Follow-up to conterfeit $50 bills

[DavidS]

Sorry in advance for the length of this post. This is a follow-up to this post about me being paid with counterfeit $50 bills for a new iPad I was trying to flip.

I received a call today from a detective for the police department where I filed the report. They have a suspect who has been passing "washed" $50 bills. Secret Service is in the process of getting an arrest warrant.

I went down to the police department today and met with the detective. He showed me a prior mugshot they had on file. The guy definitely fit the description I gave, but unfortunately, I cannot be 100% sure it is him. When I made the sale, it was getting dark out (around 8:20pm) and he was wearing a jacket. I know I'd recognize his voice but that is not admissible in court.

I added the iPad serial number to the police report, so they can put a trace on it through local pawn shops, or if they find it among this guy's possessions when they arrest him in the next day or two.

This should be fairly easy for Apple and AT&T to trace, since it is used to connect to the internet. If/when it is registered, Apple will have that information. Also, a patient who works for AT&T told me 2 days ago that Apple may be able to give me the SIM card number that went with this unit. AT&T can then put a trace on it when it gets activated and used via 4G. The questions is, will they do this?

The recording on AppleCare states that they do not get involved with anything involving stolen merchandise and to get in touch with local law enforcement, which I have. Perhaps giving them a copy of the police report or having the police get in touch with Apple directly will help; I'm not sure, but will be calling them again later today after work.

The detective told me that the 4G can locate units within around 100'. However, if it is an apartment complex, for example, they cannot go knocking on every door. My thought is that it doesn't hurt to go through the paces and see what you find, though.

[rjmacs]

Good to hear that the authorities are taking it seriously, but the Secret Service is interested in the counterfeiter, not your iPad sale. Your inability to make a positive ID made me think that if i ever were to undertake a sale like this, i'd ask to take a photo of the buyer's face at the point of sale. If there's hesitation or refusal, that would be a red flag to me. That kind of snapshot would only be threatening if you were trying to pull a fast one - otherwise, it's just a picture of you with your new iPad!

[LaserKun]

Well, I hope they get the rascal.

[michaelb]

I am sorry this has happened to you, and I appreciate you sharing the story with us. I sold my old car for cash a few years ago, and was worried at the time I was getting scammed (I posted here about the situation, but I didn't get scammed and the cash was real back then).

If the Detective showed you just one picture, then that ID probably wasn't intended to be worth much anyway. Usually you would need to seen an array of possible photos. You can certainly identify his voice in Court; nor reason that couldn't be admissible if you can be sure about that. the prosecutor may not want to try that, but there is no specific rule saying they couldn't.

[rgG]

Did you try getting the credit card company you used to buy the iPad, assuming you used a CC to buy it, to cover the loss under the 90 day loss, damage, theft protection that some offer?

[haikuman]

"""I am sorry this has happened to you, and I appreciate you sharing the story with us."

Ditto

[DavidS]

rgG wrote:
Did you try getting the credit card company you used to buy the iPad, assuming you used a CC to buy it, to cover the loss under the 90 day loss, damage, theft protection that some offer?

Yes, I called them. My Amex covers this type of loss. Unfortunately, I used my MC, which does not.

[rgG]

DavidS wrote:
[quote=rgG]
Did you try getting the credit card company you used to buy the iPad, assuming you used a CC to buy it, to cover the loss under the 90 day loss, damage, theft protection that some offer?

Yes, I called them. My Amex covers this type of loss. Unfortunately, I used my MC, which does not.
Well, damn. Sorry to hear that.

[Racer X]

But its not really loss, he sold it. Now, the pieces of paper he traded it for aren't worth what he thought they were.

He was cheated, it wasn't stolen.

[rgG]

Racer X wrote:
But its not really loss, he sold it. Now, the pieces of paper he traded it for aren't worth what he thought they were.

He was cheated, it wasn't stolen.

The police consider it theft, so it was stolen.

I believe in Georgia it is considered theft by deception.