The Steel Guitar Forum

As most of you know, I have 2 CDs for sale. Recently I received a letter from somebody calling himself “Sean Macko,” claiming to be a distributor located in England, who said he wanted to buy 100 copies of each. I gave him a price and he said he’d arrange payment and get back to me.

Next thing I know, he says he is sending me a money order for $3,000 more than the agreed upon price, and he will send somebody to my home to pick up the CDs and the extra 3 thousand dollars. (He did not provide his address.) I told him I didn’t want to do business that way, and that I wanted him to send a U.S. Post office money order for the exact price.

Two days ago I received what looks like a money order, from some company I never heard of, in an envelope with no return address.

I wrote the guy and told him this was unacceptable, and that I wanted to return the money order (which of course is a fake) and that if he wants the CDs he will have to send the US Postal money order for the correct amount, and he wrote back an abusive and threatening letter, implying that he was coming to L.A. and I had better give him the 3 thousand and the CDs or else.

I filed a complaint with the FBI. And will soon be doing the same with the L. A. P. D. and applying for a permit to carry a gun. The permit will probably be denied, but I want it on record that I’m being threatened.

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My web site

<SMALL>a permit to carry a gun</SMALL>

Just remember that people don't kill people, guns do....or is it the other way around, I forget. oops....off topic

May be the same guy, I'm selling a piano on ebay for our neighbor, guy says his name is Jason Williams from the U.K. He wants the piano, but has a guy here in the states that owes him $4100.00 and this guy will send us a cashiers check. We cash it, take out the amount for the piano and shipping, and send him the rest. wonder if this is the same guy Mike. Oh and he has a shipping broker who will take care of the shipping. Sounded funny to me, told my bride and neighbor what I thought about it, but got overrode on the decision. I bet if I show them this, we may be able to stop a train wreck before it happens. Mike email me if you would, and let me know if there is any other info you might have. Thanx for posting this.

I've heard of some cases where once a "victim" backs out, they send a few boys over for a visit. Good thing you alerted the authorities.

I kind of doubt they have any "boys" to send. It's just a scam to get you to send them the difference in the money order before you realize you've been had. Frame it and put it on your music wall.

I think the gun is a bad idea, but anybody who comes over to try to mess with me is going to have to go through my dog Petey.

It is a scam

I sold a dozen each of my CDs to a distributor in England who paid via PayPal

THAT'S why I like PayPal. They take a few cents per dollar but the transactions are recorded for you and definitely on the up and up.

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

We just had a local fella sentenced in the county court to time 'cause he fell into the money order scam trap. Why it looked so easy...

I agree it's obviously a scam. Not unlike, somehow, the people who would like to "produce you" by "offering to include your work on a special compilation album" for the price of YOUR investment in their compilation, which if it ever DOES come out, will probably never move off the K-Mart shelves...
Need I add, always beware of deals that aren't honest & up front about what's expected on both ends....

I'd just keep the fake check and forget it.

There's a few that think US POstal Money Orders are the only safe way to go.

That's not true, at least acording to the USPS, see their take on it here: http://www.usps.com/websites/depart/inspect/mofeatur.htm

You really have to trust the person you're doing business with. If you don't know them get references, and check them.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>I filed a complaint with the FBI. And will soon be doing the same with the L. A. P. D. and applying for a permit to carry a gun. The permit will probably be denied, but I want it on record that I’m being threatened.

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Mike, you should have no problem getting a permit. (Unless of course you have had a previous felony conviction). People are crazy in this day and age. Take care of yourself. It is your right.

Petey looks very serious.

Hi MIke, I wouldn't worry about the threats that were made, just an easy way to mess with you. I did that once, years ago. My business was owed money from a firm in NY state, all of my calls got me nowhere. I filed complaints with the respective regulatory agencies, nothing. A lawyer got the same results. My final, futile attempt was a phone call telling him I was taking a trip to NY and was going to make a special side trip to kick his a$$. I wasn't going anywhere, but got a least a little satisfaction knowing he may have squirmed for a week or so.

Good luck getting a concealed permit in CA, I think it is pretty tough - here in TX they pretty much give them to you. And if they happen to find out you are a musician, well, feed Petey well. Nice dog!

Guns don't kill people. Husbands who come home early from work do.

Mike, if any harm should come to you,
you shall be avenged.


GB

Those emails are coming from Nigerian criminals, whom I have been trying to block from accessing the SGF for almost two years now. With your help I can get rid of the new ones that are pestering you guys with scam offers and kited overpayment checks.

Send me those scam emails - forwarded as attachments (Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Eudora, etc), or display the full incoming headers (browser-based email), then copy and paste the entire message, with the headers and message body, into an email and send it to me. I will use the information in the headers to track the bastards and block them from viewing our forums.

BTW: If you receive a US Postal Money Order as payment just take it to the Post Office for verification and cashing. If it's phoney they will tell you on the spot, otherwise you'll get cash on the barrelhead. Bring the envelope in which it was mailed, in case they decide to investigate it for mail fraud.

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Bobby D. Hunter
Security for SGF
Hunting down Slimeball Game
Reporting member of SpamCop

Bobby, I will do as you ask, but the UPOTGIS (unmentionable part of the gastro instestinal system) that tried to rip me off did not get my name from the forum, but rather through CD Baby. As far as I know, he, (or perhaps I should say it,) is unaware of the existance of the forum.



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My web site

Get the gun anyway.

closed as off topic for 'Steel Players and Their Music'.