Vegas98 got me

[Child of Wonder]

I think I've been had.

Vegas98 was selling four 40GB hard drives on the forum and I agreed to buy all 4. I checked his Heatware and sent him a message there, which he replied to. His heat was under "aio reject" and was 13-0. He wanted a MO since he says he does not like to use Paypal. I send him a MO for $70 as requested and wait.

After 10 days I PMed him asking if he received it and he said he had yet to receive it. Thinking the post office was just slow, I waited a few more days and then messaged again. He's been online since then a few times but never responded to my repeated attempts to PM. Now I come to find he's a banned trader at Anandtech.com for failing to send someone $300 worth of components in 2002.

Since my in-laws live in Boise I might just have someone drive by that address and check it out. However, I suppose since it was a MO I'm screwed. Seems pretty retarded to scam someone over $70.


From ATOT:

Rice, Steven aka Riceman, Vegas98, Aio Reject. Lives in Boise, ID and possibly, Las Vegas, NV. At least one trader is out nearly $300. Known email addresses: riceman21@uswest.net, riceman@rmci.net, riceman98@hotmail.com, aiorejects@gmail.com.

Known heat accounts: Riceman, Vegas, Aio Reject.

Current location:

Please do not post personal information here - Vertigo Acid

[brycejones]

Good luck! I was the first person to look at buying those drives but had an issue come up and had to back out.

[Crosshairs]

You cant post personal info in a thread....
But good luck and I hope you get it resolved...

[Child of Wonder]

Sorry about the personal info.

What confuses me is that people at ATOT have purchased laptops from him recently and got them no problem.

Seems this guy just doesn't send stuff at random. :confused:

[movax]

However, I suppose since it was a MO I'm screwed. Seems pretty retarded to scam someone over $70.
Actually, IIRC, a MO being involved in a scam automatically takes it to the Federal level. But if he scammed you w/ a MO...well then he knows already that the FBI doesn't have the time/manpower to go after him, sadly.

[Spartacus]

If you can, continue to track him. If enough victims pull together and file complaints, law enforcement will take notice. It's happened before.

[quique55]

Is there a way the post office can check to see if it has been cashed?

[Emission]

Is there a way the post office can check to see if it has been cashed?

Probably if you remember the MO's serial number.

[jbmx4life]

do you have a stub from the MO? If so, there is usually a 1-800 # on it that you can call to check on any information about the MO.

[Shooter308]

Child of Wonder,

Did he send you an email from his email account? If so, send it to me and I'll dig up his info for you.

LMK.

Doug

[Child of Wonder]

I have the serial # but it's through Money Gram. I don't see anywhere on their site about checking if the MO's been cashed.

www.moneygram.com

I'll try calling then.

EDIT: MO was cashed on 11/24. I think I might send in the $12 to get a copy of the cashed money order. That will show who signed for it and where they cashed it. Then I can send that, copies of all my PMs with Vegas98, his address, and a statement to Boise police.

[ericeash]

that sucks. defineatly go to the police. if they have to come to someone's house for loud noise, they should really have to go to someone's house for stealing!

[quique55]

that sucks. defineatly go to the police. if they have to come to someone's house for loud noise, they should really have to go to someone's house for stealing!

Yeah one would think thats the way it worked but unfortunately some of the resources are not allocated properly. Good luck to the OP.

[overclocker578]

If you payed with a USPS money order, you can file a claim I believe 30 days after the money order has not been cashed. Tell him if he does not respond within a day he is going to get a negative heat. See if that motivates him.