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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 18:34:58 GMT
In light of some recent events, I figure it would be a good idea to post a reminder here for those who may not know.
There is a HUGE con artist on the prowl, attempting to trick people out of their hard earned money. The most common name seen is Pawel Nowak, though other names have been used. Any combination of Pawel, Nowak, Thomas, Tomas, Tomasz, Tomek, Kaspian; emails using addresses including words that relate to nautical treasures, "his" personal name, etc.
Something else to watch for is the use of Roman numerals for the artifact age (eg. XVIII instead of eighteen or 18 when talking about centuries).
This "man" (put in quotes as their true identity is not yet verified; it is theorized that this is an organization rather than an individual, but this has not been confirmed) has been pulling the exact same set of tactics for quite some time (since at least 2002) and does not only target sword enthusiasts. He also targets people interested in treasure hunting, nautical history, and antique militaria.
So, on that note...if you receive an email from a person you don't know trying to sell you an antique of any sort, call shenanigans. It's better to be safe than sorry, and with the "return" of this beloved con artist, please be more cautious.
If it seems too good to be true, it might just be.
More information will be included as it becomes available.
Best regards,
Kevin @ SwordNArmory
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 18:39:37 GMT
Thanks for the heads up, fortunately for me you can't con money out of a man who doesn't have any to begin with.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 18:53:11 GMT
More info:
The original message sent to us was as follows,
Hello:
I am a private collector and I have 2 japanese swords (katana and tanto) with the blade from XVIII century. I would like to sell them for the reasonable price (700US$ and 450US$). If you could have an interest, please write directly to: luytjens1939@gmail.com
All the best. luytjens1939@gmail.com
No name was included. A response was sent, which I do not recommend, and this information was then given.
Thank you for your answer. The blade (Blade Length: 28.75 inches Nakago: 7.25 inches .7 mm thick 30 mm wide) I am talking about I have got from one man, Mr. Milakow from California. That was a few years ago. His grandfather was an American officer who served in the US Army during the WWII on Pacific. He was a POW and after the war, he got the sword from one of the Japanese officers. The sword has a WWII wear but the blade, according to the swordsman is from the first part of the XVIII century. If you look at the signs on the blade you will see I am wright. I am not a collector. I am an archivist who has an interest in Maritime History. I live in Poland (EU). I am just before my next research trip to Spain and I am looking for the additional funds. So, I could sell the katana for the fee of $700. I also have a tanto from late XIX century and I could sell it for 450US$. If you think you could have any interest in such sword, please let me know.
Best regards, Pawel
Like I said, it is recommended to NOT respond to these messages and report them to your email provider as abuse or fraud.
Keep an eye out and protect yourselves.
Kevin
EDITED TO ADD: I figured I should post these messages, as they seem to be cut-paste, as they almost never change.
Liam...A blessing AND a curse? XD
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Post by shadowhowler on Jan 5, 2010 19:01:14 GMT
Hey Kevin... Got one of those e-mails about a week ago... assumed it was BS and deleted it and didn't think about it again... till now. Freaking iNtErWeBz... too many douchebags out there.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 19:03:24 GMT
A few notes:
I haven't received this e-mail, but I do know they go round quite regularly, so I looked him up. This is the info I've gotten
This is definitely a RING group, probably with police contacts, and "foreplay" such as trying to draw them out has always failed. Just ignore or block.
Moreover, these people probably send out any thousands of emails to all sorts of people, and the largest single amount I've heard they've conned is $5000 (but probably even more at other times)
Therefore, if it sounds too good to be true then it IS
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Dom T.
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Post by Dom T. on Jan 5, 2010 19:09:01 GMT
Jeez, I feel bad for the guy who lost that much money (he/she could have bought a few nice swords with that lol). The internet just isn't a nice place (in general of course). Bastards out there gotta make everything bad. Mail, Telephone, TV, email, computer viruses... IT WILL NEVER END!
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Post by shadowhowler on Jan 5, 2010 19:19:52 GMT
Jeez, I feel bad for the guy who lost that much money (he/she could have bought a few nice swords with that lol). The internet just isn't a nice place (in general of course). Bastards out there gotta make everything bad. Mail, Telephone, TV, email, computer viruses... IT WILL NEVER END! That very danger... at least as it pertains to swords... is one of the main reasons we are here... to help protect new sword buyers from getting ripped off. ;D Good on Kevin for doing his bit here...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 19:49:58 GMT
Yeah, got the katana email the other day...figured it was BS. Now that I see that more and more people got the emails, thats kinda messed up. I am wondering where he/she got our emails.
