0
sangiro

Username: paul.countenay - Classifieds Seller Scam

Recommended Posts

The following classified Seller scam has been reported. Here are some excerpts from one of the email exchanges with this person:

Quote


-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: Paul Countenay
To:
Subject: Re: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 19:23:04 +0000

Here is my adress for the payment:

Paul Countenay
London N16 0RJ
100 Oldfield Road
United Kingdom
(+44) 020-8123-1032

I`m from US but I have to stay in Europe for about 3 months so I`ll send you the rig from here. I will pay the shipping taxes so it shouldn`t bother you. I`m retired from skydiving so I`m not jumping anymore. The last time I jumped was in July last year. What service do you want to use for the shipping ? Is FedEx ok ?

I`m waiting for your email
Paul


-------------- Original message --------------
From: Paul Countenay

Yap, the whole system is $1300. I`m in urgent need of money so maybe we can help eachoher out here. I will even pay the shipping taxes but I`m looking only for a fast deal. What size are you ?

Blue skies,
Paul Countenay




Click here to read more about these kind of scams.

Remember:

  • DO NOT do business with anyone who offers to send you payment for a higher amount than your selling price with the understanding that you'll send back the balance.

  • Be suspicious of anyone claiming to be acting on behalf of a "client" or another "customer".

  • Be suspicious of anyone claiming to be from Nigeria or West Africa

  • If you agree to accept a check payment, then do not send anything, gear or "change" before the check cleared. And be careful, if you manage to clear a fraudulent check then you may be liable for the damages if the bank finds out later. Make sure your bank authenticates the check.

  • If it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is.
This username has been disabled.
Safe swoops
Sangiro

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I also recieved an email from this douche bag. Here is what he sent me,

"Hi,
You can have the rig without the main canopy for $1000 and I will pay all the taxes ( shipping and payment ). I`m in urgent need of money so maybe we can help eachother out here. This is the reason for selling the rig. I`m 5'8" and 180 lbs and the rig fits me great so it will definately fit you too. Where are you from and how would you want the package to be shipped ? Is FedEx ok ?

Thanks
Paul"

I responded with an email asking him why his ad was for a vector 3 but there was a picture crappy Vector 2, and he never responded.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I also recieved an email from this douche bag. Here is what he sent me,

"Hi,
You can have the rig without the main canopy for $1000 and I will pay all the taxes ( shipping and payment ). I`m in urgent need of money so maybe we can help eachother out here. This is the reason for selling the rig. I`m 5'8" and 180 lbs and the rig fits me great so it will definately fit you too. Where are you from and how would you want the package to be shipped ? Is FedEx ok ?

Thanks
Paul"

I responded with an email asking him why his ad was for a vector 3 but there was a picture crappy Vector 2, and he never responded.



I think this is the same jackass I contacted. When I asked him why the pictures were different than the add he asked back what I was talking about. I don't remember the canopy advertised but the picture was a Falcon(not what was in the ad). Same with the container as you saw, advertised a V3 and picture looked like the first Vector ever off the assembly line. His response then was his brother-in-law wrote the ad and he wasn't a skydiver. I guess I should have done the solid and turned him in then.
It's a gift, I don't try to explain it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I dealt with this clown for over a week on behalf of a friend. Deal finally went south when he sent me a phony Fed Ex form and wanted immediate payment via Western Union. Said he was in London, but sent a U.S. Fed Ex bill with no tracking number or Point of Origion. That and the 'Way Too Good To Be True' pricing were the tip offs.



The Sky is NOT the Limit, the Dirt Is!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yea he fucked you ! Your money is gone dude! ( NEVER ) send money by wire transfer thru western union !
I had a go around with this idiot too. I asked him to fill out his profile and he said "i don't know how to do that " LMAO! But he sure knew how to post an add and put several photo's on the add .......

And why is your profile not filled out ???


A friend will bail you out of jail , a REAL friend will be sitting next to you in the cell slapping your hand saying "DUDE THAT WAS AWSUM " ................

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I used the scam alert form and contacted grosfion (Who was the only mod online at the time)... He said he would contact a mod for the classifieds area, but apparently he forgot or whomever he told didn't give a shit to look into it... Now at least one person got fucked.>:(

Even to me (a total newbie) it was totally OBVIOUS that the ad was a scam. The pictures were from a very old Vector and the information he had listed was for an essentially brand new fully loaded Vector 3 and was only asking about 1k for it... Come on people:S, if a deal seems too good to be true then it probably is. ESPECIALLY if things don't match up and it's a foreign seller asking for you to use Western Union.

