$4300, a Japanese collector, and me

[applecollection]

I'm in need of help from the Mac community.

Here's my story (It's long, but I'll shorten it as much as possible):

Some of you might be familiar with my collection of Apple collectibles:
http://www.digitalhorse.com/applecollection/

I believe that it was the largest and most diverse collection in the world. I had decided to sell my collection, so I created the website (above) and slowly started to put my items on eBay. Very soon after I did so, I was contacted by a Japanese man who indicated he wanted to buy it all. His name was Yusaku Hosotani. What's more, he would fly to my home and pick it all up! I couldn't believe my luck. Selling it all to one person would be a great deal less work than selling each item individually on eBay.

So that's what happened. He showed up one night, we packed everything in boxes, and prepared to leave. Only one hitch: He didn't have all the money with him. We agreed that he would pay me via online services (paypal and Billpoint).

Please don't email me and tell me how stupid I was. I'll admit to that right now. I was a high school chemistry teacher with no business experience. I was simply too trusting and learned my lesson the hard way.

What it comes down to is this: He still owes me $4300. I was put on disability from my teaching job shortly thereafter (polyp on my vocal cords) and could have really used the money. I tried for nearly a year to get at him somehow, but with no success. I'm no longer on disability (I changed jobs, so as not to continue straining my vocal cords), but I sure would like to nail this jerk. He has caused significant stress for me and my family, and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.

There are many more details to this story, but I'm trying to keep this short.

So, if anyone has any suggestions or can offer help, please let me know!

Thank you in advance,
-David Ernst
applecollection@unishoe.com

[scem0]

I certainly don't know anything about anything when it comes
to this, but you might have luck on one of the fraud sites. :(

Just be glad he is going to circle 8, bolgia 7 of hell when he dies.
According to Dante, that is...;)

Good luck

[bbarnhart]

Why are all the pictures on your Apple Collection website scanned in from an old Apple Collection catalog or from the web. I would have think that you would take a picture of each of your items with a camera to show the quality.

Maybe it's just me but this thing sounds like a scam.

[applecollection]

Good question.

I bought the majority of my collection from an Apple dealer in Australia:

http://www.macsolutions.com.au/

I got all the photo's from their site when I bought the items. If you click on "How to shop" on their web site and read "Important Notice No. 4", you'll see that they once dealt in "Apple Merchandise". Of course, their merchandise section no longer exists.

I don't know what other proof I can give. You could call the store in Australia, I suppose. Or email the guy I dealt with: Paul James Tolmachoff (Paul@macsolutions.com.au). I'm assuming he's still working there. I think he was the owner. Mention my name: David Ernst.

Anyone who knows about Apple collectibles might be able to verify that the first two shirts in the Apparel:T-shirts section of my website were only found in Australia. The chances of us finding someone like that is unlikely, I know.

I didn't take a picture of any of the items because they were all brand new and still in the original packaging. Quality wasn't an issue.

I can appreciate the scepticism. Let me know what else I can do to provide evidence that my story is true.

Thanks,
-Dave

Originally posted by bbarnhart
Why are all the pictures on your Apple Collection website scanned in from an old Apple Collection catalog or from the web. I would have think that you would take a picture of each of your items with a camera to show the quality.

Maybe it's just me but this thing sounds like a scam.