Zeke Scam

[loathar]

I've been saying this for years:  When it comes to on-line forums you just can't be sure who is on the other keyboard (with very few exceptions).

Although I did find it odd that the member ID used had been around for a while with a fairly high post count.  It just didn't fit the usual (recently joined) troll-like profile.  Perhaps this was a legitimate ID that was hijacked?  

I was thinking the same thing. I just looked. He joined 3-4 months ago and had 800 posts. I went to the Memorial Day thread to check his posting history but I can't access it. (my computers pretty messed up) Maybe someone else could go there and check and see if he had changed his name anything else suspicious. I didn't see what caused this last thread to get yanked. I don't think that post about the RC car forum would have been enough to do it. There must have been more to it than that. (maybe Bergie knew something we didn't)

[CPRail modeler]

I KNEW that thread was suspicious! I never posted because there was something about this guy that just struck me as odd. At first, I thought this was another (I don't want to start a flame war here but...) UPChuck reincarnation, but as time went by, I dismissed it and got around to some MRRing (had to rip up track to install electrical, what a pain...) and posted more around the forum. I left it alone for approximately 1 or 2 months until THAT Zeke thread appeared. I watched it for a few days and then dismissed that. Then this thread comes...

...the thing is a few months ago, UPChuck was banned and we never heard from him for a long time (which is a good thing). That time was around the time Zeke came online. I see a possible connection here but I can't find it.

BTW I heard something about an Al Mayo coming back online, but I'm not sure...

[SteamFreak]

Looking at Zeke's post history, the first one was April 17th. He/she racked up a lot in a coffee shop thread, apparently.

Posts by zeke

[Cederstrand]

Quick break to read some posts.

***Matt, would you like some backup on that visit with the Zeke entity?

 

Speaking of telemarketers, I usually ask them strait away for their home phone number. When they say thay can't give that out, I tell them if they are not willing to take calls at their home, then don't bother calling mine. Most of the time I let the answering machine weed them out.  Rob

 

 

[ARTHILL]

Aren't we having fun with this one. If Zeke is a scam, it surely worked.

I do commend the large number of good people who took him/her at his/her word and showed generous concern.

[tomkat-13]

I did not post on the "zeke" story as it seemed to travel to fast and someone that bad off has more on their mind than some train forum! We all have our own problems & I think that putting them out on a forum for a train hobby is not the place. Also as a US NAVY Vet (1972-76) I know how I feel when someone fakes or embellishes service to their Country & I share that feeling with my fellow Vets! As to the selling off of items received because of deceit and playing on someones good intentions is down right chicken----. I think ebay sould be notified by someone with authority to show what these poeple did and to check the other items they have listed to see if they are running this scam all over the whole world wide web! Lets try to stick to RR things and we all need to be more careful with suspicious post......tkat

[Fergmiester]

Quick break to read some posts.

***Matt, would you like some backup on that visit with the Zeke entity?

 

Speaking of telemarketers, I usually ask them strait away for their home phone number. When they say thay can't give that out, I tell them if they are not willing to take calls at their home, then don't bother calling mine. Most of the time I let the answering machine weed them out.  Rob

 

Ooooh I'll have to remember that  one... Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

rt-use the search button-type in zeke and it will bring up the origional post plus this one. Hope this helps. Bob

[jeffrey-wimberly]

You won't find the Zeke thread that was on this forum. It got zapped!

[LD357]

After reading the memorial day posts and some of the original ''zeke'' posts...I also had a flashback to our buddy upchuck.....but given upchucks inability to spell even simple words, and his Mother Goose style fairy tales....this ''zeke'' seems to me to be a completely different troll, ''zekes'' story was more believable and well thought out than anything upchuck could conjure,  so I think we have a different lying here.

  And speaking of upchuck....a poster on the Bachmann forums calling itself ''summertrainz'' is suspiciously like upchuck, same sort of silly questions and stupid posts.

[challenger3980]

Hi Guys,(and Gals too)

     I guess Zeke or whoever it really is must still be reading the forums, I just saw something interesting, the ebay auction for the Porter, had been ended early by the seller, due to a mistake in the listing. Must have realized that the wheel wear would be a give away that the engine was not unrun.

    Also, Zeke's new forum ID is Tubularguy, after he recvd it, he sent me an email through the forum ( which unfortunately doesn't give the true email address  of the sender) Thanking Me and  saying how much he liked it.

                                                                                   Doug

[Anonymous]

Jeff- I don't doubt that the thread got zapped but it did not
entirely disappear. I redid the search and still found it mentioned a
couple of times on this forum and many times on Toy Train Operating and
Collecting. I would have thought that once zapped it would all be
gone,I guess I was wrong.

I do agree with others that sooner or later people like Zeke wii get theirs. Bob 

[challenger3980]

I have several relatives out his/her way and thought they might have some fun investigating this on their own, if so inclined. Feel free to e-mail me the address if anyone finds it.

You're a kind soul, Doug.