Gravity Waits for No One.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

He said he would contact a mod for the classifieds area, but apparently he forgot or whomever he told didn't give a shit to look into it... Now at least one person got fucked.



Hold your horses there! You're out of line.

We spend an enormous amount of time going above and beyond what's expected of any public site to alert our users about possible scams. We've implemented functionality that makes it impossible for users who have registered less than 3 days ago to contact sellers. We post a warning if a seller has only recently registered and immediately placed an ad. We have set in place functionality that makes reporting scams easy and quick. We have a forum where, once we report a scam to it, the post will be echoed on the classifieds page as an alert. We include a link in the footer of EVERY email we send when somebody contacts you via the classifeds to alert you to our Security articles in the help section.

Most public sites will put up a page telling you to be careful, use common sense, and then distance themselves from any and all transactions. In the end it is YOUR responsibility to check the credibility of any buyer or seller... not ours. Just like when you buy a newspaper, see a classified ad and decide to contact the person, the responsibility to protect yourself from getting ripped off lies with you, not the paper!

That ad was taken down as soon as we were convinced it was a scam. That in itself does not prevent people, who have already contacted the scammer, from dealing with him/her. I receive emails on a weekly basis from people asking me if I think there is a danger in contacting a user to "see what happens" even AFTER we've marked an ad as a scam!

We will continue to do our best and err on the side of caution to protect our users from scams and scammers. As a "total newbie" you may want to consider not burning too many bridges up front.
Safe swoops
Sangiro

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Sorry, but I was just really annoyed to see that someone actually got ripped off by this guy... I had made two attempts to warn mods that there was definitely something wrong with the listing. I was also contacted the guy in an attempt to see if he was legit or not and his actions seemed very suspicious. I never would've bothered you guys if I didn't think there was a very high probability of his listing being a scam. I'm honestly not trying to make it personal against anyone in particular. Just a bit frustrated that I wasn't listened to and someone might've been ripped off because of it... I've been ripped off before (not on here) and it sucks.
Gravity Waits for No One.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, Just wanted to show you this email I got from this guy selling a Mirage G4. It sounds like this same "Paul.Countenay" guy. Same sneaky tactics.
>:(
>:(
>:(

Hi,
This is great !! My girlfriend is 5'3 and 110 lbs so you have the same size as she has. The harness size is A-14 but it can fit up to a 5'5" person. The container can fit a 150 canopy but not any smaller than that. Regarding the payment method, I want to receive the $1800 through Western Union Money Transfer. I used it many times before and this way I can be sure that nothing can go wrong. You can make the payment even online on their website www.westernunion.com if this is easier for you. I can send you the rig using FedEx, UPS, USPS or DHL. Either one you choose I will pay the shipping taxes. You will have to pay the western union taxes. If the rig doesn`t fit you or if you discover anything wrong with it I will accept to take it back and I will return the 1800 bucks to you. In this case you will have to pay the shipping and I will support the payment taxes. But I`m sure we won`t have any problems of this kind. I have to fly to London, UK today but I`m taking the rig with me so if you want to buy it I will send it to you from there. As long as I am paying the shipping taxes the distance shouldn`t bother you.

Email me if you are interested and I will give you more details.

Thanks
Mark

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think this asshole scammed me out of $800 using a different alias (Brandon Jakobs), did you ever get your money back and how?

"That`s great buddy !! I need your name and adress for the shipping. I already found a fedex office so I can send the rig even today. I`m in London, UK now and I have the rig with me so I`ll send you the rig from here. I will pay the shipping taxes so don`t worry about the distance. With fedex second day air the package will be in the US in maximum 3 working days. Here is the adress for the payment:

Brandon Jakobs
45 Pitfield street
London N1 6DA
United Kingdom

I`m waiting for your email with your name and adress and please tell me when can we start the transaction. After you send the $1600 Western Union will give you a 10 digit number called MTCN. I will need that so please be careful not to lose it.

I`m anxious to hear from you.

