Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Classifieds Forums => FS/WTB: Europa Parts and Stuff => Topic started by: Gearbox on Monday,November 16, 2015, 10:15:33 AM
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Just a reminder, and I am sure you are all weary of the number of scammers that prey on sites like these. But was just hit upon a very convincing fellow, up until he wanted a Western Union MoneyGram or instant bank wire. I have also noticed that they all have gmail accounts for some reason. It took two emails, but you will figure it out. Just be careful.
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You may want to forward the specifics to owner Joe Irwin (LotusJoe).
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Someone on this forum was wanting a Western Union Payment?
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Thanks for the warning, Gearbox!
While we're on the subject of scams, I've gotten two calls from somebody claiming to want to award me the government grant I had applied for (of course I hadn't applied for a government grant).
Then just today, I got a call from a guy who claimed be setting up the delivery of $350K because I was the second place winner of a Mega Millions sweepstakes of some sort. I hung up on him when he wanted me to wire money somewhere.
At least I haven't been offered $10M from a Nigerian lawyer lately!
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You may want to forward the specifics to owner Joe Irwin (LotusJoe).
Joji, I just happen to host the site. I like to think of myself as the administrator of the forum. It really belongs to the members. :beerchug: But if there is someone on the site that is trying to perpetrate a scam I certainly need to be aware so I can correct the problem.
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PM Sent
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I appear to have been scammed in a big way by someone offering a Europa on eBay a while ago, taking a deposit via PayPal, and then getting me to transfer the balance to a legitimate account.
The total scam is $11,000, so it hurts.
As the transaction is in US$, the USA have jurisdiction over any fraud.
How do I proceed with reporting this apparent fraud to the appropriate authorities?
The vendor says he is in Miami. The bank account is JP Morgan in New York, but his branch is Nova Drive, Davie, Florida 33317.
Any help is appreciated. I have successfully bought 6 in this way, but it seems unlucky 7 for me.
Alex in Norfolk UK.
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Oh, man!!! I would try getting in touch with the attorney general of Florida and JP Morgan - they must have some fraud unit. There is certainly other suggestions, but that's all I can come up with right away.
Good luck!!
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I appear to have been scammed in a big way by someone offering a Europa on eBay a while ago, taking a deposit via PayPal, and then getting me to transfer the balance to a legitimate account.
The total scam is $11,000, so it hurts.
As the transaction is in US$, the USA have jurisdiction over any fraud.
How do I proceed with reporting this apparent fraud to the appropriate authorities?
The vendor says he is in Miami. The bank account is JP Morgan in New York, but his branch is Nova Drive, Davie, Florida 33317.
Any help is appreciated. I have successfully bought 6 in this way, but it seems unlucky 7 for me.
Alex in Norfolk UK.
Alex,
Do you still have the eBay listing? Maybe guys here in states can start snooping around. I would contact eBay and see if they are able to help. This is complete Bull Sh*t !
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He gave me a cellphone number.I have just sent him a text asking to contact me urgently. He has come up with all sorts of excuses for not shipping, the last being the person he bought the car from didn't give him the title documents so he had sent off for new ones. The previous one was flat tyres, so I told him to use puncture repair pressured repair units. Before that it was not enough room in the container, before that illness.
He sell Rolls Royce parts from a company in Miami and has good feedback on ebay.
I won't give any more details at the moment, but if anyone is in the Miami area, maybe they could PM me and then they could check if the named person works for one of two companies he has names in the Miami area.
My previous dealings with Colorado, Chicago, Colorado, South Carolina and Louisiana have been no problem.
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You should also contact ebay as they have some enforcement mechanisms that might be useful.
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The eBay number was #321760578647, but as only $100 was paid via PayPal, my remedy with eBay would be very little.
It was a Regency Red TCS.
He has given me his name via an eBay email, his cellphone number, his email address, and his bank account details, so if it is a scam, he can be done for fraud.
I presume this would be under the jurisdiction of the FBI, not the police.
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The eBay number was #321760578647, but as only $100 was paid via PayPal, my remedy with eBay would be very little.
It was a Regency Red TCS.
He has given me his name via an eBay email, his cellphone number, his email address, and his bank account details, so if it is a scam, he can be done for fraud.
