I'm Back... Sorry!

[bob1919a]

Hello all,

I'm back to RWI ladies and gentleman... it's been a while, and things seem to have changed a lot (of course, for the better), but here I am back in the replica game.

Anyways, I need to take a second and make a public apology about a certain trading mishap that happened around August of 2009. I was selling a watch to a member, Kahn, when I had just found out that I had to go on active duty in the USAF. Due to this, I had to move from Virginia to South Carolina, and in the process, lost some of my replicas, including two of which I was in the process of selling to fellow members.

Due to a lack of Internet access and the chaotic lifestyle I was placed into, I was unable to even login or call via phone and explain myself and what had happened to the watches. Well, I ended up refunding both members via PayPal, and I am truely sorry that it did take longer (a few weeks to a month after the sale) than I, and the two members, wished (during which time I was searching up and down for the watches themselves, to no avail).

I have since found my replicas and am back to my home in Virginia, and therefore, now have the time to get my replica addiction back into full gear! I would also like to apologize to the administrators, especially R2D4, for making such a mess of things, it's really not who I am or what I do, so I plan on making it up to the community somehow in the future. I hope y'all accept my apology and allow me to, once again, be apart of this lively community!

Best Regards,
Rob

P.S. Of course, if I am not welcomed here anymore, feel free to delete this thread and ban me for good, as I am a man who believes that every wrong act deserves a rightful punishment, so I definitely don't want to be a hypocrite, but the tainting of my good name on this elite forum in itself has been quite a punishment for me. What needs to be done, in the eyes of the administrators, should be done. I also own a few large Internet forums and, therefore, know how hard forum administration can be, so I do believe that the ultimate fate of my involvement with RWI and its respective members does lie in the hands of the administrators. Whatever the decision ends up to be, thank you all for your time in this matter!

 

[pedecter]

Well, it's not really my specific duty to say OK to you or anyone, as far as I know, but I think everyone deserves a second chance and it sounds like you've done the right thing, and certainly you are saying the right thing. If it was up to me, I'd say "give a military guy a break". Speaking for myself only, I say "welcome back"

 

[avenger007]

Rob, I commend you for explaining the situation and making things right with the other members. I hope to see you back in good standing soon. Kudos, for stepping up and apologizing, some would just say "screw it" and disappear.

 

[JohnnySac]

To too believe everyone deserves a 2nd Chance...but when it comes to these types of matters: TIME...is more than a constant....meaning I'd (personally) like to know

the day and time when he had to pack up and leave (or move) from here to there, and
when does the USAF allow communication from his stationed place of service?

I understand how things could get *messed up* to an extent.

I'm not a judge, jury, nor in a position to execute BUT the story has holes and based on the OP, doesn't seem plausible. The thing that bothers me most is how could this matter be allowed to drag on without any kind of resolution?

Hopefully all can be forgiven, if more to the story has been given to the mod/admin team.

 

[LegendofSpeed]

We'll take a look at how everything turned out and work from there....

 

[R2D4]

Bob, I will do my best to be fair. I am glad you came back to face the music. I don't particularly care for the excuse of lack of internet access and busy life style for such a long duration of time. I personally would have had my spouse, friend or coworker send out some word that I will take care of this at once.

Fortunately for the victims, PayPal refunded their money because I had them file claims so your claim on refunding the money is a stretch IMO. Otherwise they would have follow the gentleman code and waited for you or they would have just dropped it.

So it's Kahn and Riffram. Anyone else?

Also, I want to see the other forums you belong to. I will join them and see if there is any activity between then and now and report it here.

 

[R2D4]

Oh and I did ban you, but for some reason it didn't stick. In Retrospect, I am glad it didn't work so you could come back and explain it.

I think this is you on 10-19-2009

Is this your watch photo?

 

[rooster133]

Bob, thanks for being candid about this. One question: were you personally responsible for the refunds, or were those the result of a PayPal claim found in favour of the buyers?

 

[R2D4]

Roo if my memory serves me correctly, Kahn and Riffram filed claims before Bob initiated a refund. How do I know that? Because Bob1919a (Robert) never replied providing proof of this and Riffram was just going to write it off as he didn't want to cause any trouble. I had to talk him into it. Did Bob have to OK those claims? Maybe... Also, Kahn has never heard from Bob since he filed and was rewarded the claim.