Brandon"

he sounds like the same guy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites


De: ...
Enviada: quarta-feira, 17 de Outubro de 2007 18:26
Para: '[email protected]'
Assunto: RE: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad

Brandon,
Please respond to the message below.
Thank you,
Cristina.


De: ...
Enviada: quinta-feira, 11 de Outubro de 2007 18:24
Para: '[email protected]'
Assunto: RE: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad

Hey Brandon!
How are you? Are you still interested in selling?
Please keep me informed…
Thank you,
Cristina.

De: ...
Enviada: terça-feira, 9 de Outubro de 2007 21:52
Para: '[email protected]'
Assunto: FW: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad

Hey Brandon,
Could you kindly forward a contact cell number so that we can arrange you to meet .......(Cell: .......) and make the deal?
He´s the friend I´ve mentioned you before and the one that e-mailed you about this deal.
My cell number is ....
Thank you,
Cristina.



De: ...
Enviada: quinta-feira, 4 de Outubro de 2007 22:19
Para: '[email protected]'
Assunto: FW: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad

Hey Brandon,
I´ve been waiting for you to answer me… but know I´m leaving to DZ and probably will not have the chance to access my e-mail…
I´ll return on Monday hopping we can make deal!
USD 1300 - the shipping taxes that you will save = ? USD….
Have a nice weekend!
Fly safe,
Cristina.



De: ...
Enviada: quinta-feira, 4 de Outubro de 2007 19:40
Para: '[email protected]'
Assunto: FW: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad

Brandon,
I need to know if the harness fits me properly. Is there something else that I need to know about this package? Was it build for you? Fits you perfectly?
Therefore I need you to please tell me the size of the pre K-series: J4-K harness? How tall are you? And please double check all measurements.
By the way why did you remove the classified from Dropzone.com?
Sorry about all these questions… but I´m always afraid of internet scams… and I´m really interested in buying this complete package!
I have I friend in London. Can you meet with him to make the deal? He´s an expert Skydiver and I would feel comfortable in buying an equipment that he could see and analyze for me… By the way what´s the rigger´s name you consulted about the main container? For sure my friend knows him!
Can you give me your phone number and tell in witch part of London city you´re staying?
I´ll be waiting…!
Thanks a lot,
Cristina.




De: ...
Enviada: quinta-feira, 4 de Outubro de 2007 13:31
Para: 'Brandon Jakobs'
Assunto: RE: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad

Hey Brandon,
Sorry but I need to know the container size and how tall are you.
Thanks,
Cristina



De: Brandon Jakobs [mailto:[email protected]]
Enviada: quinta-feira, 4 de Outubro de 2007 12:08
Para:
Assunto: RE: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad

Hey Cristina,
So you found the specs and pics. If not please tell me and I will email you again with them. The exact measurements are: torso 17", Leg pad 31", long girth 59, inseam 32", chest 34.5", waist 30".
Let me know if you want to buy it so I can give you the rest of the details.
Thanks allot
Brandon




....wrote:
Hey Brandon,
I found the attach with pics.
Can you also send response to this e-mail:
Thank you,
Cristina




Data: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:06:09 +0100
De: ...
Assunto: RE: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad
Para: Brandon Jakobs

Hey Brandon!
I?m still interested.
Please send me again the attach with the pics...
The container it?s a pre K-serie: J4-K? What size?
Can you give the measures of the chest and belly circumference, inseam, thigh, ...
Thank you,
Cristina




---- Mensagem de [email protected] ---------
Data: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 08:35:34 -0700 (PDT)
De: Brandon Jakobs
Assunto: RE: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad
Para: ...

Hey Cristina,

Sorry for the delay. I`m in London, UK now and I didn`t had the chance to access the Internet lately, that`s why I didn`t emailed you earlier. I asked a rigger here in London and he confirmed that you can definately put a 170 main in this container. So I`m sure it will work. I will also accept to receive the rig back if you find anything wrong with it. I have a fedex office at 10 minutes from where I`m staying so I can make the shipping anytime. Do you still want to buy it ? If so, I want to receive the $1300 through Western Union Money Transfer.

Let me know if you still want to buy it so I can give you my adress for the payment, In this case I will also need your name and adress for the shipping.

