Scammed and looking for help/advice

[Smdevore31]

Hello TRF Members,

I'm new to the forums but have been admiring for a long time until recently joining. I've recently had a bad experience with someone who's a Pledge member here and looking for any help and advice you can provide.

The member's name is "seik" and name is John Goff (supposedly). I emailed him about a post he had to sell a "MINT ROLEX 116710 BLNR GMT Master II Ceramic “Batman” Random Serial GMT Master II"
Link to the post shown here:
http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...errerid=169135

He was very communicative throughout the process up until I wired the money, and then provided a multitude of excuses on why shipping was delayed, up until claiming to be in the hospital on Saturday 9/24. During that last exchange, he said again he'd be shipping first thing Monday morning 9/27. Since that time, he's gone radio silent and not responded to my ongoing requests for updates. Even though he wouldn't respond to me, he'd continue to "bump" his sales thread. After he did that for the 3rd time since we made the agreement, I demanded my money back and told him that I'd be doing a recall of the wire transfer. This was done last Thursday 9/29. Since that time, he again posted a "bump" to his sales thread last night. The entire email exchange is shown below.

Needless to say, this whole ordeal has me pretty distraught. While he didn't have a ton of history here, I couldn't find anything suspect and made in hindsight, what looks to be a bad judgment call that's potentially going to be a very expensive lesson learned.


On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 7:07 PM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi,
Saw your post today on The Rolex Forums. Would you accept $XXX for the 116710 BLNR GMT Master II "Batman"? Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Steve

On Sep 19, 2016, at 7:18 PM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Hey Steve,
Thanks for contacting me,
lets deal $XXX including FedEx priority overnight.

