First time scammed.. $255 gone. But, theres hope!

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supafly1824

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Well CAG, I guess I had to learn a lesson eventually. The dreadful day has come.. my first time being scammed. However as you will see, I have been able to gather up tons of info on this guy in just a short time of research. Including his facebook, family members, possible employer, what he majored in, when and where he graduated, etc etc.

Now I'm not a newbie when it comes to online shopping or anything. I've been on ebay and paypal and various forums for over 5 years. I've done hundreds of deals both buying and selling over many sites.

However, it seems as a scammer took advantage of my single moment where I let my guard down. But enough of that, let me get into the story..


A couple of months ago Metallica went on sale. Now I am close to turning 17, but this band literally changed my life a few years ago. I was saddened to see the NYC show sell out. So after many days of searching I gave up. The scalpers wanted insane prices. However, I found a guy on craigslist who had 4 general admisision tickets. We start chatting it up and he seems like the nicest guy on the face of the earth. Charging me 25 less than what I offered because I was a true fan.

So me figuring paypal was safe (later learning they won't cover this craigslist deal) and I was dealing with a good person, I paid him $255 for two tickets.

So now we wait....

And wait...

Then I start emailing him. He then keeps saying how he wasn't home and he'd send it out monday.

A week later he says he's been messing up and he'll send them soon.

And on and on.

So eventually I finally file a claim. That was the first day of June. 40 days after I bought the tickets. Where are we at the end of June? STILL NO TICKETS!


Now CAG, here is where it gets very interesting. His email is [email protected]

His name is Brendan J Quinn.

Upon googling his name I have found... HE HAS SCAMMED BEFORE! Google Brendan Quinn ticket scam. It shows results. One listing said If you have bought tickets from him, contact me because there is a lawsuit for his fraud.

However, those listings are expired. But it is clear he has done it.

This guy being a scammer, knowing I was only 16, saw me as easy prey. ANd he got me. It sucks especially that I am a kid with not a lot of money and had been saving that for a while. It doesn't help that I am now going to be a senior and need money to go see colleges, college funds, etc. And I won't see Metallica.

So CAG, I emailed him a few days ago saying I'd file police reports and get into contact with the Credit Card company, BBB, internet fraud, and his local Chicago police department.

I've googled his info and I have found his facebook, his brothers, etc. He is 27 years of age and has a PHD in pharmacy. So he isn't a moron, he knows what he is doing.

However I am unsure of his address and phone number. The phone directory sites are allowing me to check out a background report for a day with just his address and phone numbers. Should I buy one? It's only about 2 dollars.

And CAG, this guy needs to be stopped. What should I do to ensure my money back, and what can I do to ensure he doesn't go on and rip off even MORE people? He's obviously done this before.

I was thinking about getting into contact with his parents, brother. And if I find his employer then send an email to them. As well as the college. Once I find his address and confirm it I can call the police department.

I learned my lesson, but hopefully there's still hope. There's a lot of info.
 
[quote name='supafly1824']Charging me 25 less than what I offered because I was a true fan. [/QUOTE]

Yeah, that is a major major flag. No, and i mean NO, stranger will offer less then what you offer. Unless your a hot girl, hes a dork, and you meet face to face.

He played you.
But I'm not going to you any shit be we all have been stupid enough to fall for scams at one point or another.
It's just good that you realize that too and that you learned from it.
Hope everything works out for you man.


And yea Craigslist man ... local trades only.
 
Could it be possible that he got his identity stolen.

Maybe someone is doing this and just using his information.

Its hard to believe that someone with such a high education and possibly a good job try to scam you out of a lousy 250. If that really is him he is an idiot!

Good luck man. Hope everything turns up okay.
 
You could always contact the school. uic.edu goes to the University of Illinois at Chicago. I'm sure they'd love to hear about this.
 
[quote name='yohsh']Could it be possible that he got his identity stolen.

Maybe someone is doing this and just using his information.

Its hard to believe that someone with such a high education and possibly a good job try to scam you out of a lousy 250. If that really is him he is an idiot!

