- Posts
- 232
- Likes
- 247
alefar
·Ok it seems that I fell for this too… I was the buyer of the speed master casino dial …
Close call? Scammer lucian23
- Posts
- 8,999
- Likes
- 46,215
gbesq
·I'm sure that most of our members already know this, but for our newbies, beware of any eBay listings from sellers in Kazakhstan offering brand new full kit Omegas either with a very low starting bid or a BIN price that is approximately half of the retail price. These are all scams and many use photos stolen from elsewhere on the internet. Most of the seller accounts will be very new to eBay and will have allegedly sold a few items with 100% positive feedback. If you look at the seller's website, in addition to the watch for sale there will usually only be a few other items for sale and they will be things like sunglasses, jewelry or crafts with a low value. The ads will say to expect delayed shipping because of the origin region. You'll send the money and never receive the watch. .
- Posts
- 5,361
- Likes
- 9,142
BlackTalon
··This Space for RentOk it seems that I fell for this too… I was the buyer of the speed master casino dial …
- Posts
- 16,206
- Likes
- 44,639
JwRosenthal
·Ok it seems that I fell for this too… I was the buyer of the speed master casino dial …
- Posts
- 271
- Likes
- 251
bassem abadan
·I was attracted by the following offer from member @lucian23
https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-speedmaster-moonwatch-cal-1861-price-2500-euro.174518/
I contacted him about the watch and he asked me for my paypal address in order to prepair an invoice. I read some feedbacks of this member, they are all positive, one feedback mentiones that the seller is from Romania.
At the back of my head i recalled a story with an ex member @ApolloXVII pulling a pretty scam (also Romania based). Many surely remember this one:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/apolloxvii-scammer-multiple-victims.147628/
Edit:
some great investigation by @Scarecrow Boat
https://omegaforums.net/threads/scammer-apolloxvii-is-back-for-more.154951/
Both members have very simmilar style of wirting and approach is simmilar.
When comparing their listings and i must admit i am no professional, but the photograph lightning of background seemed really simmilar.
And also one watch looks like both members offered for sale (Omega Speedmaster Tripple Date MK40).
Links to both listings:
@lucian23:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-speedmaster-triple-date-new-price-reduced-1900-euro.173821/
@ApolloXVII:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/ome...date-mk40-chronograph-automatic-watch.145979/
Not the same photos, but the style looks very comparable.
I dont have evidence that @lucian23 and @ApolloXVII is the same person, but something is suspicious here.
So wanted to post my investigation here for educational purposes.
- Posts
- 2
- Likes
- 0
drjwass
·I have been scammed by lucian23. I just received an email from him after I purchased a Speedmaster from OF. He referenced this post chain & told me he is a fraud. He instructed me to start a claim with PayPal.
- Posts
- 16,206
- Likes
- 44,639
JwRosenthal
·D drjwassI have been scammed by lucian23. I just received an email from him after I purchased a Speedmaster from OF. He referenced this post chain & told me he is a fraud. He instructed me to start a claim with PayPal.
And I see Lucian is watching:
Hey Lucian- you’re a piece of shit!
- Posts
- 4,869
- Likes
- 21,732
YY77
·And I see Lucian is watching:
- Posts
- 16,206
- Likes
- 44,639
JwRosenthal
·Where are you seeing that?
- Posts
- 217
- Likes
- 208
Gabguzro
·That's why you must have eyes in the back whenever you do business online. The scammer's explanation about trying to stick it to PayPal is crazy, even more so by affecting other people while doing so. You would think that there are more productive ways to expend one's time and effort.
I hope you all get your money refunded without too much hassle.
I hope you all get your money refunded without too much hassle.
- Posts
- 668
- Likes
- 1,913
- Posts
- 2,020
- Likes
- 4,110
RevZMan123
·D drjwassI have been scammed by lucian23. I just received an email from him after I purchased a Speedmaster from OF. He referenced this post chain & told me he is a fraud. He instructed me to start a claim with PayPal.
Doesn't matter if you steal from paypal or people, it's still a shitty thing to do.
