Does anyone have much experience with 'THE' House of Comics?

[revat]

If you really want to increase your odds of getting something done, here is what I would do:

 

1. Compile all the data you have, including emails, invoices, screenshots, pictures you took, packaging, voicemails, amazon receipts, credit card statements, etc. Get it organized and ready email out.

2. Compile all PUBLIC information you have gathered on the scammers including webisites, isp's, addresses, paypal accounts, Facebook accounts/pics, names, DOB's, police/arrest records, and pictures of their 'house'.

3. Call them and try to get them to confess to something while you're recording.

4. Take your info, and call the following Law Enforcement Agencies - Local PD, Local Sherriff, State Police, FBI, US Postal Service Investigations, and the State Parole Office of appropriate states, and the local DA's office of the county . Tell them you have all the information already packaged for them. Ask them for a specific email account for you to send everything to, ask for the name of a detective or agent or investigator to talk to.

5. Contact Amazon and your credit card company and give them all of the information as well, they also should have relationships with law enforcement which might help.

[comicwiz]

Without a smoking gun, or literally catching these guys recommitting a crime they have been busted for in the past, it is very rare for law enforcement to do anything, and 99% of the time, you will need to take the matter up civilly. This doesn't mean you can't pursue a charge against them. Not to mean they aren't helpful, but law enforcement have so much going on day to day that it might take some time for a charge to ever materialize.

[seanfingh]

 

I'm still surprised that nobody has got the Neely's local police involved.

 

I think people did, but my guess is that cops there deal with methlabs and child endangerment all day long there.

 

When someone from another state calls and says "This guy sold me a comic online, and it wasn't the one he said it would be, then he wouldn't give me my money back" it doesn't get the highest priority rating since no one was hurt, no one is in danger, the victims have enough extra money to buy comics (and do not put tax dollars into the local economy), and the crime is barely in their jurisdiction to begin with (mail fraud across state lines). Additionally these types of crime require tons of paperwork and do not usually result in significant penalties.

 

I'm not defending police inaction (and not even saying its happening), but if the police are 'taking their time' to investigate, its not hard to see why.

 

Maybe the Better Business Bureau is a better choice?

 

The BBB only works when a business is concerned about its reputation.

[Sqeggs]

If you really want to increase your odds of getting something done, here is what I would do:

 

1. Compile all the data you have, including emails, invoices, screenshots, pictures you took, packaging, voicemails, amazon receipts, credit card statements, etc. Get it organized and ready email out.

2. Compile all PUBLIC information you have gathered on the scammers including webisites, isp's, addresses, paypal accounts, Facebook accounts/pics, names, DOB's, police/arrest records, and pictures of their 'house'.

3. Call them and try to get them to confess to something while you're recording.

4. Take your info, and call the following Law Enforcement Agencies - Local PD, Local Sherriff, State Police, FBI, US Postal Service Investigations, and the State Parole Office of appropriate states, and the local DA's office of the county . Tell them you have all the information already packaged for them. Ask them for a specific email account for you to send everything to, ask for the name of a detective or agent or investigator to talk to.

5. Contact Amazon and your credit card company and give them all of the information as well, they also should have relationships with law enforcement which might help.

 

Isn't 3. illegal?

[seanfingh]

 

Different states have different laws or rules of evidence dealing with under what circumstances (or if) unilaterally taped statements are admissible as evidence.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

Different states have different laws or rules of evidence dealing with under what circumstances (or if) unilaterally taped statements are admissible as evidence.

 

Yea I think in most states it is illegal though. Rather, I know it is illegal in MD and DC. I also believe it was illegal in WY too.

[comicwiz]

I think it's an interesting predicament. Especially with the advancements in technology such as body mounted cameras or cell phone video recordings, and the way they are leaked online. While some of these video/audio recordings may not be admissible evidence in court, the public perception and swing in public opinion can sometimes have an impact far greater than the laws which attempt to insulate a court judgement/ruling from their influence.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I think it's an interesting predicament. Especially with the advancements in technology such as body mounted cameras or cell phone video recordings, and the way they are leaked online. While some of these video/audio recordings may not be admissible evidence in court, the public perception and swing in public opinion can sometimes have an impact far greater than the laws which attempt to insulate a court judgement/ruling from their influence.

 

Sure, but how would people find out about it with a situation like this? The big thing is to inform the community, and I'm not sure how we go much beyond what we are already doing.

