Cops don't get involved in civil matters. It may be fraud, but is minor league fraud. Cops will tell you to file a report, and that's it.Guys like Alex are a dime a dozen, and criminal courts can't be clogged with the likes of him when he have real criminals out there shooting people, etc.
There is nothing wrong or illegal about showing up at his door and demanding your money back.
Dog Alex until he pays the money. Applying pressure is what bill collectors do all the time- and it works. If you've been ruipped off by Alex, time to collect the bill.
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CentralScrutinizer,
You are wrong. This is not just a civil matter. This is interstate fraud using a common carrier, which includes mail, phone, shipping companies AND the Internet.
As moderators, we have tracked several people who have ripped off forum members in our For Sale/Trade forum, and we have provided appropriate proof of their actions to law enforcement agencies, ranging from local police to the F.B.I.
We will do everything we can to prevent theives from using our forums for thier criminal activity.
AnandTech Moderator
While I agree that it is a crime, Mr. Moderator, the point is that complaints about Mr. Nguyen will fall on deaf ears. The Seattle Police and FBI will politely listen to your comments, and one they get off the phone will ask themselves- how much money is at stake? If it just a couple of thousand dollars, I can almost guarantee nothing will be done. Police act when a criminal (1) acts violently (armed robbery, wife beaters, etc) or (2) engages in major property theft. Unfortunately, a couple of thousand of dollars of undelivered merchandise is not considered major. Fraund investigations are expensive, and police budgets don't permit throwing investigative resources to stop small time theft.
Scam artists are more prevalent than you possibly imagine, and the criminal justice system's response is usually: caveat emptor, just be smarter next time and take the guy to court to get your money back. This isn't Mayberry.