eBay scam update on Live Sand

ebeckels

Active Member
Just so everyone knows... sandcreatures on ---- is selling Live sand. I'll post an email of what i just received from someone who is taking this person to court; ( I don't know who this BDG person is either!) HERE IT IS:
I too bought some of this seller's "live sand", and left good FB unknowingly before I really checked out what this stuff was. I hope BDG emailed you about the fraud of this item... this seller made up an identity (Karen Eckley is not a real person, it's not even a "she", his real name is William Heil) and tried to pawn off Southdown Play Sand, found at Home Depot for under $5 for a big 50lb bag, as live Fiji. If you look under a scope, you can tell, I have a bio background and work in the lab as a med student, and did this to confirm that there is nothing living in it at all. What he did was actually take Southdown and put it in a garbage bag with water so that it would look like Fiji to people who don't know better. I did not either but got to suspect something was up when I saw no dentrivore tracks in it the next morning after it had settled. Both an expert reef hobbyist and my friend who dives often in Fiji confirmed that it was definitely not Fiji, but very cheap st!
uff. BDG also dives in Fiji and told me the same of his.
Try to get your money back if at all possible, both of us were able to, but only after repeated phone calls threatening to call the state prosecutor's office (which we still are doing). This man was exceedingly rude to me over the phone, and tried to make me think I had the wrong number until I flat out confronted him with the facts given to me by UPS. Then he all but admitted it, but said "You'll never be able to prove it (not true), so you'd better be nice to me, I'll give your money back to you if I feel like it, but the ball's in my court now, so shut up." Only after giving him actual info on his local DA's office and a deadline, was the money paypaled back to me.
BDG's story, similar to mine, can be found at:
<a href="http://www.infinitespam.com/sand" target="_blank">www.infinitespam.com/sand</a>
The seller has since changed his auctions so that they only read "sand" taking off references to FFE, Fiji, live, etc, which all weren't true. I hope you are able to get your money back, and I'm sorry to have to contact you with bad news you may or may not be aware of by now.
Cecilia Chen
 

ebeckels

Active Member
who knows if he has it in a marine tank with critters in it...it could be sorta like what most of us do...use a lot of southdown and then seed it with some GOOD quality LIVE sand. Eventually it all turns live. maybe that's what he does....who knows...I only bought 15lbs. I paid $21.00 not the end of the world. some people paid a lot.
-Eric
 

daluminum

Member
Ooops.. I got 100lbs sitting in my tank.. :mad: :mad: :eek: <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" /> <img src="graemlins//uhuh.gif" border="0" alt="[U-Huh]" /> This pisses me off.. but luckily I already had about 10lb's of livesand in my tank.. so I have detrivours.. but still Im pissed.. Im gonna send him an email and complain.. man.. that really sucks.. So I guess I gotta figure this out now.. any feedback on how to handle it??
 

ebeckels

Active Member
go to the website and submit ur complaint...i can forward the person that just wrote to me ur email address if u'd like.
 

daluminum

Member
Ok. I just called the guy.. He was very polite.. admitted he had messed up and offered very quickly to return my money.. He has been threatened by others and is ready to help.. Granted I dont have my money yet.. but I am a trusting person.. So if you call the guy be polite and he seem's like he will comly.. everyone so far has gotten their money back. Just be civil.. the guy seems ok.. just found a good way to make a quick buck.. haha.. Scam or not.. ya gotta respect someone with an idea.. not defending him.. I pretty piseed.. haha.. well I guess on a lighter note.. I can now post a message thats say.. "WOOHOO, I got southdown!!! " HAHAHAHA LOL... guess this isnt the way I wanted to get it..
 

ebeckels

Active Member
what's his number???
Where did u get it?
could you email it to me at EBeckels@aol.com
Thanks.
 

wally

Member
Not that I am denying that people did get ripped off here, and that it sucks. But isn't funny that one of the people who got ripped off also runs a web site for victims of people who have been ripped off? And for a **FEE** you to can fight back and send the offenders spam. Sounds kinda fishy to me don't it?
 

ebeckels

Active Member
all he does is spam an email account...i'm not sure what you see is "fishy" except someone who tries to get scam artists got scammed...I don't think anyone is going to be paying this guy to spam!
 

daluminum

Member
well "karen" was nice to me.. the spamming I think is a little childish.. but it does keep him from doing any more business.. but that is not our place.. Inform others yes.. but.. until he is convicted there is nothing we can do.. but the real childish thing is that this BDG guy is calling and hanging up on "karen".. all hours of the night.. now.. I spent $81.. ok.. wuptee doo.. no reason to loose sleep.. people need to relax.. it was a scam.. big deal.. anyone who bought 100lbs of live sand for $81 should be expecting it.. hehe.. I didnt.. but I should have.. :D
This is from the link listed in the original post.. The person that shipped this sand and sold this sand is:
William Heil aka Karen Eckley
3217 Salisbury Court
Wexford, PA 15090-9678
(412) 318-6331
And yes I think its funny that the person who was spammed has a low rent website setup to do nothing but spam people.. I wish that I had the time to waste my bandwidth like that.. the guy with this website probably lives in his mom's basement and drags down half of the cities bandwidth with his $45 a month roadrunner connection charging people based on the number of emails he wants to send.. this is the same kinda of jerk that started the "I love you" virus we all enjoyed a few months back.. I dont think either party is very mature.. however "karen" is returning my money.. Scared, or feeling guilty either way I got southdown for free!! wooohoo!!!
:D
 