 

[Kahn]

It's me..Kahn. You know me? I heard you were back just a few hours ago, spewing off some kind of excuse that you were not available, didn't have internet access, blah blah blah.... I read what you said, and I'm calling your bluff. Maybe you thought I dissapeared too, or that I wouldn't remember this whole incident, but I'm still here. And indeed remember in detail your deafening silence. I wasn't really even upset, until I read your pathetic excuse and lies about what happened.

So, just so we are all on the same page...the reason you never returned any of the 14 emails I sent you (which I kept for some reason) is because you got activated in the USAF? Just when was your "activation"? Before or after you posted your sale thread? I say BS...you last communication was this -

Sent at: Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:39 am
From: bob1919a
To: Kahn
Kahn,

I am so sorry about the delay. I had to unexpectedly leave to go train the incoming freshman for a few days at the military college in South Carolina that I attend. I am back to Virginia temporarily, however, and I will be shipping it Priority w/ Delivery Confirmation tomorrow morning as soon as possible. Once again, I really apologize for the inconvenience, this was a complete timing mistake on my behalf, and I am extremely sorry for putting you through this (I know how it feels to anticipate a new timepiece, believe me)! I hope you understand my situation and forgive me for being a lousy, untimely RWIer, I have never made such a blunder with all the many sales I've made on RWI, man, I hope you don't judge me based on this!

Best Regards,
Robert


So Bob, who you BS'n now? Or were you BS'n me then? Did you loose em? Are you really in the USAF? What happened to the shipping it Priority w/ Delivery Confirmation tomorrow morning? Doesn't matter....really doesn't matter. Quite simply - I would have accepted your apology, let by gones be by gones....if only it were genuine and you didn't continue to try to explain your way out of responsiblity with a bunch of BS and lies. Quite sad...really it is. You have no respect for yourself, let alone this forum.

By the way - you never refunded a single dime to me. PayPal refunded LESS THAN the entire amount to me under buyer's protection. Are you really ready to get back in the Rep Game? How about seriously sending me my freakin watch that I paid for? - You said you found it, right? Or just send PayPal the money they had to fork out because you simply can't play this "Rep Game" without CHEATING....

 

[sconehead]

Well, I for one will be interested in the op's reply...

 

[rooster133]

I say send Kahn the watch now that you found it and make amends if you're really here for forgiveness.

 

[Kahn]

I'd be very interested in his reply rooster133, but I won't hold my breath....

 

[hooligan]

Are you still on active duty, Bob? I assume you're talking about The Citadel if you are/were at a military college in SC?

Were you in VA visiting family or at a USAF base? Perhaps you were at Virginia Tech (I know they're a military school, too) to participate or assist in some training?

We need some more details, my friend. Feel free to PM me if you'd like.

 

[relayman]

Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff. Sorry, something just doesn't smell right here.:skeptical:

 

[hk45ca]

Well, I for one will be interested in the op's reply...

yeah, me to........

 

[mw1015]

seems like a bluff has been called.

i say send the watch now that you've found it. its the right thing to do after all thats happened.

 

[bob1919a]

Jesus, I didn't realize I'd recieve so much hostility regarding this matter... my bad. But I do have my guns loaded and ready to fire away, so lets get at it.

To clarify, yes, I am in the USAF, and I had to go back to my college, The Citadel, unexpectedly early to train incoming freshman cadets, as I am a noncommissioned USAF officer with a Cadet Sergeant rank at the Citadel (prior enlisted). I was NOT aware I would be leaving so early during my summer furlough as I was not supposed to be part of the "cadre" training team. One of the cadets on the team dropped out of the school and enlisted in the Marines, so I had to take up his role on extremely short notice. Had I known this would have come up, I would not have even posted the watches for sale because the role I had to take up was extremely tasking in and of itself, let alone on such tight notice.

I was under the assumption a full refund was in fact given to both of y'all, based on what my PayPal records show. As I mentioned, though you may or may not believe it, I spent a large portion of my very little free time scouring through all of my luggage to find the watches, which accounts for why I did not offer an instant refund, as I presumed you both were very much interested in the replicas, and I wanted as much as possible to come through on my end. Due to the logistics of the matter, however, I was unable to find the watches in a timely manner, and the PayPal claim(s) came through before I had the opportunity to offer a refund on my own accord.

Anyways, as soon as the claims were filed, I ACCEPTED the claims, added funds to my PayPal account, and proceeded with PayPal's steps to refund the money. I did NOT dispute the claims, so Kahn, I have no idea what kind of plants you have been smoking tonight, but you recieved your money back, from ME, not PayPal. Your "buyer's protection" did not cover the incident, money was deducted from my PayPal (and likewise, bank account), which I APPROVED for you, and Riffram.

