Does anyone know this guy?

[Rally]

Wankel

Grabs popcorn....

Ok Wankel, I gotta ask what is the deal with the bird picture? OMG

 

[User546]

And come on already, we're 16 posts into this, and still have not a clue why your asking... we're all curious.

If this guy is someone we need to watch out for, or be cautious about, you need to tell us what happened or why you're asking.

Come on... peer pressure isn't just in high school...

 

[bell47]

And come on already, we're 16 posts into this, and still have not a clue why your asking... we're all curious.

If this guy is someone we need to watch out for, or be cautious about, you need to tell us what happened or why you're asking.

Come on... peer pressure isn't just in high school...

OK OK here it is.....

I am currently trying to sell my C-150. So this guy calls me up and ask all the normal questions about the plane and we talk for a while. Well He calls back about a week later and he ask all the same questions again. Then he calls back and says that he wants to buy it, upon the annual inspection being completed. Agreed. I told him that I would only accept cash or a cashiers check for payment. He stammered a little because he said that he didn't like to travel with that kind of money(1st red flag).so he comes up with the idea of opening a checking account when he gets there and having the money wired to the new account. Now the account is not in his name, it's in the name of some "ministries" something or other.( a church)(2nd red flag) So instead of flying directly to the airport, where the plane is, he flys commercially to an airport that is about a two hour drive away, but instead of renting a car and driving there, he takes a AMTRACK to another town that is about a hour and a half away, in another direction. He told me when I went to get him at the train station that he hated rental car companies(3rd red flag), for some reason, I didn't ask.So he gets off the train and has two huge suitcases, a back pack, and two small, like carry-on bags(4th red flag). I even asked him how he was going to get all that stuff in a 150, he said he thought it would fit. That stuff filled up the back of my ford F-150 truck! So I take him to a hotel that was only 49 bucks a night and he was bitching about the price. He had asked if he could stay at my place(no joke!), but I flat told him that he would have to stay at a hotel! So I pick him up the next day and he likes the plane. We start the annual inspection process because he says he wants it. Now I take him to the bank and he opens this account. I flat out told him that I was cashing any check certified or not before the plane left the airport. He got really nervous acting. He kept telling me I should not have that kind of cash around. I told him it didn't bother me. So he even went as far as to try and convince me that it was ILLEGAL to have more than $10,000 cash on you at any time! I flat out told him this was America, and you could carry any amount of money you wanted in a paper bag if you wanted to. That would be my problem and he shouldn't be concerned about it. I was really thinking this guy was a goofball and just wanted to get rid of him and have it all behind me. Well this is last thursday afternoon. During the log book process my mechanic finds that the transponder check is out. OK. So I asked him(Victor) again and he confirmed "yes" that he was going to get it instrument certified. Well thats at a radio shop, they could do it. I came off the asking price FIVE HUNDRED BUCKS and also had the plane treated with corrosion X. So I figured he was happy. Well friday morning we were going to fly it and then it was " pay up" time. He called me early that morning and told me he didn't want it anymore because of the transponder date being out!? What the hell!? So we went round and round on the phone and he never really had a reason other than the transponder being out of date. Anyway. it seems REALLY fishy that the annual was finished that morning(about a day) ahead of time, and he knew that he was going to have to fork over some money so he backed out. It was general opinion between the FBO, mechanics, and I that he wanted to try and write a bad check for the plane and knew that I was serious about cashing any check before the plane left. We thought he was going to wait until friday afternoon, after the bank closed and say something like " well, I'll pay you with a personal check, if you'll sell it or the deal is off." Maybe thinking he had me in a bind and I would have to take it. If I had done that( and he knew I wouldn't) then the plane would be long gone by the time I realized the check was bad. Anyway that's only speculation. I did recieve an email today saying that he had been run off from an airport in TX for being a real pest while looking for hanger space to put an airplane that he was going to purchase! He was asked to leave the airport. Anyway I was looking for info on this guy and if anyone knows of him let me know. He is either totally insane, a real goofball, or he is a crook looking to swindle someone out of a plane. In either case beware of "Victor Crawford". This is my personal dealings with him and anyone can form their own opinions, bell47.

 

[Wankel7]

Dude, that is one hell of a story!

Yikes...what a turbodouche!

 

[User546]

Yea, thanks for that story. You defintely need to tell that on here so people can be aware if this guy comes around wanting to "buy" one of their planes. I read an article in some aviation mag lately about a couple different scams that are going around out there just like this.

I know hindsight is 20/20 but there was a lot of red flags with that guy. I'm glad you didn't get taken advantage of, and he left. It's even worse that he's trying to use a ministry as a cover.

Good luck on selling your 150...

 

[aussiefly]

OMG what a random story! Man am I glad that your cautious. Even though it cost you for the mx time and the transponder etc, think of all the money you saved from not getting swindled. You should post something like this on the AOPA website.

Also, as an aside, anyone can become an ordained minister real easy by just filling out the forms on the universal life church's website (and its legal according to the court). So him being a purported minister or with a bank account in a church name isnt all that hard to achieve. Poissibly a good aid to a fraud as most people tend to somewhat trust an ordained minister.

 

[bell47]

I know it sounds crazy, but it really happened. It's one of those things that you hear of happening to someone else, you never think that it would happen to you!

 

[B747FR8DAWG]

Wow, what a story. I'm actually in the process of selling my C172 as we speak, and if some Bozo like that shows up around here, wanting to see my plane, I'll have a few choice words for him!

 

[bssthound]

Wow. Have you considered checking out smokinggun.com or any of the other websites that keep tabs on convicts? Anyone who behaves that bizarrely more than likely has a record. I know someone who, acting on a tip, did some internet research and found out he'd hired a sex offender. If he's a prior I'd not be surprised if "the law" would be interested in his actions.

What a nutcase. Hey, isn't that a scrotum??

 

[bell47]

I'm still looking for info on this guy. Anybody? Thanks for the previous responses, bell47.

 

[bell47]

I'm still looking for any information on this "Victor Crawford" character.

 

[SiuDude]

Ask and ye shall receive:
Victor M. Crawford, born in '49:
Commercial AMEL pilot, valid medical.
No criminal record whatsoever.
Valid DL.

 

[SiuDude]

Victor is a registered voter in Willacy county and he flosses almost daily.

 

[girlsandbeer]

I used to work for a real scumbag that used to pull the bogus check tricks and everything you wrote points in that direction. Walks like a duck, talks like a duck... its probably a duck.

 

[bell47]

I used to work for a real scumbag that used to pull the bogus check tricks and everything you wrote points in that direction. Walks like a duck, talks like a duck... its probably a duck.

Yeah, that's what I think too. The Bad check stuff is speculation, but it sure points that direction. He's either that duck or a quack!( i'm sorry I couldn't resist that!) bell47