stolen Sub No Date brand new!! by Alvis Stengelis of Blackpool

[cenzor]

I see. Sound fishy then with that sort of claim & that approach (escalate to Paypal directly). I hope you get your money quick!
If he contacted you first , then it will be different story.

[venton]

deleted

[ChuckFinlay]

Be interested to know what price he paid you, may go towards your argument of a pre-planned scam. UK RRP is £5K, street price from grey around £4500, so if you sold it to him at a price that with UK import duties equates to more than that it shows forethought to committing the scam.

[Tan]

This is so unfortunate. I hope for the best that Paypal goes in your favour.

[FNFZ4]

get a police report from him. File one for yourself. File an insurance claim with your carrier.. Thats why I never take paypal from anyone unless i have done business with them in the past and I feel comfortable.

Is he paypal verified?

[twoweeled]

Originally Posted by James 45

Yup It happened to me.
I have been selling watches for for years now and I sold one to this guy
Alvis Stengelis of 304B Church street Blackpool Lancashire

And when he got the package that i sent and video taped (me packing the watch and affixing the postage etc.) he told pay pal it was empty.

THEIF!!

now it is under review with pay pal and I don't know if I will get my money!!

So here it is, my watch (because it is not paid for) is stolen and here is the
model and serial number in case he tries to sell it.

114060 2015 NEW IN BOX serial #394V12G5 from canada

He is in UK and will be trying to sell it there or maybe on line.

BEWARE

I've read a few of the responses to your problem. Whether the courier remembers the weight or not, would probably not matter. I'm not 100% positive on these things, but I work for brown but not delivering anymore. With high value items, we used to have to put them aside for a sort of confirmation. I'm assuming they would check to make sure it was a high value item, which should include making sure there was an item to begin with! High value at that time was over $5000. If your package wasn't insured, then all this is moot. But I'm thinking if it was with a major courier (UPS or FEDEX) and it was insured, you have a claim against them (UPS or FEDEX). Hint: keep your courier on your side if you ship a lot. Keep in mind, Brown isn't nearly has customer friendly as in the past, but if it's a valid claim - you really do need to push this. I know Brown has their own investigations done, if Brown is about to pay a big claim. Any questions you think I can help you with, just let me know. Good luck.

[twoweeled]

Originally Posted by salem65

Maybe the watch was stolen during shipping and he really did receive an empty box Stranger things have happened...

This is also possible! If it's properly insured with a major carrier (UPS FEDEX) I think he has a claim against them, if paypal rules against him. But you do have a good point. It does happen.

[venton]

If the watch was stolen in transit, how would you react to get an empty box? Realistically you would be mortified and first reaction would be to recover the money lost quickly... it's a lot of money. So you would feel scammed and go straight to paypal as first resort. You probably wouldn't contact the seller as first resort. You might feel the seller has scammed you and not want to contact them.
So don't discount the watch may have been removed at any point on its journey.
However, one thing you would do is keep the packaging as evidence. There should be evidence of tampering. If the buyer says they haven't got the packaging any more it would definitely be them lying.

[James 45]

Originally Posted by venton

If the watch was stolen in transit, how would you react to get an empty box? Realistically you would be mortified and first reaction would be to recover the money lost quickly... it's a lot of money. So you would feel scammed and go straight to paypal as first resort. You probably wouldn't contact the seller as first resort. You might feel the seller has scammed you and not want to contact them.
So don't discount the watch may have been removed at any point on its journey.
However, one thing you would do is keep the packaging as evidence. There should be evidence of tampering. If the buyer says they haven't got the packaging any more it would definitely be them lying.

I would call them right away and let them know they are in a fight they will not win!!!
And give them a chance to make things right and then it's on.

So to this point he has not responded to pay pal for the additional info they wanted. And could be letting it go as he knows I am serious about getting justice.

Theft through the mail is more likely to take the whole box.
This happened to me in Dec last year, they just took the whole box.
That was a $2000 watch gone. This one I don't let go!!

PS they called to see where the watch was and when after a long wait we went together to ebay and I gave the money back because it was stolen / lost in the mail No box ever was found.

[venton]

It's happening...

http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk...30k-fraud.aspx

[PhilipK]

OP - do you know whether the parcel was examined by UK customs (in order to levy import duty and VAT on it)?

Some parcels go straight through without being charged any duty/VAT, some will have it levied on the declared value, and some will be physically examined, so it's a bit of a lottery, but it may provide a piece of additional evidence when dealing with PayPal (or your insurers).

Also, if the "buyer" did pay HMRC for duty/VAT, that method of payment might provide a link to his real identity that the police could follow (as I don't think that HMRC accept PayPal).

[Rootbeer]

Originally Posted by venton

It's happening...

http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk...30k-fraud.aspx

That link is about some guys stealing (benefit, pension etc.) money from Post Office counters Ltd and nothing to do with mail delivery, which is handled by Royal Mail (and others).

[mercman]

Originally Posted by PhilipK

OP - do you know whether the parcel was examined by UK customs (in order to levy import duty and VAT on it)?

Some parcels go straight through without being charged any duty/VAT, some will have it levied on the declared value, and some will be physically examined, so it's a bit of a lottery, but it may provide a piece of additional evidence when dealing with PayPal (or your insurers).

