Member Warning! Thief European Dealer!

[stogieman]

I am posting this on the open forum so that all members, of any type may be made aware of a thief. As the say, just the facts:

On December 21, 2003 I won an auction on Militaria-Web, yes one of our new sponsors.
Seller's name: Carsten Staegemeir
Item #2503624 Infantry Sturmabzeichen m. LDO Tüte

On December 23, Mr. Carsten Staegemeir was paid 80- Euro Cash via bank transfer from a friend of mine in Germany

Since that time, despite repeated requests to deliver the goods, or return the 80 Euro, this dealer has done nothing.

He operates also this website: http://www.ww-collection.de

A close scrutiny of the offerings on this site will speak for them selves.

Copies of correspondance:

12/24/04: I realized I OVERPAID him:
Yes, of course I make a return with the more money.

Now I am collecting for the next auction I made in around one week.

But you must have a look than.

Many thanks and best wishes and have a nice x-mas time

Carsten

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: The Ware Gang [mailto:sprucemtndepot@comcast.net]

Gesendet: Dienstag, 23. Dezember 2003 20:13

An: arte-viva@t-online.de

Betreff: Whoops!



Hi, I had XXXXX pay you 80- Euro this AM as I could not remember the bid

price and the website was down.

Please refund the overage, or do you have other badges for sale that I could

buy??

Thanks!

MfG, Rick

ONE MONTH LATER, NO BADGE:

Hello Rick,

please send my quick the item number - I check it again.

Normaly we need the item number on the bank transfer and Mr. XXXXXX don´t

write it - so it is sometimes not so easy to find the item.

But I think we have shipped your item - I remeber me.

Best wishes

Carsten

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: The Ware Gang [mailto:sprucemtndepot@comcast.net]

Gesendet: Dienstag, 27. Januar 2004 05:19

An: Carsten Staegemeir

Betreff: RE: Whoops!



Hi Carsten, did you ship the IAB??

Thanks, Rick

-----Original Message-----

From: Carsten Staegemeir [mailto:arte-viva@t-online.de]

Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2003 9:21 AM

To: The Ware Gang

Subject: AW: Whoops!



Yes, of course I make a return with the more money.

Now I am collecting for the next auction I made in around one week.

But you must have a look than.

Many thanks and best wishes and have a nice x-mas time

Carsten

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: The Ware Gang [mailto:sprucemtndepot@comcast.net]

Gesendet: Dienstag, 23. Dezember 2003 20:13

An: arte-viva@t-online.de

Betreff: Whoops!



Hi, I had XXXXXX pay you 80- Euro this AM as I could not remember the bid

price and the website was down.

Please refund the overage, or do you have other badges for sale that I could

buy??

Thanks!

MfG, Rick

AND FINALLY 2 MONTHS LATER, NO MONEY, NO BADGE:

Hello Rick,

now it is all checked. The item is here.

Please give me quick your adress and we send the item to you.

Best wishes

Carsten

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: The Ware Gang [mailto:sprucemtndepot@comcast.net]

Gesendet: Mittwoch, 28. Januar 2004 01:29

An: Carsten Staegemeir

Betreff: RE: Whoops!



Hallo Carsten, the item number was Militaria-Web #2503624. Thanks for

checking.

MfG, Rick

-----Original Message-----

From: Carsten Staegemeir [mailto:arte-viva@t-online.de]

Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 10:30 AM

To: The Ware Gang

Subject: AW: Whoops!

[BobI]

Hi Rick,

I am sorry to hear about this as it is what destroys the hobby! When supported by facts as you have done, I think it is best for all of us.

Best WIshes,

Bob

[herrgeezer]

Hello Rick,

I've also had a run in with this person on ebay a few years back. I purchased a Luftwaffe para helmet that turned out to be totally bogus. He said in his German ebay auction that he would guarantee the item to be 100% original or money back. RIGHT!
Hang in there and don't give up! Don't let these types think for a minute that they are shielded by an ocean or the fact that they are live in another country. Laws are laws and when people break them on an international scale they can be prosecuted.

Good luck,
David

Here's some links for you:

http://www.interpol.int/
http://www.fraud.org/
http://www.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/fc/ifcc/ifcc.htm
http://www.econsumer.gov/english/con...t-contact.html

[Dave Kane]

Ofcourse I'm not going to be the favorite child for this post but...soon after this sponsor was displayed I sent a communication to Seba (warning) of this sort of thing and suggesting a "cheapening" of the merit that this site has accomplished...