Thanks Cristina,
Brandon

....wrote:

Hi Brandon!
Sorry about my English…
I need to know the exact size. Can you please send me the exact measures?
Can I put a 170 in the main container our is it too big?
Thank you,
Cristina




De: Brandon Jakobs [mailto:[email protected]]
Enviada: quinta-feira, 20 de Setembro de 2007 19:42
Para: ...
Assunto: RE: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad


Hi Cristina,
I attached all the pics I have so I hope you`ll like the rig. Let me know if you decide to buy it and I will give you more details. Here are the specs again in case you want to read it again.
The package includes: Sunpath Javelin J-4 container, Performance Designs Sabre 190 main canopy, Performance Designs PD Reserve, Artec GmbH Cypres Expert. The Javelin is setup for BOC throw-out pilot chute, has thread-thru leg straps, reserve static line and mini risers. It has new elastic stays on the chest and leg straps. The Sabre is a nine cell zero porosity canopy. It is set up with micro lines, soft links, collapsible slider and collapsible pilot chute with black leather hackey. The PD reserve is solid white, has never been jumped and was last repacked in April, 2007. This rig was manufactured in 1997, except the container, which was made in 1996. The Cypres is from 1997 and had a check done in 2005 will expire in September of 2009. The container and the main have 382 jumps on them, the reserve has no jumps on it and the cypres was never fired.

Sun Path Products Javelin J4 382 jumps 9/1996
Performance Designs Sabre 190 ft² 382 jumps 2/1997
Performance Designs PD Reserve 176 ft² 0 jumps 8/1997
Airtec GmbH Cypres Expert 0 jumps 6/1997

Later,
Brandon




... wrote:

Hey Brandon,
Please send me more pics and details about size.
I?m unable to find detail of Classified in Dropzone.com.
Thanks,
Cristina




De: Brandon Jakobs [mailto:[email protected]]
Enviada: terça-feira, 18 de Setembro de 2007 21:16
Para: ...
Assunto: Re: Dropzone.com Classifieds - Response to your Ad


Hey Cristina,

You can have the rig for $1300 and I will pay the shipping taxes but only if we make the deal fast. I have to fly to London, UK today and I`m taking the rig with me so I will send it from there. I`m paying the shipping taxes so don`t worry. It will be easier and cheaper to send the rig directly to you in Portugal.

Do you want to see more pics ?

Let me know if you want to buy it. By the way, what size are you ?

Thanks,
Brandon




... wrote:

Hi Brandon Jakobs,

On 18-Sep-2007 someone submitted their contact information in response to your ad in the Dropzone.com Classifieds. Please reply to this email to contact the person directly.

Username => ...
URL => http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/detail_page.cgi?ID=53504&d=1

Hey!
I can offer you 1250 USD. Are you interested?
A skydiver friend of mine will be junping in Florida by the end of the month.
Thank you,
Cristina

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yes,this guy pulled 1500 US$ from a THAI skydiver 23rd march 2.007 with following ad:For Sale:Beautiful Mirage G4 with an even nicer price.
Price:2.000 USD (Neg)
Posted on Mar 19 2.007 by:Tod Balon.
I have al e mails and bank documents money transfer THAI bank to UK bank.
Same guy had same ad last week asking 1.850 US $ for the same rig.I asked the mfd and serial numbers of al items and they were the same as previous ad!I informed "DROPZONE" of this scam and the ad was removed.Never send money by WESTERN UNION!But the THAI sent his money by banktransfer and never got news about the MIRAGE G4!!!
BANZAAI!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think I just had a chat with this guy.

It was regarding an ad showing a pink rig with a pilot 210 main, pd reserve and a cypress 2 installed two years ago. All to the "to good to be true" price 1550, and he were also going to pay shipping.

He operated under the name of frederich connor from italy, he was registered a premium member two months ago, with no posts, and his profile were not filled out.

His username is F C

Some emails:

Quote

On Tue Feb 12 15:31 , F C sent:


Hello Daniel,
This is a great rig for a beginner and it is ready for jumping. What is your height and weight ? I want to see if the rig fits you well. If you will decide to buy the rig you must know that I will pay the shipping taxes from Italy to Norway and you will only have to pay the taxes from the payment.

Email me back and I will give you more details.

Ciao,
Fred

Daniel Eliassen wrote:
Hi
I am about 84 kilos and 189 cm tall (about 6'2).
Is the container fit for freeflying?

