Stolen Comic Resold on Ebay One Year Later

[Define999]

I as well am shocked.... I have bought from the guy and he even sent me free comics? The thing I want to know is he the famed "WILHEIM UTHE"?

[fifties]

Wilhelm Uthe is the worst-of-the-worst as far as international comic book thievery goes - he's been doing this for at least 35 years (started way back in the old days with ads in CBG by sending out counterfeit money orders).

 

Ebay has become the "Happy Hunting Ground" for him, I would never - ever - do any sort of comic book transaction with anyone in Germany because of this one individual_without_enough_empathy.

Now that's ridiculous.

 

Why do you think eBay (as I presume the venue being used) has a feedback system?

 

I've shipped to and received from European eBayers many times over the last 18 years, and never been burned. I can't say that about attempts in all the trades with Americans, however.

 

In two cases I had to contact their local constabulary to pay them a visit and explain the federal penalty for mail fraud, resulting in my goods being shipped (and appropriate negative F/B being left).

[sacentaur]

Now that's ridiculous.

 

Really. It's clear that you don't understand the depth of the problem.

 

Uthe has been doing this for 35+ years. His victims probably number in the thousands. He has hundreds of AKA's. He moves around constantly and is very difficult to pin down. He has gone to jail, and upon release started defrauding people immediately again. He won't stop until he dies.

 

I'm talking about just Germany ebay, not "European" - please don't extrapolate the context.

 

Ebay's feedback system doesn't apply to him - he has (had) hundreds of accounts. Your point is invalid.

 

Your personal experience does not negate the multitude of rip-offs (involving substantial dollar amounts, all pre-ebay btw) that my friends and I have suffered at his hands. The horror stories are countless. Counterfeit money orders, claims of packages never received, mailing of empty boxes, etc.

 

In any event, I don't share your unbridled faith in ebay nor international resolution. I have friends and relatives in Germany, great people, but I won't deal with anyone there whom I don't know.

 

My money, my books, my choice.

[fifties]

 

Ebay's feedback system doesn't apply to him - he has (had) hundreds of accounts. Your point is invalid.

No, my point is quite valid; all eBay members have a feedback score, regardless of their nationality. So in dealing with a German national with a score of perhaps 200 positive hits and no negatives would not give me any reason for concern.

 

It doesn't sound like this character, with his multiple ID's, would achieve even 10 positive hits before the neg's started piling on, and therein lies the value of the F/B system. It's the only display of character one can use when dealing on eBay with an unknown buyer or seller.

 

Your personal experience does not negate the multitude of rip-offs (involving substantial dollar amounts, all pre-ebay btw) that my friends and I have suffered at his hands. The horror stories are countless. Counterfeit money orders, claims of packages never received, mailing of empty boxes, etc.

My comments only concern eBay trades, where there can be a record of transaction fulfillment through the F/B system.

And why in the world would you and your friends keep dealing with this individual, after -at most- two negative experiences?

In any event, I don't share your unbridled faith in ebay nor international resolution. I have friends and relatives in Germany, great people, but I won't deal with anyone there whom I don't know.

 

My money, my books, my choice.

If you got ripped by this guy more than once, I'm afraid the brutal truth is that you're the one with the misplaced faith. And I'm not trying to be argumentative, but there seems to be a lack of good judgement here if you have dealt multiple times with the same troublemaker.

[sacentaur]

I'm not trying to be argumentative...

 

But that's exactly what you're doing Richard by making erroneous assumptions and drawing the wrong conclusions.

 

Victims have been defrauded by Uthe using a plethora of different ID's over a very long period of time. As far as I know, Calvin Slobodian (in Canada) suffered the greatest loss (he was really hit hard). In a single transaction, I lost a VF/NM Batman 23 and a G/VG WDC&S 31 to Uthe. We only connected the dots after we had been burned.

 

But please feel free to continue to scold the victims (both past and present) if you feel entitled to do so, it won't change anything.

 

Any petty squabble here is pointless. The important thing is for boardies to be aware that he recently has been active on ebay. Uthe is a lifelong criminal, and it makes me sick every time I hear of another collector getting ripped-off by him. It just never ends.

[The_Captain]

I am sorry and angry this keeps happening.

 

I went against him in court several years ago. He ended up in prison for several fraudulent conflicts and seems to be out again. If I remember correct, he uses the name Sasha as an alias and pretends to be his own son.

 

I talked to my lawyer today who had fought him in court for me some 6/ 7 years back.

The only solution to go against him would be to file a report with the states DA's office. With a lot of luck and massive help from prosecution he might get locked away for involuntary treatment for not being able to integrate into society.

 

I will gladly assist and support anyone who wants to get in touch with the DA's office in order to file a report.

[TheLiamSturgess]

Folks, I have to step up and call wildly_fanciful_statement on this most recent accusation. I had Josh email me and Matt both in a panic at the repercussions of this completely unwarranted accusation.

 

Josh is a 23-year-old smalltime collector and seller who has helped me and my buddies out many times, who I have spoken to personally outside of eBay's messaging system.

