Restitution

posted by: seth :: Jun 10th 2006, 07:56

In 2002, I was mugged at gunpoint in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and my brand new Sony super slim laptop was taken off my back along with a few other things. No harm was done, and I let it go pretty quickly. Amazingly, since the computer was only 30 days old, my Mastercard insurance reimbursed me for most of the loss. I went back to working on my green Mac G3. It gets worse.

About a year later, Garrett and I were collaborating on our first website together, and in addition, I picked up a freelance gig at Modem Media in Connecticut. I was pulling the reverse commute, things were hectic, so I make a bid on eBay for the same Sony super slim laptop and I win.

The seller and I exchanged a few emails, and he wrote in a polite, well spoken manner. He asked that I pay with a Bank Check. I assumed Bank Checks were like regular checks except more certified. I also falsely assumed eBay protected its buyers. I sent the check. Less than 24 hours later the seller's ebay account was deactivated, as in I had been scammed and he was disappering. I ran back to the bank to cancel the check, but guess what, you can't cancel a Bank Check. They are as good as cash. I contacted the FBI interactive fraud division. The hunt was already on for him.

Fast forward to February, 2006, 3 years and 2 Mac Powerbooks later. I receive a letter and an email from a Nevada prosecutor. "...a U.S. Postal Service inspector recently intercepted a money order from a bidder in Texas who sent it to Kazish's post office box in a Reno mail delivery store." full newspaper article is here They caught him!!

There are probably many morals to this story. Assuming only makes an ass of u and me....But today I'm just going to celebrate.

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