[FS: General] FRAUD ALERT: Seller MATTPEEV - DVXUSER Scam

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unadog

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Hello Folks,

I will lay out the basic facts here first. Then I will provide additionaldetails in the following posts.

Two weeks ago today, Saturday, September 30, I sent "mattpeev" atotal of $3,550 for a Canon 5DIII camera and a 70-200 mm lens.

I sent two cashier’s checks via USPS Express overnight delivery. He receivedthose checks, and on Tuesday, October 2nd, around 10:15 am, Matt e-mailed tolet me know that he had shipped my items via FedEx Next Day service. I tried toask a few questions via e-mail, but no response.

When the items had not arrived by Thursday, I contacted Matt by text. He said,and I quote from the text:

"Did I not tell you that I was shipping tomorrow (Friday) before I go toDC? If I did not I'm so sorry man. The package will be delivered on Saturday.Sorry for not letting you know. Matthew"

There was no package on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, or any other day. I textedMatt, and on Saturday he said that he had shipped it. I asked for a FedExtracking number and never received one.

As late as Tuesday of this week, only when I would threaten him withrepercussions via text would Matt get back to me to say, as on Tuesday of thisweek "Did you really not get the package? Huh?"

I immediately asked him for the tracking number. No response.

The information I have for Matt is this:

Matt Peev

DVXUser "mattpeev"

Location: Columbia, SC

Email: peevmatt@yahoo.com

Certified check made out to his "fiancé", sent to:

TANYA CHISHOLM
1510 SAINT ANDREWS RD
APT 1605
COLUMBIA, SC 29210-5943


I will send a link to this post to two moderators, David and Jason. David hasbeen involved in this event prior to this, as at least 2 other DVX members havesent Matt money for the same 70-200 lens that I bought, along with a 1DX camerathat Matt was selling. I think both of those memebers will chime in here.

I would note that this was my second transaction with Matt. My first wassuccessful, although somewhat garbled - Matt's communications are often unclearat best. That is why I consented to using cashier’s checks.

Please let us document and discuss the facts here first before posting a lot ofinformation on how to prevent this in the future. I do have a long onlinetrading history, going back to 1998, with 130 positive feedback on eBay asmmurph, a long history on Fred Miranda and Luminous Landscape, etc.

He was on this site then, as well aslast night at 9:13 pm (site time), and 4:15 am this morning.

This much is clear right now: If matt shipped my package on Friday, October 5via FedEx Next Day service as he claims, he can at the very least provide theFedEx Tracking Number.

That is my first question for Matt, right here, right now:Matt, please postthe FedEx Tracking Number for the 5DIII & 70-200 lens that I paid you$3,550 for via cashier’s check here at DVXUser so that we can all see the truthabout your shipping of this item.

I would also note, per previous discussions on this board going back to 2008,that because I used the US Postal Service to send the funds via Express mail,and have Signature Proof of Delivery, this is now a Federal criminal matterunder investigation.

Thank you for bearing with me.

Best,
Michael T. Murphy
 
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I hate to hear of people getting scammed. ( if indeed that is the case) but especially on DVXuser. It's far and few between that we hear about this happening on these boards, but on the rarest of occasion, it does happen. There's nothing worse than a thief in my book, the lowest of the low.

The postal service is really cracking down on people that run scams and burn innocent hard working people. I recently read a story from a paper in Akron OH, A guy was prosecuted and sentenced to fifteen years for scamming less money in a mail fraud scam. He had no priors either. The feds prosecuted, then the town and state, if I remember correctly he has to serve like five years before he can be parolled. But then he has to serve time in a state prison, or something like that. I kind of skimmed through the article, but remember thinking, wow, this guys screwed.
They are making examples of scammers, so hang in there unadog, if this guy did scam you, he will most likely be prosecuted, and if found guilty there's a good chance he will do time, and well deserved time.
 
Join date September 2012, 7 posts, sparse details in For Sale threads including the 1DX thread which he was asking $5500-...the red flags are everywhere on this guy.
 
