Onlinehumidor.com

Same as above

I sent Wade a copy of what I want to post.  Once he has time to sort through his PM and gives me a thumbs up, I will post it.  Hopefully, it will be helpful to some.  FWIW, I believe everyone that responded to my initial PM request is now whole, but not necessarily by the AH..

I'm not sure how many people got scammed, but around 15 or so contacted me via PM as requested.  The reason for the PM route was to prevent the scammer from reading the actions we were taking.  I know for a fact that either he, or one of his pards, was reading the forum and one even contacted me via PM offering assistance in getting me a refund.  Scammer was aware that I had contacted the PD and was in the process of filing formal charges.  The day before I was to file formal charges I received a complete refund via a Money Order.  By refunding me, I could no longer file charges.

Everyone has now been made whole in one form or the other:
- Refund from PayPal (a couple paid fees, thus received a refund)
- Refund from scammer (believe I am the only one who received money directly from him)
- Scammer sent promised cigars (one indiv was unhappy with what he received)
- A partial refund from PayPal and cigars
- Refund from Credit Card Company
- Refund from Bank

I do know there were a few others that elected to eat it and not get involved for personal reasons, which I fully understand.

I contacted Paypal more than once and put everything on the table, to include the money paid was for Cuban Cigars.  While they wouldn't provide me with personal information on the individual, they were helpful in that they contacted a local Detective they use, who recommended I go to the PD and file charges, who would subsequently contact PP for release of personal data, which PP would release.  The PD would then forward to scammer's local PD to work the case.  I will add here that his scam was wire fraud, which is a felony in most states.  Personally, I was prepared to see it to the end, including being a witness if necessary, at my expense.  A few were somewhat concerned that pressing charges involving CC might come back to bite us or OLH, but the information I had leads me to believe that would not happen.

Going forward:

- I paid with funds I had in my PP account, thus PP would not refund me because I paid F&F.  In the future I will transfer all money in my account to my bank and either pay via my bank account.
- Some paid using money from their bank accounts; their banks then went to PP and got a refund.  PP will not refuse the banks.  Keep in mind that when this happens PP may suspend your account for a couple of weeks because they lost fees on the F&F transaction, and they will have to get a refund from the individual or use legal means to recoup funds. 
- Not certain on those refunded via their Credit Cards, as I believe when using a Credit Card you must pay fees.  Don't believe PP will allow you to use a Credit Card for F&F actions.
- Paying PP fees may be the best option for some going forward.  $15 for a $500 transaction is certainly a viable option.

Maybe this will be of assistance to some going forward..no doubt, this will happen again. 

And no doubt that scamming MoFo got/stole/kept a lot of people's money

[quote author=ccman link=topic=39112.msg166497#msg166497 date=1480116453]
I'm not sure how many people got scammed, but around 15 or so contacted me via PM as requested.  The reason for the PM route was to prevent the scammer from reading the actions we were taking.  I know for a fact that either he, or one of his pards, was reading the forum and one even contacted me via PM offering assistance in getting me a refund.  Scammer was aware that I had contacted the PD and was in the process of filing formal charges.  The day before I was to file formal charges I received a complete refund via a Money Order.  By refunding me, I could no longer file charges.

Everyone has now been made whole in one form or the other:
- Refund from PayPal (a couple paid fees, thus received a refund)
- Refund from scammer (believe I am the only one who received money directly from him)
- Scammer sent promised cigars (one indiv was unhappy with what he received)
- A partial refund from PayPal and cigars
- Refund from Credit Card Company
- Refund from Bank

I do know there were a few others that elected to eat it and not get involved for personal reasons, which I fully understand.

I contacted Paypal more than once and put everything on the table, to include the money paid was for Cuban Cigars.  While they wouldn't provide me with personal information on the individual, they were helpful in that they contacted a local Detective they use, who recommended I go to the PD and file charges, who would subsequently contact PP for release of personal data, which PP would release.  The PD would then forward to scammer's local PD to work the case.  I will add here that his scam was wire fraud, which is a felony in most states.  Personally, I was prepared to see it to the end, including being a witness if necessary, at my expense.  A few were somewhat concerned that pressing charges involving CC might come back to bite us or OLH, but the information I had leads me to believe that would not happen.

Going forward:

- I paid with funds I had in my PP account, thus PP would not refund me because I paid F&F.  In the future I will transfer all money in my account to my bank and either pay via my bank account.
- Some paid using money from their bank accounts; their banks then went to PP and got a refund.  PP will not refuse the banks.  Keep in mind that when this happens PP may suspend your account for a couple of weeks because they lost fees on the F&F transaction, and they will have to get a refund from the individual or use legal means to recoup funds. 
- Not certain on those refunded via their Credit Cards, as I believe when using a Credit Card you must pay fees.  Don't believe PP will allow you to use a Credit Card for F&F actions.
- Paying PP fees may be the best option for some going forward.  $15 for a $500 transaction is certainly a viable option.

Maybe this will be of assistance to some going forward..no doubt, this will happen again. 
[/quote]




Thanks for all the details.  I still wish I knew if this was a hacked account situation or legitimate user deciding to go rogue and just rip good people off.  Guess it doesn't matter now.  Wish you would have pursued it through the police and made the scumbag pay.  But I understand why you didn't.


And an FYI, PP WILL let you use credit card for a F&F payment.  That is what I did.  I only did it because it was easier for them to just add the fees on to the top of my sent amount and charge me than to try and calculate accurately the fees involved.  It was a convenience thing for me.  But never again. 

I will pay fees or just not buy in the future.

[quote author=Todd link=topic=39112.msg166564#msg166564 date=1480368270]



Thanks for all the details.  I still wish I knew if this was a hacked account situation or legitimate user deciding to go rogue and just rip good people off.  Guess it doesn't matter now.  Wish you would have pursued it through the police and made the scumbag pay.  But I understand why you didn't.


[/quote]

Um, Paulie sent other cigars to some of the buyers rather than a refund, that didn't equal the amount of money he was given by the buyers.  Do you think he would offer to send a bunch of cigars to multiple people if his acct was hacked?  According to ccman's post, he also gave at least one refund and also sent one buyer what they paid for.  He did not talk at the end about being hacked, he is just a piece of shit that scammed a lot of people.  There are no doubts. 

[quote author=AlohaStyle link=topic=39112.msg166577#msg166577 date=1480405911]
Um, Paulie sent other cigars to some of the buyers rather than a refund, that didn't equal the amount of money he was given by the buyers.  Do you think he would offer to send a bunch of cigars to multiple people if his acct was hacked?  According to ccman's post, he also gave at least one refund and also sent one buyer what they paid for.  He did not talk at the end about being hacked, he is just a piece of shit that scammed a lot of people.  There are no doubts. 
[/quote]

Correct, absolutely 0 doubts that it was Paulie AKA SmokinCeeGars who pulled this scam.  Whether with accomplices or not, i do not know, but i was communicating directly with Paul while he refunded my money for half and cigars for the other half.

So it is safe to conclude that Paul "Paulie" Rusche is a lying, scheming, sack of dicks who robbed us all, but was inclined to make right at the risk of him getting in legal trouble.  #scumbag4life

Spot on!     

Come on man....

If what you say is true.
He committed wire fraud, no matter if a refund was issued, he can be charged with a felony.

Sorry to anyone who got taken. I contacted him and said if you can't give me what I paid for or my money, I'm gonna contact everyone on your FB friends list and tell them your a thief. I received the cigars 3 days later. Sometimes the fear of embarrassment will shame people into doing the right thing.