Scott Melrose (cyberdoc1971) is still a thief. Don't trust him!

[tlacour]

For those not familiar check out these posts for the history:

http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105113&page=1&pp=15

http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=17467

These last two start off as something else, so you have to scroll down to get to the good parts.

http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=15522

http://www.mobilitysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25444

Here is the update:

Mr. Melrose agreed to reimburse me for my loss in email, after heat put on him. He agreed to send me $400 payment if I stopped trying to contact Blockbuster's management.

Well...The deadline for Mr. Melrose's reimbursement payment came and went. He then stated that he would have the money only after he sold another device (Treo 650 GSM) and to give him a couple of more days. I gave him a couple more days.... and once again a deadline came and went. I had also told him I would take any comparable PDA as compensation. I could always trade/sell it myself. Still: No Payment, no Ipaq, and no Nothing.

I then filed a complaint with the FBI’s internet crime division ( http://www.ic3.gov/ ).

I also filed a complaint with Blockbusters corporate offices. I have been in touch with the district manager for his area. I had become concerned that either the local manager of this store wouldn't or couldn't address this. I am to discuss this with them later in the week.

Officially, Blockbuster has nothing to do with this trade, but this guy is using his work phone number to make deals. He also has access to the personal information of anyone who has ever signed up for a Blockbuster membership. I personally don't feel comfortable having someone like that with access to that much information.

I've gotten emails from 5 different people who each had individual sales go bad with Mr. Melrose. Always something gets lost in the mail, or gets damaged, or is sent to the wrong place and then can't be found. In each case the person dealing with Scott Melrose is out an electronics device or the money to buy one and he claims that he is also a victim in each case. All together, between the forums where I posted this warning and the emails, I have come across 9 people who have either gotten stung by Scott Melrose, or backed out at the last moment due to some warning sign. They each thought it was an isolated incident and chalked it up to bad luck. Once they read the posts on this and other forums, they realized that a predator who stalks the forums looking for victims had had them. I know it sounds melodramatic, but I have spoken with quite a few site administrators for PDA related forums who all have Cyberdoc1971 as members with little or no posts, but active PM activity. Google “cyberdoc1971” and you will see several memberships in these sites with almost no public activity. He has now rejoined at least two of these sites under a different ID.

One of the FBI agents has emailed me to verify some facts. I am sure it will take months to see any real progress, but once it gets rolling, I don't doubt that Mr. Melrose will face some serious charges.

Also, I am still planning a trip in April to the East Coast on other business. I am taking a few extra days to look into this personally.

I'll keep you posted if any new developments turn up.

Tony

On a happier note: I have descided to replace my beloved lost Ipaq. I am going to get a new Palm T|X this week. I have been waiting on a Palm device with the rigght set of features at the right price, and this one is it.

[Legodude522]

We get the picture. We know you are frustrated but that is a little much. Save you flames for OT?

Good luck. I really hate this sort of thing. You really gotta be careful. My friend got scammed a couple times. As for me, I bought my Sharp Zaurus SL-C1000 on a forum from a trusted member of the community. I am really sure this deal will go through, he is waiting for my paypal to go through and it will be shipped right away. It was a risk but a great deal and I'm always happy in the end. If I do loose one of these days, I know I can just accept it and move on. It would be my fault.

[tlacour]

We get the picture. We know you are frustrated but that is a little much. Save you flames for OT?

Good luck. I really hate this sort of thing. You really gotta be careful. My friend got scammed a couple times. As for me, I bought my Sharp Zaurus SL-C1000 on a forum from a trusted member of the community. I am really sure this deal will go through, he is waiting for my paypal to go through and it will be shipped right away. It was a risk but a great deal and I'm always happy in the end. If I do loose one of these days, I know I can just accept it and move on. It would be my fault.

2 things:
1st "OT?"?

Secondly, I am really not trying to flame him (OK, so I am a little ;) ). Mainly, I want to get this information out in the open. This guy is regular stalking the forums, looking for people with low member posts, and PM'ing them to trade or sell devices. When the deal goes south, than the other person thinks that it was a fluke, and doesn't persue it. After my first set of posts, several people came forward both in email and publicly, stating that they had also been duped. Fortunatly, many figured it out before they parted with their money or device.

I just want the infomation out there for future scammies.

