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Scammed for $5000 for Omega Speedmaster watch

Meme-Dweller
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R3D9 R3D9
Unless you’re guilty of gross negligence, banks almost always will reverse unauthorized transactions on your credit card. They do this largely out of self-interest... the want people to feel secure using the card and the profit margins are sufficiently high that they can pay out large dollars in fraud claims each year and still maintain an extremely lucrative business.
Lol, no. As a business owner, I can promise you that you get the funds deducted from your merchant account first and a whole bunch of paperwork. The banks will not eat the fraud if they don't have to.
 
R3D9
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Meme-Dweller Meme-Dweller
Lol, no. As a business owner, I can promise you that you get the funds deducted from your merchant account first and a whole bunch of paperwork. The banks will not eat the fraud if they don't have to.

Except I’m not talking about what happens to a merchant - I’m referring to the cardholder.
 
R3D9
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Meme-Dweller Meme-Dweller
Lol, no. As a business owner, I can promise you that you get the funds deducted from your merchant account first and a whole bunch of paperwork. The banks will not eat the fraud if they don't have to.

And re: the merchant relationship, of course they will attempt to recover funds from the merchant where possible, but I promise you that the level of credit card-related losses a bank incurs each year is a far from an insignificant amount.
 
frederico
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Sorry to hear this OP, it tarnishes the reputation of us all.

If you’ve filed a police report you should have a crime number and there is an open investigation. You can try to ensure all parties preserve any evidence that may be required by writing to them now. That means video camera footage from the branch and server logs from OF for example.

If the cnut is a professional scammer this is the data that will tie him to this fraud, when he’s eventually caught (for this crime or another).

Good luck and don’t let this horrible turd ruin your holiday...
 
O
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frederico frederico
Sorry to hear this OP, it tarnishes the reputation of us all.

If you’ve filed a police report you should have a crime number and there is an open investigation. You can try to ensure all parties preserve any evidence that may be required by writing to them now. That means video camera footage from the branch and server logs from OF for example.

If the cnut is a professional scammer this is the data that will tie him to this fraud, when he’s eventually caught (for this crime or another).

Good luck and don’t let this horrible turd ruin your holiday...

Thanks man. Ya I’m enjoying the holiday for sure. Just every now and then I’ll remember and it’ll piss me off for a second. I’ll stay after him.
 
jayhawks
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That was definitely a bargain at $5k for the watch on deployant plus the bracelet and adjustable clasp. I saw it on watch patrol and it led me here.
 
reyn_L
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After 9/11, all banks in the USA are required to verify your identity when opening an account under the Patriot Act, i.e. SSN, driver's license. If the bank has all of this information, the police should be able to find the individual. The police should be shifting their investigation to the receiving bank and the account holder. What makes it "easy" is that you both bank at the same bank (Bank of America). You might want to involve the FBI(white-collar crime internet).

There was an incident at another watch forum where the buyer was scammed. I wasn't sure if I can post the link but PM me and I'll send you the link so you'll have an idea of what other steps you can do.

Good luck!
 
O
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Sadly I was just contacted by another member who was scammed by the same guy. The same time he had the omega listed, he also had an AP listed for $13,500 which I also clicked and saw.

Well, he scammed the member(who I will not mention unless he wants me to)for $13,500. Same scenario. The member wired the $13,500 and hasn’t heard from him since. At least now I know the scammers Bank is in Charlotte, North Carolina. I’m sure this will help with the bank situation and hopefully we will
both get some kind of solution. The other member is located overseas so I’m not sure how that would work. I have purchased over 60 watches on forums over the years and have never been scammed. I always thought I’m too smart to fall for it. It can happen to anyone!. Again, don’t EVER wire money no matter what!!!!. PayPal or forget it!
Edited:
 
O
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pitpro pitpro
Wire fraud is a Federal Crime in the United States, punishable up to 30 years in prison.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_and_wire_fraud

Might want to contact FBI to ask for help on how to proceed since it's a Federal crime.

How the FBI Helped Recover Millions from Wire Fraud
https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/interviews/charles-gunther-i-2906

After some though, I will fully go after him!. I will file with the fbi as well as the police. Hopefully, I will have the police get his fill info from the bank so they can contact him and get things rolling. I have all the emails and correspondence. Hopefully, I can also get the other member to send me all the communication between them. Please keep the tips coming.
 
pitpro
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If the money was rewired somewhere by the thief, there should be a record of that.
If it was picked up in cash, it's over $4000 so a report has to be filed I believe
and a drivers license check or swipe should have been be necessary.
A cashiers check should be able to be tracked also.
 
gemstar
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pitpro pitpro
If the money was rewired somewhere by the thief, there should be a record of that.
If it was picked up in cash, it's over $4000 so a report has to be filed I believe
and a drivers license check or swipe should have been be necessary.
A cashiers check should be able to be tracked also.
Shouldn't the bank be held liable as an accessory to a crime?
 
Meme-Dweller
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If I were a criminal, I would transfer the fiat funds into Bitcoin or other crypto. Just sayin'
 
rominvicta
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O Odat
After some though, I will fully go after him!. I will file with the fbi as well as the police. Hopefully, I will have the police get his fill info from the bank so they can contact him and get things rolling. I have all the emails and correspondence. Hopefully, I can also get the other member to send me all the communication between them. Please keep the tips coming.
If you don't act likewise you simply propel scammers to keep on doing the same. Plus it is a wire transfer. It is for sure traceable and likelyness of identifying that culprit is quite high.
 
Ssunnylee24
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Bank wire is pretty tough.
I just cant trust someone on internet to send me goods after I pay through bank wire.
😵‍💫
 
larryganz
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If you can be certain of the persons identity then a wire can still be safe. Maybe not so much with a stranger though. But a Skype or FaceTime video chat with their face that matches a copy of their ID, with them showing you the watch in question could help.

I was wired quite a large sum of money when selling my Snoopy last month, and the buyer got everything he was promised.
 
ctpete
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I deal with bank and insurance fraud cases regularly. I would strongly suggest you contact the State Department of Banking in the state where you reside and have your bank account. They have an official process for making a complaint against a bank. They will be your advocates in getting the bank to assist you. Feel free to contact me through PM if you need help identifying the correct person to contact at the Department of Banking.
 
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