Re: Since Conrad has gone AWOL - Let us speculate about the Transwarp Clone Project!

["Bill Buckels" <bbuckels@mts.net>]

"Adam" <adam2008@polyex.com> wrote:
>Someone should call a cop in the town where this character is, otherwise 
>your going to find it almost impossible to get your money back.

I concur completely. That is exactly what I did under similar circumstances 
in 2009. Please listen carefully:

1. I am Canadian (I may have said that before:). I live in Gimli Manitoba. 
In late 2008, I sent money *DIRECTLY* to an established EBay Seller for a 
number of items including an Apple GS.

2. The Seller is also Canadian, and lives in British Columbia, (about 6 
hours away from where this character lives).

3. About 2 months later, in early 2009, after many excuses, and despite 
constant communication, my Apple GS and the rest of my shipment had not 
arrived.

4. I wrote a letter (email) "Without Prejudice"  (see below). When I got 
more excuses and no action on that lettter after an additional month or so, 
I contacted my local RCMP detachment here in Manitoba. They called the local 
RCMP detachment in British Columbia in the Seller's town.

5. The RCMP Member in British Columbia phoned me directly, obtained all my 
facts and personally visited the couple. Then the BC Member phoned me 
directly again, and reported his progress.

6. I had my shipment in Manitoba about a week later, with extras.

7. I have sucessfully retrieved funds through EBay and PayPal scammers 
living in the USA in other similar circumstances. But in this case since the 
Seller was Canadian, and I paid in advance with a Money Transfer through a 
Canadian Bank who we both deal with, I was still not concerned. Just 
disappointed, and resentful that I needed to expend unreasonable amounts of 
time and effort to make this happen.

8. The Arm of the Law is very long in Canada when it comes to Canadians. If 
this community has run out of patience, and if one of the purchasers is 
Canadian, organize a complaint, compile a list, and use my method to 
retrieve your funds.

If that is not successful, then ask to press Criminal Fraud Charges through 
the RCMP Electronic Crime Division, and have the Crown proceed on your 
behalf. Write a letter asking the Crown to order restitution.

Assuming that you get a conviction, then publish the details on-line, 
giving name and facts. At that point, if you write for local papers, contact 
one in the Seller's area, and write an an Article headlined "Local Man". 
Local papers here pay around 15 cents a word for articles and also struggle 
to sell advertising, so are generally happy to receive a professionally 
written article for free. Press Releases are also well accepted and you can 
send me PM for contacts and coaching.

Small Claims in Manitoba cost $25 and must be served, take time in court, 
and after a successful judgement, the onus is on the Claimant to obtain an 
Order of Garanshee, or to otherwise collect. From my experience I do not 
consider them an option in cases that are not local, and consider promises 
of character assasination and criminal charges more effective.

9. Below is text from my letter noted above (in 4.):

>Without Prejudice

>Unless I receive a tracking number, the merchandise as promised, or an 
>electronic funds transfer today in the amount of $400.00 as full  refund, I 
>will be in contact with the RCMP both here and in your area, and  with my 
>bank, to retrieve the funds transfer of 2 months ago and to prefer 
>criminal charges against the two of you. I will also be in contact with the 
>electronic crime division here in Winnipeg to prefer additional criminal 
>charges.

>I have been more than patient but my patience has run out. You have had 
>more than sufficient time in the two month period since I forwarded these 
>funds as advanced payment in full to deliver as promised, and despite your 
>changing stories through that period I have given you the benefit of  the 
>doubt.

>Please, no more excuses. Just as surely and swiftly as I sent you payment 
>when I said I would, I will also follow through with this as promised.  If 
>you provide a tracking number that is sent more recently than indicated and 
>the goods arrive as promised I may be inclined to overlook the rest of 
>this.

>You must also surely realize that I have all correspondence and  phone 
>calls documented at my end.

>Please govern yourselves according.

10. I never placed an order in this recent character's case, never even 
heard of him before this, and up to recently I was extremely confident in 
the integrity of *ALL* the vendors in the the Apple II Community.

But I have given-up on Ebay because it is in a foreign country. I have the 
same misgivings about PayPal, and USA based shipments in General. I can Air 
Express electronic goods from Germany to my door in 5 days for a fraction of 
the cost of a USA based shipment which can take up to 5 weeks if it comes at 
all, or undamaged.

11. Exceptions to this rule are many however.

I have not given-up on this Community and I won't, despite the fact that I 
stand on the periphery (i.e. looking in instead of looking out). However, 
your long-standing reputation as a community of honourable men may have 
taken a couple of hits recently (albeit internally), so prompted by Adam's 
suggestion, I felt that I should share one of my experiences that may 
provide a remedy.

All the Best,

Bill