Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tsm174]

I know I shouldn't wait but I have class all day today until 6:30 so it's going to have to be then. The way it looks now (again barring some unfortunate emergency) is that he gave me a fake name, said I was transferring it to his brother in law's account, lied about his departure date, then left the country this morning, closing his bank account and canceling his phone (though the message just says it's off). At this point, even if it is some crazy twist and somehow this is innocent, there is no excuse for not contacting me somehow. Though I'd like to avoid getting someone convicted for fraud unless they really really deserve it, I also don't like getting screwed over. Chances are though, he's left the country.

[hfrancis]

If I remember correctly, when I registered with this site I had to provide my personal information, including full name, address and place of work, to the web administrator who I assume is Dave himself. If this is in fact a scam perhaps the police may have legal authority over that info. Don't know if it would be useful if he's back home now though. Just a thought.

[tsm174]

Thats a good point... My director also called what I guess is the equivolent of the Better Business Bearuea. They told him that they would work on it, and told me to go to the police to have them work on it also. My guess is though, you don't do this unless you are leaving the country for good. I just feel bad if he really does have a sister and brother in law, as that is likely who the police will trouble with this whole thing. To leave them with this is even worse than scamming me.

[tsm174]

So just incase anyone wanted to try and reason this out, here is what I know... I e-mailed Inter on Feb. 18 (thursday), recieving an e-mail back the same day. He signed the e-mail jj, which I failed to see. His email was jj.bowling, however gmail lets you set the name people see, and his said Chris Kang, so I just started calling him Chris. He never corrected me, so thats what I assumed it was. He gave me his brother in law's phone number to contact him, as he had already canceled his phone because he was leaving. I called him on this number and talked to him, he gave me his brother's bank information as, again, he was leaving and closed everything already. This name was Robert Bowling. We exchanged e-mails multiple times, working out the details. He was leaving on the 28th, and was going to have the moving company drop the TV off here (dongtan) on tuesday after 3:30. The last time I talked to him was Monday on the phone. This was, however, his friend's phone, a different number. This was the last time I talked to him. He was supposed to e-mail or call to tell me more specifically when to expect the delivery, but as I said I never heard from him. I called both phones, both were off. Then finally I got through to his friend's phone. I asked if Chris was there, and he said Chris left. So... I have 3 different names, a possible friend, possible sister and brother in law... Any thoughts?

[sobriquet]

Give it all to the police and see what they say.

Any idea what country he was from? Accent give it away?

Start having a look on social networking sites, see if there is any information there, you never know

[sobriquet]

rereading that.

It sounds like he has set up a friend to take the fall.

Or his friend is a guilty party.

Chris Kang is a familiar name though.

Go to the police. Give them the bank details etc. They wll hopefully help you out.

[KoreanAmbition]

You say you finally got through to the friend, and that friend said "Chris" left? Okay, good, so we know that his name probably is Chris, not "jj". If his name isn't Chris, then the friend is in on the scam. You know, "If someone calls asking for Chris, just say he left".

I highly suggest you call back that certain friend and inform him that his phone number is now in the process of being given to police in a fraud investigation. The police can track that "friend" down because it's probably a real phone number. I agree with an earlier poster who said a lot of people wouldn't realize that fraud is taken this seriously and that $800 is enough to have the police involved. I think knowing that should scare the "friend" enough to at least offer more informaiton about the guy who ripped you off. If not, then the "friend" is your man.


One word of advice. Don't assume the guy was a teacher. Don't assume the guy was leaving the country. You keep talking about a sister and a moving truck and leaving the country, etc etc.

If this was a scam, that guys eating Samgyupsal and drinking Soju with your TV money, and there might never have been a Sony TV in the first place.

You have the friend's number, I say call him and tell him that YOU are pointing the finger at him for the scam and do what you can to try and get that friend to talk more.

In the USA, after 24 hours, a kidnapped child is about 90% gauranteed to be never seen again. I'm sure your money would love to have those odds at this time, so don't rely on just the police.

AND DON"T think for 1 second that Chris has something real happen and that you might inconvenience his fake sister. You are getting scammed, period. You raise the biggest fuss you can, and later, if it turns out you're wrong, you don't even apologize. You say "Well why didn't you call me or something so this would have been avoided." You paid for a TV, you deserve a TV, or your money back. You shouldn't be apologizing for anything.

"Just one man's opinion."

[meta4play]

I have been reading this thread, and its a shame there are low lifes out there who pull this shit. now i understand why its not such a simple registration process to get an account here.

Chris, JJ, sister in law, all of that stuff sounds to me to be fake, it seems as if you have the "friends" phone number. In that case, if he told his friend, "hey im getting paid 800 from work can I put it in ur account, blah blah blah"

then i dont see how the "friend" can be liable, especially if the origional person was doing this on his way out of korea especially if he's gone now.

I would like to provide some sort of answer to put you at ease, but I honestly believe that when you buy something you need to look at it in person, plug in your xbox make sure the A/V ports are working, and all of that, because it seems you have a few fake names and a bank account under god knows who;s name, brother in law, friend?

I hope the police can provide answers to you, but it seems like a waste of time if the dudes left the country. I can't see a friend being liable for someone else's crime or even a brother in law.

[cmr]

KoreanAmbition, I like your way of thinking! Hopefully for the buyer, your advice will be seriously considered and something will get done.

meta4play, there may simply be no "friend" at all, you know. By the way, I'm still waiting for your call.

[meta4play]

cmr! long time, forgot ur user name, i sold my old phone a month ago, got a new contract, gimme ur number in a pm man!

[sobriquet]

Ask dave for his last used IP as well.

With any luck it's not a cafe

[tsm174]

That was all very good advice, and believe me I took all of it. I called back the friend, and it rang without ever going to voicemail. The good news is, I have a much better chance of getting the money if he is still in the country. The police can freeze the account while they investigate it. I put a formal request in, Bank to Bank, to return the money. If that is not done, and they do find a friend or relative with the money in the account (or even if the money was withdrawn), I am able to take them to court with all the evidence I have. I hope Inter is reading this thread and reconsidering everything. All he needs to do to return my money is approve the return. Obviously, I don't expect that to happen. But as of now, the police and Better Business Bearuea are looking into it, and thats really all I can do. If he tries to leave the country, he'll be stopped. And he told me himself that he was at a cafe, I'll ask dave for the info but I'm sure it's all fake. Thanks again for all the advice.

[sobriquet]

[tsm174]

Well I assume the more info I give to the police the better their chances. Don't know if this matters, but I also learned that the bank I transferred into was in Itaewon.

[Jeff's Cigarettes]

So, are you saying he hasn't left the country yet? Wow, I hope it works out for you and this guy is arrested and thrown in jail. Also, blacklisted from ever entering Korea again. That was such a scumbag thing to do...and to think he was most likely a teacher, what a joke! Burn that mutha!