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Fraud Alert

Tom R

Member
Join
Feb 27, 2019
Messages
12
Age
71
Loc
Peachtree City, GA
Found a Spark for sale in the Classifieds on 04-06-19, listed by member COOKEV. He has apparently disappeared into the woodwork and his classified ad is no longer listed. Said he was selling his Spark, Controller and extra batteries for $300. Advised to send payment to his wife's PayPal account at [email protected]. I sent payment via PayPal using the friends/family method (mistake) and my linked credit card was charged the $300 + a PayPal transaction fee. Seller or wife (probably aliases) have not responded to any text, calls or emails. Seller represented himself as Vic Montgomery, wife is Kathy Montgomery according to the PayPal transaction that appears on my PayPal account. Vic's cell # was 414-207-6512. This number is no longer good. Just a heads up to anyone who might run across a Vic Montgomery or a seller requesting payment be sent via PayPal to [email protected]. I expect a full credit from my credit card company after they investigate this fraud, but it shows that the bad guys can even infect a good forum like Spark Pilots.
 
Found a Spark for sale in the Classifieds on 04-06-19, listed by member COOKEV. He has apparently disappeared into the woodwork and his classified ad is no longer listed. Said he was selling his Spark, Controller and extra batteries for $300. Advised to send payment to his wife's PayPal account at [email protected]. I sent payment via PayPal using the friends/family method (mistake) and my linked credit card was charged the $300 + a PayPal transaction fee. Seller or wife (probably aliases) have not responded to any text, calls or emails. Seller represented himself as Vic Montgomery, wife is Kathy Montgomery according to the PayPal transaction that appears on my PayPal account. Vic's cell # was 414-207-6512. This number is no longer good. Just a heads up to anyone who might run across a Vic Montgomery or a seller requesting payment be sent via PayPal to [email protected]. I expect a full credit from my credit card company after they investigate this fraud, but it shows that the bad guys can even infect a good forum like Spark Pilots.

I remember that classified ad! The price was too good to be true (included 4 or 5 batteries and Spark with RC for just $300). And it was a brand new "member" to boot...

Two BIG red flags to identify a scammer.

I've got a spare Spark and the fraud makes it harder to sell it. Sorry for your troubles.

If you want a lightly used Spark from a trusted member at a fair price please message me through this Forum
 
I remember seeing a bunch of these spark ads in the for sale section up here, I think it was the day I got mine in. I saw all these deals way too good to be true, then I saw the "joined april 5 2019" or "messages: 2" and got out of there as quick as possible. Chances are someone had a couple good legit sales in there, attracted the attention of some scammers who saw an easy $$. Thought about calling out the threads in question but other people were already trying to speak on the phone with those sellers, so I assumed most people up here knew the warning signs. Plus I didn't want to be rude and derail a legit sale if it happened to be one.
 
I answered him too.
I got a phone number and we texted.
When I got suspicious I declined.
He texted me about a week later, dropped the price to $250, and he pays shipping.
I declined again, and he got rude about wasting his time.
I hope you get everything worked out....
Old Man Grizz
 
Found a Spark for sale in the Classifieds on 04-06-19, listed by member COOKEV. He has apparently disappeared into the woodwork and his classified ad is no longer listed. Said he was selling his Spark, Controller and extra batteries for $300. Advised to send payment to his wife's PayPal account at [email protected]. I sent payment via PayPal using the friends/family method (mistake) and my linked credit card was charged the $300 + a PayPal transaction fee. Seller or wife (probably aliases) have not responded to any text, calls or emails. Seller represented himself as Vic Montgomery, wife is Kathy Montgomery according to the PayPal transaction that appears on my PayPal account. Vic's cell # was 414-207-6512. This number is no longer good. Just a heads up to anyone who might run across a Vic Montgomery or a seller requesting payment be sent via PayPal to [email protected]. I expect a full credit from my credit card company after they investigate this fraud, but it shows that the bad guys can even infect a good forum like Spark Pilots.
PAY PAL WILL REMBURST YOU ALSO, OPEN A CASE I8T WILL WORK.
 
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Reactions: Tom Bennett
He had another ad listed. Here it is:

It had legit looking photos of a Fly More yellow spark...$300... I have been looking everywhere for a yellow spark.

I messaged with him and he texted me. It was a Google voice number, hiding his real number. He was unwilling to do a video call or use PayPal goods and services. He insisted on using PayPal friends, which has no protection. He knew a decent amount about the spark.

Exact same email address you listed, [email protected]

If the seller won’t do a video call, run. If the seller won’t do PayPal goods and services, run! I’m so glad I didn’t buy it. It was tempting. But too good to be true. And he kept trying to rush the sale.

Anyway, instead I bought a brand new yellow spark fly more for $470 with free shipping from a DJI authorized retailer on eBay.