On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 7:44 PM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Ok sounds good. Do you take Paypal?
Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 19, 2016, at 7:45 PM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Wire transfer would be most convenient for me
Where are you located?
On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 8:15 PM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
I'm located in MD
I can do a wire, but you'd need to coach me thru it,as I've never done it for something like this and not sure of the process
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 19, 2016, at 8:22 PM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
I will be providing you with complete wire info,
You will have to get it done at the bank.
Let me know when you can get it done, I will be putting the watch on hold for you.
Forward me your shipping details
Thanks again
On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 8:52 PM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi John,
I'll be going to the bank tomorrow. I deposited some money today that will clear then. My address is:
Thanks a lot
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 19, 2016, at 9:01 PM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Here you go buddy
Wire instructions
Bank: Wells Fargo
Account #
Routing #
Name on account: Sophia Goff
Account type:Savings
Bank Address: Address: 200 W 7th St, Hanford, CA 93230
Please keep me posted with payment receipt once payment is made.
On Tue, Sep 20, 2016 at 7:14 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Good morning John,
The deposit has cleared so funds are available and I'll be doing the wire shortly. I'll confirm when it's done. With this, are you able to ship today so that it's delivered to me tomorrow?
On Sep 20, 2016, at 8:19 AM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Sure,
Once payment is made before FedEx cutoff, I will ship today for tomorrow delivery
Let me know when payment is made
On Tue, Sep 20, 2016 at 9:32 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Can you verify the routing number? I'm at the bank now and they're not showing this bank come up
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 20, 2016, at 9:36 AM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Use this
121042882
On Sep 20, 2016, at 9:46 AM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Let me know when you are done with the wire, if it give you issues let me provide you with my secretaries details
Thanks
On Tue, Sep 20, 2016 at 9:47 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Funds have been sent and should show up shortly
Thanks again for everything
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 20, 2016, at 9:49 AM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Great
Can you send me a copy of payment slip for documentation
On Tue, Sep 20, 2016 at 10:13 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Here it is
Sent from my iPhone
On Wed, Sep 21, 2016 at 8:29 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Good morning John,
It looks like the wire cleared and funds have been transferred to your account as of this morning. I won't be home to sign for a Fed Ex delivery tomorrow or Friday, so can you ship to a nearby Fed Ex location that I can go and pick it up? The closest one to me is located at:
FedEx Office Print & Ship Center
10400 Little Patuxent Pkwy
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 964-9891
Can you please confirm you've received the funds and provide tracking information once you ship? Thanks and have a great day.
Steve DeVore
On Sep 21, 2016, at 8:35 AM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Sure I did get the funds.
I will do as you said,
I will keep you posted with tracking info.
Thanks again
On Thu, Sep 22, 2016 at 8:09 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Good morning John,
Will you be shipping today? Sorry to pester, just a little anxious as I haven't gone this route before. Thanks
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 22, 2016, at 8:15 AM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
I fully understand, my bad I haven't shipped yet
Planning on shipping on my way to the office this morning
It's still very early here
As soon as I do that I will update you
Thanks for your understanding
Goff
On Fri, Sep 23, 2016 at 7:16 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Assuming you weren't able to ship yesterday, so can you today?
Sent from my iPhone
On Sat, Sep 24, 2016 at 11:01 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Good morning John,
I know it's still early there in CA, but can you please provide an update today? Will you be shipping today? It's been 2 days since I've heard from you and I'm growing concerned. Thanks
On Sep 24, 2016, at 12:44 PM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
Good morning steve,
hope you are doing good?
i'm really sorry for the delay in shipment.. i have been having little health issues... i thought i will able before now but i have been in the hospital since.
i have instructed my secretary to have the watch shipped FedEx overnight on Monday as it won't be possible today. the shipment would be done first thing monday morning for tuesday deliver.
please advice which of the two addresses would be more convenient for you for Tuesday delivery.
Thanks
On Sat, Sep 24, 2016 at 2:52 PM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
I'm terribly sorry to hear you're not well and in the hospital. I didn't know so I'm sorry to have followed up like I did. I was getting nervous after sending a large amount of money and not knowing what was happening. I guess my mind went to a crazy place given all the horrible stories you hear.
Please still have it sent to the Fed Ex location in Columbia, MD. Can you have your secretary provide confirmation? Thanks and I hope you feel better soon.
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 24, 2016, at 6:51 PM, John Goff <[email protected]> wrote:
i will send you the tracking as soon as she ships it out on monday.
Thanks again
On Mon, Sep 26, 2016 at 8:21 PM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi John,
Hope you're feeling better. Did she ship today?
Sent from my iPhone
On Tue, Sep 27, 2016 at 3:32 PM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi John,
Can you provide an update please? You said this would be shipped first thing Monday with a delivery of today, yet I haven't heard anything.
On Wed, Sep 28, 2016 at 6:01 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Below is a message that I just sent to you as a private message on The Rolex Forums. This is based on you've again posted "bump" on the sales thread for the watch I've already sent you money for. This is incredibly troubling to me and not sure how or why you're posting there but not responding to my requests for updates to commitments you've made repeatedly. I need to hear from you today one way or the other. At this point, we need to finalize this whole ordeal by you sending me what I've paid for, or giving me my money back right away. I've run out of patience and not sure I can give the benefit of the doubt anymore. You were extremely communicative upfront and now that's not the case. While you didn't have a ton of history on the forum, you are a Pledge member and had a number of posts so I thought with all of this you seemed as a stand-up person. I'm highly doubting that given the pattern over the past week. If you are truly in the hospital, that's bad but not sure why you'd be posting there about bumping this watch and not concluding our deal. Please get back to me today or I'll need to elevate this further thru the banks and on the forum.

How is it that you're posting to "bump" this thread again when you've already received money from me for this very watch? In fact, you've posted bump here 3 times since you and I supposedly made this deal and I've sent you money for this. This is pretty suspect and I need to hear from you today, Wednesday 9/28. I've sent you 2 messages over the past 2 days that you've not responded to. This after we communicated twice on Saturday with you saying you'd have your secretary ship first thing Monday morning and you'd provide an update with tracking.
On Thu, Sep 29, 2016 at 10:14 AM, Steve DeVore <[email protected]> wrote:
Unfortunately, after my repeated attempts to get an update from you since you last communicated with me on Saturday, again confirming a shipment of the watch was going to happen, I still haven't heard from you now 4 days later. I am quite disappointed and see no other alternative but to process a redraw of funds from the wire I sent you last week. I spoke with the bank last night and will be processing this today. I know that they will contact Wells Fargo who will then contact you; please do the right thing and refund my money back to me. This whole ordeal has been pretty stressful as I don't have this type of money to lose. I never envisioned this ordeal playing out like this and just want it to be over