Help, I think I'm being screwed!

[LordRahl]

O.K. some of you probably read about my situation with Matt Wilson of Fantasy Masterpieces in the grading forum. For those that didn't here's the story. I sent two books to Matt to restore for me back in early December of last year. I paid him half the estimate with the remainder due at completion. The books were supposed to be done in approximately 3 months. Well it's been 8 months and counting. Matt emailed me in May saying that the books would be done by the end of the following week which would have put it at around May 20th. At that point they were already well over the 3 month estimate but he said that he had had a large order and was a bit behind. No big deal, I'm patient and I figured 3 months was a minimum. Well since that email in mid May I have heard nothing from him. I've emailed him 4 or 5 times and called a couple of times. I've had to leave messages on his machine because he apparently never picks up. This is going beyond poor customer service. Any advice from you guys? Does anyone know him personally? What are my legal options, should I try to file a lawsuit? He has my money and my books and apparently refuses to respond to my attempts to reach him. What do you all think I should do here?

[supapimp]

that sucks dude, i know i would start freaking out too. what we're the two books in question? how did you pay? credit card? cheque? please keep us posted on your current unfortunate situation.

[LordRahl]

The books were FF 1 and 5. I paid thru Paypal but that was 8 months ago and well past their timeframe for filing a complaint thru them. I don't understand how this guy is in business if this is how he conducts said business.

[dam60]

Ouch! Definitely a major bummer. The only thing I can think of is the convention summer season has him really running around??? I hope things work out,

 

DAM

[PovertyRow]

O.K. some of you probably read about my situation with Matt Wilson of Fantasy Masterpieces in the grading forum. For those that didn't here's the story. I sent two books to Matt to restore for me back in early December of last year. I paid him half the estimate with the remainder due at completion. The books were supposed to be done in approximately 3 months. Well it's been 8 months and counting. Matt emailed me in May saying that the books would be done by the end of the following week which would have put it at around May 20th. At that point they were already well over the 3 month estimate but he said that he had had a large order and was a bit behind. No big deal, I'm patient and I figured 3 months was a minimum. Well since that email in mid May I have heard nothing from him. I've emailed him 4 or 5 times and called a couple of times. I've had to leave messages on his machine because he apparently never picks up. This is going beyond poor customer service. Any advice from you guys? Does anyone know him personally? What are my legal options, should I try to file a lawsuit? He has my money and my books and apparently refuses to respond to my attempts to reach him. What do you all think I should do here?

 

I say this is a time for solidarity. We should just start telephoning Matt and aksing for the status of that book, also indicating this s being followed on the CGC forum. I am certainly up for it. The LAST thing we need is more restoration negativity!

[ubiquiti]

Oh SNAP!!!

I think I would be totally spazzing right now - as in calling the cops on him, or filing a lawsuit or something.

Those are some pretty serious books, and I'm sure the restoration was not cheap, either.

Give me his number - I'll call him, too!

Seriously....I would get a lawyer, dude.

[garthgantu]

We're talking about Matt *Wilson* here, right? Not Matt Nelson, of Classic Conservations ? This is great info, as I've been shopping around for pressing and resto removal services... I will steer clear of Fantasy Masterpieces / Matt Wilson, at least for the time being!

[comicwiz]

garthgantu

 

To be honest, I'm somewhat bewildered by the similarity in the name of individual, and the company. I know of a Matt Nelson of Classic Conservation, but I've never heard of Matt Wilson of Fantasy Masterpieces.

 

Anyhow, LordRahl, I did some quick searching, and if you don't already have some of this info I found, then feel free to use it (I PM'd you). I found all of it online.

 

Good Luck

[eccomic]

I got a good quote from Matt Wilson to restore my Marvel Mystery Annual, but based on the recent scenario just outlined, I will NOT be using his services and will be utililizing those of Tracey Heft of Eclipse Paper Conservation instead. Tracey does good work and is located right here in Canada and is accessable with his toll free 1 800 number as well as the fact that he is concerned with conservation.