Good luck man. Hope everything turns up okay.[/QUOTE]

I also find it hard to believe someone with a Pharm D would scam a person $250 since it only takes like a full day or 2 of working 8 hours to get that same amount.

anyway, good luck op. Hopefully you get your money back.
 
He graduated UIC I believe last year, or this year. I am not on my home computer so I don't have all the info. But you can search his facebook name or his email on UIC, it'll bring up his picture and plenty of links.

And yes, looking back I realized how stupid it was. He caught me at a very vulnerable time and I wasn't thinking. All I had on mind was the excitement of getting the tickets. Any other situation or time I'd laugh and never even give this transaction a consideration. It was stupid, we all make mistakes. Unfortunately for me it happened to be the dumbest mistake of my life. Live and learn, I guess.

I searched his info and got an address, number, and empplyment info. If anyone can help I would appreciate it

http://www.whitepages.com/search/Fi...city_zip=chicago&state_id=IL&localtime=survey

I THINK this is him. However here is another link, where I KNOW this is him

http://preview.ussearch.com/preview...09-0000000025&adsource=9&TID=5&searchtab=home

It's the first link. I can confirm because of his middle initial being J, age 27, and his brother Garrett quinn which he has added on facebook.

That was the background report thing I was thinking about buying. Just to get the address/number.

If anybody can help find out as to whether or not the first link that has the employment status and address/number is him, I would appreciate it.
 
Charging me 25 less than what I offered...
Click to expand...
*cringe*

How'd you not get his address through Paypal? Surely they have his info and you may have to find a way of getting it through them to file charges. But yeah you need to figure out his address, file a report with the local police and/or take him to small claims court. Have all your communications printed out, the records of you paying him, his craigslist ad etc. Everything possible, and cross your fingers you get Judge Judy. But seriously, as long as you keep records of everything it'll be fine.

And I can't believe someone with a PHD in pharmacy is stooping this low; they can make great money. I wouldn't hesitate to get in contact with his family and employer to find out his address if you have to, or let the police know his employer and see if they can do it for you.

As someone else said though, there's the possibility he's using someone else's identity to run these scams, which would make things much more difficult.

Good luck though!
 
Charging me 25 less than what I offered...
Click to expand...

*cringe*

But yeah you need to figure out his address, file a report with the local police and/or take him to small claims court. Have all your communications printed out, the records of you paying him, his craigslist ad etc. Everything possible, and cross your fingers you get Judge Judy. But seriously, as long as you keep records of everything it'll be fine.

And I can't believe someone with a PHD in pharmacy is stooping this low; they can make great money. I wouldn't hesitate to get in contact with his family and employer to find out his address if you have to, or let the police know his employer and see if they can do it for you.

As someone else said though, there's the possibility he's using someone else's identity to run these scams, which would make things much more difficult. How did Paypal not give you his identity and address? You may end up having to get his info through them to file charges.

Good luck though!
 
Well any idea on how I would see if it's a stolen identity case? Or how to approach that idea?

As a college kid he probably has plenty of loans to pay off.

I really wish I could talk to the other people that got scammed, but the links other people have posted (craigslist ads saying to beware) have all expired.
 
People who have university email addresses use them pretty frequently, so I would think its actually him. Its the only way profs can contact you, tell you curves, financial aid office stripping away your aid, stuff you probably care about enough to check it. That being said, he's an idiot to actually use it to scam others. Maybe he hopes that by seeing it'll make him more credible, but now you have a whole lot of information on him. I hope that you're able to catch him.

Here's a tip. If he is still a grad student, most likely if he's not TAing for a professor, he's probably doing research for one. If you can track down which professor he's working for, you can get a lot closer to him. Even if he did graduate last year, you could possibly still get a professor to possibly help you get in contact. From the looks of it, you have a lot more information already than others who have been in the same position
 
If you sent him a payment through Paypal I don't see why you can't get in touch with them and they can give you his personal information, at the very least name and address. I'd try contacting them by phone and if they give you a hard time tell them you deserve to know who your money is being sent to.

It's also worth mentioning if you paid with a credit card through Paypal you may be able to get some help from your CC company as well. If it was through your bank you can see if they can get any of his information as well. Someone on the other end accepted your money, there are plenty of routes here to getting his info.
 
