Richard Contreras--Information on Pre-War Scammer?

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Posted By: James Feagin

First off, I apologize if this thread is inappropriate. Without getting into too much detail, a good friend was screwed out of $7000 worth of vintage cards on ebay. A Richard Contreras from Lake Elsinore, California sold him a 1941 Playball DiMaggio GAI 6 and 1958 Topps Ted Williams All-Star PSA 10 on e-bay. After two weeks of empty promises and not following through, my friend received an overnight parcel with 3 modern graded cards not worth more than $5. Mr. Contreras' ebay ID is now NARU'D and is nowhere to be found. It's sad to see someone get screwed like that. Does anyone know a Richard Contreras from Lake Elsinore, California or has dealt with him in the past?

James

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Posted By: leon

I am so sorry to hear of this....this is a VERY APPROPRIATE post for this board. If there is anything we can do let us know...maybe someone will know how to get a hold of this no good scammer.....it really stinks....good luck

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Posted By: mark

But, if he paid with Paypal i think he is only covered for $2,000. If paid by credit card then he should call them. If paid by check then very bad situation.

Hope he gets his $ back.

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Posted By: James Feagin

Paypal found in his favor for $400 because of some of their loopholes. It's something but a small consolation for having $7500 ripped off from you. While I've learned some things from this situation, it's like watching a bad car accident.

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Posted By: mark

I never had to get a refund but are you saying that the $2,000 coverage is not so. Would love to know what loopholes just in case i get in a situation like this, thanks.

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Posted By: Sean

If he paid with a credit card through PayPal call the credit card company. They will work with him more than PayPal.

Sean BH

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Posted By: James Feagin

Because my friend purchased cards from a seller with 10 or less feedback, he was only allowed $400.

James

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Posted By: mark

never knew that. I wonder if its a tier system, if a seller has 10-20 feedbacks would he only get $800. Or if the seller only had 30-40 feedbacks would the refund be $1,000.

This is good to know.

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

What was the sellers ebay ID? Did this seller also sell currency and other odd ball items?

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Posted By: Judson Hamlin

1 Google the sob or try and locate him through Whitepages.com

2. Once you confirm his address, contact your local PD and the Lake Elsinore PD or County police and report the crime of theft by deception.

3. Make him squirm.

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Posted By: jP

Sorry to hear of your friends mishap. If i lived closer to Lake Elsinore i would help you hunt this sucker down! Best of luck.

my collection: http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m95/obaks/

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Posted By: warshawlaw

If you want, give your friend my email address. I might be able to help him sue the bastard.

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Posted By: Chris Counts

I tried Googling Richard Contreras in Lake Elsinore and couldn't find him. I did, however, find references to two other individuals by the same name who recently lived within 30 miles of Lake Elsinore. One, aged 35, was murdered a couple weeks ago. The other, now presumably 43, was arrested for his role in an insurance scam two years ago. Maybe he's your guy ...

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Posted By: James Feagin

I believe his former ebay ID is larryholmes1. My friend is being pretty smart with his investigation, he even filmed opening the package. He knows I use Net54 and wanted to see if he might have tried to scam someone here.

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Posted By: Bob

James- He filmed himself opening the package??? Wow, talk about foresight (and maybe a little mistrust?). I would never have thought of doing that. I am sorry your friend got the shaft, sounds like what happened to another poster not long ago, Tom Bottecelli, a very nice guy who got scammed big time.
Bob M.

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

James,

Are you sure about the ebay name? That name is in CA but it only has ONE feedback.

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Posted By: James Feagin

Bob--Yes, he had some foresight because he was given a run around for two weeks and was very suspicious. Alas, when the crook sent him three nobody modern graded cards to prove that a package was shipped, he had the forsight to tape the opening. Pretty smart move I would have NEVER thought of.

Judge Dred---That is the guy with 1 feedback. I thought it was 10 or less, but wasn't sure. Nevertheless, I has NO idea Paypal had such a policy. Makes me think twice about "buyer protection."

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Posted By: jay wolt

James - Have your friend contact the authorities for mail fraud.
He should contact his local postmaster where the package was rec'd
as well as the police in Lake Elsinore.
Hopefully they'll nab the bum and proceed w/ a felony conviction.

