Latest update...
Well it's over six months since I sent Victor Zepeda $245 for the launch pad that was supposed to be a birthday present from my family to me.
The SD Attorney General's office set up a file number and contacted him via mail and he sent me an email. He gave me some excuse about the paint drying before he could ship it. This was back in January and now it's mid March.
He's had my money since October last year (we're over six months now.)
I can't stress enough how nobody should ever buy anything from this guy. If I had done some investigation on this message board before I sent the money I wouldn't be in the situation I'm now in.
The guy doesn't accept Credit Cards so I started a useless complaint with Pay-Pal.
I've started a complaint with the South Dakota Attorney General's office.
I've filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
I've filed a complaint with the Postal Commission.
I've filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
Contacted local newspapers covering his town.
Contacted other news outlets covering his area.
Short of driving to South Dakota and filing a small claims action, this is the extent of it.
Here's the bottom line....
1) The guy PURPOSELY doesn't accept credit cards so you have to send something similar to a cashers check via Pay-Pal (where you can't get a refund.)
2) He operates from the Internet where his customers are spread out over large areas out of State making it difficult to him to get hung up with small claims actions or people visiting his place of business to bug him.
3) He preys on a tight-knit trusting hobby community that will readily accept sob stories to delay responses. The longer he delays the better chance they will quit bugging him and forget about the money.
4) The people buying stuff are buying things that are non-essential hobby items (this is important in the mindset for generating indignation and requirements for justice.)
5) The individual order amounts he deals in are below the category of grand theft (which will get a greater notice by law enforcement.)
After analyzing it, it's a pretty good set-up for a small scale scam. Someone could steal money at $250 to $700 a pop with very little effort or interaction with the victims. The victims are set up from the get-go not to pursue action. All the perpetrator has to do is lead the victim along, to string out the time and after awhile the victim gives up on trying to collect. If the perpetrator isn't greedy, it's almost like a residual income. It's like a Christmas present every time someone sends them a cash payment from Pay-Pal for a product they never intended to send.
Of course, every once and awhile he has to actually send the product or give a refund but this more than makes up for all the Christmas presents he gets over time.
I hope the South Dakota District Attorney can soon give Mr. Victor Zepeda a Christmas present for all of us. Something just, that he will remember for some time.
I hope this thread and the others dealing with this guy will warn others who are considering buying one of his launch pads.
