Marketplace seller ArtDeco

king leopardi · Veteran Member Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 278

I've been a member of this and the Trumpetmaster forum for years and this is the first time I've been scammed.

I recently purchased a 1942 Conn 22B New York Symphony Special from TH member ArtDeco (Jonathan Porham), which he advertised on the TH marketplace.

I sent the money on Sunday, July 17. He said that he would send it USPS Priority and would send the tracking number to me. I have not heard from him since. No sign of the package either.

I noticed that a couple of days later, he pulled his other ads he had on the marketplace (I remember that one of them was for a Courtois trumpet) and created another ArtDeco name on Trumpetmaster. He has repeatedly refused to answer any of my emails or PMs.

The email that he gave for me to use in the transaction is gtran647@gmail.com. A search of that email pulled up a post that he made under the Trumpetmaster name CompleteRookie. It appears that some other people have had unfortunate dealings with him under that name.

I should have been way more careful and not purchased anything from anyone so new to the forum (I think he has just five posts). Plus, I was stupid enough to send him the payment as a "friends and family" option (per his request). So, hey--I deserved getting took. Lesson learned.

However, I just wanted to warn anyone else away from this person if he shows up with anything else to sell. And keep in mind that he is also on the Trumpetmaster site under the ArtDeco name too.

I hate having to write a post like this, but just couldn't stand by any longer.

Dave Brewer

Turkle · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:29 pm Post subject:

Yeah, the "5 posts and done" people just aren't to be trusted.

I've made many purchases here on TH, and have sold a bunch of items as well, and I've only had excellent experiences.

For any purchase more than a hundred bucks, I insist on a personal phone call. You can tell pretty quickly if someone is 1) a trumpet player, and 2) is legit, by chatting some trumpet with them on the phone. I actually declined to purchase an instrument I wanted because I got a sketchy vibe on the phone - they couldn't answer trumpet-related questions right away, and they didn't pick up some trumpet player "inside jokes" immediately, which I thought wasn't right.

Anyway, I'm sorry you got scammed. Perhaps the scumbag that burned you will see the light and make good on his promise.
_________________
Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
Yamaha 8310Z flugel
Curry 3.

LaTrompeta · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:36 pm Post subject:

He's a regular on TM whose ethics have been questionable in the past (see these threads):

http://www.trumpetmaster.com/vb/f131/completerookie-dear-clark-84026.html
http://www.trumpetmaster.com/vb/f131/calling-out-completerookie-84023.html
http://www.trumpetmaster.com/vb/f140/another-case-84664.html

You may still get your money back.

Crazy Finn · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:41 pm Post subject:

Don't hate writing this post at all. You're doing a service for everyone.
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LA Benge 3X Bb Trumpet
Selmer Radial Bb Trumpet
Yamaha 6335S Bb Trumpet
Besson 709 Bb Trumpet
Bach 184L Bb Cornet
Yamaha 731 Bb Flugelhorn

Fuzzy Dunlop · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Jun 2011 Posts: 630

Thanks for the heads up. Sorry to hear this, man. On another note, it really irks me when people ask to be sent funds via paypal with the "friends and family" option. So many things wrong with that.

mm55 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1412

Hzinno

I am actively trying to find out who this guy is as I have been scammed as well. Sent him money for a horn and the rest is history. He is using paypal to steal yet Paypal will not divulge his identity and so far neither will Trumpet herald. Any help in identifying him is much appreciated.

Thanks
Hz
_________________
Yamaha Xeno 8335RGM w/MK Drawings mods.
Kanstul 1601
Kanstul 1500 b-flat
Kanstul 1503 c
LA Benge Pic
Tony Scodwell Flugel
1957 Conn Customized Valve Trombone
Getzen Eterna Cornet
French Besson Meha
Tony Scodwell Boston Bflat

Jay2015trumpet · Regular Member Joined: 29 May 2015 Posts: 74

I was waiting on payment from this character for a Buescher Super 400 too. It's been over two weeks. His other aliases include Gary Tran and Jazz Addict. His google profile suggests he's from Brooklyn, NY. The guy generally writes like a rude New Yorker, very off the cuff, so that might help someone in finding out any other names he goes by. Thanks for the heads up, OP!

I forgot to add one of his emails is gtran647@gmail.com, as I recall.

LaTrompeta · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 7:05 am Post subject:

Maybe he got really sick. I know people have done business with him in the past and it worked out OK.

satjazz · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 7:08 am Post subject: Also Scammed by Jonathon Porham

I guess I must join the stupidity club here. I also was scammed by the same person for a Getzen Super deluxe with sterling bell, also advertised here.

Have had many good transactions on Trumpetherald, this is the first time I have been scammed.

This guy needs to be stopped!
_________________
Steve T.

mm55 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1412

AKA "Ricky Tran", possibly using a Brooklyn phone number registered to "Jamie Tran".
_________________
'75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg

Hzinno · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 7:35 am Post subject: Gtran

Great info. Keep it comming. Let's get this guy
_________________
Yamaha Xeno 8335RGM w/MK Drawings mods.
Kanstul 1601
Kanstul 1500 b-flat
Kanstul 1503 c
LA Benge Pic
Tony Scodwell Flugel
1957 Conn Customized Valve Trombone
Getzen Eterna Cornet
French Besson Meha
Tony Scodwell Boston Bflat

mm55 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1412

aka "Joyce137298"
_________________
'75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg

kmag · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 12:25 pm Post subject:

I want to thank you for the post as well and I know, since there has been no communication, how hard that must be. If there is a problem I would think they would get in touch immediately, I know I would, and I am sure you exhausted all other options before posting. I do appreciate the heads up though. I wish there was some way to keep people from registering under different names if they have the same IP address. Although can people change that it is more difficult.

I have bought and sold for years with people I have never met, pre-internet days even, and only once had a bad experience. I have backed out a few that didn't feel right though. I used to send a check, wait for it to clear, and then wait for the instrument to show up. They always did. If it wasn't what I wanted I was able to send it back and get money returned. I am glad that I was only disappointed once. It does make you a little shy to commit in the future but it also shows how great most people are.

The good news is that I feel there is less risk than before although it still exists.
_________________
Kurt Magnuson

1925 Holton trumpet
1946 Conn 80A
2012 Lawler C7

mm55 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1412

jadickson · Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 2:54 pm Post subject:

I wish marketplace users could acrue a "feedback rating" like you can on eBay.
_________________
Justin Dickson
Middle school band director. Still learning.
www.BandmateTuner.com

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

roynj · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Oct 2002 Posts: 2065

I've probably bought and sold over 50 items on TH over many years. I've not had any experience with a scammer. About the worst was when someone dragged their feet in sending me the item (could have been a mouthpiece or something small) and I began to get a little heated. But then after a few weeks the item came drifting in. Turned out the seller was just a bit of a lazy person and didn't much care about getting his items shipped in a timely manner. In any event, I learned a small lesson on that one to always ask about shipping timetable. I did also have a recent seller act rudely in his email about an item and I just chose not to buy it.

king leopardi · Veteran Member Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 278

I appreciate all of the responses, thanks everybody.

Kind of a shock to see how many others have had unfortunate dealings with this person.

Dave Brewer

NYC-player · Heavyweight Member Joined: 03 Jun 2016 Posts: 627

Such drama