Thank you maranfilms, I appreciate that. That should be quite a bit of motivation for Matt to resolve this ASAP. He was logged on here about 5 hours ago. Hopefully he will chime in soon.

I agree on the history and red flags. Matt asked to use escrow.com on the first transaction I did with him. I was able to successfully complete one purchase with him to my satisfaction. I received those items from him via FedEx Next Day on September 24, 2012. So this was my second transaction with me.

Prior to completing that deal, I researched Matt's history. I have some additional information I can share if anyone else needs it.

As you can see by reading his posts here, most communications with Matt are somewhat "garbled" at best.

Thank you for being supportive!

Best,
Michael Murphy
 
I'm down the road from this guy. Tried to get him to meet up but he kept being dodgy... enough red flags for me, so I left him alone.
 
In addition to the information that I posted above, Matt is registered on RedUse. His last activity there was on 10/10/12:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/member.php?124625-Matt-Peev


When dealing with the other two members here, Matt used a PayPal account belonging to:

dethstrykes@gmx.com


Using a Google search, that account appears to belong to someone named:

Reginald Simms

That person has also registered and posted on this site, in much teh same "garbled" - almost non-sensical style - as Matt Peev as:

Clayton_

although I can't find the link to that account right now. Deleted?


Matt's iPhone number is:

803-509-0309


I have been able to reach him there via text, although never by voice.


Here is a link to Matt's Twitter account, which includes his pastor as one of teh followers. That will be a future contact of mine:

https://twitter.com/MattPeev
 
I'll chime in, since I'm one of the other members involved.

This guy goes by more names than I can count - Matt Peev, Michael Peev, Matt Michael Peev, Reginald Sims, Clayton (username "Clayton_" here on dvxuser), etc... He takes Paypal at his dethstrykes@gmx.com email address, and the name under that Paypal is Reginald Sims from Columbia, SC.

So as Michael Murphy has mentioned, he makes these outlandish promises about shipping next day via FedEx and is somehow incapable of dishing out a tracking number. He offered $1,000 on a Canon 70-200 2.8 IS II (red flag), and I figured it wouldn't hurt to try dealing with him. Worst case scenario, I'll chargeback his a$s if he doesn't hold up his end of the bargain. And just as I thought, he refunded me the Paypal money after a week or so, while continuing to publicly deal with others on dvxuser, claiming that he will "take payment" once he "sends the package out". At this point, not only have I lost respect for him as a human being, but also as a criminal. I don't know what he hopes to accomplish with his mentally-challenged antics other than to waste people's time.

A google search on "Reginald Sims Columbia SC" will turn up some pretty interesting results.

I peg this guy as a stupider version of Joe Dono. Absolutely laughable.
 
Here is Matt's public information from Twitter, reposted here:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Matthew Peev @MattPeev

#Red #CinematographyPhotographer,Producer. Contact me if interesting in some work. From Washington, DC. Moved To SC 2 Years Ago. Studied in Hampton.
Columbia, South Carolina · http://www.centenarycollege.edu/




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Matt has said the other person in the picture is his fiance, who is supposedly the person who the cashiers check was made out to, as he does not have a bank account - he said.

I would note that although Matt talks about family events (a fneral) in his Twitter feed, he offered to ship the same 70-200 lens taht I purchased from him. He was also online here on Thursday, Friday, and today, Saturday.
 

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With all the info, he/she shouldn't be to hard to track down... As they say, karma's a *****. I'm sure this will end up in your favour!
 
If the girlfriend is accepting checks and cashing them, that makes her an accomplice to mail fraud, So now you have two people to go after for this. Are we sure this isn't JOE DONO, DOING THIS SCAM? It very well could be for all we know.
 