Sure, you can write off the fact that having no Internet access and extremely limited communication capability as a silly excuse/bluff/whatever you want to call it, but that would just show how ignorant you are to the rigorous training that I was tasked to plan and execute for incoming cadets as the rules and discipline sergeant of Romeo Co. at The Citadel, a school which I have given all my effort towards since I first matriculated. I can understand why some of the details may not match up from what I mentioned then and now, but that is simply because I did not ever imagine having to go into so much detail about my personal and military life. I put my sweat, blood, and tears into training boys into men so that they can be properly prepared for war, and protect our nation, the freedom, the ideals, and the ability to own replicas which y'all so dearly enjoy, but you on the otherhand, need a fake watch SO badly to the extent that you are willing to taint someone else's hard-earned reputation with a blown-out-of-proportion, and rather false, argument.

Kahn, I will go ahead and send the watch to you tomorrow via USPS Priority Mail with delivery confirmation (just send me your current address via PM again, as I cannot find it in my records). Riffram, I never did find the SeaDweller, as it was only the watch head (not including the bracelet) and I believe I may have misplaced it somewhere, sorry. In order to make for a fair deal, Kahn, I will sell you the watch at an EXTREMELY reduced price of $130 including shipping via PayPal, if you still want it. I will need that money, because I REFUNDED you ~$170 of my own money. So, PM me if you want it and I will give you a new PayPal address to send the funds to.

Here is a picture of the watch as of today:

Any more things I need to clarify? Kahn, I WAS expecting you to be around, I never intended to beat around the bush or blow this whole ordeal off. I'm not trying to CHEAT anyone here, this was simply a logistical mistake, and yes, I do accept responsibility for the mishap, but I do believe this has been blown way out of proportion. I have dealt with MANY members and dealers here (at least 20+ transactions) with not a single problem, and made a mistake just this once, and made good on it like any gentleman would. The code at The Citadel is as follows: "A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do." And I can tell you, and any of my peers can tell you, that I very much do uphold the code to the utmost of my ability.

As always, thank you all for your time.

 

[studio253]

Bob,
I don't have a dog in this fight but the fact that you're somehow trying to stand behind the Citadel code in this whole thing makes me sick. Your conduct is quite unbecoming. You screwed people and hoped you could come back here and be welcomed back after a hollow apology while standing behind some false sense of patriotism. How did you think people would react?

 

[bob1919a]

Bob,
I don't have a dog in this fight but the fact that you're somehow trying to stand behind the Citadel code in this whole thing makes me sick. Your conduct is quite unbecoming. You screwed people and hoped you could come back here and be welcomed back after a hollow apology while standing behind some false sense of patriotism. How did you think people would react?

How did I screw anyone in this ordeal? I refunded the money with no questions asked once the claims were made!

OK, I see how it is. If I am not wanted here, I will happily pack my bags and leave. I've been a member here since November 2006, contributed "VIP" member, exchanged hundreds of dollars of goods without any problems, had many insightful conversations with fellow watch enthusiasts (some of whom I met in person), and learned a lot about watches, and tried to share what I've learned with others.

Maybe the community has changed. Maybe the Internet has changed. Heck, RWI is now 20K+ members strong, which is great, but I guess there's no room for me anymore. I stand behind my school and if you honestly think that I have done something "conduct unbecoming", I'm outta here. I've sacrificed too much for my school to let my supposed conduct damage her reputation. I don't stand behind the code for protection, I make it the embodiment of my lifestyle.

In my eyes, I did not screw anybody, and the only reason why I left in the first place was simply because I had absolutely NO time to spend hours and hours (which I used to) perusing the forums. With the refunds given out months ago, I left assuming everything was OK and that the mishap was settled. But this is a petty argument in the grand scheme of things, and if that is how you all feel about me, a scammer, a piece of scum, then I'm gone for good. Just let me know. So much for a loving community...

And before you say anything about a "false sense of patriotism", I attend The Citadel, but was prior enlisted. Meaning I have served a tour for my country, and am back for education, as well as to assist in training non-prior enlisted Citadel cadets for real-world military life. I have served my country to protect our freedom and ideals, and I find it extremely rude that you believe I have some sort of "false" sense of patriotism. You wanna be a patriot? Stop ordering fake watches from China and sending our money overseas, destroying our economy. At least I help on one front.