Constable Ryan Bacica Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Burnaby Detachment (Team 4 / District 3) 6355 Deer Lake
Avenue Burnaby, BC V5G2J2

Ph: (604) 294-7922 Fax: (604) 294-7807
Voice Mail: (604) 294-7755 Box# 5054

Email: Ryan.Bacica@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Constable Bacica,

Thanks very much for this reply. My phone number is (still) xxx-xxx-xxxx. This has all been a very exasperating and stressful experience. This week I received several taunting emails from Mr Maruk insisting that I drop all charges. He has also threatened me.

I am surprised to hear that a "Mr W Todd Maruk" really exists! I'm somewhat relieved to hear that he isn't entirely anonymous with Russian mafia gang connections, as was suggested at one point. (When I first called Burnaby RCMP I was told that there was no record of his identity (and that his address was merely a big apartment complex -- I discovered an apt number later from another eBayer -- and that his phone number either didn't exist or was merely a messaging number.)) It was also suggested to me that opening a bank account with fake ID was very common, and this was probably the case here. When I repeatedly relayed this information to eBay and Mr Maruk while attempting to receive my computer, there was never a response to this allegation.

For over 30 days I attempted to reconcile what was unavoidably seen to be an obvious, admitted, blatant fraud. I gave him every benefit of the doubt and tried every approach: perhaps he had mailed the wrong package(?), etc. I paid for the services of a SquareTrade mediator ($20) in additional to unanswered phonecalls and sending many messages to eBay and Mr Maruk (screen-name: soapwithcamel). His "I no longer give a shit" message (appended) was frightening and caused me to ask my banker for additional safeguards on my account (Sydney Labadie, BofA, 503-275-2252).

Other eBayers to whom he tried to also sell this same computer, have expressed their mistrust/suspicion. Later, his other 'big ticket' eBay auctions (other computers and servers) seemed very suspect as well and I alerted eBay. (Their fraud fax number for law enforcement agencies is: 408-967-9915 or stopfraud@ebay.com)

He insisted on a bank-to-bank wire of $802US (W Todd Maruk account number 0926-7134346 Burnaby TD Canada Trust) which I sent on 6/28/04 (Bank of America Transaction Ref: 2004062800027956) at an additional cost of $45.

My winning bid (auction 5104069074) for the Computer (G3 Pismo 500 DVD Airport 768mbRam 40GB hard-drive) + three good batteries + charger + software/original cds + two power supplies + screen protector, was $770 + $32 shipping = $802, which I paid (documented). (I have sent a pdf file of auction description/pictures/prices separately.)

I received only one very underweight, bogus shipment of only an old laptop lid/screen from Mr Maruk via Expedited USA, Canada Post on 2004/07/10 (Item number CX052327025CA). I still have the signed package: postage was only $13.72, weight only 1.614 kg. The return address he used was "6230 Dow (or Dew) Ave., Burnaby, BC V5H3C9" (Just the one or two batteries alone - or very easily the computer itself - would have weighed much more than his package.)

When I filed a Fraud Alert and then a Buyer Protection Claim (30+ days after auction-end as required), with eBay I was required to fax (which I did on 28 Jul 2004), proof of payment, signed claimform, and "appraisal or proof of authenticity based on an independent authenticator's physical inspection." This authentication was provided by a Mac computer specialist store: (Ross Phelps/Stacey Calkins, Portland Mac Store, 10115 SW Nimbus Suite 100, Tigard OR 97223 503-620-3550 on 7/28/04). They state: "has minimal value - if any at all; it is only a top case with no components whatsoever." I'm awaiting a reply from "Duke," Claims Adjuster, Fraud Protection Program, eBay (234462 P9101719). The most that I can recover is $175.

Portland Police Officer Caslio (case #0465574; (503-823-0400)) also viewed the package and content at my home on 15 June 2004. I have also spoken with Dectective Kueckler of the Portland Fraud Division (503-823-0758) about this matter.

I have also filed fraud complaints with the Vancouver RCMP, recol, USPS, Phonebusters, WebPolice, Crimestoppers, IFCC, and TD Canada Trust Bank.

When he _did finally respond, Mr Maruk also repeatedly refused to return my money. His "customs issue" is a last-ditch, desperate, dishonest obfuscation. Because Mr Maruk kept changing his and the item's stated geographic location (as well as his name and phone number) in his eBay profile (Vancouver, USA; Vancouver, Canada; Vancouver/USA Los Angeles; Toronto) I initially suggested that he should be responsible for any duty that might be levied (if in fact, any _is on used electronics between private parties...) if the computer was coming from Canada. I suggested that he could classify the package as a gift. He stated that he would do this and he offered to pay later for half of any duty charged. None was.

Total monetary loss: $867US + phone-calls/faxes.

Please keep me informed and confirm receipt of this message.

- Brad Brace

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appended threatening message:

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From: f355@shaw.ca
Date: Mon Jul 12, 2004 7:36:46 AM US/Pacific
To: { brad brace }
Subject: war
Received: from [192.168.1.100]
(S010600045ad81baa.vc.shawcable.net [24.87.196.133]) by
l-daemon (iPlanet Messaging Server 5.2 HotFix 1.18 (built
Jul 28 2003)) with ESMTP id <0I0Q0013JTXBRF@l-daemon> for
bbrace@dslnorthwest.net; Mon, 12 Jul 2004 08:36:47 -0600(MDT)
Message-Id:

... I would have been happy to figure out what is going on
in that stupid brain of yours, but you have pissed me off
and I no longer give a shit. Since you seem intent on going
to war, lets go! This is going to be lots of fun because
everything you do to me I will do back to you twice as hard
and I will just keep sticking my boot further up your ass.
Bring it on bitch!

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