[BigMan]

Matt Wilson and Fantasy Masterpieces are listed in the New Overstreet in fact he bought a full page ad. Here is a link to his website

 

Matt Wilson

 

He is based out of Kelso, Washington with the scary thing being only a PO Box for a address, no business front aka home business most likely. I hope you work this out LordRahl but after so much time it is beginning to sound real bad on this Wilson guys part.

 

Just saw another interesting thing his websitre has not been updated since May 27th another not so good sign.

[supapimp]

isn't he also currently employed with heritage auctions?

[aardvark88]

10 yrs ago when Susan C. was still doing major resto work, her turnaround time was 1 year unless u were a repeat client.

[LordRahl]

Thanks for the info comicwiz. Matt Wilson and Matt Nelson are 2 different people. I know the name similarity is kind of weird but I contacted both of them prior to getting these books restored and went with Matt Wilson. According to Matt Wilson, Steve Borock spent time with him at his lab learning how to id restoration. Maybe I'll PM sborock and see if he has any insight.

[nochips]

Try and email his brother Mark Wilson of CGCmint. He may be able to contact his brother.

 

Matt Nelson is a great guy. Honest and will never rip you off.

 

 

Matt Wilson has a checkered past.

[supapimp]

i hate to say it, but the dude might of went on 8 month long bender.

[Darthdiesel]

or used the payment for a bag o' supaweed!

[dad-migration]

Take some advice from someone who knows how to solve these types of problems: me.

 

Lawyers tend to be better at collecting fees than solving problems.

 

Send the guy a letter by certified mail, return receipt. Be matter-of-fact, but firm. Give him a firm deadline--say two weeks or so--for returning (a) your books completed, or (b) your books incomplete and your money.

 

(Do not--do not--under any circumstances advance him any more money!)

 

State that if the deadline is not met, you will be filing a complaint of criminal fraud with the prosecuting attorney in his county, as well as the Attorney General in his state. Most AGs have teams that go after deadbeats like this.

 

It is impossible to know what happened here, but a common circumstance is for someone like yourself with a relatively small order to get shoved aside for a higher-paying customer. You need to give him a reason to get you to the top of his priority list. There is nothing like the prospect of being handcuffed and led off to jail to motivate people.

 

 

[buttock]

There are some scary rumors out there about Matt Wilson, and they have nothing to do with business practices. I wouldn't tough that with a ten foot pole.

Matt Nelson, on the other hand, is a great person.

[brian1227]

I got screwed a few years ago by a dealer who took my Batman # 7 (bullseye cover) which I bought from him over the phone (and never saw) and then decided to send it to one of his buddies for restoration without consulting me. I never saw this book again, but at least i didn't pay for any restoration fees. I'm not even sure if this book ever existed. I don't remember this dealer's name, but he and a couple of his buddies ripped me off for a moderate chunk of change, which prompted me to give up collecting.

 

I know that it must be eating at your gut...as it was mine. But you know what, I decided that life was too short to go crazy over a comic book (although I still sometimes do fantasize about seeing these guys dead and me dancing on their graves). That's not to say you shouldn't try to nail this pr&[!@#%^&^] to the wall, but try not to let it become your main focus, cause then it'll drive you nuts.

 

I dare say that you've already cost him a few grand in business from this thread....email him a copy of it and see if he replies. Money is sacred to these jerks.

 

Anyway, hope this helps.

[LordRahl]

It is impossible to know what happened here, but a common circumstance is for someone like yourself with a relatively small order to get shoved aside for a higher-paying customer. You need to give him a reason to get you to the top of his priority list. There is nothing like the prospect of being handcuffed and led off to jail to motivate people.

 

I'm sure you're right about my small order being pushed off in favor of other stuff. Although I'm a bit steamed that it's taking 3 times as long as was quoted, what I'm really pissedd about is that he won't answer my emails and messages. I'm a pretty patient guy, I've owned that FF 1 for over 12 years, I can do without it for a couple of more months, but at this point I'm concerned that he's just taken off with my cash and books. Thanks for all the advice guys, I'll get an update up once the situation is resolved. If anything at least this gives a heads up to people that may have been looking at using him to restore their books. This will hit him in the wallet in terms of lost business.