Not entirely true, but close enough to make your stomach turn. Back in 2015—give or take—we had a user who decided to do the unthinkable: he called Joe's local police department and actually filed charges. Most people scream into the void and move on, but this guy put on his war paint and went to battle. I know because I got dragged into it. Subpoenaed. Had to fork over the data trail that nailed the bastard. Joe was charged, convicted, the whole nine yards.... But justice, as always, came with a bitter aftertaste. The user was out $2,500, got maybe $800 back, and then… poof. Restitution checks dried up like a puddle in the Mojave. He took his grievance back to the courts, but I'm not sure what happened afterwards... Here’s the point, though: these con artists thrive because most people just don’t have the time, patience, or stomach to go after them. The system isn’t built for small-time justice—it’s a slow, grinding machine, and most folks can’t afford the grind. In my 31 years of this rodeo, I’ve seen a fair share of fraud cases—enough to fill a goddamn ledger. And here’s the kicker: not once—not a single time—has PayPal Goods & Services been part of the scam. Not one. But cashier’s checks and wire transfers? Oh, those are the weapons of choice. I’d bet we’re talking a few hundred cases, easy. And out of all that chaos? I've had four guys actually take the time to go to the police, jump the hurdles and file charges. Even I’ve been burned three times in my digital escapades. One time I went full throttle, got the cops involved, and clawed my money back. The other two? The losses were too small to bother chasing. The juice wasn’t worth the squeeze. That’s the ugly truth, folks. The predators count on apathy and exhaustion. And most of the time? They’re right.
Honestly Ryan, I sincerely appreciate that information. I'm sorry you had to go through all that, but as you can read in all my messages on this entire thread I did everything I could, short of showing up in Buna TX. It was frustrating when I felt alone in my fight and like you said....in the end $500 just wasn't quite enough to justify what I'd have to go through BY MYSELF to bring justice to the guy. I never forgot, but I did move on. I'd like to think I'm smarter now and feel fortunate that I only lost $500 to learn the lesson. The amount of time I spent trying to bring justice to Joe was worth far more to me than the amount of money he stole, but it was the principle of letting someone get away with it that I've never been able to swallow. I'm glad to hear that he had his day in court and had to pay for at least one of his wrongs. Just hearing that makes me feel some small amount of relief. I'm also happy to know that his family was willing to reach out to you and apologize for his actions. That makes me feel like he was a black sheep and there are still good people in the world. Thanks again for all you do Ryan. We don't ever get to see the crappy side of being the "famous HAMB creator" like going to court to bust dirt bag con artists but I hope you know that we all appreciate everything you do to make this site what it is. The world is a better place because of it.
I’ve been subpoenaed for fraud cases three times in 31 years. In each case, there was a conviction… but also a DA that took online fraud seriously. But then came the subpoena that nearly broke me—not fraud this time, but child porn. Jesus Christ. The depths of human depravity laid bare. It was the kind of thing that stains your soul just by proximity. Horrible. Just fucking horrible. Even now, I can’t think about it too long without feeling the bile rise. Anyway, give me some time and I’ll dig up Joe’s rap sheet. It’s a long one—dirty, wild, and full of stories no sane man would want to relive. He was a loser… and most losers know what they are deep down.
The Jalopy Journal
