1.06.06
We normally post news that is more on a positive note, but feel this information below is important to everyone in the buying/selling community:
For those who have pre-ordered the Phantom-1 Convertors, we have some bad news. The producers of these convertors, !Arcade!, run by Ray Young operating out of Canada has notified us that the package he sent us was “lost.” We paid him over $5000.00 USD back in September having him guarantee us delivery (partial shipment, not even what we agreed on) by late November, mid-December at the latest, just in time for Christmas to meet everyone’s pre-orders. We asked him on several occasions (we have numerous emails from him) before payment was sent about firm delivery. Several times, we received a firm response that it would be done in the time agreed.
We are quite careful, but could never be too careful when negotiating deals, whether large or small, so we believe we were set up for a scam from the start. All of our previous deals have gone through Paypal, without any question or mention of other payment options. This time, however, for reasons now clear, Ray asked us to send the funds through either wire transfer or Western Union. For those who are familiar with payment options and protection, those latter forms do not protect the sender of the funds in any way. Of course, we took heavy precaution and sent funds to him through Paypal using our credit card for further protection. Paypal has a 45 day protection plan for it’s buyers, while our credit card protects us as long as merchandise has not been received. We’ve heard 6 months to a year, our deal with Ray has gone over 3 months, hence past Paypal’s protection plan, but well within our credit card limits.
We’re always willing to work reasonably with our buyers and sellers and would kindly asked for a refund and if none was given, we’d just go our own route and do a chargeback. After the package was declared “lost” and in the process of being traced by UPS, Ray conveniently said he was working on another batch of P-1’s. Ray claimed to have dropped off the package at the distribution location in his area, even going so far as claiming to have a signature from a UPS Agent. UPS claims a package as “lost” if it was scanned at least once at some point in time, at least in this case, showing the item in transit. Ray’s package sent to us, showed no record of ever entering UPS's Dist. Center (which means it was never scanned). For grins, let's even take it a step further. As the UPS agent says, "there's always a starting point. Even if the package leaves the Dist. Center without being scanned, it would have to be scanned at the next location, but this never happens." As the agents mentioned that it’s highly unlikely UPS would not scan a package, especially if it’s located in their distribution center. More importantly, not being scanned at all at any point in time can only mean one thing as the agents concluded…the package was never dropped off.
Furthermore, we confirmed with another large supplier of Phantom-1 convertors that Ray gave him the same story. According to Ray, he sent 4 UPS packages that day, 2 of them lost and the two lost happened to have contained Phantom-1 convertors.
This could only mean two things. Someone at UPS is a huge Neo Geo fan and has an portable X-Ray machine and basically swiped both Phantom-1 packages or the package was never dropped off. Given UPS's reliability/honesty vs. Ray Young's, we'd have to go with UPS this time (just this time) and say it was never dropped off.
At this point, after having over 14 pieces cancelled by our customers as we couldn’t meet our Christmas deadline, we asked for a refund (not a chargeback) and we knew we were in the midst of a typical end of the Neo Geo life scammer. A few emails were sent asking Ray Young what steps to take next to come to a resolution, which were left unanswered, so instead of sitting around, waiting for our “statute of limitations” to run out, we gave Mr. Ray a deadline. Of course he couldn’t meet it as he’s done nothing in the past month except for collecting “other” (yes, a few other big buyers were scammed in the process as you will soon read) buyer’s money. So instead of offering a refund, he suggested we go through the process and do a chargeback. Folks, this is a sign of a scam artist. Any legitimate seller would try to work things out and make amends. A chargeback shows that he takes no responsibility in this matter and a clear sign he’s jumping ship. Surely, this will replenish our funds and ruin Ray’s Paypal account, but then again we could care less about his account.
Rest assured, we’re getting our money back, with more than sufficient proof of that no package was ever sent and furthermore, we’re going to report Mr. Young for acts of internet fraud. It’s unfortunate that !Arcade! (Ray Young) has opted to leave the scene in this fashion, but we cannot deny that there were early signs of this as we have emails and MANY other big name buyers to prove this. There is a whole lot more to Mr. Young’s shady character, which will be revealed and supported by many well known resellers of the Neo Geo community on
www.neo-geo.com. Please take this message as a warning refrain from any future deals with Ray Young.
Now go order something from them!