[comicwiz]

I think it's an interesting predicament. Especially with the advancements in technology such as body mounted cameras or cell phone video recordings, and the way they are leaked online. While some of these video/audio recordings may not be admissible evidence in court, the public perception and swing in public opinion can sometimes have an impact far greater than the laws which attempt to insulate a court judgement/ruling from their influence.

 

Sure, but how would people find out about it with a situation like this? The big thing is to inform the community, and I'm not sure how we go much beyond what we are already doing.

 

YouTube is a very powerful social media channel. What's amazing is that news stations are now monitoring any/all activity that is trending strong and showing patterns of going viral because they want to be the first to break crowd sourced human interest stories in mainstream news.

[revat]

If you're calling state to state, you need to give notice of recording to all parties involved. Within the same state, you generally only need consent of ONE of the parties (barring 12 states which have different rules). For example, North Carolina is a state where only ONE party needs to agree to the recording. But that would mean someone questioning hoping for some type of confession would need to call from 'in-state' in most cases.

 

 

[ChrisInBaltimore]

If you're calling state to state, you need to give notice of recording to all parties involved. Within the same state, you generally only need consent of ONE of the parties (barring 12 states which have different rules). For example, North Carolina is a state where only ONE party needs to agree to the recording. But that would mean someone questioning hoping for some type of confession would need to call from 'in-state' in most cases.

 

 

Yea I was thinking it'd have to be in state. Do we have an NC boardies?

 

I'd have to imagine this guy is smart enough not to admit to any wrong doing on the phone though.

[VintageComics]

If you're calling state to state, you need to give notice of recording to all parties involved. Within the same state, you generally only need consent of ONE of the parties (barring 12 states which have different rules). For example, North Carolina is a state where only ONE party needs to agree to the recording. But that would mean someone questioning hoping for some type of confession would need to call from 'in-state' in most cases.

 

 

Yea I was thinking it'd have to be in state. Do we have an NC boardies?

 

I'd have to imagine this guy is smart enough not to admit to any wrong doing on the phone though.

 

You mean after reading this thread? I agree.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

If you're calling state to state, you need to give notice of recording to all parties involved. Within the same state, you generally only need consent of ONE of the parties (barring 12 states which have different rules). For example, North Carolina is a state where only ONE party needs to agree to the recording. But that would mean someone questioning hoping for some type of confession would need to call from 'in-state' in most cases.

 

 

Yea I was thinking it'd have to be in state. Do we have an NC boardies?

 

I'd have to imagine this guy is smart enough not to admit to any wrong doing on the phone though.

 

You mean after reading this thread? I agree.

 

Yea what ever happened to his GF who was going to sue us all?

[DiceX]

 

[mrmyst]

way more fat than muscle there.

[slym2none]

 

I'm still surprised that nobody has got the Neely's local police involved.

 

I think people did, but my guess is that cops there deal with methlabs and child endangerment all day long there.

 

When someone from another state calls and says "This guy sold me a comic online, and it wasn't the one he said it would be, then he wouldn't give me my money back" it doesn't get the highest priority rating since no one was hurt, no one is in danger, the victims have enough extra money to buy comics (and do not put tax dollars into the local economy), and the crime is barely in their jurisdiction to begin with (mail fraud across state lines). Additionally these types of crime require tons of paperwork and do not usually result in significant penalties.

 

I'm not defending police inaction (and not even saying its happening), but if the police are 'taking their time' to investigate, its not hard to see why.

 

Maybe the Better Business Bureau is a better choice?

 

The local TV stations' "action team" might be best.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[chrisco37]

 

The local TV stations' "action team" might be best.

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

[james1miller]

House Of Comics = Good

The House Of Comics = Bad. Stay away!

[Three-migration]

 

I'm still surprised that nobody has got the Neely's local police involved.

 

I think people did, but my guess is that cops there deal with methlabs and child endangerment all day long there.

 

When someone from another state calls and says "This guy sold me a comic online, and it wasn't the one he said it would be, then he wouldn't give me my money back" it doesn't get the highest priority rating since no one was hurt, no one is in danger, the victims have enough extra money to buy comics (and do not put tax dollars into the local economy), and the crime is barely in their jurisdiction to begin with (mail fraud across state lines). Additionally these types of crime require tons of paperwork and do not usually result in significant penalties.

 

I'm not defending police inaction (and not even saying its happening), but if the police are 'taking their time' to investigate, its not hard to see why.

 

Maybe the Better Business Bureau is a better choice?

 

The local TV stations' "action team" might be best.

 

This has got to be them:

 

http://www.wbtv.com/story/23583633/wife

[ChiSoxFan]