Daniel


On Tue Feb 12 23:44 , F C sent:


Hi again Daniel,
I am 82 kg and 1.86 m so we have almost the same size. The rig will fit you great and yes, the container is fit for freeflying. You also have to know that if we will make the transaction very soon you can have the rig for only 1450 USD instead of 1550. So let me know if you decide to buy it and I will tell you how we can make the deal.

Keep in touch,
Fred


Daniel Eliassen wrote:
Hi Fred.
Everything about the rig sounds perfectly fine. How long is it since last time the reserve was inspected and repacked?
Regarding the payment. Paying in advance is a big risk for me, not knowing you in person, or having other people as references. Hope you understand.
I have two possible solutions for this.
1. You send me the rig in advance, and I pay as soon as I get it in the mail. Of course this is a risk for you because you don't know me in person either.
2. We could possibly arrange a deal with your local dropzone. Whereas you give them the rig they check it out for me and they can also ship it as soon as you get the payment. I could then pay for the shipping fee.
Hope we can make out a deal. This rig seems to be the perfect rig I am looking for. :-)
Thanks
Daniel

On Wed Feb 13 12:55 , F C sent:


Hi Daniel,
The reserve was last repacked in Aug 2007. To make it fair for both of us we can make the deal in the following way: I will send you the rig after I receive half of the money. So you will send only 750 USD first and as soon as I receive it I will send you the rig. After you receive the rig you will have 3 days to inspect the rig and after you will see that everything is ok you will send me the remaining 700 USD. I will use FedEx Second Day Air for the shipping and I will pay the taxes from here. I want to receive the money using Western Union Money Transfer and you will pay the taxes from here. I think this way is fair for both of us. I hope you will agree so we can get it started. And please email me your name and adress for the shipping. I will email you the adress for the payment as well.

Keep in touch,
Fred

Daniel Eliassen wrote:
Hi Fred
Also before I send the money I need to make sure that you are a real seller, this because there have been several scams on dropzone.com, using wester union as the transfer method.
What is your home dropzone?
What is your license number?
And as I asked in my previous mail, your full name and adress.
Can you take a picture were you lay the rig on the floor, and put a white piece of paper, on wich you draw a smileyface on it? If you don't have a pencil, tear the paper in two parts and lay both pieces on the rig.
I also need the serial number of this rig.
It would also be great if you could provide me with a phone number.
I know this looks like i am really suspicious but I hope you understand that I have to be certain before sending money on the internet
Thanks
Daniel


Hi Daniel,
I will answer all of your questions after I receive the email I am waiting from another client that said he is going to send the money in about 2 hours. If he keeps his promise than I will send the rig to him. If he won`t keep his promise then I will email you the answers you wait from me. I hope this doesn`t upset you but he moved faster than you and I will sell the rig to the first one who sends me the money.

I will email you today and let you know if we have a deal or not.

Ciao,
Fred


Hi Fred

No hard feelings. If he moved faster then he is the winner :-) Anyway do let me know if he bought the rig or not.

Daniel



Looks like the same guy. Using the "i am the same size as you" tactic. It immidiately rang a bell when he on his second mail offered me a 100 dollar cheaper price.
He was also a foreigner wanting to do the transfer via western union.

I sent him a mail with some questions, and asked him to take a picture of the rig laying on the floor, with a white piece of paper with a smileyface on it.

He soon sent me a mail saying that another guy suddenly took contact and sent him the money. Right, in that case, poor guy [:/] He also took down the ad very soon after I sent him the questionmail.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Yes,this guy pulled 1500 US$ from a THAI skydiver 23rd march 2.007 with following ad:For Sale:Beautiful Mirage G4 with an even nicer price.
Price:2.000 USD (Neg)
Posted on Mar 19 2.007 by:Tod Balon.
I have al e mails and bank documents money transfer THAI bank to UK bank.
Same guy had same ad last week asking 1.850 US $ for the same rig.I asked the mfd and serial numbers of al items and they were the same as previous ad!I informed "DROPZONE" of this scam and the ad was removed.Never send money by WESTERN UNION!But the THAI sent his money by banktransfer and never got news about the MIRAGE G4!!!




If money was sent through the bank surely the matter can be pursued there????
.....And you thought Kiwis couldn't fly!!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0