I noticed a Brother sewing and Embroidery machine on Craig's List. I responded via email to the listing and was contacted by a very sincere sounding Melissa Kearns. We had a rather long conversation. I agreed to buy the machine.
Melissa told me her life's story about being a mother of 3 including an Autistic son born with a severe birth defect of the skull and how she still owed over $100,000.00 to the plastic surgeon who helped her son. The told me that she started a company called A Special Child LLC in the Allentown, PA area
where she designs and makes clothing for children with special needs. The machine she was selling was 1 of 2 machines she bought for her company. She said it was a buy one get one at half off deal which sounded a bit fishy to me but she loved special children!
I live in Southern New Jersey and offered to drive the 2 hours ride to her location. She said she had a bad experience with the first person that came to buy the machine. She stated the man threw $500.00 cash on the table and tried to grab the machine and run off with it. She said she was scared to death to meet anyone from Craigs list or any online souce. She said the policeman who came after the theft attempt told her to always go to a Walmart and get the payment via Money Gram.
I did not like the whole idea of not seeing what I was buying first but I gave in because she loved special children!
I sent the money even after the clerk at the Walmart asked "Do you know this person?" I said not really and she tried to warn me that it was probably a scam. I told her what a special person the seller was and that she owns a company and to send it anyway.
I sent it on 7-8-11 at 21:01PM. I called Melissa with the reference # and she asked what she should do next? I told her to go to any Walmart and show your ID and give them the reference #.
MoneyGram later told me she had picked up the money at a CVS drug store the exact minute that I sent it. She was waiting there for it before I even called her to give her the reference number!
Since then it has been excuse after excuse and she almost never answers the cell phone she uses to contact me which is not in her name anyway.
She said she sent it via the USPS Parcel Post 3 weeks ago and has not responded to my many requests for a tracking # which she once told me she had left it in another purse at her business and would get it to me. Now she won't respond to my emails or phone calls. I have paid for online look ups for all of her AKAs even her parents and siblings. All of the numbers have been disconnected. She did call me for advice since she had just worked out a deal with QVC or HSC
for over a million dollars but she needed $24,000.00 to make it happen and needed an investor.
I said we need to finish our deal first. Then I could perhaps find her an investor.
I don't know what to do next. I am out $1,500.00 and short of driving up there and looking for her,
which is an option. I am feeling quite stupid right now and I just don't want her to get anyone else.
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