Also, if the "buyer" did pay HMRC for duty/VAT, that method of payment might provide a link to his real identity that the police could follow (as I don't think that HMRC accept PayPal).

I think the chances of getting anything marked "Watch" through U.K. Customs without being examined or having charges levied are very slim.

AFAIK HMRC only accept a Cheque or card payment (payable to the relevant courier on delivery).

[SC11]

Just to add, you did declare the correct value of the item didn't you?

[SC11]

James,
A fellow member on the Turf forum who lives in Blackpool is willing to pop round and check the address out if you would like?

[Rootbeer]

Originally Posted by SC11

James,
A fellow member on the Turf forum who lives in Blackpool is willing to pop round and check the address out if you would like?

This is the business occupying unit below the flat the watch was sent to. It seems also possibility this is landlord:

https://www.facebook.com/dypropertyservices?fref=ts

[Robbyman]

Originally Posted by iancs

Hope you get your money or watch back

Makes me ashamed this scumbag is from my country.

Best of luck.

He may be in England but is isn't from there.

[Watchcollectables]

Thats why you should never use Paypal for high value sales. . There are many who know the rules and will abuse them to commit fraud.
Are you sure the name of the guy is correct? Its worth finding out who own s the property , who lives there and see who the guy is associated with , you could then press the Police to get involved on a Fraud and decption charge which they cannot refuse to investigate;-)

[James 45]

Thank you all for all the help
When I am closer to a solution I will be able to share more about what is happening
Just don't want to give away my plan to even Alvis if he was watching this tread
Thanks again
Will post in a bit

[M4rkg4rd3n]

How did this end up any update?

[cenzor]

I guess no luck yet, as the OP has not given any updates ? :-/

[venton]

I have just had the same thing happen to me again. Posted a parcel and empty box received! Thankfully not a Rolex inside. It's impossible to know who dunnit.

[Rootbeer]

any news?

[James 45]

Sorry for slow update but I was waiting for an appeal from this guy but none came. So in other words I GOT MY MONEY !!!!!

WOW what a deal that was!

PAY Pal did not buy what he was saying and they went to bat for me.
At first the person I spoke to made it sound like I was the thief
She did not even look at my history!

As far as the police were concerned they said let pay pal deal with it.
That was while I was still freaken out about my watch a being stolen.

Then I call Rolex to report it. you guessed it, you need a police report first.
back to the police and they would not open a case because she said she was not sure how to do it. ???? really! I can't open a case to report my watch stolen to Rolex or the police!!

Lost is the best you can do but I did not do it.
I was thinking how to deal with police. Finally they said that if pay pal gives me a report of stolen watch they will open case. This takes weeks.


Anyways I had taken video of me packing watch and taping it closed and put marks on tape that would show up if it was ever opened and closed again.

At first they (pay pal ) said they don't take video evidence as evidence.
REALLY? yup thats what they tell you and she did not even help me add the video to the statement i gave them. It was a few days later that I figured out how to do it myself. So it was added!!

Well i think it helped because two more days went by and I seen the activity go up with Pay pal calling the guy.
So I call pay pal to see whats up. They guy on the phone told me to hold on a few days and they would let me know.
I told him of the police thing and the report I needed and he said, Just wait a bit I don't think you will need it, thats all I can say.

And that was it. a few days after that I got a mail saying I had won
and money was available.

SO I won and I think that the video helped but was not the factor I thought it would be, but got the investigator to ask more question to get to the bottom.

So God is good rain is wet and justice was served.
amen!

Thanks for your support hope this helps the next guy.

[bdex75]

Great news that you got your money finally.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tudor66]

a congrats is in order....

A win for the good guys...

[SemperFi]

Great news! Glad it worked out for you.

[hdrazor251]

Awesome. Glad you got your money back.

[James 45]

So it is not over, now the guy (Alvis) says that the shipper called him a day after a posted an update here that they found his watch and he could come and pick it up.

Really.... pat pal all ready said he was lying and now the shipper suddenly finds the watch!

First why steal just the watch from the box? Just take the whole thing. It is still the same thing! with less of a trail for the the supposed carrier thief.

I dont believe him.

I also got an email from Private investigator looking for him to. here is what it said;

Good day,

I am a p.i. In preston lancashire and have just had dealings with this guy, who sold my client a watch, received a deposit then didn't send watch. He also used fake id.
He is meant to be returning money to avoid police action, however should he not this could go further.. Can you get in touch on my private email edmund@ejminvestigations.co.uk to discuss further, and also provide details of other names he uses

Thanks
***************

So i am not the first one

He emailed me today to say He was going to get me because he had my info from the pay pal transaction

SO here we go. Fight the good fight.

[evlkoala]

Really glad that you got your money back.

I had bad experience with Paypal once selling my item on ebay, it wasn't a watch and less than $500. The buyer received my package and called his credit card company that he never received the packaged. His credit card company reversed the fund, then Paypal did the same without even verifying the tracking information I provided. My money automatically withdraw from my account by Paypal.
After many phone calls with Paypal, and providing all the paperwork, Paypal gave me back the money. Ever since then, I never accept over $500 through Paypal. It's too risky.

Back to your story, I hope the guy gets arrested very soon!!!