I presume this would be under the jurisdiction of the FBI, not the police.
Shit! the listing has been deleted !
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The FBI is for interstate crime, I think the Florida attorney general should be your first legal stop.
I also think ebay is very motivated to make sure that transactions are conducted honestly. They may be able to help and want to help much more than you expect.
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Florida Attorney General contacted. Hopefully it is not too late to claim title to the car, if it exists, and if it has not been sold to another.
Thanks for your help.
Alex in Norfolk, UK.
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alex
was the car also featured on craigslist [chap called steve]?
fred
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Possibly, the name is the same.
Any evidence of the CL advert?
It is a '73 TCS on standard Lotus alloy wheels,Regency Red and a runner, but the tyres go flat.
If anyone is offered one for sale in the Florida area especially, please tell me, as I have paid in full for it by a BIN offer I made to him accepted in writing on 21st May at 17.10.15 PDT.
Regards,
Alex.
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alex
I was directed to a craigslist ad for a lotus elan for sale, and the picture of the elan showed a maroon europa parked next to it, looking a bit dusty, so I contacted the seller...this was on 6 [?] sept, before i had agreed to go for joji's project.....
here is a transcript of the e-mail exchange [some overlapped].............
"hi stevesaw your ad for a lotus elan, and noticed there are also photos of a maroon lotus europa.....is that for sale also?thanksfred
T HAS BEEN SOLD. WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR THE NEW TITLE SO IT CAN BE SHIPPED BACK TO ENGLAND. IF YOU HAVE AN OFFER OF $11 OR MORE, I WILL PASS IT ON TO THE OWNER. THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST. STEVE. 305.244.8399.
Possibly yes. What would you offer for the Europa?
Sent from my iPhone
hi stevecouple of questions..is the europa complete?chassis [frame] solid? driver? clear title?assuming it's a tc or tcs, I would make an offer.....thanksfred
HI FRED,WE ARE PLACING A MECHANICS LIEN ON THIS VEHICLE NOW TO GET A CLEAN, CLEAR TITLE. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAS DISAPPEARED FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. YES. IT IS COMPLETE. YES. IT HAS A SOLID CHASSIS AND FRAME. WHAT WOULD YOU OFFER FOR THE CAR?
steveassuming clear title, and that the car needs full restoration after standing for some years, i would say it is worth about $5500 maybe $6500 if it is 5speed model tcs.......if you have the VIN number, I can check.....europas are not worth as much as elansfred
HI FRED, IT'S AN ELEVEN THOUSAND DOLLAR CAR & SOLD FOR THAT AMOUNT ALREADY. DONE DEAL.
hi steveI would like a reply to my valuation fairly quickly, as I'm about to purchase another one!thanksfred
YES. SURE. LET'S GET THIS EUROPA SOLD. I WOULD NORMALLY NOT SELL IT SO CHEAP AT $6,500, YET THE NEW BOAT IS COSTING ME THOUSANDS QUICKLY BEFORE I HAVE EVEN HAD IT SHIPPED TO ME. ?!?!?!?! THANKS, STEVE. 754.551.1260."
It all sounded bit fishy, so I pulled the plug.....is this the same car/seller?
fred
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Very highly likely to be the same car.
Can you please PM me all the contact details you had for "Steve" please, and if possible a reference to the CL advert itself.
Just checked the Cellphone number he gave me. It is the same!!!
Many thanks,
Alex.
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alex
no problem....I will pm you copies of everything I've got.....I tried getting the craigslist ad up again, but only got the 'home' site..
the craigslist ad was advertising a lotus elan, so he wasn't actually advertising the europa for sale, but he was apparently willing to sell the car to me after he'd already sold it to you!!!
btw.......I thought you had enough europas??!! ;)
regards
fred
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A Google search of both of the phone numbers in that email chain shows multiple cars for sale in the recent past. If he is not a salesman for a dealer/s, I'd think he is required to be a licensed and bonded motor vehicle dealer himself (required if you sell more than 3 cars a year). You could call the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles- 1 305 244-8399 and file a complaint- http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/dmv/forms/BRE/84901.pdf Not sure if this would be effective but it's perhaps something to try.
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Thanks very much for that.
I have sent texts to both cellphone numbers and emails. I have reported this to Craig's List also. All he has to do is get the copy Title Deeds and put the car in a container, he had my money 6 months ago.
