Beware/Help KE7CFS Victor Mavian

[w4ajf]

It saddens me to post about a fellow ham taking advantage but it appears KE7CFS Victor C. Mavian from Kirkland, WA is doing just that. The strange part is that I had dealt with him recently on 2 or 3 other transactions and all was fine, he even send me some extra items worth a few hundred dollars so I was happy dealing with him. This time I sent him $3500.00 for several radios. On 1/25/2008 I sent him a cashiers check Priority Mail and he received it 3 days later and acknowledged that he had received it and would ship immediately. The next day he sent me 3 tracking numbers and listed what was in each box. In actuality he didn’t really ship the 3 boxes for a couple of days after that and he blamed it on the UPS store even though that was not the case but that was no big deal. I waited about 10-11 days and the boxes arrived. I opened them up only to find some older repeater stuff that I had no need for. I called him and he told me that the UPS store mixed up the boxes and I had a total of 8 more boxes coming. I verified with the UPS store that he had indeed only shipped the 3 boxes so he was not telling the truth. He went on and on telling me that UPS screwed up and they showed the packages in their system yet he could not give me any more tracking numbers. After about 2 weeks (on 2/16/08) he gave me 3 more tracking numbers but they were not real. He then said that was what UPS had given him which of course was not true. This went on for a little while and he kept apologizing and on Feb 19th he promised to overnight me a refund for $3500.00. I told him to knock $200.00 and send $3300.00 but he insisted on saying he wanted to send the full $3500.00 as it was entirely his fault and he was sorry. I insisted on $3300.00 anyway. This did not happen and the next day he ASSURED me he would overnight the check and send me the tracking number. I didn’t hear from him for a few days and finally I got him on the phone, he apologized again and said he had spent the money but had some equipment he would send me. EVERY day this week he has promised to send the equipment and send tracking numbers but it just is not happening. Yesterday (Feb 28th) I called him early in the morning and got him on the phone at which time he ABSOLUTELY promised he would call me back in 4 hours. This of course never happened and I have called and left numerous messages but he won’t answer. I even told him to take of another $500.00 (just to send $2800.00) for the extras he had sent in the past but he still will not answer. It appears now that he has taken my money so I am posting this here and my next step with be contacting the authorities etc. I am still hoping he will come to his senses and make good on his many empty promises. The sad part is that Victor is a very nice person and seems educated and very pleasant. Anyway, if anyone happens to know Victor and can help I would appreciate it. Thanks to all the MANY MANY honest hams I have dealt with through the years, there are many fine people out there so I try not to lose faith. I will of course update this post if Victor gives me valid tracking numbers and if he does indeed make everything right….

Thanks for listening. Any/all help appreciated!

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
Adamf@eeco.com
954-494-3432

[w4ajf]

OK, let's try this, ANY chance any hams in the Kirkland, WA area know anyone in the Kirkland Police Department, that would be great!

Thanks, if so please let me know.

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
adamf@eeco.com

[w4ajf]

After many days Victor Mavian KE7CFS finally e-mailed me. He again told me he would resolve the problem (like he has done numerous times before) and that he takes full responsibilty for the problem even though he says it's UPS's fault, which it is not. He says he has all documentation on the shipments which he does not as the 3 tracking numbers with the equipment he says he sent are invalid, always have been, always will be. When he sent me the invalid tracking numbers a few weeks ago he told me that he did not have any paperwork on them and that he looked them up but could not find them either. Here are the 3 UPS tracking numbers he gave me so anyone can see they are invalid:

1Z01788R517329758
1Z01788R517423926
1Z01788R520615039

Again, if he makes good on what he owes me I will post to that effect but so far he has not done anything to repay me.

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL

[w4ajf]

Just an update folks, Victor had PROMISED to get back to me Friday March 7th but as usual did not. He has done absolutely nothing to resolve this issue, he has not paid me a penny or attempted to send any equipment to make up for what he owes me. I am working with his local Police Department and trying to get help anywhere else I can as he has taken a good amount of money from me. I will update if he does anything to resolve this. Thanks for listening and be careful out there.

