I bought a card from Brian Crotts, he has the payment, and I have no card. His last email said he'd send me the tracking number, but when I responded, my message was kicked back. Can anyone put me in touch with him, and/or vouch for his honesty? I am beginning to question the validity of the transaction.

Many thanks,
Mike

The name doesn't sound familiar to me...was this on the B/S/T?

Dan,



I think this is the same Brian that had a thread dedicated to an inaccurately PSA authenticated autograph on a 1939 Playball card.

Mike, this Brian is the same one in the thread about the MS charity and the PSA/DNA 1939 Play Ball Goof.

A few months back I helped him with some info on a card, he then asked if I wanted it to make him an offer. I immediately sent him an email offering something like $60-70, and I didn't hear from him for 4-5 days, then I got an email saying it was mine at that price. Anyways I don't see the email for a few hours or so and email him saying that the money is on the way. I get an email back immediately saying I wasn't fast enough and that he needed an answer sooner and decided to sell it to someone else.

Long story short is this guy is a deadbeat and shouldn't be allowed to deal on this forum anymore. My experience was before the 1939 Play Ball thing and this from you, but I think his true colors have been exposed. He is bad news.

-Rhett

Hi Dan,

Yes, he listed the card, T3 of Kling, on the BST. We reached an agreement on price, and I mailed him payment on 12/30, which he cashed and cleared on 1/5. I think I've been scammed.

Mike

Hi Rhett,

Thank you for the additional information. He wrote me this past Wednesday and said that he was at work and would send me the tracking number on the card later in the day when he returned home. I heard nothing. When I emailed him today (Sunday, 1/25), my email was kicked back suggesting that he no longer had a valid email address.

I don't know what the procedure is on this type of illicit transaction, but maybe Leon needs to weigh in and give me some guidance.

Thanks for all the responses.

Cheers, Mike

even if he has a valid excuse here...how do you buy from him after the '39 playball thread and all those CU people coming over saying he was scamming people from over there???



not sure what leon could help u with here...maybe a PSA?






edited scan size

Real simple Quan--I didn't read the thread. I don't always have the time to read everything posted on this forum.

Mike

i hear ya mike...when i see a new name i don't recognize selling stuff i would ask for references right away. i've been burned before, it sucks so i'm more cautious than ever. (or send paypal cc)

didn't mean to sound harsh but it pisses me off seing a long time member maybe getting scammed by a board newbie...

Quan--I agree, and this is a lesson learned. I hope we can ban this guy from our forum.

Cheers,
Mike

Rest assured if he doesn't come through ASAP with your card or money back he will be banned.

i think mike will get his card...100-150 seems like such a small amount to scam someone out of, with all the hassles/stress/complications that come with it.

Mike,

Here's his most recent thread. The first post includes an email address. Not sure if that's the same one you have or not.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/153652/thread/1231881447/last-1232825259/WOW+-+Banned+From+PSA

I believe he was on the board as recently as a day or two ago at the bottom of that thread.

Hope this helps.

I know Leon treats the BST as caveat emptor, which is not unreasonable, but maybe new sellers should have to provide some kind of references. Sorry about your experience Mike.

While not offering 100% security, perhaps the possibility of displaying a Seller's longevity w/in BST posts would help prevent this sh!t?

Sorry about your issue. We have still only had around a handful of problems in about 3 1/2 yrs in which I have been moderating. That's still too many. And of course Dan is correct. This guy, Brian for MS, won't be allowed to participate on this forum or the BST until he makes this situation right. After that we can decide what to do next. I think we will want explanations for the other BS I have seen too. It sort of seemed like everything had been worked out with his $75 PSA fiasco and I thought it was over. We certainly don't need deadbeats on the forum....plus there can be legal action if there was a theft. Just because stuff happens on the BST doesn't mean there are no laws that can be broken. I strongly recommend folks to ask for references when doing business with folks you don't know. I think I even posted a thread about it in the last week or so. regards

I'm sorry this is happening to you.

