compile the evidence.

For everyone affected, try to compile all your PMs in chronological order, copy and paste. Try to target all the dates and names in boxes too:

Example of Copy/Paste-

From: Ahriman085
To: WarOne
Date: 2013/04/16 14:03:32
Subject: Re:Re:checking for updates
your choice of words confuses me -_- sorry im simple minded......so your shipping it off today? or what??

Once you compiled everything, toss me a PM with the whole conversation from start to finish.

WarOne, thank you taking the lead on compiling your complaints, that should help all of your causes. It is not unheard of for the police to pay a person like this a visit if shown evidence and names/addresses of the people whose models/funds he has.

At this point I'd like to emphasize something I mentioned in the other active TR as well: If a user has just joined in the past month, and have very few posts, you should be Extremely wary of doing a simultaneous trade!!. Paypal transactions are much safer. Unfortunately, after my time on here, I no longer do simultaneous trades with anyone but trusted / long-term users. You always have the option to sell your items via Paypal, then put the funds towards the purchase of what you like. It's more work, but in the end, 10 times safer.

Keep us updated, WarOne, and again thanks for taking the lead for those who have unresolved trades with this user.

 RiTides wrote:


Keep us updated, WarOne, and again thanks for taking the lead for those who have unresolved trades with this user.

I have tossed back a PM on some further information.

WarOne Contacted me on bartertown this weekend and let me know this guy struck here to, total lame. Ive already contacted my local PD and filed a Police Report. They have forwareded it to CT and our Post Master Gernaeral here. The Colony PD here in TX (where i live) is trying to make it a federal crime because they said they have more resources to use. He used the same adress for me on B-Town. Ill call Norwhich, CT and see whats going on with them.

I have sine filed a police report with my city police department
Case Number 2013-4619 with The Colony, TX, office number is 972-625-1887. I have an attorney drafting a letter and it will be sent to him shortly to the address listed and to another address that has been given by some one on B-Town, Thank you. (posted from BT)

Ill post here as well as i find out info. Thank you all for any other info you can provide.

Here is some potential information; This may be a repeat scammer.

Based on this previous thread:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/427066.page

I assume it because of three reasons:

The grammar seems eerily similar.

The person's "shotgun" approach to scatter the scam to as many people as possible also seems similar.

The "move" to CT from AL also strikes a chord as well.

Further, his accounts on Bartertown's Hall of Shame post on same guy:

http://www.bartertown.com/trading/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=160945

Use endings like 086 (specifically- an email)

The similarities are too striking to dismiss out of hand.

Very unfortunate set of circumstances here.

just spoke with Dt. Curtis. They know Damian Johnson. He asked for everyone to file a police report in thier city send the cases to Norwhich ASAP. he also asked that we (everyone scammed) send him an email with their name and contact info

jcurtis@cityofnorwich.org

they also know both addresses

thank you for your help

austin

You guys are awesome for jumping all over this so quickly.

I just shipped him $370 worth of CSM/BA in exchange for 3 NIB Riptides, a NIB Broadside, and a NIB Sunshark. He said he would send the tracking number Friday. No word, has not replied to any emails. Will keep you guys posted

Damn that was alot of models I sent...

I also lost $80 to him. In exchange for a stompa and 20 lootas

 Ineedvc2500 wrote:

The "file a police report" is a legal thing all the websites do to cover their ass. It absolves them of all liability dakka is no different.

If you think sites like Dakka or BTown are liable because you don't follow through with your own due diligence, I've got some really sobering news for you.

On BTown, we tell you to file a police report because that is the first step in getting your stuff back. Especially in large-scale situations like this, the more reports there are on him the more his local PD will take it serious. Those of us who remember the name Jason Ticknor recall what it took to finally get his local PD to visit him and just how much of his ill-gained loot was returned or compensated for, once they did.

As for the rest of the messages here... I won't get to read my BTown PMs until tonight. I get between 6 and 20 a day, and just don't have the time to get to them while at work. So, if you PMed me there, I WILL respond.

Thanks to whomever posted that info from BTown on the guy. It's important and should NOT be overlooked.

If you paid via PayPal, REGARDLESS how you paid, CALL THEM ON THE PHONE and explain the situation. If you paid via "Gift," explain that you didn't understand the consequences or what it meant to do so, promise to never do so again, and ask nicely that they help you "just this once." All of the people who have told me that they've done this have reported nearly 100% success. In fact, it's probably 100% success, but I don't know that I recall every one, so I'm covering my butt. LOL

Never pay anyone via PayPal GIFT until you have the items in hand. Ever. Never pay first, if it's someone who has not established his own positive reputation at whatever site(s) you trade. My personal rule is that, if you have a lower # of trades than me when combining Dakka & BTown (the only places I trade), YOU ship/pay first, or there's no deal. Know what? I've never been ripped off when following that rule. I doubt it's a coincidence.

Eric


Automatically Appended Next Post:

cowen70 wrote:
Well that is true but I am extremely concerned by a member repeatedly stating that this is not criminal and nothing can come of it....it seems suspicious and it is also blatently untrue as I say I do not state this from a position of ignorance I have been in touch with a US attorney.

I am well aware we are dealing with a con artist and I am very concerned with attempts to put us off full prosecution of this con artist.

