threatening

W4TJW · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

From time to time I sell some things in the classifieds section. Someone bought something from me recently, sight unseen. They said they wanted the item, but asked no questions and requested no additional info. I told the person the item was in good working condition and included all pieces necessary for the item to operate. I had tested it that day and it worked great. When the item was delivered, the person started sending me threatening emails about how if I didn't refund the persons full price plus postage both ways, he would post things here and all over every ham site on the internet, negatively, about me. To me this seems like extortion. I did acquiesce, but I have never experienced such aggression and out and out meanness from the start, that this person exhibited. I have never had anyone complain about an item, but once, and that was solved by discussion. Have any of you experienced this? How do you respond to such aggression? I wanted to discuss the item, and told him I would refund the item price but not the shipping, but the threats began with the first email before I had had time to respond.

Really bothered, here.
And I don't mind being told that I am just wining.
_________________
Best to you from Florida,
Allen
De W4TJW

W4TJW · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

One thing I learned is from now on, ALL of my items will be accompanied by a photo.
_________________
Best to you from Florida,
Allen
De W4TJW

K4ICL · Joined: 05 Mar 2003 Posts: 421 Location: Greenville, SC

Allen:

Feedback about an event or person is useless if we are not to know the callsign of the offender.

How will we know what to expect if we don't know?

What is the callsign of the ham who was threatning. If he does not have a callsign, what was his name and address?

Thanks...

K4ICL

W4TJW · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

Mr. Link, I left the call sign out because I was just wondering if this kind of thing happens often.

His call is: KB1LMI

His first response to the ad was the following:

"Hi I would like to buy the meter how woud you like to b paid ,Mac"

The item was a Kenwood SW 2000, SWC-3, and the wall wart for it. The purchase price was 85 dollars including shipping.
_________________
Best to you from Florida,
Allen
De W4TJW

W4TJW · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

Wow I went to go look him up on Google and the first return was a post on QTH.com:

MICHAEL MCLAUGHLIN KB1LMI BEWARE - AGAIN ON EBAY
and
Scam by KB1LMI

And this on Eham:

217stufforsale rf2tecnologiies thrown off eBay!

He has been banned from QRZ.com .

On boatanchors archives under the following subject:

Re: 217stufforsale

Ok, I see I will have to investigate each and every person I sell to through QTH.

I can post the last email he emailed me, and it is full of lies and threats.
_________________
Best to you from Florida,
Allen
De W4TJW

W4TJW · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

For those who want to know he is using this email address now:

19882dm@comcast.net

and

goes by the name of Mac Mclaughlin

His callsign was listed as KB!LMI

His paypal business is done through the name Kelly Castangia
_________________
Best to you from Florida,
Allen
De W4TJW

WB4KMA · Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 24 Location: Orlando, Fl

this link may help some of you guys

http://www.ncsconline.org/D_kis/info_court_web_sites.html
It is a nationwide clerk of courts site

For Fl Clerks
http://www.flclerks.com/Clerk_webs.html

You may want to check with division of corporations to see if he has a legit company too.

You as an individual have a right to check public records on a person.
You may want to see if they own a home, have liens or judgments on them, how lawsuits they have had, or a possible criminal background check for fraud or theft. Some consider these moral trupitude charges.

BE CAREFUL AS TO HOW YOU REPRODUCE THE INFORMATION YOU MAY GET.

Some states have more records than others. but this is a start.

Another tip is the idea of the guy using a po box for his FCC license.
I am not crazy about the post office box. I want a house address to where this product will ship.

Next.......It is my opinion that after reviewing the records I have seen, ..this guy is an example of a person who has learned to live off the fruits of caring and compassion of others. Yet he does not seem to able to make others happy or respect others for a happy ransaction.

I bought a small mini DVD recorder for 65.00 at Target. I use this to show me testing a product, and then I burn it to a CD. I may spend 5 min on a test showing it keying and working. MY camera has the watermark or date time stamp on it.

Then I send a product out to a person with delivery confirmation.

It coss me about 5 to10.00 per shipment to protect myself.

Save the e-mail too

This gives me a file for people like him. When the make a threat I will come back with,"Todays date is Jan 05, 2009. This is Monday and it is 2:30 p.m.
For the record I am John Hayes and I am speaking with Dowee Cheatum.
Mr Cheatum is in CT . Mr. CHeatum you realize I am recording this conversation now, You may hang up or you are consenting to my recording of this conversation. Would like to repeat a threat about slandering me in web sites or court action sir?." Be sure you list the time you sign off too.

" I am not sure how to tell you this sir, but truth is a 100 percetn defense to slander. I have a video recording of this working when it left here and I have no problem filing this in a court of my choice either here in Fl or in CT.
Once I have a judgment, I will record it in your state."