His ebay feedback is in the toilet, with that said

I think he will come through.


Steve

With the NET54 s/w there is no way to rate each person. We could set up another index/forum with known good sellers on the BST? I can see an issue now:
Someone shoots me an email to add them to the list of good guys.....he/she gives Mastro and REA as references and I check and he/she is registered with them and there are no issues. So I add them to the list and BAM....they scam someone. Now I am liable as I have said they were ok.

I know this is a little far fetched..... but not too far, if ya'll know what I mean? I still think that with all that goes on over there, and the difficulty in managing it, there will not be a perfect system for us. I am open to suggestions. Please remember to ask for REFERENCES if the other person is not well known.... regards

Mike

How did you pay? Hopefully paypal?


Steve

If I'm interested in buying from the BST, and I don't recognize a name right away, I'll go through the previous few pages of the BST to see how many previous sales they might have had in recent times. If they have a few or more recent transactions, then I can count on them being safe. The great thing about this board is that if there is someone dishonest, they will be outed right away, and justifiably so! Mike, sorry about your situation, but thanks for further outing this character. Good luck with the resolution. Because of Leon's and everyone else who participates dilligence when it comes to patrolling honesty, our BST is by far still one of the safest places to do business.
Tim Kindler

at the very least ask for an ebay id and contact them through there...

we need a new board . i feel the 40-50 posts i've made the last 7+ years are going to waste if they can't be seen.

Mike, sorry to hear about your troubles. Sincerely, Paul

Mike - That stinks. Thanks for outing him for the benefit of others.
CardsForMS. Boo

My Trade/Sale Page

Leon



There is not much you can do. People that want to avail themselves to

the B/S/T forum need to do all the homework and not just blindly trust

every Tom, Dick or Brian that lists things there. This is not directed

at Mike but IMO if it was me and I was dealing with someone not known to this

forum I'd expect the seller to provide me with some refs.





Had the OP simply asked Brian for his ebay name he would have seen

how he conducts himself there and probably would have passed on this deal.



I have a few PM's out over at CU and I'll try to get a working email

or hopefully a phone number.



Speaking of working email isn't he supposed to have one just to

be able to post?



Again I am sorry the OP has to stress over this nonsense.



Steve


Edited to add: his ebay handle is: CardsbySGC

I also have this as an email address: [email protected]

Maybe it is a different one?

This guy did it again! He has stolen from many people lately and made up lies to get money. I would never buy anything from this guy again! He is sorry as they come.

His two eBay ID's are cardsbysgc and osocards.

From the several folks I have seen posting, that said they have been scammed by him, it sounds like it's time for someone to call his local police dept. Sometimes they have a way of making things happen. I say this in full understanding that it should only be used as a last resort. From what I have seen on this board, pertaining to this individual, I would say it's a last resort. I am sure he reads this board, and CU, and has to know what is being said about him. You would think he would defend himself? Good luck and let us know what happens. regards

I'm a new member but I've been reading the forum for a bit. I've never posted and am not sure of the effort involved in maintaining a website such as this. Perhaps a link on the homepage titled "SCUMBAGS" could direct everyone to a list of people to avoid dealing with. If this is illegal or possibly inviting litigation, perhaps you could name it something else not quite so offensive.

Profiting from the guise of charity of a serious disease?.. Actually, SCUMBAG would be a compliment.

Steve, I just noticed your avatar. I'm in awe. How on earth did you create that?

Perhaps the title of the list could be "Disavowed".

-Brian T. (not the M.S. Brian)

We have a SERIOUS problem here.

I bought this EXACT T3 Kling from Brian off of ebay on 12/23. I paid that day, and I received the card from him, some time around 1/10.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330296176161

The card is in my possession right now.

To be clear, I bought it on ebay on 12/23 FROM BRIAN. If he tried selling it to anyone after that, he is a SCAM ARTIST!

