Ms. Montalto listed an ad on craigslist for a Samsung 52" TV LCD 52LNA850. I contacted her and she was immediately replied very enthusiastically. Even when I didn't reply she was on me, on whether I was still interested, that the TVs were going soon etc. I eventually met with her on Jan 5th. Of course I was skeptical and I even asked her to give me proof of her identity which she provided including a blank check, drivers license and passport. I took this information and began to question her. She presents herself as a very upstanding/nice person - this was obviously a front. She stated that she worked for the movie industry and that she had access to products/merchandise from big name companies that she could get pproducts wholesale from. I was stupid though in believing her and with her information (including her phone number, drivers license) i decided to take a risk. I paid $3300 for 5 of these tvs including one for myself, my brother and 3 of my friends/coworkers. The plan was to pay $2200 at a later time when the TVs arrived and she guaranteed me in writing that they would ship out brand new from the factory no later than 1/15 and arrive to me no later than 1/21. Well obviously, you know what happened. Days and deadlines passed. Nothing. She was at first hard to get a hold of and kept telling me don't worry, why would I keep talking to you if I was going to steal your money and so on. She did answer my calls (very occasionally) only to tell me to wait, wait wait and wait. I did. Couldn't sleep, concentrate at work or anything. She kept telling me the money was going to come back to me that she sent out the money to the company and that she was waiting for it. Obviously this was one big fat lie. I threatened her multiple times that I would file a report with the police and she pleaded with me not to, including a frantic call Fri 1/23 when she didn't make a deadline that I told her. Stupidly I kept letting her go. Today 1/26 I finally couldnt take it. She gave me so much BS about how she was trying to get the money and so on, borrowing from her friends and from the samsung cmpany itself from which she placed the order. I finally went to the police today and filed a report. They knew right away that she was a scam artist and called her. I filed a reprt and they took down information. She runs what's called a ponzi scheme sort of what that Madoff wall street guy did to everyone except he took billions. Still she basically stole $3300 and has yet to give it back. The detectives are currently working on it.
If any of you have a similar story or experience with this scam artist let me know and list it here. From what i can look up from her name on google, she's done this type of thing before.
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