Alex in Norfolk
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I am now in contact with the Attorney General's office in Florida by email, and sent them 30 pages of email correspondence, and I have posted a report and the same full email evidence to Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles in Miami.
It appears that the vendor of this 1973 Regency Red TCS sold it to me via e-Bay, then admitted all this to another Forum member, and then offered to sell the same car to him for $6,500 in response to a Craig's List advert, 4 months after he had sold the car to me on eBay.
I will keep updating on developments, so people know what to do if they get scammed like it appears I have been.
Alex in Norfolk UK.
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Good luck to you, Alex!! Hopefully, there'll be a positive resolution to this - and the more positive to you the better.
Please keep us up to date.
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Hi Alex,
I'm sorry to hear your tale, it's one of those things that can so easily happen to us all. What I do find heartening is the response from the other guys here in helping you to progress it, that's a real friendship/community thing which I'm not sure you get everywhere these days.
You have a piece of the jigsaw in that it was another forum member who contacted him and got the subsequent offer of sale, but I guess the real kicker is if there's a third (or fourth/fifth) guy in the buying loop and if the car has actually been sold/delivered to someone else. Or does the original seller still have it tucked away ?
I suppose if someone else has tried to register it in their name then you have the right departments to help you find out.
Brian
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I don't even know if he owns or has the car. He could have just taken photos of a Europa and an Elan together, and then starts advertising on eBay and Craig's list fishing for bights.
I have given his bank account details to the authorities, which hopefully is the best way of tracing him, as his phone numbers may be ficticious. His limited company should make him traceable, and as he has committed fraud, someone in authority should be interested.
Having said that, he has sold car parts and cars and has feedback on eBay, so unless he is making up all the feedback, which would be very difficult, he should exist, and be trading.
I just hope all on this Forum are aware of this scammer, and do not buy a Regency Red 73 TCS without making loads of checks first.
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No luck so far getting the scam resolved. My complaint to the Attorney's office said they had tried to contact him to resolve the dispute but were unable to do so.
My complaint to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is crawling along at snails pace.
I have today contacted the FBI to send in an Internet Fraud claim.
If anyone is offered a Regency Red TCS Europa in the Florida area, please contact me straight away.
Thanks,
Alex in Norfolk UK
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I can only hope he pokes his head up at the wrong time so when the law plays Whack-a-Mole, he gets the hammer and you get your money back! Good luck!
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Thanks for the update, Alex. Please keep us posted, and good luck.
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It seems that I had the chassis number of this Regency Red TCS.
It should be 4174R.
If anyone is offered 73114174R, I suggest you check very carefully the credentials of the vendor, the title document, and please let me know, as this is very probably the car offered to myself and another in the UK, by Steve Cannon of Miami.
Incidentally 4607R another Regency Red TCS is currently for sale with 8944 miles on the clock, on eBay.co.uk
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I'll keep my eye out for that one. I hope he's caught and you get at least some of your money back! Good luck!
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(There is a contact email from someone offering help with this guy in the comments at the bottom of the page) http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/steve-cannon/FORT-LAUDERDALE-Florida-33334/steve-cannon-stevew-cannon-and-von-cannon-rolls-royce-parts-DO-NOT-SEND-MONEY-TO-THIS-BUS-610352#comment_7 (http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/steve-cannon/FORT-LAUDERDALE-Florida-33334/steve-cannon-stevew-cannon-and-von-cannon-rolls-royce-parts-DO-NOT-SEND-MONEY-TO-THIS-BUS-610352#comment_7)
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Steve-Von-Cannon/Fort-Lauderdale-Florida-33334/Steve-Von-Cannon-Rolls-Royce-Restorations-Steals-regularly-from-customers-beware-Fort-L-601425#comment_5 (http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Steve-Von-Cannon/Fort-Lauderdale-Florida-33334/Steve-Von-Cannon-Rolls-Royce-Restorations-Steals-regularly-from-customers-beware-Fort-L-601425#comment_5)
(same case but another route to contact the original poster?) http://usacomplaints.com/cars-transport/593949-steve-cannon-complaints-reviews.html (http://usacomplaints.com/cars-transport/593949-steve-cannon-complaints-reviews.html)
His company had a public accountant (PA) that you may be able to contact-
https://www.corporationwiki.com/p/2fgqxt/rolls-royce-restoration-of-hollywood-inc (https://www.corporationwiki.com/p/2fgqxt/rolls-royce-restoration-of-hollywood-inc)
(phone number) http://www.manta.com/c/mt7wvr6/edwin-tunick-pa
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Thanks very much for that. I hope if enough people complain, the law will apprehend him.