"Are you really wanting to litigate this and or smear my name sir without proof? "

"If your case is found to be frivilious, you may be banned from court action in certain states that have frivilious lawsuits bans."

Now...........pick your battles carefully. I will fight a person over 25.00 for the principle. But I know how to prepare my own suits. Sometimes the case is not worth it. Some times you have a bully and you have to stand up to the jerk.

W4TJW · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

John,
Thank you for the time and energy it took you to write such a lengthy post. When I read it, the word...wow...escaped my mouth. That sounds really good. Are you a lawyer? I have a small video recorder, and though it sounds like a lot for a little, like you said, it is the principle of the thing.

I am thinking of putting a cheat sheet together on what my actions should be before I sell anything else.

Thanks for your words.

73,
Allen
W4TJW
_________________
Best to you from Florida,
Allen
De W4TJW

KG8LB · Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 45

IIt seems I bought a National HRO-50 from him ! Paypal saved the day! It arrived with the BFO knob plastered into the case so hard it had bent the air variable behind the front panel. There was a non-original choke under the chassis that had been held by one screw that came loose. It bulldozed dozens of components below decks. The packing job was way below minimum, he had conveniently cropped the hugely rusted rear part of the chassis from his photos. The receiver was JUNK. He charged top dollar for shipping. He reponded that I should file a claim with the shipper.

I filed with Paypal instead and got a full refund. Say what you will but Paypal can come through. Sure beats the old " I'll send you a money order by the weekend" followed by "I'll send out the money order on Monday VIA Priority Mail" Followed by "YES YES YES < IKNOW IT'S ABOUT TIME" Followed by "what do you mean you haven't received it?" (A week later).."I requested a signature " further followed by " They are tracing it. I will send you a letter on Wednesday, if I have a chance. You are to send it back. It is how they trace things" .....A scenario I went through two weeks ago !

A Paypal claim ended that one too.

BTW, The "Priority Mailed" money order has not yet arrived. I think the sender would be more surprised than I if a money order did arrive.

W4TJW · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

Yup it turns out that the meter was damaged by him, beyond just the deep scratches caused by improper opening procedures and packing for the return improperly.

I sure hope I learned my lesson.

Allen
_________________
Best to you from Florida,
Allen
De W4TJW

N8QBY · Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 85 Location: Michigan

I would never have given in to threats. It was on him to ask questions, ask for pic's. For him to immediately go on the offensive, should set off a flag right then and there. The man obviously has some issues. You did show that you are the better man for accepting the item back, but not without a lesson learned though.

W4TJW · Joined: 05 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

Roger on the lessons learned. Too bad lessons at this juncture in life have to be so protracted.

I hope to be more aware next time.

73,
Allen
W4TJW
_________________
Best to you from Florida,
Allen
De W4TJW

w0bkr · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 44

w0bkr · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 44

His new e-mail or at least one he is using at the moment is:

Grizzy08@comcast.net

WB7VZR · Joined: 10 Jul 2009 Posts: 1 Location: Hood River, OR

Wow! I just bought an Icom IC-275A all mode 2-meter transceiver from this guy on eBay. I wanted to find out what his call sign was so I did a Google search on his name and ended up here. When I read what you guys said, my heart sank.

Let me tell you the story of what happened. About the time I expected the transceiver to arrive, a box was delivered. However, there was a big hand-written address label with someone else's name on it in New Mexico. Just above the label was a FED-X label with my name on it. So I was about to write him an email and the phone rings. It's Kelly. He said the guy in New Mexico was all irate because Kelly had sent him the wrong rig. (He had mine, and I had his.) Well, Kelly asked me to ship the box I received to the other guy and he would have the other guy ship the other box to me. I've got to say one thing, he was nice about it and said he would reimburse me, which he did.

It arrived today and when I read this, I hadn't fired it up yet so I quickly hooked it up and tested it to see if everything worked. Whew! It is OK. It's a real nice rig.

Just thought you'd like to hear another horror story regarding his dealings.

73 to everyone.

w0bkr · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 44

I sold KB1LMI a VHF/UHF All mode and all went thru okay. Not to say he won't scam anyone as in the past, but he does tend to use alternate e-mails (girlfriend, his, etc.) and switch around a lot.

Who knows...maybe the law got afterhim...

Rolling Eyes

JKononchik · Joined: 03 Nov 2009 Posts: 1 Location: Connecticut

Mike KB1LMI wants to purchase my IC-910H but offered 30% less than the asking price.

N8QBY · Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 85 Location: Michigan

He offered 30% less?? I would increase the asking price to him by $200. Actually, I wouldn't sell to him, no way, no how..seller beware!!