Man do I hate to write this … I’d rather keep it to myself … but it could help some of the folks here, so here goes ...
(deep breath) Well I just got nailed for a AG-DVX100 … I got soft, talked to a nice guy
and worked out a deal … split the extra shipping charges (yeah he wanted it overnight) .
He didn’t check out real great but, trying to be a nice guy and help out, I checked out the name he gave me against the address (In LA 1369 E 56th street) His name was Robert Johnson. The LA county assessor whom we called confirmed that Mr. Lonnie J. Johnson owned the property at the above address, and before that it belonged to Emma Johnson. Sounded like a family affair. Talked to Robert several more times to arrange things, he always answered the phone. Till today.
Old Robert was supposedly trying to shoot a music video and really needed the camera.
We called our bank and asked about the best way to do the FedEx COD. Cashiers Check or money order? They said Cashiers Check was good. (Note … never do this, they don’t know squat about how to verify or check these checks, as it turns out).
Next move, sent the cam to the address, COD … FedEx handed it over to someone who didn’t even claim to be Robert Johnson … don’t ask me why yet, I’m still trying to find out how that worked. They delivered the no good cashiers check back here.
By pushing my bank and calling five different Wells Fargo Banks (the check was a Wells Fargo check), we finally determined that it was a dud. You would not believe how hard it was to find out that it was no good. They wanted us to deposit it and see what happened. We wouldn’t have know for over a week.
Meanwhile we call the LA Police department … the address is 8 miles from the station house. Robert must have figured that it would be a week or so before we found out the check was rubber, cause they answered the phone, then hung up when they figured out who it was on the line.
Anyway even with all the info, address, owner of property, (single family dwelling) phone numbers registered to someone, the FedEx drivers ID of who signed for it available. Yep you guessed it they wouldn’t drive over there. Fill out some forms and we’ll get back to you in a couple of days and assign someone was their response.
So that’s my sad tale … I asked for it twice, once in not insisting on dealing with folks on the forums (here and the others) that we all sort of know … and second in breaking my own rules and softening up cause someone was in need.
Maybe it was the Christmas lights, maybe the eggnog. I’ve had great results over the last year buying gear from people off the forums, good stuff, and good people. And I got it good … my little Panasonic is in evil hands all by itself out in LA tonight.
Here’s some emails involved from the bad guys: musicbiz41@yahoo.com, hardhits@hotmail.com
BTW if you see a Panasonic AG-DVX100 with the serial # L2TD01033 It ain’t theirs email me!
Thanks all,
Happy New Year!
Bpete
(deep breath) Well I just got nailed for a AG-DVX100 … I got soft, talked to a nice guy
and worked out a deal … split the extra shipping charges (yeah he wanted it overnight) .
He didn’t check out real great but, trying to be a nice guy and help out, I checked out the name he gave me against the address (In LA 1369 E 56th street) His name was Robert Johnson. The LA county assessor whom we called confirmed that Mr. Lonnie J. Johnson owned the property at the above address, and before that it belonged to Emma Johnson. Sounded like a family affair. Talked to Robert several more times to arrange things, he always answered the phone. Till today.
Old Robert was supposedly trying to shoot a music video and really needed the camera.
We called our bank and asked about the best way to do the FedEx COD. Cashiers Check or money order? They said Cashiers Check was good. (Note … never do this, they don’t know squat about how to verify or check these checks, as it turns out).
Next move, sent the cam to the address, COD … FedEx handed it over to someone who didn’t even claim to be Robert Johnson … don’t ask me why yet, I’m still trying to find out how that worked. They delivered the no good cashiers check back here.
By pushing my bank and calling five different Wells Fargo Banks (the check was a Wells Fargo check), we finally determined that it was a dud. You would not believe how hard it was to find out that it was no good. They wanted us to deposit it and see what happened. We wouldn’t have know for over a week.
Meanwhile we call the LA Police department … the address is 8 miles from the station house. Robert must have figured that it would be a week or so before we found out the check was rubber, cause they answered the phone, then hung up when they figured out who it was on the line.
Anyway even with all the info, address, owner of property, (single family dwelling) phone numbers registered to someone, the FedEx drivers ID of who signed for it available. Yep you guessed it they wouldn’t drive over there. Fill out some forms and we’ll get back to you in a couple of days and assign someone was their response.
So that’s my sad tale … I asked for it twice, once in not insisting on dealing with folks on the forums (here and the others) that we all sort of know … and second in breaking my own rules and softening up cause someone was in need.
Maybe it was the Christmas lights, maybe the eggnog. I’ve had great results over the last year buying gear from people off the forums, good stuff, and good people. And I got it good … my little Panasonic is in evil hands all by itself out in LA tonight.
Here’s some emails involved from the bad guys: musicbiz41@yahoo.com, hardhits@hotmail.com
BTW if you see a Panasonic AG-DVX100 with the serial # L2TD01033 It ain’t theirs email me!
Thanks all,
Happy New Year!
Bpete
I never deal with folks outside the several forums that I frequent, for used gear that is. I broke my own rules ... my fault ... went soft ... stupid. 