[quote name='Darrith']If you sent him a payment through Paypal I don't see why you can't get in touch with them and they can give you his personal information, at the very least name and address. I'd try contacting them by phone and if they give you a hard time tell them you deserve to know who your money is being sent to.

It's also worth mentioning if you paid with a credit card through Paypal you may be able to get some help from your CC company as well. If it was through your bank you can see if they can get any of his information as well. Someone on the other end accepted your money, there are plenty of routes here to getting his info.[/QUOTE]

Good point man, I'll surely go this way. Somebody will be able to give me this info I am sure. I didn't have paypal funds in my account, so I used the credit card I have listed on my paypal account. I'll get into contact with my CC company.

Paypal sent me as few links to various fraud centers and things I can do. I'll contact them as well.

The thing that really got me is when I googled and saw lawsuit pending for Brendan Quinn's fraud. Yikes!

If this really is him, though, with all this info I've gathered in only a few minutes of searching do you think theres a god chance I get my money back?
 
UPDATE: Just got this emai;

Hey man There is no reason to get into all of that. On paypal it says they are'reviewing the case' and they are not letting me send you money. I getpaid on wednesday and therefore i can either write you a check and sendit, or western union you the money. It was a big mistake and i apologize and hope you can understand that I am not screwing with you or trying to take your money. If I was I would ignore you. Just please give me untilwednesday and this will all be taken care of one way or another. Thank you very much.

Brendan


I have never had a claim or dispute, especially being the seller. So I don't know what are his paypal options. I told him that I DO NOT want a check or western union or anytype thing. Probably part of his scam. So to refund me through paypal. If he couldn't do it through the claims menu, I told him to send me a payment for $255 and write in the notes that it is a refund for our previous transaction, and to list the previous transaction ID.As fort the paypal claim? It is in review, I have won the case. They said they would refund within 7 days. When I called, they said it is in review because they are determining how much they can cover. Which will be zero, because it was through craigslist.
 
Your best options of getting your money back are most likely through your credit card company or small claims court. I've had refunds from my credit card company before for purchases gone wrong, but it's on a case by case basis.

Small claims court would be an easy win for you, provided you bring enough evidence. The hard part is making sure you have the right person, getting their address etc. so you can file a claim against them.

Just exhaust every option you have to get his info, criminal charges, etc. and I think you'll be OK.

Edit: On Paypal he can go to "Details" by your payment and scroll down to "Issue Refund." It'll give all your money and his fees back. Let us know what happens.
 
And truthfully, he has been replying... now that I am threatening police reports, though. However when he did reply, it was always to postpone things. Even before the claim when I did email him about the tickets he responded, but always to say "I'll send it next week." Exucses excuses. It's hard to give this guy anymore time. Plus the more time I give the more he has to get away with crap. What should I do now?
 
[quote name='Darrith']Your best options of getting your money back are most likely through your credit card company or small claims court. I've had refunds from my credit card company before for purchases gone wrong, but it's on a case by case basis.

Small claims court would be an easy win for you, provided you bring enough evidence. The hard part is making sure you have the right person, getting their address etc. so you can file a claim against them.

Just exhaust every option you have to get his info, criminal charges, etc. and I think you'll be OK.

Edit: On Paypal he can go to "Details" by your payment and scroll down to "Issue Refund." It'll give all your money and his fees back. Let us know what happens.[/QUOTE]

Will do for sure. I sent him an email telling him what to do for paypal.

Question: how does small claims court work though? Seeing as how I am in NY and he's in Chicago.
 
Just tell him he can issue you a refund on Paypal, or another method of your choice (if you want.) Til the money's actually in your PP account or in your hands I'd follow through with everything you talked about here.

Yeah an out of state small claims is more difficult but not impossible. Just inquire at your local courthouse if he doesn't end up refunding you.
 
Be careful, he might just be using the delay tactics. He will say give him till Wednesday, then Wednesday comes he will say oh this and that happened so can you get me till next week. He will keep on doing that while trying to cover his tracks and making you take a longer time to take any legal actions. So dont fall into that trap.
 
