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Authenticity is Everything
Con Artist who tried to Scam AML Members -- EXPOSED!
Now we have the full story and I can share it with the members:
Around Aug. 1st a new member first going by the name of “Christopher Bolte” now known as “Daffy Duck” posted in the “Buy, Sell, Trade” Group stating that he had a huge Beatles autograph collection some of which he was willing to trade for Michael Jackson autographed items. I friended him on AML and after we exchanged emails he sent me scans of 5 or 6 Beatles related items including a John Lennon signed “Imagine” and McCartney signed “Butcher” LP – both with scans of LOAs from Frank Caiazzo and PSA. The other items also looked good and had LOAs from PSA, JSA, or Caiazzo. He also sent me scans of some amazing signed Bruce Lee items. I saw he had “friended” 4 other members so I offered him 5 Michael Jackson signed items (nice ones) in exchange for the two LPs. He insisted we both send at the same time (the next day) and we would provide photo proof of the registered mailing labels. I agreed to these terms – but something didn’t feel right – as I emailed him a photo of me holding up my items and assumed he would do the same. The next morning a few hours before I was supposed to send him my items – I did a quick Google Search and found the exact same photos he sent me on Iconic Auction’s website under previous sales. Same cropping, background, etc – a clear cut and paste job.
http://iconicauctions.com/the_beatles__john_lennon_extraordinarily_...
I emailed him about this and he said he got the photos from the guy he bought the albums from and forwarded them on to me. When I asked him to send me a picture of him holding the albums (or any of the amazing stuff from his collection, he said he would in the future but “they were all in storage” at the moment. He did send me a receipt from a post office in Poland that showed a package was mailed to me that morning. I told him I was not going to send him anything until either I received his package – or photos of him with any of his items. He got all mad saying I was going back on the deal – but I held firm and told him he was deceptive by cutting and pasting those Iconic Images.
Well today, his package arrived – as I was not surprised to find NO ALBUMS in there – just an old piece of rubber! (I filmed myself picking up and signing for the package from the post office and opening it right there – so he can’t later say the albums were in there. The Gmail account he used is: adioskmfdmk@gmail.com and they are now bouncing back – so he disappeared (for now).
Here is the con artist’s name and address:
Krzysztof Bolte
Dembego 18A/local 2
02-796
City: Warsaw
Country: Poland
State: Mazowieckie
There were MANY red flags including:
1. He was a new member who just joined two days ago – and Steve Crykin said he opened the account from Belgium – yet wanted items shipped to Poland
2. He was eager to get the deal going very fast and accepted my first offer – with no counter or negotiating.
3. Since he did not want money (but only trade) there was no buyer protection on either Ebay or Paypal.
4. He claimed to have this amazing collection but did not supply any references or tell me where he got the items from.
5. He was fine with me just sending two of my five items first “And the rest later after you get my Beatles LPs” (which is an old con artist trick to instill trust and make me feel like HE was trusting ME and I would feel guilty if I didn’t send my items at the same time).
This scammer was clearing looking to steal Michael Jackson autographs for his collection – at the expense of the members of AML. This should be a warning to any member who receives offers like this in the future.
1. ALWAYS ask for pictures of the person holding up the actual items. (True, he may not send them – but at least you know he HAS them).
2. ASK FOR REFERENCES – if no one on the site knows him or if he can’t give you any names of companies or people he has done business with – be very suspicious.
3. If a deal looks too good to be true – it probably is.
I’m glad he did not get any members Michael Jackson autographs and that he wasted 45 bucks in postage sending his box of rubber to me!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on
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Great job protecting yourself, Bruce! And thanks for sharing your story with the members here.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Saurin on
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interesting, is it possible that a feedback forum could be set on this website, regarding sellers and buyers, just a thought
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Yes, Mark. Good idea. Please send me a PM with what you think it should have.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Halloran on
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This is all very good knowledge, I am always hesitant to the idea of trading or consignment. I 100% agree that it has to be someone you fully trust. This is an important reminder of all the different ways people try to scam someone, it appears more and more they come out of the woodwork...
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Permalink Reply by Paul on
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Its always an idea to ask for references or ask for their ebay acc, esp being a newbie.
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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on
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Great job, Bruce!!!
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Permalink Reply by Ian Baldock on
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Thanks for posting this. Sorry I wont deal with anybody outside of U.S. Only under rare circumstances will I do business in the U.K. or Canada. Nothing personal but its worked out well for me.
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Permalink Reply by Bjorn VDB on
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Nice work Bruce.
I think I am the only collector in Belgium, so this had to be a scam :-).
Don't be afraid Ian if we'd ever want to do a good deal ;-).
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I would absolutely deal with long standing well respected members if there was something I really wanted. But for the most part I just wouldn't feel comfortable buying anything from someone in Kazahkstan who I really wasn't familiar with. Hopefully a better example.Now let the Kazis chime in!
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