Perhaps the list can be titled "The Brian Crotts Hall of Shame" Anyway, just to repeat myself, I'm new here but have been collecting quite some time. The depth of knowledge on this board as well as the non-sports forum is amazing. It's nice to meet everyone and I look forward to dealing with some of you. I collect anything I like (translation - anything I can afford) Right now I'm working on 56 and 61 topps sets and a Skybirds set.

My 12/23 Paypal payment to Brian went to this email address:

[email protected]

I guess I should feel lucky that I actually received the card from him, since this is 100% undeniable proof that he is a scam artist.

Scott

Scott I'm surprised he sent it to you. Usually he tries to claim

the mail lost it.



Did his crappy feedback alarm you at all?



Steve


Edited to add: [email protected] was the paypal account that his
MS charity work used.

Here is his ad on the B/S/T

looks like he posted it on 12/22

http://tinyurl.com/bvzsp7



edited to add: I locked that B/S/T ad in case he were to come back and try to delete it.

So if it was posted on the BST on 12/22, unless it was posted on ebay for a 1-day auction, he posted it here when it was closing on ebay 24 hours later.

I never would've bid on the card on ebay if I realized who this guy was.

I think it was a one day auction. But what would that matter?

Surely he had to know he sold it twice.


Steve

Well...there is NO excuse for what happened here. This was flat out a scam.

I have emailed the OP with the address that we have on file of Brian.

It appears to be a business address though. I also gave him another

working email.

I'd post it here but am unsure what the protocol is.

Steve

It is against Network54.com rules to post personal contact information on this site. Many times it is done and nothing is said but rest assured, it is against Network54.com rules. So, no, I can't really allow personal information on this site, like that...Not too long ago was the very first time I got a nastygram from Net54 about allowing something like this. Shame on me. best regards

That is why I asked, I figured it was a no no.

In any event I emailed Mike all the info I had.

Steve

He could be one of those guys that is really slooooow at shipping stuff and it takes constant reminders to finally get him to react. Funny thing is that he sure was on top of things with that 1939 PB card and PSA.

I also tried emailing him at an address he provided a couple of weeks ago and now messages are returned as undeliverable.

Why doesn't someone get on that CU board and ask him "what's up?"

Dear All,

Thank you everyone, particularly Scott Sarian and Steve, for their helpful information. I sent Brian Crotts an email (at an address Steve provided) and await a response to my request that he return my $150. If he does not, I will explore the petty theft option.

It is gratifying to have the support that you have all voiced, and I agree with Tim Kindler that our forum remains one of the safest places to buy-sell-trade--fortunately Brian Crotts is an aberration. As Leon rightly noted, all transactions on the B/S/T invoke caveat emptor, and I will be more mindful of unknown sellers in the future.

Thank you all for your kind words.

Cheers,
Mike

Why doesn't someone get on that CU board and ask him "what's up?"



ummm we did that.


Steve

Steve,

I guess there was no response from Brian on the CU board? I'm sorry, if you posted the information earlier in the thread just tell me to get off my lazy fingers and scroll through the thread for that information (or please repeat it).

I've had nothing but positive dealings on the BST (both buying and selling).

Leon, can you create a categorey in the BST that says: REFERENCES. People could ask about specific people and we could all contribute with our answers (or privately email responses).

Just keep in mind that if someone asks about you then it shouldn't be taken personally because not everybody is as well known as lets say Leon Luckey or Barry Sloate or board people like that.

Bottom line is (as always): buyer beware.

Steve, Wasn't he the guy that just offered a public apology on a recent CU thread? He didn't come up with a Secret Santa gift, bashed PSA, took donations for MS and then said he didn't and promised to make good on everything? That thread can't be 5 days old? I guess he's still up to his old tricks, just in new places. Geez.

In Rememberance of James W. Brennan Sr. 1924-1982. Dad, thanks for everything you did for me.

On a lot of boards sellers/traders will add the sig line
"successful trades with Leon, Barry, Elliot, Bill, BcD" etc.
Might be a good idea for those not well known on the board. An ebay id wouldn't hurt either- although I"m sure given Brian's ebay feedback he would've avoided that.

