Did Painter6479 rip you off? Read this.

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**MagickalMemories**

So, a lot of people online have been ripped off by Painter6479.

Some of us are going after our models (legally).
If you were ripped off by him, check out this Bartertown thread:

http://www.bartertown.com/trading/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=68579

Note that, in the thread, it says I'm opening it up for Bartertown members only.
Disregard that.
I am opening it up for DakkaDakka members, as well.

You still have to follow all of the other (non-Bartertown specific) instructions.

If, after reading that thread, you want to participate, send me a PM HERE ON DAKKADAKKA with the title as I request is in the bartertown thread.

There isn't much time left to get in on this. If you were scammed by him, now if the time to act. if you know someone here who was, send them to this thread.

Eric

**fullheadofhair**

Wow, that was a close call. Was looking at get a fantasy army painted and was looking at him for it but something about his post just didn't ring true. Cannot see the bartertown post as you have to be a member.

**MagickalMemories**

fullheadofhair wrote:Wow, that was a close call. Was looking at get a fantasy army painted and was looking at him for it but something about his post just didn't ring true. Cannot see the bartertown post as you have to be a member.

They talked about making that change... I hoped they wouldn't. it'll shoo more people away than invite them in...

Anyway... Here's the text from the post. Like I said... valid for any Dakkaites who want in on it, too. PM me here with the restrictions below:

Painter6479 - NEW DEVELOPMENT! Get your stuff back!
by MagickalMemories on Sat Jul 19, 2008 10:05 pm

Okay, folks.
I have established a contact in the Los Angeles area. He is willing to go to Palmdale and retrieve our belongings from Painter6479.
To be quite honest, he was willing to do it, basically, for free (didn't even want gas money, unless he had to make more than one trip) -gamers helping gamers and all, but I INSISTED that he take a small amount from each of us who wants his help.
The amount will vary from $5 to $10 per person. Pretty much, I will be deciding what the amount is once I know how many people want his help. The more people that are involved, the less the amount.

There are specific things you will have to do, including filing of reports and the signing of a contract (to protect you AND the other person).
You will be required to:
[*]Complete a VALID BTR
[*]File a police report
[*]File a USPS Mail Fraud report
[*]File an FBI IC3 Mail Fraud report
[*]Sign a contract with him where you guarantee him payment of $x.xx (TBD) and he agrees to retrieve your minis and ship them to you (you will also have to pay shipping before receiving your minis). There will be specifics on how he has to act (since he'll be your representative), that he's only retrieving miniatures (not money), that he must go there with a police escort (which he and/or I will arrange), etc. It will also state that you understand that the contract doesn't guarantee that he will be able to retrieve your minis, as Kalieb may no longer have them. There will be specifics about him not guaranteeing condition of models when he receives them, etc.

If you are a lawyer and willing to help me draft a simple contract for free (Gamers helping gamers and all), PLEASE PM OR EMAIL ME. We desperately need to get a contract drawn up for usage on this.

He will take images and email them directly to you, once he's retrieved your items. If you have images you can provide (for comparison), you will be asked to.

I'm going to be a kind of go-between here. You will deal directly with me, I will put everything together and I will deal directly with him.
You will be provided his contact information (name, ph#, address), as well as mine.
Once he has the miniatures, he will deal directly with you. I will no longer be a "go-between" at that point.

If you want to get in on this, you have ONE WEEK to let me know.
Today is July 19, 2008. I must receive a PM from you BEFORE July 26, 2008 telling me that you are interested. That means you have from now until FRIDAY, July 25, 2008.

Title the PM as the example below.

Painter6479 - (Your Tradername)

Remove (Your Tradername) completely (also remove parentheses) and type in YOUR tradername on Bartertown in its' place.
THIS IS FOR BARTERTOWN MEMBERS ONLY. Please, do not direct members of other sites here. Signing up here for the sole purpose of getting in on this will cause you to be rejected. Do not PM me if you are not willing to complete ALL REASONABLE PROCEDURES LISTED ABOVE to get your stuff back. There will be NO exceptions. It will be done RIGHT, or not at all.