On another note, it was good meeting you last week at Huggins & Scott...jay

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Posted By: Dave

When paying by Paypal, the amount that the buyer is covered for will be listed in the types of payments the seller accepts. I believe that the fewer the feedback, the less the money. I always check that out before bidding on something that I am not covered for. The seller must have had low feedback and the buyer was only covered for $200 per transaction. Here is the reasoning per Paypal:

13.9 eBay Items Eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection. Every item on eBay (except Live Auctions and vehicles) that meets the above requirements is eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection up to $200.00 USD (Basic Tier Coverage Amount), but items are only eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection up to $2,000.00 USD (Top Tier Coverage Amount) and should be identified as eligible items in the eBay listing if:

Seller's eBay feedback rating is at least 50;

At least 98% of the seller's eBay feedback is positive;

The seller has a Verified Premier or Verified Business Account in good standing;

The listing was on an eligible eBay site (eBay.com and certain other eBay sites self identified as such)
PayPal is listed as an acceptable payment method; and
The seller is a PayPal User from one of the following countries:

- Argentina - Italy
- Austria - Jamaica
- Australia - Japan
- Belgium - Korea
- Brazil - Mexico
- Canada - Netherlands
- Chile - New Zealand
- China - Norway
- Czech Republic - Poland
- Denmark - Portugal
- Ecuador - Singapore
- Finland - Sweden
- France - Spain
- Germany - Switzerland
- Greece - Taiwan
- Hong Kong - Thailand
- Hungary - United Kingdom
- India - United States
- Ireland - Uruguay

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Ok, last chance. Does he have another ebay name or is the one with only a 1 feedback the only ebay handle. I may be able to shed some light here. I'm guessing this is someone I dealt with in the past and it wasn't pleasant. He's in about the same area as this person. My guess is that it's the same residence or he's moved to that area in the last year or two. The name sounds about right. If this guy sells currency and other things like that then this could be the same person.

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Posted By: James Feagin

That is the only ebay handle that I know of. Do you have a mailing address for him? If so, you can e-mail me....and I will compare it tomorrow with my friend (who happens to be a co-worker at H&S).

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Posted By: stefan wisinski

To all that responded to this message i would first like to say thank you. second i ould like to interduce myself my name is stefan wisinski i am 23 years old. i am the auction manager over at H&S and i have investaged this guy pretty well. i have where he works, lives and went to school. he is 46 years old. i contacted my local police dept. they led me to a website ran by the FBI. i never thought about calling his police station, but i don't know what they could do it might be out of their jurisdiction. i want this guy whether i get my cards or not. i don't know much about how to go about sueing from him from here to nantucket. but it is something i am very intrested in doing that. i have a guy where he works who has been relaying me background info about this guy.

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Posted By: Judson

By all means contact the local PD. If they can't handle the investigation, they can hand it off to the DA's office or other agency. They can also, once an investigation is opened, access eBay records via their subpoena power. Chances are, his name might not be unfamiliar to them if he is a scammer.

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Posted By: Bob

Too bad you don't live here in Arkansas. There was a case which was very similar and the scam seller ended up going to Cummins Prison Farm for his illegal activities on ebay. I guess we take our auctions seriously here

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Posted By: Joe Pelaez

If you've zero'd in on the right culprit.

Get the Bastard!

Otherwise he'll stick around, and NOT go away.

Do it for yourself first, and do it for the hobby.
Believe me, it's a good feeling.

Here's to you.

Joe

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Posted By: joe brennan

Good luck Stefan. I hope you nail his A$$.

In Rememberance of James W. Brennan Sr. 1924-1982. Dad, thanks for everything you did for me.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Like i said in a previous thread to someone who had been duped, the FBi has a division set up for collectables fraud, USE IT PEOPLE!

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Posted By: Dean H

Definately contact all appropriate authorities, Federal, State and Local. I was scammed on eBay a few years back for $2,150. It took about 2 1/2 years, if I remember correctly, but I did get my money back. The local P.D. were the ones that worked the case. There is hope. Don't let him get away with this.

Dean

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Posted By: andy becker

hey stefan,
sorry about your situation.
i think you need to file a police report with your local p.d. and then they will contact the offender's local p.d.

that is what i had been told when a much smaller ripoff had occured.

i also had success one time contacting the offender's local p.d. myself. a detective went to the jerk's house and scared him into making a bad check good.

good luck.....
andy

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Posted By: sean

I am in the same process right now. I have contacted the post master general but am going to call the local police this week. do keep us posted