I wasn't comfortable with the " don't shoot the messenger " reply but respectfully...it can only go down hill from this point...


I'd rather see 'proven' sponsors...

This group is just too loose!

Dave

[stogieman]

Mr. Kane

You cannot blame eBay, or Militaria Web, or any other venue for the bad behavior of its' participants. Part of the problem with militaria collecting today is so many people just blame the venue instead of forcing the individual responsible to accept the consequences of their own behavior.

The sponsor is not bad.

There are people who sell fakes on the estand here.
We do our very best to shut them down when we find them.
Does that make the website bad because some of it's members are morons and thieves?

I think not.

[Dave Kane]

Rick...business is business and I understand that! I was speaking of a perception and so well understood by using 'Manion's' as an example....that company too used the cop-out of...we are only the msgr. and aren't responsible for the end result!! Look at where the company is today!!!!


Dave

[ben bijker]

try miliweb

hi rick,

try to file a complaint at miliweb.

it worked for me when a seller sent me a round 3 ek which was in very bad condition.
for his auction he `borrowed` a picture of a mint ek.

i got my money back after miliweb threatened the seller with legal action.

don´t know if it will work, but it´s worth a try

good luck,
ben

[jazz24ffm]

hi rick.....want to tell you my story about dealing with Staegemeir. Bought an IC 1st and 2nd class on miliweb last year...and paid the money via bank transfer as you did.
no IC arrived after 1-2 weeks.....and so i emailed him what`s up with the items. he replied that the cops confiscated the whole stuff and that he will return the money......and so he did after some reminders......
Didn`t make business with him again.......because someone pointed out that mr. Staegemeir is a well know fake dealer.......

i totally agree with you to name the bad boys. his username on miliweb is
"Der Afrikaheld"

[Hank C.]

Alert the bank

Have your German friend alert the bank he paid through. Germans are pretty good about going after this sort of thing. They work hard for their money; get taxed heavily; and don't look kindly at getting ripped off. If he did a money transfer in Germany from bank to bank, you've got a good avenue to pursue there.

best of luck
Hank

[Brian S]

I'd rather pay more per year in dues than have to suffer the inability to call a spade a spade. It's your website Seba but I personally hate dealer sponsors creating an untouchable wall between 'us' and 'them'.

[Gerd W.]

Hi!

Will not say anything against Sponsors here, but on Militariaweb are a lot of Staegemeir's (and of course some good guys )

BTW the Afrikaheld is still selling on German eBay; sellers nickname there: max-philipp0605

Regards

Gerd

[Ron Birch]

If you have a problem with an item or items, post it for discussion.

[Frans H.]

Hello Rick!

Herr Carsten Staegemeir is a wellknown fake-dealer of World War 2 items. I know, because in the past (about 2 years ago) I bought several helmets of him. They all turned out to be fakes. The liner was a fake, also the decals. This all happened on Militaria Web under his nickname "Der Afrika Held".

My knowledge about helmets was not so good (I am still learning), but good enough to see it were fakes. However, one helmet I did not see. I thought it was an original Luftwaffe M40 with both decals. Fernando did put up this helmet on the forum (last year I ment). The helmet turned out to be totally bogus (well good faked though).

When I see what kind of medals and awards he is offering on his site I become tears in my eyes. I believe 80% is fake! He also has an internet shop (www.ww2-collection.de). But there also the same story. I bought once a Schwerin Minensucher award. This was the only good and original item I had bought of him. Buying items from him is a kind of Russian Roulette.

I am warning all the members here to do no business with this man. About 80% of the items he is selling are fakes. He should be shot!
Rick, if you wants his address I have it for you. Just let me know. And don't give up to ask your money back. I think he will give it back, but keep asking!!

Good luck!

Frans

If you have a problem with an item or items, post it for discussion.

[stdub]

You cannot blame eBay, or Militaria Web, or any other venue for the bad behavior of its' participants.

This guy is known as a fraud and faker for some years now and he was discussed on the Militaria Web Forum several times, but they do nothing against him. Why? Because they make a lot of money with him. You know - Money makes the world go round!

Does anybody needs his address?

[stdub]

He operates also this website: http://www.ww-collection.de

You need a username and password to view the fraud´s website - does anybody have one?