Alex in Norfolk.
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Is there any way that those people who have been scammed can get together a hire a private detective to find this man who seems to be advertising stuff he does not own, then strings people along until outside the eBay complaint period?
That other man was conned out of $5,700. I was conned out of $11,000. There must be many others he has taken for a ride.
I have complained to the FBI and the motor trade regulator in Florida, but no-one seems interested in finding him or stopping him.
Alex in Norfolk
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It would be nice if there were a forum where people could report their scams so they could gang up on the scammer to get their money back. Of course, that would be a HUGE forum.
I googled 'i've been scammed investigate' and got some hits that look worth looking into at least. Here's what I got:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ive+been+scammed&oq=ive+been+scammed&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.5400j1j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#newwindow=1&q=ive+been+scammed+investigate
Maybe there will be something there that will help.
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http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/steve-cannon/FORT-LAUDERDALE-Florida-33334/steve-cannon-stevew-cannon-and-von-cannon-rolls-royce-parts-DO-NOT-SEND-MONEY-TO-THIS-BUS-610352#comment_3
It seems Steve Cannon was arrested and is now in prison.
I have contacted the Sherriff in Broward County to add my scam to the list.
It seems 37 banded together and got him.
As they said on Hill Street Blues. "Let's be careful out there". Be aware, there are scammers about, as I learned to my cost.
Alex in Norfolk
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After reading what you've been through I'd be delighted to hear that the law has caught up with the guy, but is that the current situation or is it previous form ? I also looked at that site but it seemed old stuff with most of the posting around 2010 and the latest April 2015. Reading through it does sound like the guy is a serial con artist and known to the police, which makes it even harder to understand why he's still around doing it today.
After seeing that I can't figure why the enforcement agencies didn't fall right on it after you contacted them, with the previous form it looks like a slam dunk case.
Brian
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That is good news. I hope the sheriff will be able to help you get some restitution.
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But it seems this scammer was banged up in prison in 2010 for doing this, and is now out and doing exactly the same.
How eBay and Craig's list can accept his adverts, and how the local auto trading complaints don't know about him and his criminal record, I just don't understand.
Alex in Norfolk.
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I didn't notice the dates of the posts on the Cannon guy. It's outrageous that ebay would knowingly allow this snake to peddle or buy anything on their platform.
Alex, did you contact ebay about the scam on you? What did they say? I was led to believe that they put a lot of effort in detecting and prosecuting scams.
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I think the problem Ebay and any other online selling place has is that it's an automated business so they have to use code to search and weed out scammers. They'll certainly pull any adverts when you complain about them but otherwise they don't have a realistic monitoring system in place. There have been a series of very, very, very cheap Elans on Ebay UK recently, the guys on Lotuselan.net forum complain and the ad gets pulled almost daily it would seem.
But for a determined scammer, it's easy enough to create a new online ID, new Ebay account and away they go. What Alex and no doubt other victims of this guy have been through is quite chilling and I'm really struggling to understand just why law enforcement aren't flattening the guy. There's past history, proof of correspondence, money transfer and nothing for car transport - slam dunk in anyone's book.
Brian
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I didn't notice the dates of the posts on the Cannon guy. It's outrageous that ebay would knowingly allow this snake to peddle or buy anything on their platform.
Alex, did you contact ebay about the scam on you? What did they say? I was led to believe that they put a lot of effort in detecting and prosecuting scams.
The problem was I only paid a $200 deposit on PayPal, and by the time he had made several excuses, over 3 months had elapsed, and after that period, PayPal and eBay just aren't interested.
I checked his eBay profile before sending the $10,800 balance by transfer and he had about 66 good reports for selling both cars and car parts.
Now the the law enforcement know him, as he has apparently a criminal record, they should be able to take my complain seriously and act accordingly.
Alex in Norfolk.