In November I lost my job, and was living across the street from Tim Smith in Mission Viejo, CA.in a moment of grief over the loss of my job of 4 years I spoke to Tim Smith about the situation while he was outside playing catch with his young son in the street... (All American guy right?)
Foolishly (at the time I was 23, owned a home and several dogs...) I let him know that I had enough money to last (a large sum in fact...)
The next day he drove by and asked if I knew anyone who had $20,000.00 to invest in a "GREAT DEAL". I said not but it continued from there...
He kept telling me about these "deals" where he had a friend that bought high tech merchandise right of the ships from Japan and China at rock bottom prices and then resold them for 6 times the costs... He said I could get in on this deal for 20,000... I was intrigued! A new way to make money! He told me I could trust him, after all "I was his neighbor... What could he do to rip me off?" Yah right.
I eventually have him $2500.00 to invest. He cashed the check so fast it almost hurt... 5 minutes and he was at the bank... I litterally watched the money leave while I was online... He said I would have the money back in 5 days... 5 days came and no money. I went over and asked him what happened and he said it was still in progress... I said I wanted my money back and he said he could not pay me now... He just paid $2500.00 on his credit card bill... (WHAT A COINICDENCE!)
Finally after threats and verbal sparring both ways he said he had a way for me to get my money back... I write him a check for $2500.00. I immediately cancel the check and he deposits it... Then withdrawls the $2500.00 later that day and gives it to me. When it bounces his Credit Card over draft would kick in and all would be well... (NOT! I worked at a bank I know what it can costs when you bounce a check... Also of not he was a DBA as a carpet cleaner so it would have been a check to his business!)
I recorded him (not on the phone) saying this. I had contacted the police and started talking to the neighbors... I went over to his wife and told him what was happening. She did not seems surprised... And I was inside his house when he got home... Clearly he was thrown off... He came over to my house and was pretending to be upset saying he had a problem and that he would pay me back... Well it never happened. I told his bank, I researched his records online...
I finally got a job at a high tech company and let it drop... I moved out of the area but still own my home across the street from him. I never got my money back and never knew what to do until I found this web site... At least I can now tell people about him... I am sure someday I will find a way to get him back, and I will not forget what he owes me... Now with interest.
My neighbors told me he had done similar things to other neighbors who had since moved... Makes me wish I had talked to them earlier. I don't know his phone number now but I have a huge box in the garage with all the info on him... I hope he likes to search for his name on Google... I can't wait until he sees this... It's only the begining Tim...
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