I'm putting my neck on the line here as the "face" of the whole thing.
Hopefully, my reputation here will prove that (a) this isn't a scam to get your money and (b) I will do MY best to ensure that everything is handled legitimately on the other end BEFORE anyone gives this guy money. It's not that I don't trust him... It's just that I have to watch out for everyone who I give my word to, and I will.

Feel free to PM me with any questions you have. If you PM me a question, and you were one of his victims, please title the PM as specified above.

Eric

**badnewsblair**

Wow. I would say that was a close call for me because I was in email conversations with them on painting my army!

The work they show is down right impressive, but I started to get a little skeptical when the emails stopped coming from their side all of a sudden.

Thank goodness I listened to the side of my brain saying something was fishy!

**FlatlanderBoss2.0**

www.paintedfigs.com will be glad to honestly, truthfully and in good faith attempt to pick up any of the failed contracts you may have had with this person.

At probably 40% of the cost he quoted you.

Luke

**MagickalMemories**

Thanks but... their quality is average, at best. I'm looking for something quite a bit more.
I'll do them myself (and take forever) and get the quality I want before going at below tabletop to tabletop quality.

Additionally... I'd like to keep my tiny little dollars in their home country.

Plus, this thread is about warning people of a proven scammer and helping them get their stuff back, not for advertising his competitors. Thanks.

Eric

**MagickalMemories**

badnewsblair wrote:Wow. I would say that was a close call for me because I was in email conversations with them on painting my army!

The work they show is down right impressive, but I started to get a little skeptical when the emails stopped coming from their side all of a sudden.

Thank goodness I listened to the side of my brain saying something was fishy!

Help me out, PLEASE...
When was the last contact you had from him?

Thanks.

Eric

**grizgrin**

Magical: I had nothing to do with this guy, but I just have to say that your desire to help your community this much, esp. when it could backfire on you, is commendable. I truly hope that this doesn't turn into a "No good deed goes unpunished" for you. Good luck.

**blinky**

Luckily I havent been ripped off, but could someone tell me exactly what it was that he did? Did he take you models and money and then not return them? Or did he do a bad job etc..

Best of luck at getting your models back, its this sort of thing that stops me from using these services. That and no-one does it in Australia.

**MagickalMemories**

blinky wrote:Luckily I havent been ripped off, but could someone tell me exactly what it was that he did? Did he take you models and money and then not return them? Or did he do a bad job etc..

Best of luck at getting your models back, its this sort of thing that stops me from using these services. That and no-one does it in Australia.

Well, Painter6479... I really think he started out on the right track... and I don't think he intends or ever intended to rip anyone off. I think he got in over his head & doesn't know how or is afraid to address it with people.

The short story is that he took a LOT of models, money and contracts from people and did REALLY well in the beginning.
He met his promise dates or was reasonably close (mostly).
As business boomed, he stopped responding to emails, missed deadlines, then provided a multitude of excuses when he returned to communication (hackers, server issues, broken wrist, -maybe- a death in the family). He had new excuses each time.
The whole time, though, he's still taking new contracts, models and down payments.
So, he dropped off of the face of the Earth a few months ago.
NOBODY has heard from him with the (known) exception of ONE person who received a package last week containing HALF the models he was owed, no correspondence and no explanation.
I have around 3000 points of Space Marines with him (extrememly customized & with FW bits) and a $500 deposit. My friend has $4000 in models and payment (in full) and others have GOD ONLY KNOWS what.

We have a phone number for him, but it is NEVER answered and phone calls are NEVER returned (it's a cell phone).

If there is anyone reading this who knows him personally, let him know that it's easier to face this than to have us go through legal channels for our money back.

Eric

**fullheadofhair**

Any luck on this?

**MagickalMemories**

We're kind of mired down right now.
One of my buddies (who was also ripped off by kalieb) is a lawyer.
He's putting together a contract for us, but it's slow going. He's really busy at work right now.

One person has seen some action.
He's received an email from Kalieb -with pictures- stating that his army is done and, when he receives final payment, he'll ship 'em.

:shrugs:

Eric