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
adamf@eeco.com
954-494-3432

[w4ajf]

Hi Folks, an update about KE7CFS, Victor Mavian and not good. I finally got him on the phone on Tuesday March 11th after many calls and e-mails and he ONCE AGAIN promised to return my payment. He said he would send the payment Wednesday March 12th and then promptly disappeared again. This is a man who does not seem to care about anything but giving false promises and then disappearing for many days. I am waiting for his local Police Department this coming week to start investing him. I am still hoping that someone else out there knows him. He used to work at Icom and he supposedly does some antenna work for Motorola in the state of Washington, as a sub contractor. He was also doing something with an electric car company in that area but could not find anyone in that field who knew him. He was also in the Army but retired from there. Someone out there has to know him so could use any help I can get.
Any suggestions appreciated! Thanks for reading this....

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
adamf@eeco.com
954-494-3432

[w4ajf]

Well folks, it's been several more days, and numerous e-mails and phone calls go unanswered, it's sad that Victor Mavian KE7CFS would take $3500.00 from someone and not care. I am still hoping someone may know him either through his past working at Icom, perhaps living near him, his venture in to electric cars, or his antenna design work that he says he does sometimes for Motorola.

ANY help greatly appreciated. Compensation will be given for any help that gets me money that he took from me.

Thanks,

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
adamf@eeco.com
954-494-3432

[kd8dey]

If you sent him payment through the mail file mail fraud charges.

That should get his undivided attention pretty quickly.

[w4ajf]

Hi, I filed but it is a very slow process....Adam Farber W4AJF

[w4ajf]

Well, another update: On March 21st, 2008 a detective in the Kirkland Police Department went to Victor Mavians apartment. Victor was home and told the detective that he does owe me the money, there is no question of that. He then told the detective that he had shipped the equipment that I had paid him for and that UPS "lost it" but could not produce any proof of shipping. At that time the detective found that Victor had another problem unrelated to my case and "escorted" Victor away on the spot! The detective told Victor before he took him away that Victor had approximately 2 weeks to get in contact with him and tell him what he was going to do to resolve the problem with me as the detective was going on vacation till today (April 8th) and upon his return would check his voice mail to see if Victor had called and told the detective what he was going to do to pay me back. Needless to say the detective contacted me just now and told me that Victor had not contacted him at all so he left Victor a voice mail and will follow this up again.

I offered Victor the chance to send me less money and even told him I would work out a payment plan to his liking but he just wont get back to me after dozens of calls and e-mails. I will post if Victor ever decides to repay the money he has taken from me.


Thanks for listening and be careful out there.

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
adamf@eeco.com
954-494-3432

[w4ajf]

Well folks, today I received $500.00 of the $3500.00 that Victor Mavian KE7CFS still owes me. Although I am happy to receive something, he still owes me a great deal of money ($3,000.00 or so) for the equipment that he never sent me. I was able to get this money sent to me with the great help of the Kirkland Police Department who has been working with me to recover the money that Victor Mavian has taken from me. I am still hoping Victor Mavian will pay me the rest of the money that he owes me, he still refuses to answer any phone calls or e-mails from me. I will post again if Victor decides to send any more of what he owes me.

Thanks,

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
adamf@eeco.com

[w4ajf]

Hi all, another update. Today I received another $300.00 form Victor Mavian KE7CFS. He told the detective working on this case that he sent me $500.00 but I received only $300.00 but at least it's something. He told the local detective that he will pay me in full by the end of June so we shall see. He still owes me $2700.00. I will post if/when any more money that he owes me arrives.

Thanks,

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
adamf@eeco.com

[w4ajf]

Hi all, an update on the money Victor Mavian KE7CFS still owes me: Today I received another $200.00. Victor Mavian still owes me $2500.00 and he told the local detective working on the case there that he would pay me in full by the end of this month (June) so we will see what happens. It is slow going but I am making some progress. I will post again if/when I receive another payment.

Thanks,

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL

[w4ajf]

Hi all, just another update. Victor Mavian had told the local detective that I would receive money this past week but I just found out that he had not sent it as promised. Will update if/when I receive any more money that he still owes me.

