Scammer Alert: VanMalmsteen

I didnt read through this whole thread , but I have a piece of advice that could be helpful. Years ago I was scammed out of 750 bucks for a piece of rack gear from a seller on eBay. He kept saying it was shipped to me after a few false claims that it was shipped . I never got the item , so since I had an address to send the money to I called the police in the guys town to see if they could do anything for me, they could not . They did confirm the sellers address and name was real. They told me to get in touch with the postal inspected since this was clearly mail fraud. I did and with some investigation and evidence of the sale I provided them ,they said there was no doubt I was scammed. Postal agents actually went to the dudes house , he was gonna get arrested. We decided to let him go if he refunded my money. He did. Im kinda sorry I didnt take it further but he was states away from me and I didnt want the hassle . If you ever feel scammed try what I did, it just might work.Good Luck
 
I didnt read through this whole thread , but I have a piece of advice that could be helpful. Years ago I was scammed out of 750 bucks for a piece of rack gear from a seller on eBay. He kept saying it was shipped to me after a few false claims that it was shipped . I never got the item , so since I had an address to send the money to I called the police in the guys town to see if they could do anything for me, they could not . They did confirm the sellers address and name was real. They told me to get in touch with the postal inspected since this was clearly mail fraud. I did and with some investigation and evidence of the sale I provided them ,they said there was no doubt I was scammed. Postal agents actually went to the dudes house , he was gonna get arrested. We decided to let him go if he refunded my money. He did. Im kinda sorry I didnt take it further but he was states away from me and I didnt want the hassle . If you ever feel scammed try what I did, it just might work.Good Luck
That may have been back when the system was still somewhat functional. If you haven't noticed most police departments and DA's aren't prosecuting violent assaults, attempted murder, vehicular assaults, burglary, home invasion, and whatnot.....so the chances of arresting someone for music item fraud is really going to be down on their list these days.

As impossible as it is... the need to vett people buying and selling in this current year applies more than ever. I hope the latest victims of Fatbagg's criminal escapades get some resolution but I wouldn't doubt he has another alt user ID already here and ready to go.

I simply just gave up on online sales and cancelled my Paypal altogether. I list stuff on Craigslist and if it sells great if not I don't have to worry about some schmo playing my item for 90 days then telling paypal it was not a described or faulty and get a refund forced on me and the buyer might not even send the item back to me the seller. Thus... doubly screwed........This scenario has happened with members of RT.
 
That may have been back when the system was still somewhat functional. If you haven't noticed most police departments and DA's aren't prosecuting violent assaults, attempted murder, vehicular assaults, burglary, home invasion, and whatnot.....so the chances of arresting someone for music item fraud is really going to be down on their list these days.

As impossible as it is... the need to vett people buying and selling in this current year applies more than ever. I hope the latest victims of Fatbagg's criminal escapades get some resolution but I wouldn't doubt he has another alt user ID already here and ready to go.

I simply just gave up on online sales and cancelled my Paypal altogether. I list stuff on Craigslist and if it sells great if not I don't have to worry about some schmo playing my item for 90 days then telling paypal it was not a described or faulty and get a refund forced on me and the buyer might not even send the item back to me the seller. Thus... doubly screwed........This scenario has happened with members of RT.
if you do all the work for them they will. This is interstate wire fraud so it's federal. The feds will act on it. Might be slow but they will. And they do not play. MANDATORY MINIMUMS.

Contact the FBI at (202) 324-3000, or online at www.fbi.gov or tips.fbi.gov.
 
So 8 pages in... this guy put up a good fight and barked back. Did he get proven a scammer or has he pulled off the "woops i forgot to ship" successfully?
 