We should all pursue this to the furthest extent possible.

Honestly, you should chill out a moment.
First off, I believe I've firmly established (in this thread, many others, and the entire Bartertown web site) what side *I* fall on. So, don't go thinking I"m trying to muddy the thread or mislead people.
The fact is that is is, in the end, a CIVIL matter. If you get a police officer or detective who does not want to get involved (and, as busy as they are for the little pay and acknowledgement they receive, there are plenty of those), he will simply tell you (rightfully) that is is a CIVIL matter and not a CRIMINAL one, and that you need to take it through the court system. It is not a matter of him stealing from you. It is a matter of him not following trough on his end on a contract.
If you play your cards right, act properly towards the police, have your ducks in a row, and can show the kind of history that this guy has, you can usually find an officer who is willing to go "scare him straight," as has been previously mentioned.
Where this case differs, according to information that a detective within his local PD personally gave me over the phone, is when it comes to people sending him money & him not sending his portion. That hits a different set of laws/complaints/whatever, and they are far more willing to get involved.

So, as has been said... EVERYONE involved, CALL YOUR LOCAL PD and FILE A REPORT. If you're a minor, have your parents do it for you. Ensure that you are armed with the FULL retail value of what you sent, along with accompanying documentation (screen prints from the GW site, etc) and proof of sending from the Post Office. If you sent via PayPal, have a print out of your PayPal receipt.
After you file the report, ask them to get in touch with his local PD to get them to act on it.

Once that is done, call your local PD every 2 to 3 days to see if they called his PD. Once they have, call his local PD every 3 or 4 days to see if they've visited him.
They key is to call often enough that they know you aren't going away, but to ALWAYS be polite enough to them that you don't outright tick them off.

Eric

@RiTides - Sorry. Jut found the thread and posted as I cam across things worth mentioning. I'm leaving my "theft vs. contract dispute" info, simply because it correlates with other info in the post that IS relevant. I won't be offended if you choose to delete it, though.

@filbert - Actually, in my experience, local PD's will not work with one person as a contact point. They've always required individual conversations with each persona involved. Even after their initial conversation with the person filing the report, they still would not work with one 'centralized" contact point. I presume there are legal reasons for this.

Turns out UPS gave me wrong info. The box was dropped off this morning and signed for by the current resident.

This means the address is real, people are living there. So, whoever signed for my package is either Ahriman or involved in the scheme.

I'm getting emails from those scammed; thank you for taking the time to compile this.

Currently at work so ill be going through those emails when I get home.

OK well thanks Magikalmemories for posting this information.

Thanks also to Warone for putting some hard work in compiling all the information.

I'm emailing the police officer now.

What is likely to come of this do we think?

cowen70-
Just to let you know Det. Curtis is going to ask you to file a report with your local police department. They will then need to send the case to him. I did this, and then i send Det. Curtis everything as well. When i talked to Det. Curtis and to echo what MM has said, the more people we have against this one guy the more of a case we have. Det. Curtis also mentioned that if he is using stolen identities (C. Wilson/ Damian Johnson) or credit cards will help our (peopel scammed) even more.

I have several PM logs from various scammed members. I would suggest following scud1703's advice as we now have to file police reports in order to raise the noise level against the scammer.

Thank you for taking the time to gather these PMs. This should help organize the evidence in case we need to present it all at once.

There are 4 current BTRs (Bad Trader Reports) on this user over on Bartertown. I have posted the following message in all 4 of their reports:

He has ripped off a large number of people on DakkaDakka:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/523737.page

If you are unaware of the situation over there, please, visit the link above. You can organize with some of the other affected individuals to strengthen the case against this guy.

Eric

Eric

Updating list of people from DakkaDakka affected and noting who has compiled their information-

cowen70- Ork army to Ahriman085
quickfuze- Metal Ahriman model, 15 CSM Legs
IMPERIALGUARD40K- Bits and $40 in Steam games.
Ifurita- paypal for 20 Lootas
Centurionpainting- $200 of Ork bitz
Myrthan- Money for paints
zeke48- $52 paypal PM History Archived
Traceoftoxin- $70 Warstore giftcard
WarOne- traded BA and Ork items for CSM items
For my trade, here is the USPS track # 9505510182783103389042
herpguy- FW MegaDread
DaKKaLAnce- $70 Paypal
Inksoul- $260
Cruentus- $29 paypal- PM History Archived
Ferrum- $80
jathomas2013- $370 of BA/CSM

from Det. Curtis

From: James Curtis [mailto:jcurtis@cityofnorwich.org]
Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 2:45 PM
To: Bauer, Austin
Subject:

Austin,
I recovered 11 boxes of parts, pieces and completed or semi-completed models from 80 Chestnut Street about 1 hr ago. I am tied up with something else now so I will reach out to you tomorrow to see what we will do next. This is a lot of stuff and it is going to take some time to go through it all.

James Curtis, Detective
Polygraph Unit
City of Norwich, CT Police Department

Oh this as the tracking number for my part that I sent out:
USPS 9500 1000 0301 3105 0010 34

That's quite impressive, I don't know if they had a warrant or they just scared him straight, but the results speak for themselves.

Looks like having so many people come forward helped the case.

Looks like everyone is getting their things back