 

I believe the previous poster when they say they received an empty package, but where is the evidence that Josh sent it empty? This would be the very first time Josh has ever done anybody wrong as far as I can tell. I know for a fact that Josh takes his dealings very seriously and wouldn't risk scamming anybody. I'm sooner convinced it was stolen somewhere along the delivery line and this is an isolated incident completely unrelated to this Uthe character.

 

From what Josh told me, it also seems that BurgeKid has a very strange desire to "take him down" beyond simple frustration at a deal gone wrong.

 

To Burgekid: What, pray tell, caused you to suggest that Josh was Uthe, apart from his being German?

[punksdropdirtysrh]

Wilhelm Uthe is the worst-of-the-worst as far as international comic book thievery goes - he's been doing this for at least 35 years (started way back in the old days with ads in CBG by sending out counterfeit money orders).

 

Ebay has become the "Happy Hunting Ground" for him, I would never - ever - do any sort of comic book transaction with anyone in Germany because of this one individual_without_enough_empathy.

 

Im thinking this guy would make a great Bond villain.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Wilhelm Uthe is the worst-of-the-worst as far as international comic book thievery goes - he's been doing this for at least 35 years (started way back in the old days with ads in CBG by sending out counterfeit money orders).

 

Ebay has become the "Happy Hunting Ground" for him, I would never - ever - do any sort of comic book transaction with anyone in Germany because of this one individual_without_enough_empathy.

 

Cutting out an entire nation of 80 million people because of one person...?

 

 

That's rather short-sighted, and shows a striking lack of discernment.

[kav]

Cut em.

If they didn't like it they can do something about the bad apple in their midst.

[sacentaur]

There's an associated topic discussion (begun in 2006) over in Gold for those who want more perspective on Uthe and his nefarious activities:

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1063552#Post1063552

[kav]

From an old forum post:

 

As you can see, he is not only a carbuncle on the backside of the comic world, but is equally at home annoying members of the tobacco and Victorian trade card communities. About 5 years ago I made my own acquaintance with W.U. To cut a long story short, I sent him very good condition cards, he sent me trash. After numerous emails, which - putting it mildly - grew increasingly more unflattering in tone, I gave up on the deal. Asking around my colleagues, almost everyone has, at some time or another, been stung by this monster. Reading through these posts, I was saddened to hear that Uthe has even put off some collectors from dealing with the entire country of Germany! What an astonishing effect one man can have on the collecting landscape.

 

http://cgcforum.gpanalysis.com/cgcforum_thread.asp?pagenumber=14&ThreadID=1063552&forumID=15&threadName=BUYERS+BEWARE+of+Wilhelm+F.+Uthe+Ripoff+Artist

[TheLiamSturgess]

Wilhelm Uthe is the worst-of-the-worst as far as international comic book thievery goes - he's been doing this for at least 35 years (started way back in the old days with ads in CBG by sending out counterfeit money orders).

 

Ebay has become the "Happy Hunting Ground" for him, I would never - ever - do any sort of comic book transaction with anyone in Germany because of this one individual_without_enough_empathy.

 

Cutting out an entire nation of 80 million people because of one person...?

 

 

That's rather short-sighted, and shows a striking lack of discernment.

 

+1

 

Utterly ridiculous, IMO. That's like an Australian buyer writing off the whole country of America because of Comic-Keys.

[jimbo_707]

I am sorry and angry this keeps happening.

 

I went against him in court several years ago. He ended up in prison for several fraudulent conflicts and seems to be out again. If I remember correct, he uses the name Sasha as an alias and pretends to be his own son.

 

I talked to my lawyer today who had fought him in court for me some 6/ 7 years back.

The only solution to go against him would be to file a report with the states DA's office. With a lot of luck and massive help from prosecution he might get locked away for involuntary treatment for not being able to integrate into society.

 

I will gladly assist and support anyone who wants to get in touch with the DA's office in order to file a report.

The FBI also has an Internet Crime Complaint Center.

 

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

 

As an aside, this resource can also be used be anyone who thinks he has been the victim of shill bidding in an online auction (which is a felony—wire fraud).

[sacentaur]

I will gladly assist and support anyone who wants to get in touch with the DA's office in order to file a report.

 

Same here - I would happily contribute funds if it helped put Uthe behind bars again.

[TheShadowKnows]

dont ship hi dollar overseas unless to reputable boardies

 

fixed

I hear you have to watch out for that gotham kid

[OldGuy]

Wilhelm Uthe is the worst-of-the-worst as far as international comic book thievery goes - he's been doing this for at least 35 years (started way back in the old days with ads in CBG by sending out counterfeit money orders).

 

Ebay has become the "Happy Hunting Ground" for him, I would never - ever - do any sort of comic book transaction with anyone in Germany because of this one individual_without_enough_empathy.

 

Cutting out an entire nation of 80 million people because of one person...?

 

 

That's rather short-sighted, and shows a striking lack of discernment.

 

Right!? I kinda like it.