The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Over the last few years someone has posted phony Craigslist ads on Portland Craigslist. It started with a Victor Auxetophone and was followed by others like an "Idealia Auxetophone", etc. This weekend there was another phony ad offering another Auxetophone and the photo showed a fancy case Vic D for $300. Everything is offered at about 10% of its true value. The Vic D with oak horn was offered for $300. I received an email from the seller with an email address of [email protected] - Is there any way to find the name attached to that email account? I don't see how anyone could profit for such ads. Why would someone do this? Thanks, Jerry B.

I think there's a video on youtube that tells you how to track an email address & who it belongs to??
I'll see if I can find it.

*There's actually a few of them. I haven't watched them, but it looks like it might only give you the IP address & you might? need software to do it.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... mails&aq=0

I hate to admit this but I'm not very computer savvy. I do have a nice set of Nipper salt & pepper shakers for anyone that can get me a real name. Thanks, Jerry

Is he at it again?? It had been about two years since I saw his ads; I thought he'd found something more profitable to do, like spreading computer viruses for the Mafia.

I got a couple of replies from his email in 2008. The name attached to the emails was "Joe Hurley," which may or may not be real. I did find someone by that name through ICQ listings in Dallas Oregon but that was as far as I took it.

At least he's kept the same email account.

Ride herd on the sob and flag him everychance you get for TOS violations -- and report him to CL. This is our hobby, not some JO's!

Jerry B. wrote:Over the last few years someone has posted phony Craigslist ads on Portland Craigslist. It started with a Victor Auxetophone and was followed by others like an "Idealia Auxetophone", etc. This weekend there was another phony ad offering another Auxetophone and the photo showed a fancy case Vic D for $300. Everything is offered at about 10% of its true value. The Vic D with oak horn was offered for $300. I received an email from the seller with an email address of [email protected] - Is there any way to find the name attached to that email account? I don't see how anyone could profit for such ads. Why would someone do this? Thanks, Jerry B.

Jerry,

I'd bet that guy does not even live anywhere near Portland. A few years back I was in an internet cafe on Bucharest Romania. Of course I was searching eBAY. It was pretty crowded quarters so it did not take long for me to notice that the guy just next to me was in the process of posting a very nice phono, I don't recall the type, on eBAY. I'm pretty sure he just found the pics somewhere, did it best with a desription and tried to scam someone with it. I suppose he too could have well listed his address as Portland Oregon and it would never be checked. Nothing against Romanians btw, there are scammers everywhere.

I feel sorry for people like that. I'm not a psychologist, but these folks evidently nurse a yearning to be envied or lusted after. I'm sure we've all met people like this - - in high school and college, there were girls known as "d--k-teasers" (or as the Beatles sang it on Day Tripper, "She's a big teaser..."). Then there are the collectors who claim to own this or that...but nobody is ever granted permission to see it.

Shortly after we moved to our present house, I put an ad in the local papers looking for antique phonographs. Along with several legitimate replies, I received a phone call from a young woman who told me that she and her husband had just bought a house in a neighboring town and had found a phonograph in the attic with the name "Edison" on it. She said that they had no interest in the phonograph, and just wanted to be rid of it. This sounded a little odd. I told her that I would gladly pay her a fair value for the machine - whatever it was. She couldn't answer the questions I asked about it, would not give me an address so I could come see it, but she promised to call me back. She would not leave me her phone number either (this was before caller ID). A couple of days later, the woman called me back and said that she drove right by our house every day going to and from work, and she was going to leave the Edison on our front porch. I protested, saying that I'd much rather pay her something for it. No, she wouldn't hear of it - - she would simply leave the Edison on our front porch Monday morning around 8:30. I went into work late that morning so I could intercept her and pay her something...but you already know what happened. That was 19 years ago, and no "free Edison" has yet appeared on the porch, nor did I ever hear from this "d--k-teaser" again. I wondered at the time what possible motive the woman had for spinning this yarn. It even occurred to me that perhaps she drove by our house that morning, hoping to see me anxiously waiting on the front porch - - who knows? I'm glad I was inside, and glad that I didn't snap at her offer of a free phonograph. And I hope I ruined her fun!

George P.

Nothing worse than a continuously-tapering tone arm teaser!

...Unless it's a rigid-arm teaser!

Okay - that was too far - - sorry about that...

George P.

Define 'Off-Topic'!!!