Rob

Hi Rob,

    I did find a forum link that went back to the post with the mailing address for Zeke, it is:

    Zeke Watkins,  4356 E. Bonnyview rd,  Redding, CA 96001

That is the address that I sent the package to, so it should be legit.  If you hear anything from your relatives, Please let me know. 10 years ago, I could have checked this out myself, I am a truck driver, back then I drove for  a foodservice co. and went through Redding every week. Now I am with a different company( I sure don't miss the food service delivery business) and now, I usually go to Nampa, ID (near Boise) and Spokane, Wa.  Redding and the Lake Shasta area are very Pretty, we used to vacation on Lake Shasta when I  was a kid. Kinda silly, but I still remember getting burritos at Diggers Bay, I always made sure we got them at least once each year.

                                                                       Doug

[Cederstrand]

Doug, a friend of mine found a new/real name connected with the bonnyview address. Also an alternate address. Connection to the ebayer not confirmed yet. Interesting!

Rob   

[challenger3980]

Hi Again Rob,

    It may prove interesting if nothing else, and maybe make someone sweat a bit, if it is a scam.

                                                                             Thanks,

                                                                             Doug

[loathar]

Hi Guys,(and Gals too)

     I guess Zeke or whoever it really is must still be reading the forums, I just saw something interesting, the ebay auction for the Porter, had been ended early by the seller, due to a mistake in the listing. Must have realized that the wheel wear would be a give away that the engine was not unrun.

    Also, Zeke's new forum ID is Tubularguy, after he recvd it, he sent me an email through the forum ( which unfortunately doesn't give the true email address  of the sender) Thanking Me and  saying how much he liked it.

                                                                                   Doug

WOW! Are you saying he sent you a PM laughing at you for sending a scam artist like him  the loco?? Or am I misinterpreting your post here?

[eeyore9900]

I was elsewhere online & doing things on my comp (my other half adding a new 250g secondary hard drive to my comp for my CD music collection & my TRAIN pics) as well as at my job.) So I missed the initial "Zeke" thread before it got zapped.

But what I have gathered, this "person" reminds me of the "fwds" I get from time to time. "This man/woman/child" (insert appropriate) has "this/that" & we need "help/sympathy/$$$" (again, insert appropriate) & it seems this is becoming a popular internet scam that preys on the good hearted. Anyways, unless I'm totally familiar with the subject (read that-I KNOW they're on the up & up) I ignore them-period. The last time I gave $$$ was when our local firefighters were gathering donations shortly after 9/11. (I only hope it was used honorably, as I'm sure they did too)

Mr. Vollmer, you are a vet-period, no matter what you may say about your involvement-you had no say in what you were involved with, & thankfully you're still here with us-IMO you're a valuable, intelligent, insightful member of this forum. Myself I never felt I was military service material right from the get-go, but that doesn't mean I don't highly respect the ones that did.

A fellow I know who's a patron at the library I work at. He's a gentle, soft spoken, big hearted fella who cultivated the fields around my parents' house for many years, as did his dad. He was in the reserves, & flew supply missions out of the Gulf/Irag area (not sure exactly) He was good friends with my Mom, & always had a kind word (or a "kidding" to my Mom-those 2 went round & round in a good way-she just recently retired from the library herself after 30 years) But anyways, I casually asked when he was home on leave about things, & he responded, "Not bad, except...I didn't really like being shot at when I was taking off." & the thought of anyone shooting at this gentle big hearted fella just bothered me. (He's done his time tho-& is home for good)

I don't know where I was really going with that, but the bottom line is I respect ALL vets & those in service, no matter what they're "detail" is, as you Dave. You're established here & respectable IMO. But this "unknown" coming out of the clear blue sky soliciting so to speak, raises red flags. It seems to me the true ones in need of help wouldn't go about as this "Zeke" person, & go about it more ways that would be able to establish their credibility.

[SteamFreak]

Doug, a friend of mine found a new/real name connected with the bonnyview address. Also an alternate address. Connection to the ebayer not confirmed yet. Interesting!

Rob   

I see you like horses, Bob. Just like Susan Anderson. She's a real witch.

www.myspace.com/reallywickedsue

 

My 15 year old son has Cushing's Disease

[AggroJones]

I took a gander at that zeke thread. Didn't pay it any mind though.

[AggroJones]

Doug, a friend of mine found a new/real name connected with the bonnyview address. Also an alternate address. Connection to the ebayer not confirmed yet. Interesting!

Rob   

I see you like horses, Bob. Just like Susan Anderson. She's a real witch.

www.myspace.com/reallywickedsue

 

My 15 year old son has Cushing's Disease

Crikey...

[challenger3980]

Hi Guys,(and Gals too)

     I guess Zeke or whoever it really is must still be reading the forums, I just saw something interesting, the ebay auction for the Porter, had been ended early by the seller, due to a mistake in the listing. Must have realized that the wheel wear would be a give away that the engine was not unrun.