That sucks. Whatever you do, don't close the PayPal dispute. Like others have said, the seller in a PayPal dispute is always able to refund the buyer's money.
 
Well CAG, I guess I had to learn a lesson eventually. The dreadful day has come.
signature_deepthakur.jpg
:)
 
fuck him, don't wait on him. Move forward with what you have going on and if by chance he re-pays you your money then you can stop. Don't let this asshole waste any more of your time.
 
I've clicked everywhere on the transaction and the 'issue refund' button
never comes up. and because of the claim, paypal has 'limited my account
activity' and one of the things i cant do is send money...i copied and
pasted this from my paypal screen:

What can't I do while my account access is limited?

receive payments
send or request money
close your account


When i click on our transaction, all it says is I've 'sent 247.50 to buyer
dispute'.... but obviously i didnt have the funds at the time so i dont
know what theyre doing now. I'm not trying to procrastinate, Im getting
the money to you!!!!



Anybody here ever been the seller in a claim? Or can validate or disprove the things he said in that email? I'll probably give paypal a call when I get back today.
 
Either he doesn't know how or he's playing you. All about refunds can be found using Paypal's "Help" tab & search, so send him all this. Depending on whether it's still at the dispute or claim level he'll have to follow different directions.


-------------------------
This is how to give a partial refund if it's already at claim level:
-------------------------

 My buyer opened a dispute. Can I offer a partial or full refund to settle the dispute?

After the claim has been escalated, you may offer a partial refund by following these steps:

1.In the Open Cases box, click the Resolve button next to the claim in question.
2.Click Resolve Complaint on the Claim Details page
3.Click Offer the buyer a partial refund in an attempt to close this claim on the Resolve Complaint page.
4.Click Continue.
5.Enter the amount you would like to refund and click Issue Refund.

The buyer will have the option to Accept or Deny the partial refund.
-------------------------
This is if it's still at the dispute level, how to give a full refund:
-------------------------

 PayPal's Dispute Resolution gives you the ability to issue a full or partial refund.

1.Log in to your PayPal account.
2.Click the My Account tab
3.Click Resolution Center at the top of the page.
4.Select Open Cases in the drop-down box and locate the transaction.
5.Click the Case ID under the Case column.
6.Click Offer a full or partial refund on Case Details page.
7.Select Partial or Full refund option.
8.Follow the instructions provided on the webpage.

-------------------------
 I believe this part is for a normal refund, with no dispute or claim open (probably doesn't apply here):
-------------------------


How do I use the Issue Refund?


Question : Answer : Here's how you can issue a full or partial refund for up to 60 days after a payment was sent:

1. Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Click My Account, then click History at the top of the page.
3. Find the payment you'd like to refund, then click Details.
4. Click Issue Refund.
5. Enter the refund amount, then click Continue.
6. Confirm the details, then click Issue Refund.
 
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[quote name='supafly1824']And truthfully, he has been replying... now that I am threatening police reports, though. However when he did reply, it was always to postpone things. Even before the claim when I did email him about the tickets he responded, but always to say "I'll send it next week." Exucses excuses. It's hard to give this guy anymore time. Plus the more time I give the more he has to get away with crap. What should I do now?[/QUOTE]

fuck that guy...file the shit with your local court..contact the authorities in his area tell them the situation, fax them the information and all emails pertaining to the shit..fraud is fraud whether in one state or another..

and because he has a degree doesnt mean he is working..alot of ppl dont have jobs out there with a degree.. also having a job doesnt mean your not going to steal either..the power of money is very evil.
 
Get the dude. Fraud, theft, and being an ASSHOLE. That's like 30 years in jail. True story. Handle it.. and update us once something happens. :)
 
LOL - if you read this site you'll also see that Brandon is a lawyer and certified flight instructor. So everyone wondering why a pharmacist would do this, the mystery deepens because Brandon is actually a Renaissance man, an experienced pilot / pharmacist / lawyer - why would such an accomplished person stoop to a congame?
 
[quote name='Moxio']PayPal over Craigslist: never a good idea.[/QUOTE]

this. craigslist is for in person cash transactions. but i hope it works out for ya.
 
