Ripped off in Austin TX

[Nickel City Dude]

I think I have been ripped off.  I sent a Postal MO to Avelia Saldana in Austin TX over two weeks ago and have not received the two Rugers he was suppose to send.  I got the usual “need to wait 5 days for the MO to clear, been in a car crash” and now he will not return my emails.  I have his address but not a phone number.  If anyone in Austin knows this guy or has a way to get in touch with him please let me know.  He is suppose to have an FFL so he may be a dealer in the Austin area.  His address is 300 Everhart Ln., Austin TX 78745.  If you have any info on him you can post here or send me a PM.

[Cowboy Small]

Hello  NCD, That  is a sw Austin  zip. I an sw of  Austin   ( not  far). Grew up in 78745 . 

 

Did this  transaction  start on the  sass wire?

 

What  was his alias, if any ? 

 

I would  suggest  using  my email  as my access to  the  wire  is limited  and  things said  might should  not  be posted

 

Will pm the  email  address  to  you  

 

Cowboy  Small  

[Johnny Dollar]

Sorry to hear this.    It wasn't from SASS was it? Or an auction site? 

[J. Frank Norfleet]

FFL dealers are listed on line. Look him up.

[Nickel City Dude]

I think it was from the SASS sight but I included my email address in my WTB posting and that is how he contacted me.  I think I also posted a WTB on the Ruger board so it may have come from there.

[Nickel City Dude]

12 minutes ago, J. Frank Norfleet said:

FFL dealers are listed on line. Look him up.

Do you have a web site link you could give me?

[J. Frank Norfleet]

I have used the one on Gunbroker. I'm on my phone now.  I will check when I get to a computer. Too much typing with my thumbs. 

[Tennessee williams]

Hope all goes well. That being said, there isn't a wait time on a postal money order to clear. I also put a couple want ads on here and was bombarded by people not from the wire trying to sell what I wanted. A good quick way to tell would be to Google the pictures he sent to you. I did the same on a nice 1050 a guy was selling me. It turns out those same pictures were used in an Armslist ad from 2014. Another time a guy used a picture from gunbroker. I don't have a problem selling anybody anything on here or sending them my money up front. That is, if they're a member. My experience, I could have a flat on a backroad and ask for help from a SASS member and they'd drive 100 miles to help me. And, I'd do the same for them.

[Nickel City Dude]

16 minutes ago, J. Frank Norfleet said:

I have used the one on Gunbroker. I'm on my phone now.  I will check when I get to a computer. Too much typing with my thumbs. 

I tried a web site I found but most often they only show the company name and not the individual.  I went threw the entire list for that zip code and could not match up a name or address.

[Nickel City Dude]

4 minutes ago, Tennessee williams said:

 A good quick way to tell would be to Google the pictures he sent to you.

I know just enough about computers to get myself into trouble.  But I don't know how to google a picture, can you explain to me how to do it?

[Tennessee williams]

from my smart phone I can hold click on the picture. It will prompt me for a web search of an image. It helps a lot with this sort of thing as scoundrels usually just pull an image the themselves have googled to use for bait. You can text or email me the pictures and I'd be happy to search it for you.

[Tennessee williams]

oh yeah. you might need one of these to send it. tn65chevelle@gmail.com

or 615-653-0291

[Sagebrush Burns, SASS # 14226]

Talk to the post office.  Since you used a postal money order, that would be a federal mail order fraud crime.

[Cat Brules]

EDIT:  Forgot to say, Avelia Saldana sounds like a woman's name, but who knows?

 

Plus, this "professional" building with the entire Gonzales family may be some scam.  The job titles are vague, unclear, or just plain questionale to me.

----------

I checked Austin area FFL holders.  This person Saldana, is not listed, but often, the license is issued to an entity, not a. Individual.

 

This is the source I used to check Austin FFL Holders.  If you can find the ATF website, you should be able to check their records, too, which would be most accurate.  

http://firearm-dealers.armsrack.com/d/a/Texas/Austin

 

you may wish to call the Austin office of ATF, speak to an agent and see if they will involve themselves, since Saldana claimed to be a FFL holder.

 

Try this phone number:   (619) 264-1635

I realize this is a San Diego, CA phone number, but try it

 

f this goes south, call the local police and sheriff departments.  If the address he gave you is 4408 Dovehill Drive, that address was reported as problematic numerous times by neighbors to the police.

 

Here's some others at that Dovehill address (probably a professional organization office of some kind).  If this pins him down you might be able to explain what's going on to a few of his colleagues and get some leverage that way.

 

Name	Phone	Details
Avelia Saldana	(619) 264-1635	Occupation Protective Service Occupations Education High school graduate
Beatrice Gonzales	(512) 698-6951	Occupation Executive, Administrative, and Managerial Occupations Education Bachelor's degree
Epifanio Gonzales	(512) 912-1477	Occupation Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
Eric Gonzales	(512) 912-1477	Occupation Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
Gonzalez Nancy	(512) 443-0895	Industry Restaurants
Nancy Gonzalez	(512) 912-1477	Occupation Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
Nancy G Silva	(512) 912-9345	Occupation Professional/Technical Education High school graduate
Bacilio Chaparro	(512) 220-1949
Vickie Dianne Long	(512) 441-7842

 

-------------------

i don't use Facebook, but if you do, see what you can find there.

 

Best Wishes,

Cat Brules

[Marshal Law SASS#854 Life-Regulator]

Sounds like Mail Fraud to me! Contact the Post Office, they have their own investigators and would probably like to get involved!