I almost fell for this scam as well. Matt Peev or whatever his name is, was advertising a Canon 1Dx and 70-200L IS for $5k. That price is a little too good to be true. But, what the heck, I inquired knowing full well that it was most likely a scam. There were some red flags though. I asked for his full name, address, phone number, etc. What I got back was his girlfriends address. Flag. I called and never got to talk to someone. It was always a voicemail msg to be left. I asked for a time to call and when I did he never picked up. Flag. But, I did ask for a photo of the camera with a slip of paper with both our names on it which was provided as well as other pics I asked for. So, I know that he has a 1Dx. Hmmm..... Also, he did offer to use Escrow.com and I checked into it and would've started the transaction so that he wouldn't be sending me fake transactions. Sounds pretty reasonable and somewhat safe. After a decent amount of deliberation I decided not to pursue the deal. Too many flags and not enough contact. Seems I was right.... Sorry to hear that he made off with some of your money.

I had a similar incident years ago when "buying" an Apple laptop. For my situation, I had mailed a USPS money order. When I didn't hear back from the guy I contacted the USPS and the stopped payment on the instrument and told me that it's a Federal offense to use the postal system the way he did. I wound up getting my money back through those channels. Mail fraud is serious business though...
 
akivisuals said:
I almost fell for this scam as well. Matt Peev or whatever his name is, was advertising a Canon 1Dx and 70-200L IS for $5k. That price is a little too good to be true. But, what the heck, I inquired knowing full well that it was most likely a scam. There were some red flags though. I asked for his full name, address, phone number, etc. What I got back was his girlfriends address. Flag. I called and never got to talk to someone. It was always a voicemail msg to be left. I asked for a time to call and when I did he never picked up. Flag. But, I did ask for a photo of the camera with a slip of paper with both our names on it which was provided as well as other pics I asked for. So, I know that he has a 1Dx. Hmmm..... Also, he did offer to use Escrow.com and I checked into it and would've started the transaction so that he wouldn't be sending me fake transactions. Sounds pretty reasonable and somewhat safe. After a decent amount of deliberation I decided not to pursue the deal. Too many flags and not enough contact. Seems I was right.... Sorry to hear that he made off with some of your money.

I had a similar incident years ago when "buying" an Apple laptop. For my situation, I had mailed a USPS money order. When I didn't hear back from the guy I contacted the USPS and the stopped payment on the instrument and told me that it's a Federal offense to use the postal system the way he did. I wound up getting my money back through those channels. Mail fraud is serious business though...
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This is what I'm thinking too! I knew form the beginning that this is a scam for 100%, too good to be true. I even wanted to write on his tread that people should be careful with the purchase but I didn't because there were a small 0.5% that it was a real sale and I didn't want to mess it up! Well, I hope he will get what he deserves! And people who he scammed will get their money back! My advice to others, always double check the seller and buyer!!!! Even if he got good feedback try to get as much information as possible!
 
I will chime in, the guy does not exist. I was looking for a FS100 a month ago and he sent me a text. He was going to sell the te camera for 3300.00 which is a great price. He aske me to use Escrow.com for payment via western union. He then advise me that PayPal woul not allow him to send or receive over $500.00. I played along and he advised me to send the money to someone under a different name, I asked why annhe said the guy lived closer to the western union and would go pick it up onthe way to his home. I aske him to send pics in each case he sent product pics from google. I followed his twitter and observed on pic to be a studio. The description was something like, "on way to work." I contacted te place in N Carolina an spoke with the owner who advised no Matt Peev worked there "ever!" I then looked into the address that he uses and it was a vacant Mobile home! I cross referenced the account for the area an came back to a 17 year old juvenile on Facebook. I'm sorry I didn't post sooner, very sorry!
 
Over on Reduser he made contact with me about trading a Scarlet for an Epic. He wanted to meet at the Columbia SC airport.

Something told me there was something up and I ceased communications with him...now this.

Thanks for the heads up guys.
 
Thanks folks for chiming in! I have to admit I went pretty far, pretty fast trusting this person after the first deal.

Matt and I were texting last night. He is reading the thread. Interesting!

Thanks again. :shocked:

Best,
Michael
 
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Nothing beats a face-to-face transaction. A $500 plane-fair may well save you a lot of loss (both emotional and economical).
I absolutely refuse to send/wire $$$ to anyone unless I personally know them. Even if no ill-intent (illness, incarceration, zombie apocalypse) you'll have little recourse.
 
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