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Sounds a lot like a kid who attempted to scam me out of a GPU. He sent me a bogus Bitcoin transfer email from a well known escrow service. I stupidly did not
by overcast 10y ago
Sounds a lot like a kid who attempted to scam me out of a GPU.
He sent me a bogus Bitcoin transfer email from a well known escrow service.
I stupidly did not check header information, as I was in a rush at the time, and shipped without confirming it.
All was well, until he sends me a picture of the card, with essentially a HAHAHAHA, various derogatory remarks, name calling, you name it. I was calm, and collective, tried various bargaining options to recover it. His arrogance was overwhelming.
He posts all over forums, showing how clever he was. This is where he made his fatal mistake.
Investigation begins. I sift through tons, and tons of forum posts, all over the internet. Come up with a handful of names, and various aliases he uses. Was able to confirm that his current location, was around the area where the package was sent(to a home).
Got in contact with the feds regarding online scams, no response.
Got in contact with local police, they tell me nothing can be done, contact feds.
Got in contact with the local news of where the package was shipped, who gets me in contact with the local police that they are friends with.
Police contacts me, and I send over all my logs and information. Police make some visits to the destination address, and it turns out they are actually the friend of the kid.
The kid finally breaks, and furiously emails me scared that the cops are coming for him, and he demands that I send him my return address so he can give me back the card. Apparently he threw out the box. He wants to know how I could do this to him, and that it was all just a big joke. I refuse, and ignore future pleas.
I speak with the cops, who now have tracked down the kid, and they speak with him and his parents. They said I can press charges, which I did.
His father emails me, and starts tearing into ME, questioning how I could possibly sell to a minor, without parents authorization. Over, and over, and over. I tell him this isn't my problem anymore, either the card is paid for, or I'll see them in court.
A couple days go by, his mother emails me, apologizing profusely, we set up a Paypal transaction for far more than the card is worth(I initially listed it at an inflated value). Done.
Speak with the cop, give the OK, case closed.
Feds email me a month or two later, saying nothing they can do, contact local police. :)
- Paul_S 10y agoThis the correct way to deal with criminals - it's not your call to decide if they're a minor, a psychopath etc.. This way society can deal with criminals, hopefully his parents will make an effort now. Had you not done all this work we'd be guaranteed to have one more criminal to incarcerate in the future.
- SamBam 10y agoIt may be the correct way to deal with criminals in some situations, and it sounds like in this case it was. However, as individuals we can still decide that our code of ethics precludes us from involving the state in matters of petty crime, if we think the state's response may be disproportionately harsh. If we think the state is incorrect to classify marijuana was a class I drug, the same as heroine, for example, we have every right to make our own judgement about whether to report every pot smoker to the police. Sometimes, depending on the alleged crime, people may have very real fears that bringing in the state may have lethal consequences. In America, many black people are more hesitant to call the cops, because of excessive risks to the petty criminal, or even to themselves. Here's a homeowner who decided to call the cops who ended up shot, because the cops appeared to assume that any black man emerging from the house must be the criminal: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/08/24/a-black-homeowner-called-911-to-report-a-carjacking-he-wound-up-getting-shot-by-police/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/08/2... The point is, we could all be robots and always trust the state to deal with every issue correctly, or we could decide occasionally to trust our own morals and code of ethics, and use our own discretionary powers when deciding what to report.
- tzakrajs 10y agoThe state is more consistent than our personal ethics and we should regularly exercise the system so that if unfair convictions start happening we can change the law or vote in new judges and district attorneys.
- triplesec 10y agoexcept that the state is manifestly _not_ more consistent than our personal ethics. See how each state varies in its treatment of punishment? See how in each state, some groups (often black, or minority, or hackers) get a lot worse treatment?
- ekiru 10y agoWhy did the scammer's mother pay you "far more than the card is worth"?
- overcast 10y agoBecause I listed the card for an inflated price to begin with. Since they had no intention of actually paying for it, they "bought" it. Which in the end, backfired on them.
- ekiru 10y agoAh, that makes a lot more sense. Without that detail, it sounded like you were effectively blackmailing the scammer's parents rather than just getting paid the agreed amount.
- overcast 10y agoUpdated to reflect that. Though to be honest, I could have told his mother twice the amount, when she asked how much does she owe.
- e40 10y agoHis father emails me, and starts tearing into ME, questioning how I could possibly sell to a minor Ahh, that is certainly expected. The little shit learned his BS from somewhere. Agree 100% with how you handled it.
- UlyssesSKrunk 10y agoDamn. I'm actually really surprised just how helpful the feds were in your story.
- overcast 10y agoThey weren't helpful at all, it was the local police across the country that helped me!
- UlyssesSKrunk 10y agoOh don't worry I understand that. Only 2 months late and the worst they did was not help you? That's impressive for feds.
- crimsonalucard 10y agoThey did help him. The Feds advised the guy to call the local police.