daluminum

Member
This is kinda long.. but. its the email I have been exchanging with BDG.. funny he wont use his name.. but anyway.. So, I assume you are thanking me. You're welcome.
The intent of spamming the guy was to get his attention. I have called
"Bill" once and he said that there were no prosecutors in his state
that
would even touch this case... well, since you two are obviously friends
now... call him back and tell him that I am donating $5k to a
prosecutor in
his county and I am sure that he will be prosecuted with in 60 days or
I
will file suit in his county my self and will travel to his county to
sue
him in his county. Most idiots say, give it up... you already received
your
refund... why do you continue to pursue this guy? Because you're
right... it
was a scam... not a very good one because he got caught. Who's to say
he
won't repeat the offense? Call Don at FFX and he will tell you that
this
same person was running this scam one year ago... He was stopped then,
but
started back up. It is time that he learns a valuable lesson.
If the guy is still stupid enough to continue selling south down play
sand
as live sand... I promise... spamming him is the least of his worries.
By
him removing FIJI and FFX that will help... but he is still not selling
live
sand as he claims. A microscope proves this.
Tell Billy anything you want... his name has traveled all over the
Internet
and I will be the first to admit that it was me and stupid idiots like you
that
continue to support pricks like this are the ones that should continue
to
get screwed.
Glad you got your refund... just remember who brought all of this to
your
attention.
BDG

[hr]
Original Message

[hr]
From: "daniel browning" <db7863@yahoo.com>
To: "BDG" <bdg@ntcwebgroup.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2002 10:11 PM
Subject: Re: Fiji LS Scam
> Thanks. I called bill.. he was very polite and
> apologetic. he volunteered to send my money back via
> paypal ASAP.. you obviously scared him enough that I
> was polite and he was to.. He is pretty upset about
> being spammed.. personnaly I think there is a less
> childish way to do things but that your perogative..
> howevery he did say that "someone" has been calling
> and hangin up.. That is beyond childish and I hope
> that you are not supporting this behavior.. The guy
> pulled a scam.. and it was a good scam.. but people do
> it everyday.. he is repenting and repaying.. hopefully
> he will learn from his mistakes.. but if not.. just
> proves we have to be much more careful as ----
> buyers.. anyway.. I will send my name as soon as I
> receive payment from him, at which time I will give
> him the names of all websites that I have seen this
> posted on.. as well as your own.. I just think its
> fair that he know as much as you do.. THX ~DAniel
>
>
>
> --- BDG <bdg@ntcwebgroup.com> wrote:
> > Forward me your name address and phone number... go
> > to
> > <a href="http://www.infinitespam.com/sand" target="_blank">www.infinitespam.com/sand</a> for all the contact
> > information for "Karen" call
> > "Karen" direct after reading about "Karen" and
> > demand a refund or else.
> >
> > I am touching base with
> > Mike Fischer, PA office of state attorney
> > (Harrisburg)
> > 717 787 3391
> >
> > tomorrow.
> >
> > BDG
> >

[hr]
Original Message

[hr]
> > From: "daniel browning" <db7863@yahoo.com>
> > To: <Sales@infinitespam.com>
> > Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2002 7:01 PM
> > Subject: Fiji LS Scam
> >
> >
> > > Hi just wanted to drop a note and tell you that I
> > too
> > > bought 100lbs of fiji LS from karen.. Please let
> > me
> > > know what I can do to help the case. and to get my
> > > money back. THX ~DAniel
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________
> > > Do You Yahoo!?
> > > Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions!
> > > <a href="http://auctions.yahoo.com" target="_blank">http://auctions.yahoo.com</a>
> > >
> >
>
It seems that the website is not his... just using it "services" but either way..
 

ebeckels

Active Member
he won't answer the phone when i call..i just get some stupid answering machine with a computer voice. I left a message and wrote him an email, but I doubt I'll get a return phone call!
 

daluminum

Member
yeah.. the answering machine answered.. I sounded very polite saying that I had a concern about my tank and that I didnt see any improvement it my water quality.. he picked up right away, sounded genuinely concerned.. but just leave a nice message.. haha.. he might pick it up right away.. :)
 

ebeckels

Active Member
I think he may have caller ID, I called back at least 15 times now, I've left nice messgaes/demanding messages/sympathetic messages...anything to try to get him to pick up...NADA! Wanna try for me??? :) He must have caller ID and he sees my number! I'll keep trying I guess.
 

ebeckels

Active Member
I'm just working on getting my money back right now. Hopefully he'll answer my calls one of these days.
 

daluminum

Member
Eric email me your phone # at db7863@yahoo.com I will call him when I receive payment. Thanking him and asking him to call you...
I had an email conversation with that BDG guy last nite.. that guy is a moron.. and incredibly childish.. Called me an idiot for buying the stuff.. and in the same breath he said he was donating $5000 to sue the seller.. haha.. rediculous..
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
This is the main reason I won't buy on E-bay. The old saying, "you get what you pay for" is obviously applicable.
I'm glad this was brought to the attention of members here at SWF.com but I'm going to close out the thread now. Looks like you guys need to get on Instant Messaging at this point to hash out the particulars of this problem.
Sorry this happened to you all!
 
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