Thanks,

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL
adamf@eeco.com

[w4ajf]

Well, another week has gone by, Victor Mavian KE7CFS told the detective again last week that he would send me some money but UPS has come and gone (that's how he has sent payments) so he has AGAIN not sent payment as promised.

I will update if/when I receive any more of the money Victor Mavian still owes me.

Thanks,

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL

[K8ERV]

Maybe you should ask the detective to tighten the C-Clamp a bit more.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[w4ajf]

Hi Tom, yes I agree and am trying. The detective has been VERY helpful in getting me the money that I have received so far but they are busy out there with bigger crimes, but I am sure they will push soon to get me some more money. Will post when I receive something. Thanks to all who read these threads...

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL

[w4ajf]

Hi folks, another update, I FINALLY received another payment from Victor Mavian today, again, the Detective at the Kirkland PD had to push Victor to send the payment but I received it today, June 7th, 2008. He said he was sending $1000.00 (he said that 3 weeks ago) but I only received $500.00 but we are making progress. I dropped the Original amount Victor owed me to $3,000.00 as he had originally sent me some equipment he had laying around that I did not ask for but rather then send it back I gave him $500.00 for it (Victor agreed). Victor still owes me $1500.00 and the detective is working to get some more money for me. Will post if/when I receive another payment.

Thanks,

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL

[n5yiz]

Wow! Sounds like the Kirkland Police Department is doing a good job. I am sure it was not easy getting him to pay anything at all.

[w4ajf]

Hi, yes, as a matter of fact the detective said he FINALLY reached Victor Mavian again today after well over a week and Victor said he would send some more of the money that he owes me Monday. Victor already had promised that he would pay me by the end of June which has come and gone and several times he has promised to send money but has not so let's see what next week brings.

Thanks to all who read these posts.

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL

[MM0GDG]

This is a bit drastic! Nearly all of us have had similar problems in the past, but we sorted them out WITHOUT resorting to prostituting this poor guy to millions of people.
I hope you get your cash - but is it worth dragging this guy through the mud? You have a detective on the case. So, pipe down and leave the guy alone. I can't see many OMs give a flying f....**$$£!
Hope you can sleep well after ruining this guy's reputation. Again - there is NO need for this
Regards
Alex

[w4ajf]

Hi Alex, I don't know about you but $3500.00 is a lot of money. I posted only after a last resort, while I was waiting for Victor Mavians local PD to answer me. Victor kept saying that he shipped the items he owed me and then prcoeeded to give me fake tracking numbers and then blame UPS. He kept telling me that UPS was working on the claim, then he told me they approved it and he would send payment, then his stopped answering. Again, I didn't want to have to post but in this case, after taking my $3500.00 and then blaming UPS for items that he NEVER shipped me and then disappearing I felt I had no choice. I would never do this to another person...

Anyway, thanks for reading this.

Adam Farber W4AJF
Cooper City, FL

[MM0GDG]

Yo Adam!
this is quite a tidy sum. I do not know the ins and outs but - was it not an act of folly from your part to give the guy the opportunity to fleese you? Specifically for this amount.
Anyway; to me , there may be many reasons for the guy not paying up. The fact that he obviously gave you his address etc. might imply that a fraud was initially not intended. Maybe he liked the merchandise and realised later that he really could not afford it? Maybe he needed the money earmarked for you somewhere else urgently and is now ashamed about the affair and is dodging and diving. Anyway, he makes erratic payments. You will probably in time receive the whole amount due. Of course it is a royal pain in the a..., but you really have to be careful in the future.
In god we trust, all others have to pay casy as we say in Germany.
Again
73s to you and your family
Alex

[w4ajf]

Hi Alex, yes, point well taken and those are possibilities, I thought about that and tried to reason with him before resorting to all this but he would not answer. I would leave him messages telling him things like "I understand if you had some problems so please just get back to me so we can work this out" but he just would not answer. I would leave him messages almost pleading with him just to get back to me so I could help him resolve it but he just ignored me. Anyway, I am hoping I will get paid. He does keep promising to send money and does so at times so I am getting closer. I can tell you that without the help of the Police Department I probably would not have gotten any money paid back.

Again, thanks for the post back and take care.

Adam Farber W4AJF