I have moved on, btw. I am getting a new Palm T|X this week. My wife has threatened my life if I start trading again, after this. So...It'll be at least a couple of months before I start prowling around looking to cahnge up. :D

[Legodude522]

OT = Off Topic. But anyway I like your 2nd post better :)

Hey, I'll trade you my Zodiac 1 for your T|X. DOn't worry, the only problem with my Zodiac is that it's dead. :P

[tlacour]

Hey, I'll trade you my Zodiac 1 for your T|X. DOn't worry, the only problem with my Zodiac is that it's dead. :P

No Thanks!

I have had my quota of dead zodiac's for one year. I had a Zod2 for about 3 days before it bricked out on me. Very sad.

T

[SonyStyle]

i have to say, the mod should really help this guy. in howardforums, if something goes wrong in trading in the forums, the mod usuually tries and helps settle this.

[dmitrygr]

i say not ot. i say pin this on front page with bigger letters then the heading of the site!

[Joel]

i say not ot. i say pin this on front page with bigger letters then the heading of the site!
That's tempting but 1src is not The Smoking Gun (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/).

Thanks for the update tlacour.

[jjesusfreak01]

Just a note: All posters who would like to post in this topic please keep your posts completely on topic. If you dont, this thread will get very long, very nasty, and serve no ones purposes.

[nickms777]

i say not ot. i say pin this on front page with bigger letters then the heading of the site!

I agree. Was, or can, anything be done to prevent cyberdoc1971 from preying on other members?

[Legodude522]

I agree. Was, or can, anything be done to prevent cyberdoc1971 from preying on other members?
This isn't the first time this happened to people unfortunatly. I wouldn't mind it posted on the front page. The main issue is that this guy is IN the community and thus giving well known members of the community a bad name :eek:

[dragonsgames]

The last thread like this got locked, remember... ;)

[tlacour]

Thanks for the public and private support from those who have given it.

A couple of responces:

First, I don't expect or want 1src to do anything about this particular matter. It is between Mr. Melrose and me. I will get this resolved to my satisfaction. I only ask that you let the members know that this preditor is among us.

Secondly, if the Moderators feel this should be locked, that's fine by me. I just wanted the info out so that others could protect themselves.

Finally, I think everyone should make a stand when someone ripps them off. This guy had ripped off several people on this and other forums, but each person didn't want to go "public" because they didn't want to hurt someones feelings, or felt nothing would come of it. I posted his address, and people came out of the woodwork telling stories of how transactions had gone bad with this guy, and they each thought it was an isolated incedent.

I don't doubt that Mr. Melrose is now using the same methods he used before to try to steal from others. He most likely isn't using the same ID name.

Tony

[tlacour]

Well,

The saga of Mr. Melrose ends (at least as far as I am concerned).

I had decided a few weeks ago to let the authorities handle this issue. It was taking up too much of my time. I turned over all of my information to the FBI’s Internet Crimes division (http://www.ic3.gov/). I was contacted a few weeks later by them confirming information and telling me that it was being forwarded to the appropriate local authorities that had jurisdiction. A few days after that I get an email out of the blue from Mr. Melrose:
“I have been out of the loop for some time for a reason, I do have some good news - Your PDA has been recovered. It took the past month working with some friends of mine trying to track down the culprit who did this to both you and me. Which he was directly confronted, and when faced to turn over the items he stole from you using my address and my good name
or be brought up on several charges. He did turn everything over, but I
need a list from you what you shipped out. Also, what do you want done
with thiese items, do you want them back or what? My cashflow is
currently low, I have been on unemployment so I don't think I can ship
this stuff to you for at least another week. Please let me know what
you want to do.

Thanks,
Scott Melrose”

After some back and forth emails, I realized he wanted to return the Ipaq because he was facing charges. I can only assume that some police agency contacted him and that got him into action. This last Friday I actually received the Ipaq as well as a few extra accessories that I had not originally sent.

Mr. Melrose still maintains that this was all the result of a nefarious cyber criminal who stole his ID and perpetrated all of this.

But wait! The plot thins….

Shortly after receiving the Ipaq I was able to restore it even though Mr. Melrose had tried to perform a hard reset.

Low and behold, the Ipaq restored to all of Mr. Melrose’s information. Not only all calendar (Yep works at Blockbuster), contacts (him with his banking and credit card info, his whole family, as well as many others), but also several documents which tie him to this PDA.
I could not resist confronting him on this. He claimed that while inspecting the Ipaq he must have inadvertently sync’d his information on it. Pretty dumb thing to do, but I could almost believe it, except there was loads of information that would not be sync’d. Software with his name and email used in the registration, Documents that would not be sync’d unless you intentionally copied them to the device, and several backup’s in the file store from as far back as 1/22/2006. Several items with date stamps that were spaced out over the last few months. Oddly enough, the first backup with Mr. Melrose’s personal info on it is 2 days after he would have received it from me.

