Canvas scam on CraigsList - Ballard

[ricphoto]

Don't know how much info we can share here on the board but I just wanted to let everyone know that there's a guy in Ballard who advertises on CL for Boat canvas...part of his name is an island in the South Pacific...comes by and talks a good talk, quotes a decent price and takes a 50% deposit...

Then the fun starts...

"next week" becomes a few weeks, emails go unanswered, phone calls are not returned and when you do finally get ahold of him he's all apologies and he'll be over and "make it right" in a few days...

when I finally had enough and demanded my deposit back he said he would bring it over yesterday at 11am...never showed...never called...when I finally got ahold of him last night he said he would meet me where I kayak at Lake Union this morning...of course no show and no answer to the 6 calls I've placed to him today...

I've just posted a "scam" notice on CL - Seattle in the Boats for sale/wanted section with all his info/phone and email...

wasn't sure I could post it here too in fear that it might cause fellow boaters to call him and set-up bogus appointments or harass him by phone or email...wouldn't want that now would we...

;-p

I'll be reporting to the standard places/authorities and hoping to get my money back in small claims but what a pain...

live and learn...Ric

[Steve_Kiesel]

Sorry to hear about your problems. I've been running into similar situations lately. All promises and no action.

Try the Better Business Bureau. I've reported problems to them twice in the past, and got amazingly fast resolution from the business. I believe you can even file online with BBB now. Worth a try, plus it becomes public record then.

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

CL Scam

Ric -

Thanks for the warning...good for everyone to know.

- Marty

[ricphoto]

Thanks guys...and thanks to those who had more "colorful" suggestions they shared in email ;-p

So far 6 of his previous "customers" have written me with their own tales...seems as though this is a pattern going back a few years from when he moonlighted while working at Mac's...interesting how they dealt with it from verbal threats to physical intimidation...

Makes one wonder in this age of info sharing how someone like this could stay in business so long and keep doing the same thing over and over

He'll find he messed with the wrong guy this time...already if you search on google for "boat canvas Ballard" my rant comes up 1st ;-p

tomorrow the BBB, licensing and consumer affairs with a call to the SPD internet fraud unit to see if he qualifies as he solicits his "marks" online...copies of the stories/history I'm gathering will go to all...

if you hadn't guessed thieves p*ss me off and I believe in payback (rant over ;-)

...Ric

[Steve_Kiesel]

Maybe try King 5's, get Jesse.

[ricphoto]

Thanks Steve...good idea

Just got another note from a guy who wrote a $1,000.00 deposit check in early July and has been getting put off and delayed ever since...ouch!!!

any help spreading the word and looking for more "victims" would be appreciated...

here's the original CL post:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/1378207626.html

...Ric

[ricphoto]

Update on Ballard Canvas scam...

Boy did I open a can of worms...

Got a call from Tony at Mac's in Ballard and it turns out this guy stole a shop receipt book and was taking deposits under the Mac name to the tune of over $10k...

Tony wanted to be very clear that he had fired him and has had nothing to do with him for quite a while...he also offered to help in any way he could to put this guy out of business...

He said...and I agree...that service providers and vendors in the local Marine industry need to take a lead in policing their industry...

sounds like the kind of guy we should be doing business with...

my similar update and request for more "experiences" with the scam artist can be found at:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/1379396205.html

...Ric

[Tim McCrain]

Ric, remind me never to tick you off ...

Seriously, tho, good for you. Too many people just eat it when something like this happens to them and the guy just goes on doing it to other people. Hope you get him.

Tim

[ricphoto]

hmmmmm...Hasn't the IRS contacted you yet Tim?

;-p

You ought to see me when someone steals one of my photos...that's even more personal than money to me (and a Federal copyrights violation...lots more fun ;-)

Just passed on all the info I've gathered so far to the States Attorney General, The Better Business Bureau and (best of all) The FBI's internet crime Unit...

a few more people have emailed to say they were canceling jobs with him so there's unfortunately probably going to be more p*ssed off people missing their refunds soon...

...Ric

[Marvelous]

Sorry to hear all of that. I got screwed by a garage door guy on Craigslist never to be seen or heard from again. Lesson learned.
For what it is worth Doug in Tacoma does a bang up job on tops and has been in business since 1976! Good Guy! doug@dougsboattops.com

Go get em Ric!

[ricphoto]

Thanks John...

Been getting more than a few mentions of Doug...all positive...guess I'd better check him out...wife has been making remarks about the silver tarp on it now not adding to the "classic" look...

oh well...here we go again...back in line

;-p

...Ric

[Marvelous]

Doug should be at Mason Lake in his Jet boat and you could talk with him there. Nice guy and i think Wonderful custom work.

[ricphoto]

Well apparently the sqeaky wheel does get the grease...

Earlier today I got a notice from paypal that fijimike had made a payment to me for the entire amount of my canvas deposit...

a bit later he called me to let me know he had made the payment and asked me to delete all the postings and call off the dogs...seems he's been getting calls and emails from lots of people (thanks all ;-) and more than a few cancellations...

I told him that even if I wanted to it was too late to retract my reports to all the agencies and I wasn't going to delete my postings as he had been doing this to boaters for a long time and I really didn't think he'd be changing...I asked him about the other boaters he owed money to and he said "they're being taken care of"...I'll bet

Please continue to share the stories about him whenever anyone asks about canvas...it's the only way we can stop guys like this from thinking that we're easy marks

just because we're crazy enough to own boats doesn't mean we're stupid...

(does it?)

;-p

Thanks again for the help and support...

...Ric