Being as creative as I am, if it were me i would do this:

-Post a new ad in the same section where you bought the tickets. I would create a seperate email account just for this. Read below as to why.

-Include a subject line indicating something like, "Brendan J Quinn is a ticket scammer. Please read". (Just write something creative to get people's attention to click it. Make sure its simple, to the point and most importantly, the truth.)

-In the ad i would include a picture from his facebook,links to other people he scammed, links to his facebook. Encourage people to send him messages of why he would do such a thing to you and other people. (Make sure to include aspects of your scam. He may get so many messages regarding what happened to you he may write to you asking to stop the spam, in turn you can ask for a refund and delete the ad, ya never know). Using a new email account for the ad will also prevent him from spamming your email. So thats why it may be a good idea to do that.

-Make sure you tell the truth in what youre writing. Dont exaggerate and make the ad seem like youre just pissed off and want revenge. People will get the idea better if youre more professional about it rather than just ranting on in all caps.

-Keep sending him emails about your tickets. Keep it brief and level. Send one every day for a week. Then two a day for a week, etc.

And finally, craigslist is designed to meet people face to face for transactions. Ive never bought drugs but think of the site like doing a deal- cash for drugs, then you go youre seperate ways. Get it? ALWAYS DO TRANSACTIONS FACE TO FACE.

Hope this helps. Have fun.
 
[quote name='Moxio']PayPal over Craigslist: never a good idea.[/QUOTE]

Never say never ;)

I got a Sega CD and some games through Craigslist from some lady in NY and paid with paypal. They were going for $60+ on ebay and she wanted $25-30 w/ shipping so I figured I would give it a shot. In my case everything worked out but that said I only did it because it wasn't a lot of money. Had it been more I wouldn't have done it. I'm definitely not advocating craigslist + paypal due to its obvious risk but it has worked out for me.
 
[quote name='Green Card200']Never say never ;)

I got a Sega CD and some games through Craigslist from some lady in NY and paid with paypal. They were going for $60+ on ebay and she wanted $25-30 w/ shipping so I figured I would give it a shot. In my case everything worked out but that said I only did it because it wasn't a lot of money. Had it been more I wouldn't have done it. I'm definitely not advocating craigslist + paypal due to its obvious risk but it has worked out for me.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but IMO you're better off gambling. It's better odds and you'll get a free drink.
 
File a police report..then email or call him saying the investigation is underway, and ask if it is really worth throwing his life away over $250. I think his employer also has the right to know that he is employing a person committing fraud. Any amount stolen over $300 is a felony in all 50 states..so if you find someone he has scammed out of that much money and convince them to file a case, there is a good chance he could face jail time or a hefty civil penalty of thousands $$$. The idea of that should wake his ass up and you'll probably have your money express mailed to you overnight.
 
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[quote name='supraazn']Yeah, that is a major major flag. No, and i mean NO, stranger will offer less then what you offer. Unless your a hot girl, hes a dork, and you meet face to face...[/QUOTE]

I got found a Sega Saturn w/ rare games (Panzer Dragoon Saga!+more) for $250 on craigslist a while back. I offered the guy $230 since I had to drive a bit and he emailed back saying "ok how about $200?" I met him and got my awesome new Saturn.

OP I really hope you get this guy. People like that ruin good clean fun for everyone. Good Luck. d('.')

*edit Oh and I am no hot girl. or girl at all.
 
[quote name='camoor']LOL - if you read this site you'll also see that Brandon is a lawyer and certified flight instructor. So everyone wondering why a pharmacist would do this, the mystery deepens because Brandon is actually a Renaissance man, an experienced pilot / pharmacist / lawyer - why would such an accomplished person stoop to a congame?[/QUOTE]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2SSZA0CjdQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2SSZA0CjdQ

 
Hey just read your post the other day, but haven't taken time to respond yet.

I too have been scammed by "Brendan J Quinn".
He was "offering" his U2 tickets. I lost $300.
I'm willing to help in charging him with fraud if you want help!

I too looked up his info after he had "been out of town" for way to long after my money was sent and came across this posting.