[Wild Willi]

Happen to me about a year ago, I tracked the guy down said he never had the guns he sold me.  I filled out mail fraud papers

Had the guys address and phone number never heard a word from the PO  and never got a dime back

[Joel6180]

Here is a link to the ATF FFL data base.

 

 

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/listing-federal-firearms-licensees-ffls-2017

[Nickel City Dude]

8 hours ago, Cat Brules, SASS #14086 said:

 

 

Name	Phone	Details
Avelia Saldana	(619) 264-1635	Occupation Protective Service Occupations Education High school graduate

 

Best Wishes,

Cat Brules

CB

Avelia Saldana is the name he gave me.  Where did you get the phone number for this name?  Is this name a well known crook?  If I called the numbere you gave me what would happen, who would I get? (It's too early to call right now)  I am a little confused as to the information you came up with.  Could you please explain it to me?  Thanks for your help.

NCD

[Warden Callaway]

I've seen several good deals listed in the Classified that was a little too good to be true.  The poster had just joined and only made the ad post yet had an early and legitimate SASS membership number. I even asked people who were in the same area and they had never heard of the person(s) and they hadn't. 

 

I've bought a couple of things and sold one item from the classifieds but they were active posters that many people knew. 

[Badlands Beady]

16 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

I've seen several good deals listed in the Classified that was a little too good to be true.  The poster had just joined and only made the ad post yet had an early and legitimate SASS membership number. I even asked people who were in the same area and they had never heard of the person(s) and they hadn't. 

 

I've bought a couple of things and sold one item from the classifieds but they were active posters that many people knew. 

How do you determine whether someone's  SASS# is legit?  I just took a look at my profile to refresh my memory, and I'm the one who entered it.  Presumably, it could be anything I want it to be.  

[Ace Hanlon]

I tried google maps for the address and google can't find the address.  Is this address where you sent the money order?

[Too Tall Bob]

There is an "300 EBERHART LANE, Austin, Tx 78745" but no EVERHART LANE shown. Curious - 

[Nickel City Dude]

AH

I sent the MO to Avelia Saldana, 300 Eberhart Ln., Austin, TX 78745.  I googled that address and it did show me a satalight view of a house but I could not tell much else.

NCD

[Nickel City Dude]

AH

I sent the MO to Avelia Saldana, 300 Eberhart Ln., Austin, TX 78745.  I googled that address and it did show me a satalight view of a house but I could not tell much else.

NCD

[Nickel City Dude]

Cat Brules

I tried calling that number but it was disconnected.  I also filed a form on line with the PO but when they accepted it they had a disclamer that they were only collecting information and would not start an investigation.  I went to the PO and they said that they can't do anything for 30 days but I should call the TX state police and report it. I will do that later today.

NCD

[Too Tall Bob]

You can do s search on face book and there are 4 Avelia Saldana's listed. One is in Austin, Texas. Good luck. 

[Doc Ironbeard]

Doesn't this just CHAP YER HIDE!?!?! DAMN! (Pardon my French, ladies)

 

I wish you the best of luck resolving this in your favor. Perhaps it's time to round up a posse and pay a visit to this "possible" villain.

 

Unfortunately this is a warning to the rest of us to be sure of whom you are dealing with. GOOD LUCK!!

[Tennessee williams]

Just fyi, the name associated with the email he/she sent to you that you forwarded to me is Akoko koko.

[Oklahoma Dee]

facebook has someone of that name in Austin, as well.

[Irontree]

Have you contacted the Police/Sheriff Dept in Austin?  

I have a similar problem in Prescott, AZ. several years ago and the local Sheriff's Office was very helpful.

 

[Cat Brules]

35 minutes ago, Nickel City Dude said:

Cat Brules

I tried calling that number but it was disconnected.  I also filed a form on line with the PO but when they accepted it they had a disclamer that they were only collecting information and would not start an investigation.  I went to the PO and they said that they can't do anything for 30 days but I should call the TX state police and report it. I will do that later today.

NCD

 

There are ways to come up with information on people like this, even if they've given you a phony name.  They're bottom feeders living off the system and usually affiliated loosely with others...family or associates.  They must understand that their nefarious actions have consequences.  You have to make the investment of resources (small), time and effort to recoup your loss or to get satisfaction.  Just depends on your willingness to pursue it.

[Rev. Rufus King, Esq.]

The fraudulent transaction you describe may very well satisfy the elements of federal mail fraud or wire fraud, but the feds are very selective in what they prosecute.  You will likely get the best results by contacting the local police department where you sent the money.  They will likely be willing to take a report over the phone, and they may actually investigate it depending on how busy they are.  If you don't get a response you like, call back and ask to speak to a supervisor.

[Nickel City Dude]

I went to the PO this morning and they told me that there isn’t anything they can do until 30 days are up.  But suggested I call the TX state Police.  The state police referred me to the Austin police and they said I should contact my local police.  I called them and got a recording.  I guess I am SOL and will never see my $1000 again.

[captqueeze]

I was duped in an exact same manner several years ago and I actually got good response via the FBI.  They tracked the individual and he ended up spending a couple of years in prison.  Didn't get all my money back, but I felt better knowing he was "captured".  Sort of got my "moneys worth" knowing he was incarcerated.

[Maddog McCoy SASS #5672]

I have good luck most of the time buying stuff online. I have gotten a few things that were marginal on condition but I got the item. The only time I was ripped off was from a vender at EOT that I paid for an item and he was to make it and send it to me and I never got it and after several phone calls his number was disconnected (EOT 2005). I never send money to anybody until I have a good working number and have talked to them at least twice on the phone. Good Luck and I hope this works out for you.

 

Maddog