I generally try to do as a buyer on the BST is go back to the thread once I have rec'd the card and say thank you and that I rec'd it - deal done, it's all good. Potentially this lets anyone reading know that I paid and the seller shipped. The down side is that it bumps an old thread up to the top sometimes a week or ten days later.

Jeff - I thought you gave the bump as a favor to the seller

My Trade/Sale Page

Matt!

email me matt

Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that Brian has two ebay IDs: cardsbysgc AND osocards

There must be some kind of mistake -

In the following auction CARDSBYSGC was the seller and OSOCARDS was the winner:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330299110296

There must be some kind of mistake -

So Brian comes on and asks Matt to email him...not Mike, Matt...

Brian....what happened? Maybe a little explanation?

Joshua

Umm...a quick google search lets me see that Brian Crotts ripped off Coaches Corner (funny in itself) but it also provides that he lives fairly near me...so, the local police to contact for Brian is

Mission Hills Police Department
818-838-9800

They have been very helpful in the past.

Joshua

that he was bidding over at CC, or that he stiffed them. Thanks for the heads-up Josh:

http://www.myccsa.com/Prohibited.aspx

"Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that Brian has two ebay IDs: cardsbysgc AND osocards

There must be some kind of mistake -

In the following auction CARDSBYSGC was the seller and OSOCARDS was the winner:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330299110296

There must be some kind of mistake -"

No mistake at all.

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=11&threadid=700586&STARTPAGE=8

Josh - I'm assuming Brian got Mike and I confused. I couldn't possibly imagine what he'd want from me.

My Trade/Sale Page

I understand the frustration and for me it is dissapointing because as a newcomer to the Forum and BST (buying and selling) it sucks to think I will be avoided for being new because some loser ran some scams.

Secret Santa was never sent, the 'Mike' is a different Mike (actually the persons name is Matt) (not the Mike here) thus his confusion here asking 'Matt' to email him, he must be stuck
on that mistake he made the other night over at CU when he told 'Mike' he would return the
100.00 he received from him.

lets see, oh the baseballs, hurt no one huh? I think the runner up to that

auction would disagree with you.



This guy is about the dumbest person I have ever encountered in the hobby

even dumber then Dr. Koos.





Steve

Dear All,

Brian emailed me early this morning and asked for my address in order to send a money order refund for the full amount. He claims it will be sent this Friday (not sure why he's not sending it immediately). If I don't have payment in hand, I will use Josh's information and contact the local police--thank you, Josh, for that information.

Eric--I do hope that you will stay on the Board and use the B/S/T. As Tim said yesterday, it's still the safest place to make card transactions.

Thank you all, once again, for your support and the information you have provided. As soon as I've received restitution, I'll post it on the Board.

Cheers,
Mike

Good luck with that, his word is meaningless.

Steve

Mike Did he explain what happened or even apoligized?
And why didn't he contact you after he realized he took
money from you for an item he no longer had available, and
apparently contacted you only after this situation was posted.

Hi Jay,
Thank you for your concern. I have no idea why he did this, but I now know my options (thanks to two board members) for bringing this to the attention of local police in California where Brian lives, as well a policing agency dedicated to electronic fraud. I am told that if he doesn't make restitution, the latter organization will make life hell for him since what he did is clearly a serious matter.

I might add, too, that if anyone is interested, I will gladly share what I know about seeking restitution in a situation like this. I hope it doesn't happen again, but one never knows.

Cheers,
Mike

Mike - Please shoot me an email with the info on the second organization.
thanks!

My Trade/Sale Page

Mike,

Brian won an autographed item auction I sold on Ebay a week ago and he hasn't paid. I think he has one more day to do so before I can file with Ebay.

After reading your story I'm worried if he does pay I'll send him the item and then he'll return it with a fraud duplicate and ask for his money back.

What else do you know about this guy? Please email me as I don't follow this forum.

Thanks!
Kevin

Hi Kevin. What eBay ID did he use to purchase it from you?