Definitely sucks.

I did a search for him prob a day or so before you posted this, so after looking up his address and that his name didn't pop up any red-flags, I stupidly sent him the money (check).

Have you had any contact with him since?
Any thoughts moving forward?
 
Small claims court is a waste of time. I've done it twice, won both. The company I sued paid quickly. The individual, he did everything possible to screw me. Took two years to finally get all of the money, and cost me more than I won to collect it all. So, you can get your money back, but really you'll be doing it out of principle.
 
Not to be off topic but if your really only 16 how do you have a credit card? and if you do actually have one you dont have to pay the credit card company back because they can't approve a minors account its against the law, did you mean debit card?
 
Hope you paid with a credit card that has some kind of fraud protection on it, because that's the only way I was able to get my money back when I was in your kind of situation, op. The guy on eBay scammed me over a 32gig iPod touch (which was about $350). Paypal only pays up to a certain amount, and I'm almost certain it isn't anywhere near $255. No matter how much PayPal bugs you to pay with a banking account, you should always choose a credit card as your source if you're buying from a questionable person, as most banks will cover you if somebody scams you.
 
[quote name='blissskr']Not to be off topic but if your really only 16 how do you have a credit card? and if you do actually have one you dont have to pay the credit card company back because they can't approve a minors account its against the law, did you mean debit card?[/QUOTE]

You sign up with a parent. The card is under your name but the account is attached to your parents name. In conclusion, if the kid fucks up the credit the parent's credit score goes down as well.
 
[quote name='morphineseason']No matter how much PayPal bugs you to pay with a banking account, you should always choose a credit card as your source if you're buying from a questionable person, as most banks will cover you if somebody scams you.[/QUOTE]

That is good advice. Remember you can always contest credit card purchases and at the very least have bought yourself time. As opposed to once it's gone from your bank account you're fucked and good luck getting that cash back.
 
So this topics pretty much dead it sounds like... Sad. I hate scammers and LOVE to watch them suffer haha. If it were me, I'd call his brother first, get the parents number, call them and make him out to be a HUGE asshole, call his professor and tell him he's stealing (get him fired hopefully, or at least in trouble with the school), call his employer and do the same if he's working elsewhere, then file a small claims court lawsuit.

Some guy broke into my house through a second story window (there was a roof slanted from the 1st story to the window). He tried to steal my TV. I was mildly buzzed at the time and saw him fly back out the window. I stormed after him (through the window lol), caught him, used every bit of willpower I had to not beat the shit out of him (didn't wanna get sued myself), and got him arrested. He was some kid that was going to go to the University of Washington (not some street scumbag). Afterward, I sued him for burglary (caught him with my ex-gf's phone on him). My Lawyer even gave me the option of giving him a huge community service of my choice sentence or a multi-month jail sentence. I chose jail. He missed his court hearing and now he's got a warrant out for his arrest (now it's multi-year jail lol).

I've done something less exciting to a CAG scammer as well, but I won't mention that one. What i'm getting as is I believe people should pay for the shit they've done. If this guy's scammed a lot of people out of their money, then fuck his world up. I would bury that guy with all the information you had at your disposal. I believe in creating your own form of justice (within legal boundaries of course). I am a firm believer in karma, but I also believe that you sometimes have to serve people their portion of karma. I don't want to be fucked with, so if someone wants to try, then they will be pwned lol ;).
 
Sorry for pulling a Brendan Quinn and disappearing from the face of the earth >_>

This is the first time in about a month I've signed into CAG. Been busy with work, school stuff, etc.

But I do have good news, finally!

A few weeks ago Brendan finally gave in. I emailed him with names of relatives and employers I was getting ready to place emails and phone calls too. As well as a few more emails about getting the police involved. He gave in.

I had one poster privately contact me. And fugitive, I saw your post. Christ, how many people has he done this too?!

I will pay more attention to this thread and posters who contact me about this, I want to help so hopefully you too can get your money back. But I did.

And plus, with all the info available on this guy that I got in 5 minutes... you guys all have a great shot at getting your money back eventually. Let me know if theres anything I could do to help.

Damn scammers =[
 
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