In the end, I got back my PDA along with a few extra items and hopefully Mr. Melrose will think twice before he rips some else off.

Lesson for all: Don’t lie down and take it when someone rips you off. Stand up for yourself and be aggressive in seeking justice.

Tony

[Legodude522]

Wow. Great job tlacour!

Scot M. must be really pathetic to go through all this crap just to rip someone off for a PDA. Makes no sense for me.

[wellsjs]

tlacour,

Glad you got things worked out and, as we all do/should do, learned some lessons along the way.

Barring any rebuttal from "Mr. Melrose," I'd say it certainly looks like a crook caught at a crook's game! :(

[harpgliss]

Hi,

Glad things worked out to the point that you got your equipment back.

Hopefully, you will still be able to sell the Ipaq if you are so inclined.

Great detective work, Maybe you should pursue a job in that area.

David

[dragonsgames]

And the saga is over... ;)

[jjesusfreak01]

And the saga is over... ;)
Yay! LOCK THREAD, and henceforth block all threads with the name Scott Melrose in them.

[SonyStyle]

woot woot woot?

[MD_Brite]

Cyberdoc1971 is a good friend of mine, and he does want to set the record straight, but apparently he can't even post in this forum. This is a direct message from him:


First off I want to set the record straight. I was not contacted by the authorities, but I did return Tlacour's property back to him.

Also, what Tlacour has not stated is that I have had to get some leagal help on my side for the outright harrassment on Tlacour's part. That is how the missing property was recovered. Not to mention he had to hack the Ipaq for my personal information which he is holding over my head, which seems a bit too much like blackmail.

I feel that this should be over and put behind us, but no. Tlacour apparently has a grudge against me, and has made it clear to smear me, my friends, and my family if it suits him.

Now that I have said my peace, I hope this clears the air a bit.

[dragonsgames]

Man, it was dead before you posted something. ;)

[Telyx]

tlacour "had to hack" HIS OWN iPaq (nothing at all wrong with that!), and what he found indicated that Cyberdoc1971 did have and use the iPaq--and not that anyone else stole it using his name.

"...harassment... holding over my head... blackmail..." It's bad enough to be a thief. It's even worse when the thief tries to portray himself as some kind of victim in the case. I just can't feel sorry for Cyberdoc1971.

[tlacour]

1 question:

How did his information get onto the Ipaq, if he just “recovered” it? Remember, there are several system back-ups that start 2 days after he received it from me in late January. You can restore the ipaq to those times and see what was on it then. I have done this and for each of these back-ups all of his information is there.

Oh well. No matter what evidence is put out there he will keep putting out lies and trying to save face.

I wasn't going to reply, but I guess I don’t want to seem as though he has “put me in my place” by his reply.

I really don’t have anything further to say about this topic. I think the evidence speaks for itself.

Tony

[MD_Brite]

Tlacour,

You did not have to be in this place to begin with. You should have been happy to have gotten back what was taken from you and letft it at that. However, it looks like you took it upon yourself to do more hurt that what happened to you. I am not saying who is guilty or not, but try to reverse the roles, and think how it might feel. I have known Cyberdoc1971 for some time now, and I really don't care what you think, just let it go.

[cbulock]

Signing up with a different username doesn't really make you look any less guilty either. It's probably not a bad time to just apologise so everyone can move on.

[tlacour]

Mr. Melrose and I have settled this issue to my satisfaction. Hopefully we can all move along from here.

[MD_Brite]

Signing up with a different username doesn't really make you look any less guilty either. It's probably not a bad time to just apologise so everyone can move on.

For your information, I am not Cyberdoc1971 (Scott Melrose), but a roomate and a close friend. He and Tlacour have worked out the issue to both of thier satisfaction. So, I consider this discussion closed on my end, thank you.

[lesliefranke]

For your information, I am not Cyberdoc1971 (Scott Melrose), but a roomate and a close friend. He and Tlacour have worked out the issue to both of thier satisfaction. So, I consider this discussion closed on my end, thank you.

Bearing that cyberdoc is married with a wife in the picture according to his Yahoo Profile (http://profiles.yahoo.com/cyberdoc1971) I find that interesting. But people are always trying to use multiple accounts. So be it.

[MD_Brite]

I share a house with both of them, it works out for everybody especially since cost of living has gone up lately.