@Tom R so sorry for your loss, and I hope this has a happy ending for you.
 
He had another ad listed. Here it is:

It had legit looking photos of a Fly More yellow spark...$300... I have been looking everywhere for a yellow spark.

I messaged with him and he texted me. It was a Google voice number, hiding his real number. He was unwilling to do a video call or use PayPal goods and services. He insisted on using PayPal friends, which has no protection. He knew a decent amount about the spark.

Exact same email address you listed, [email protected]

If the seller won’t do a video call, run. If the seller won’t do PayPal goods and services, run! I’m so glad I didn’t buy it. It was tempting. But too good to be true. And he kept trying to rush the sale.

Anyway, instead I bought a brand new yellow spark fly more for $470 with free shipping from a DJI authorized retailer on eBay.

@Tom R so sorry for your loss, and I hope this has a happy ending for you.

Friendly FYI for future reference...

You can change color of your Spark's top shell by spending $10 on eBay and turning 6 screws.
 
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Reactions: DaysOfNoah
He had another ad listed. Here it is:

It had legit looking photos of a Fly More yellow spark...$300... I have been looking everywhere for a yellow spark.

I messaged with him and he texted me. It was a Google voice number, hiding his real number. He was unwilling to do a video call or use PayPal goods and services. He insisted on using PayPal friends, which has no protection. He knew a decent amount about the spark.

Exact same email address you listed, [email protected]

If the seller won’t do a video call, run. If the seller won’t do PayPal goods and services, run! I’m so glad I didn’t buy it. It was tempting. But too good to be true. And he kept trying to rush the sale.

Anyway, instead I bought a brand new yellow spark fly more for $470 with free shipping from a DJI authorized retailer on eBay.

@Tom R so sorry for your loss, and I hope this has a happy ending for you.

What do video calls give you? is that evidence in the future that you can use in say small claims court if they do scam like this person?
 
Good question. From a voice call or video call, I think you can get a better read on someone’s honesty, see the drone, etc. A txt or forum conversation isn’t enough to build trust, for me.

Maybe that’s subjective.

He wasn’t willing to talk on the phone, or do a video call. Perhaps a teenager, etc.... regardless he had something to hide, and that got me suspicious. :rolleyes:

If he had been willing to do PayPal “goods and services“ method, we both would have had protection. It costs 2.9% (or $10 on a $300 purchase), but according to PayPal can take several weeks to resolve any issues. He would have been required to produce proof of signed delivery, FYI, in a dispute.

The final straw for me was when he kept insisting on doing PayPal “friends and family” method. Even when I offered to pay the extra $10. So I told him “forget it.”

I still hoped that maybe he was an honest person... he was pretty convincing by text… But seeing Tom R’s post was upsetting.

The real question to me is: how can someone be so evil.
 
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Reactions: Spark 317
He had another ad listed. Here it is:

It had legit looking photos of a Fly More yellow spark...$300... I have been looking everywhere for a yellow spark.

I messaged with him and he texted me. It was a Google voice number, hiding his real number. He was unwilling to do a video call or use PayPal goods and services. He insisted on using PayPal friends, which has no protection. He knew a decent amount about the spark.

Exact same email address you listed, [email protected]

If the seller won’t do a video call, run. If the seller won’t do PayPal goods and services, run! I’m so glad I didn’t buy it. It was tempting. But too good to be true. And he kept trying to rush the sale.

Anyway, instead I bought a brand new yellow spark fly more for $470 with free shipping from a DJI authorized retailer on eBay.

@Tom R so sorry for your loss, and I hope this has a happy ending for you.
[/QUOT

Glad you avoided the paid. DaysOfNoah needs to be banned from this forum. No doubt this is the same character that got me. PayPay needs to shut that account down as well. When I spoke with them, they didn't seemed interested in pursuing that account or person(s) behind it.
 
@Spark 317 Thank you.

@Tom R Ack! You’ve got the wrong guy! Please update your last post. I’m looking forward to a good reputation here.

Also, I’m really sorry that he took advantage of you. Were you able to contact your credit card company, and if so what did they say? Is PayPal willing to refund you?

@mods Vicleesub was the scammer who almost tricked me. Same email address Tom R posted above, [email protected] and it looks like you already deleted his classified post. Thanks. I’m attaching the first part of my conversation.
 

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@Spark 317 Thank you.

@Tom R Ack! You’ve got the wrong guy! Please update your last post. I’m looking forward to a good reputation here.

Also, I’m really sorry that he took advantage of you. Were you able to contact your credit card company, and if so what did they say? Is PayPal willing to refund you?

@mods Vicleesub was the scammer who almost tricked me. Same email address Tom R posted above, [email protected] and it looks like you already deleted his classified post. Thanks. I’m attaching the first part of my conversation.
My sincerest apologies DaysOfNoah. My mistake on that last post. Vicleesub is the problem/con man
 

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