I really did not want to publicly talk about my nightmare experience with Kostas of Fullywound, but if I can prevent somebody else being conned by him then this is time well spent.

I sent numerous watches to Kostas to sell on my behalf. He gave a great spiel about his presence on eBay and his "fantastic record" of achieving high prices on eBay and on his website.

To shorten a very long story, I found out that his whole business model is based on selling his clients watches on eBay and his own website, deducting costs (most of the time without presenting any support information), and using the proceeds from sales for his own use and using a period of 30 working days from date of sale period to sell other watches to cover-up his fraud. A Ponzi scheme if you like but with luxury watches.

Everything unravelled for Kostas and Fullywound in March 2020 when sales slacked off a bit and he was exposed. When I requested that all my watches be returned to me and he knew the game was over, he attempted to sell my watches on eBay to support his elaborate Ponzi scheme. Unfortunately, there were two watches that he sold without my permission (he effectively stole these). The Rolex 5513 meters first he listed for auction on Ebay, and even though I sent messages to him and eBay to halt/stop the auction it went ahead and I was forced to bid on my own watch and won the auction. Kostas then proceeded to contact the runner-up bidder on eBay and sold it quickly to this individual before I could recover my watch. The other watch which was a white waffle dial Rolex OP he claims to have sold privately. If this matter ends up in the courts, I may have to try and legally recover the 5513 and waffle dial - meaning the buyers who unknowingly purchased stoled watches will be dragged into this unpleasant affair.

Kostas stopped taking calls and ignored all requests to return my watches. I was then forced to use a private investigator to attend to Kostas and recover my watches. Regarding outstanding payments - I sent Kostas a schedule of all the watches he sold and for which he did not transfer the nett sale proceeds. Kostas then issued an elementary school schedule of costs the majority of which were ridiculous as he wanted compensation for "lost sales commission and his time" for the watches which I had to recover to protect myself. As another example, straighforward service costs that were originally 150 pounds for a manual wind watch became 400 pounds, 400 pounds for a chronograph watch became 850 pounds. I requested backup information for all costs but these have of course not been forthcoming from Kostas.

He owes me a substantial amount of money and there is no indication that he will voluntarily be paying up. He sent me a watsapp message stating that he will pay me "when he feels like it" and when I stop asking him to pay-up overdue amounts.

Please guys - don't get conned by Kostas as he is really a despicable and unscrupulous individual.

 

You won't find too many members who are shocked to hear this. He was booted from OF a few years ago and has continued to pop up in threads since...

https://omegaforums.net/threads/connie-consternation-whos-the-fool.60039/

 

I found him to be excellent for the single transaction we conducted, but after some researching, I feel that I was lucky.

Very very lucky.

 

Yet another Pseudo dealer that that has graduated to full time scammer with a flashy website.
He made a killing selling $2 NATOs for $20 when he first started out.

There was a thread somewhere ( not here ) about him scamming by not servicing watches sent in for service.

 

This sounds to me to have more than hint of criminal fraud about it. Have you tried reporting it to the police?

 

I do hope this works out for you. Good luck.

 

I also sold a watch or two to him without a problem for what I felt was a fair price. I think any dealer falls foul of forum standards at some point due to the high expectations of transparency and knowledge expected of watches presented for sale. The nature of making money out of this hobby also annoys some, $2 Natos for $20? What are Omega making, $5 Natos for $200?

This is much more serious than selling slightly misrepresented watches though, I think it would be good to provide some evidence for these accusations. I seem to remember he had quite transparent terms for his eBay services, if he is failing to live up to them or not paying you that is a serious accusation.

 

Some years ago a guy I knew had a similar problem with some items he had left on consignment with an antiques dealer, who sold them but kept failing to come up with the money.

He was chatting about it to me and another friend who was a long time in the used car trade, who looked at him sideways and said “I can get that fixed for you – I know a couple of Angels who do debt collecting. For $250 they will visit him with baseball bats. Just give him a call first and ask him if he would like his legs broken for Christmas”.

My mate and I felt like we were suddenly part of a movie, but it was clear that the used car dealer was not joking. He said “There are certain people who don’t respond to anything else.”

So my mate again called the guy about the money, and after casually mentioning this conversation the money was paid within the week.

I am not for a minute suggesting you do this, but hell, it has its attractions.

 

Not a bad business model selling $2 NATOs for $20 just stating a fact of how he started out. Have been around long enough to see the rise and fall of many over the years just look at Christopher Essery not long ago.

 

Did a search, and here are some threads talking about Kostas / Fullywound 's shenanigans:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/warning-do-not-send-watches-to-fullywound-kostas.118641/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/did...r-with-racing-dial.109071/page-2#post-1437943
https://omegaforums.net/threads/ful...is-listing-on-ebay.105391/page-2#post-1380898
https://omegaforums.net/threads/seamaster-calendar-is-this-a-redial.92757/#post-1202319
https://omegaforums.net/threads/büren-gran-prix.88164/#post-1140961
https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-679-marine-on-the-bay.67970/#post-853297

and for everyone's benefit, DO NOT do business with this guy:

fullywound dodgy ebay seller beware
fullywound.co.uk dodgy suspicious seller beware
Kostas Anatselopoulos
[email protected]

 

That sounds an awful experience and I hope it gets resolved in the correct manner, eventually. Surely, if giving watches at that level of value to a dealer to sell on your behalf there is a fully nailed down contract to read and sign first, that then gives a clear recourse to law?

He bought a military watch from me on a BIN on eBay, so I was obviously happy with the price, and the transaction was trouble free although he didn't bother leaving feedback but that doesn't matter. He did nothing to it, put 80% on top and stuck it on his website where it stayed unsold for more than a year I think. Nothing wrong with that, it's business, but I was mildly pleased it took so long to sell on.

His over polished sales pitches are cringeworthy.

 

Yeah I got caught by “ghost services” - my constellation stopped working and the hands fell off my seamaster.

On watches that he sold for me - charged for servicing on watches previously serviced before sending to him.

Kostas is an all-round scammer!

 

Yes you dodged a bullet mate

 

I am based in South Africa.

Kostas is a professional conman and knows it will take years resolving through the police.

If I was able to travel to the UK I would have resolved this matter very quickly with him.

Very likely I will have to go through the uk small courts and get a judgement against him.

 

Sad but people like Kostas only respond to these measure.

Can you DM the contact details for these angels?

 

Please do contact both the police and a small claims lawyer - with all its faults, little England isn't the worst jurisdiction for getting justice through either of those routes, and I think there is clearly criminal activity that needs to be stopped as well as a civil claim. His sort depend on no-one going after them, and years later they are still at it. Sorry of this sounds like urging someone else to take a lot of trouble on behalf of the community, I quite understand if you can't. Sorry you've had all that to put up with so far. Good luck, good wishes.

 

Does anyone on the Forum have a contact for a reputable and competent small claim court lawyer?

Agree - I will lay a complaint at Kent Police on Monday morning.