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Post by shadowhowler on Jan 5, 2010 20:08:50 GMT
Its not hard... they fish sites like this one, most of us have our e-mail in our profile...
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Post by randomnobody on Jan 5, 2010 20:17:55 GMT
Lucky me I ALWAYS hide my email address from public viewing. Never gotten one of these.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 20:26:50 GMT
I dont know about anyone else but if I got that email the first thing I would do is ask the advise of the forum.We all have a great time here but this forum is also a reference for weeding out fraud.We have some serious knowledge here between all of us, so remember if your not sure about something or it looks to good to be true.ASK the forum.BTW I got a bridge in NY city I want to sell any takers.
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Dom T.
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Post by Dom T. on Jan 5, 2010 20:45:53 GMT
I bid $4 dollors on said bridge. Do you take $2 bills?
But yeah, sbg really is a good resource for these things, and with shifty antiquities you can even hop over to myarmory as those peeps seem pretty knowledgeable with that, mm? I don't think I can profess my love for this forum enough.
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Post by wiwingti on Jan 5, 2010 21:04:56 GMT
i've received a couple of message from that comic guy, i laughed a lot when i have read it . Marc
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 21:16:43 GMT
More info: The original message sent to us was as follows, Hello:
I am a private collector and I have 2 japanese swords (katana and tanto) with the blade from XVIII century. I would like to sell them for the reasonable price (700US$ and 450US$). If you could have an interest, please write directly to: luytjens1939@gmail.com
All the best. luytjens1939@gmail.comNo name was included. A response was sent, which I do not recommend, and this information was then given. Thank you for your answer. The blade (Blade Length: 28.75 inches Nakago: 7.25 inches .7 mm thick 30 mm wide) I am talking about I have got from one man, Mr. Milakow from California. That was a few years ago. His grandfather was an American officer who served in the US Army during the WWII on Pacific. He was a POW and after the war, he got the sword from one of the Japanese officers. The sword has a WWII wear but the blade, according to the swordsman is from the first part of the XVIII century. If you look at the signs on the blade you will see I am wright. I am not a collector. I am an archivist who has an interest in Maritime History. I live in Poland (EU). I am just before my next research trip to Spain and I am looking for the additional funds. So, I could sell the katana for the fee of $700. I also have a tanto from late XIX century and I could sell it for 450US$. If you think you could have any interest in such sword, please let me know.
Best regards, PawelLike I said, it is recommended to NOT respond to these messages and report them to your email provider as abuse or fraud. Keep an eye out and protect yourselves. Kevin EDITED TO ADD: I figured I should post these messages, as they seem to be cut-paste, as they almost never change. Liam...A blessing AND a curse? XD if he/she/they is/are a scammer, they are not too good... look at underlined segments... 1) They're either a collector or not 2) You can't just "get" a sword from an officer, if you are freed after the war, chances are the soldiers aren't gonna let you take their stuff from them, and if you got it at some point before the war, they won't let you hang on to it in the prison camp. 3)Wait, he took the katana from some guy and then have a talk with him about his origins??? and also, he would probably be a soldier, not a swordsman. 4) This guy lives in Poland, bought this katana from someone who knew its value in the US, had to pay a good amount of money to ship this thing (you don't send antiques lin a cardboard box) and then had to pay taxes for it (these things are damn expensive and in most of Europe you are charged by the price of the goods coming to you) and now is trying to sell it for the grand total of $750? 5) If he is trying to get money for a research trip, $750 will only get him an airplane ticket (assuming he is going alone, which would be unlikely)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 21:26:27 GMT
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Dom T.
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Post by Dom T. on Jan 5, 2010 21:55:35 GMT
I know there are $2 bills. They just happen to be all that I'll have left after spending all of my money on swords (as I never spend the few $2 bills that I have). Ages ago my mum told me never spend them, and I never did lol.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 22:03:25 GMT
had it sent to me, but like all emails like it went strait to the trash bin then emptied terry
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Post by Dave(utilityslave) on Jan 5, 2010 22:44:21 GMT
I bid $6............do you take $3 bills?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 22:54:37 GMT
I bid $6............do you take $3 bills? $8, do you accept $7.77 bills and a 23 cent coin?
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Post by randomnobody on Jan 5, 2010 22:57:05 GMT
Oh, you kids. (ten dollars for the bridge, name your currency)
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