When someone is a kleptomaniac, or a pathological liar, they have no control of their actions.
Doesn't matter if it's $10, $25, $100, $1000 or $1000000... they get their fix by stealing or cheating.
That's what makes them feel superior. And in a lot of cases, they even like when people talk about them. That's why they keep coming back to the same places and committing the same type of crime. Watching people talking about them, even if talking bad things, makes them feel good. Makes they think they got away with crime.
Anyway, he is a pathological liar, and he will keep stealing from other people until the day he dies.
There is a good treatment for that tho... it's called jail.

Damn, that's deep. But, one day, he'll do it to the wrong person. That'll either end him in jail, or far, far worse. It's actually sad, maybe bordering pathetic.

I try to do people right, and I'm probably more OCD about making sure I take care of a buyer. Last few guitars I sold on Reverb, I did complete set ups. Frets polished, fingerboard conditioned, whole guitar waxed/buffed, intonation, action, the whole ball of wax. To go out of my way to rip someone off, I'd lose all respect for myself in about 20 minutes, if that. People that can do this repeatedly, definitely have a mental illness, were born without a heart, or a soul. Inhuman.
 
Hey everyone. Long time no post. Hope everyone is doing well because I'm not sure I am...

This dude posted a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails for sale here:
https://www.rig-talk.com/forum/threads/seymour-duncan-hot-rails-unused.255205/
Screenshot for proof in case he changes it:
View attachment 146062

I messaged him on Nov 12th. Sent money on Tuesday, and he confirmed he got it:
View attachment 146011



No shipping or tracking info has been posted yet, and he keeps ignoring me
View attachment 146014


Started to get a bit suspicious. Had a buddy message him about the pickup. Note that nowhere does it state there are multiple pickups in his listing:
View attachment 146017


I've reached out to him multiple times. He's been ignoring me despite being seen recently on the forums:
View attachment 146059
Who wants to bet I just got scammed by @VanMalmsteen over a stupid guitar pickup? I have accounts on all major shipping services that alert me to packages heading to my address, so I can tell it was never sent out. Literally only bought this thing as a Christmas present for a friend who is just starting out with guitar. Happy Holidays to me, I guess. Guess I'll be contacting PayPal...

Edit: Will delete this thread if tracking shows up or I'm refunded. Either/or I'm fine with.
Just for confirmation from a dude on the bogner forum the Fatbagg/Jonathan Ellison screwed over, that the PayPal address is the same as the vandouchesteen provided.
 
Just for confirmation from a dude on the bogner forum the Fatbagg/Jonathan Ellison screwed over, that the PayPal address is the same as the vandouchesteen provided.
That's some funny ass shit. The way he was talking about having good deals with himself and all 🤣
 
Just for confirmation from a dude on the bogner forum the Fatbagg/Jonathan Ellison screwed over, that the PayPal address is the same as the vandouchesteen provided.
So his name is Jonathan Ellison?

And he retired or was discharged from the Army.

He very recently lived in SE Georgia. Perhaps still does.

He has at least one daughter, seen in many of his videos. Maybe that’s Diane?

There’s gotta be way to get this fucker what he’s got coming. Or at least get that poor little girl away from him. She’s fucked if that’s her main influence.

I bet a fatbagg would be VERY popular in a prison.
 
So his name is Jonathan Ellison?

And he retired or was discharged from the Army.

He very recently lived in SE Georgia. Perhaps still does.

He has at least one daughter, seen in many of his videos. Maybe that’s Diane?

There’s gotta be way to get this fucker what he’s got coming. Or at least get that poor little girl away from him. She’s fucked if that’s her main influence.

I bet a fatbagg would be VERY popular in a prison.
I was kind of hoping he was a reservist. Commands can be very effective at resolving these types of issues
 
Wow. This is stupid. Bye. When your pedals show up I hope you all feel stupid.

Fuxk you guys and Rig Talk.

If your ahit doesn’t show tomorrow I’ll refund you guys in full. Scammer I am not, but RT is gonna run with the narrative it chooses. Now there will be zero responses from you until delivery.

Enjoy the gossip, fuckers.
It is definitely stupid.

POS
 
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