- Posts
- 1,970
- Likes
- 5,785
hen
·
Fire awaits you Lucian, you know that.
- Posts
- 232
- Likes
- 247
alefar
·Thank you guys, I was really not expecting this. I’ve started the refund process with PayPal…
- Posts
- 232
- Likes
- 247
- Posts
- 592
- Likes
- 996
cineaste
·What I suggest is, have a cool down period on watches above 2K for example. You sold some low value watches and you first list an expensive one. You should send proof of delivery to the mods and then you can list another one. Repeat this process until you reach a certain threshold. It's not foolproof, but the scammers won't be easily willing not part with their watches because they need them for future scams. Last time, Apollo even sent me a photo with a note next to the watch. If the watches are stolen maybe it's easier for them to part with them to advance the scam, but they could have actually been bought with funds from previous scams.
Edited:
- Posts
- 7,858
- Likes
- 56,996
TexOmega
·Proof of shipment for an empty box is not that much better than nothing at all.
- Posts
- 6,182
- Likes
- 25,813
Scarecrow Boat
··Burt Macklin, FBILast time, Apollo even sent me a photo with a note next to the watch. If the watches are actually stolen as someone might have suggested
If I’m to believe any of that, he has a small collection that he uses as bait to defraud others. I won’t say a lot on this as to not give him any further ideas on how to change his strategy. Last time I called him out for lazily recycling the same exact images in the WRUW thread in order to fly under the radar to achieve the minimum post count in order to sell on here:
And this time, I don’t think he participated in the WRUW thread or shared a single wrist. Instead, he more regularly participated in the open and would ask questions about watches he genuinely planned to sell, like this
https://omegaforums.net/threads/is-this-a-defect-on-the-dial-patina-or-marble-dial.168022/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/vin...h-with-orange-hand-new-price-470-euro.168149/
I have no doubt that the person who bought that one received it. He buys cheap watches that he will actually sell in order to establish trust before moving on to his bait watches.
As I said last year, I’m confident he will be back again. However, as more and more people become familiar with how he operates and presents himself, the faster he will be exposed. Great job @Eve & @cineaste for piecing this one together and working quickly behind the scenes to put an end to it.
- Posts
- 6,182
- Likes
- 25,813
Scarecrow Boat
··Burt Macklin, FBIThe best thing for anyone to do is stay vigilante. If the deal seems a little too good to be true, which his strategy largely relies upon, it likely is. If he’s trying to scam PayPal, as he explained in the screenshot above, his strategy hinges on Goods & Services being used, so that is another thing to remember/consider. If in doubt, get others involved. Bottom line, stay vigilant.
Edit: said Friends and Family but I meant to type Goods & Services. My fingers and brain weren’t working in unison at that moment.
Edit: said Friends and Family but I meant to type Goods & Services. My fingers and brain weren’t working in unison at that moment.
Edited:
- Posts
- 16,206
- Likes
- 44,639
JwRosenthal
·And my appeal as one human to another to Lucien/Apollo or whomever he is:
Dude, you think you are only getting back at PayPal but the human cost here is creating an environment of paranoia and mistrust in what is a fairly small and friendly community- a community to which we welcomed you (several times) and essentially broke bread with you. I’m sure there are some here to which a few thousand dollars may not be much money- but to many of us we have to plan and save for such an indulgent self-gift and just the notion that we may lose that money creates an emotional hardship that can’t be quantified with lasting effects.
You are violating people- kind people who have done nothing to you but share in the love of a hobby and welcome you.
Please stop.
Dude, you think you are only getting back at PayPal but the human cost here is creating an environment of paranoia and mistrust in what is a fairly small and friendly community- a community to which we welcomed you (several times) and essentially broke bread with you. I’m sure there are some here to which a few thousand dollars may not be much money- but to many of us we have to plan and save for such an indulgent self-gift and just the notion that we may lose that money creates an emotional hardship that can’t be quantified with lasting effects.
You are violating people- kind people who have done nothing to you but share in the love of a hobby and welcome you.
Please stop.
Similar threads
- Posts
- 10
- Views
- 3K
- Posts
- 14
- Views
- 3K