    Also, Zeke's new forum ID is Tubularguy, after he recvd it, he sent me an email through the forum ( which unfortunately doesn't give the true email address  of the sender) Thanking Me and  saying how much he liked it.

                                                                                   Doug

WOW! Are you saying he sent you a PM laughing at you for sending a scam artist like him  the loco?? Or am I misinterpreting your post here?

Yep, thats basically about the size of it. Although it did seem sincere, until my ebay search  setting popped up with it about the second day after S/He? got it.

                                                                                       Doug

[Lillen]

Quick break to read some posts.

***Matt, would you like some backup on that visit with the Zeke entity?

 

Speaking of telemarketers, I usually ask them strait away for their home phone number. When they say thay can't give that out, I tell them if they are not willing to take calls at their home, then don't bother calling mine. Most of the time I let the answering machine weed them out.  Rob

 

Ooooh I'll have to remember that  one... Thanks!

 

 

That is a classic Seinfeld joke that I too have used a lot of times. I have one other thing I tell them too but it's a bit to rude to write on a forum like this.

 

Magnus

[claymore1977]

My personal favorite thing to do to a telemarketer is to start off like this:

Telemarketer:  "Hello, is Dave Loman there?"

Me:  "May I ask who's calling?"

Telemarketer:  "Yes, this is Mr Smith from UmptySquat Company, is this Mr Loman?"

Me:  "Um, hold on."  Pretend to cover phone and talk to people in the background:  "Okay guys, i need you to put the tape up over by the front door and start documenting the condition of the body."

Me, back on phone:  "Actually Mr Smith, this is Sgt O'mally, Baltimore Homicide.  You have actually called a crime scene.  Mr Loman is no longer with us and I am gonna need you to stay on the line for a while to answer a few questions.  First off, how did you know Mr Loman and how did you get this number? ...." 

 

..have done that twice now and never really got much past the 4 minute point before I cant keep a straight face anymore and start laughing uncontrollably :) 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

That's priceless!

[loathar]

Claymore-That's GREAT!! I usually just say hang on one second. Set the phone down and keep yelling at it "I'll be right with you!" Check back in a minute and ask them to keep holding. Telling them your recording the call for the court case usually makes them go away.

[ndbprr]

You guys do know the government has a web site that eliminates you from telemarketing calls for five years and a second that reduces junk mail.  Anybody who violates it gets a $10,000 fine for each incedence.  I just ask for the persons full name and thank them.  then I tell them I am reporting them and they personally get the $10,000 fine.  Now I get maybe one a month.

[BDT in Minnesota]

Doug, a friend of mine found a new/real name connected with the bonnyview address. Also an alternate address. Connection to the ebayer not confirmed yet. Interesting!

Rob   

I see you like horses, Bob. Just like Susan Anderson. She's a real witch.

www.myspace.com/reallywickedsue

 

My 15 year old son has Cushing's Disease

Guess who has a nice 275watt ZW for sale on eBay, and a 33 year old son listed on her myspace ????????

[Cox 47]

Claymore I can't wait to try that!  Cox 47

[steemtrayn]

My personal favorite thing to do to a telemarketer is to start off like this:

Telemarketer:  "Hello, is Dave Loman there?"

Me:  "May I ask who's calling?"

Telemarketer:  "Yes, this is Mr Smith from UmptySquat Company, is this Mr Loman?"

Me:  "Um, hold on."  Pretend to cover phone and talk to people in the background:  "Okay guys, i need you to put the tape up over by the front door and start documenting the condition of the body."

Me, back on phone:  "Actually Mr Smith, this is Sgt O'mally, Baltimore Homicide.  You have actually called a crime scene.  Mr Loman is no longer with us and I am gonna need you to stay on the line for a while to answer a few questions.  First off, how did you know Mr Loman and how did you get this number? ...." 

 

..have done that twice now and never really got much past the 4 minute point before I cant keep a straight face anymore and start laughing uncontrollably :) 

Hear the whole thing:

http://joshualowry.vox.com/library/audio/6a00c225203796f21900c2252ab8c18e1d.html

[csmith9474]

My personal favorite thing to do to a telemarketer is to start off like this:

Telemarketer:  "Hello, is Dave Loman there?"

Me:  "May I ask who's calling?"

Telemarketer:  "Yes, this is Mr Smith from UmptySquat Company, is this Mr Loman?"

Me:  "Um, hold on."  Pretend to cover phone and talk to people in the background:  "Okay guys, i need you to put the tape up over by the front door and start documenting the condition of the body."

Me, back on phone:  "Actually Mr Smith, this is Sgt O'mally, Baltimore Homicide.  You have actually called a crime scene.  Mr Loman is no longer with us and I am gonna need you to stay on the line for a while to answer a few questions.  First off, how did you know Mr Loman and how did you get this number? ...." 

 

..have done that twice now and never really got much past the 4 minute point before I cant keep a straight face anymore and start laughing uncontrollably :) 

As posted above, I have heard this bit on Bob and Tom. Pretty funny bit, although it is nothing new.