JediSaberSmith Ripping People Off?

I'm new to this board because I'm looking for a way to get my money back from JediSaberSmith (Jeff Bettis). I've read the posts on another forum where he is rearranging things and so forth but my deal with him dates back to October.

Here's the story:

-I paid Jeff Bettis to make a display case for me in late October. My payment of $120.00 was sent on October 23.
-On November 5, I contacted him to get an update on the status and he told me that it was almost done.
-When I did not hear anything from him about the completion of the project, I e-mailed again on November 13. At that time he responded that he had not finished the case.
-After almost 10 days, I still did not get any confirmation that the case was completed and shipped.
I sent e-mails on November 21, 26 and 28.
-He finally responded on November 28 stating that the package was returned to him marked "Unable To Be Shipped" and he requested my address. I sent him my address in 3 different e-mails on November 28th, December 1 and December 5 and requested in all three e-mails that he send me a tracking number once the package was sent. Mr. Bettis did not respond to any of those e-mails.
-The final communication from JSS was on December 11 after he saw that I filed a Paypal claim against him. He assured me that the case was on the way via USPS Priority Mail but failed to provide me with a tracking number even though I asked several times. Here it is January 1, still no case, e-mail or refund. Paypal failed to recover the funds for me (no big surprise) so JSS ripped me off for $120.

In this case, Jeffrey Bettis:
1. Rarely responded to e-mails
2. Never told me when the case supposedly shipped the first time
3. He pulled the oldest line in the book saying that the package was returned and he needed my correct address
4. Failed to provide a tracking number even though I requested it several times
5. Has yet to respond to 3 e-mails since the package was supposedly shipped a second time.

I have saved all of my communcations with JediSaberSmith. I have tried to e-mail him through his website as well. Still....no response.

I would like to get my money back from Jeff. I don't even want the case anymore after all this nonsense. My intention on posting in the forum is to let people know what they will be dealing with if they order from him. I also want to get his attention to hopefully have him do the right thing and refund my money. This problem can be very easily resolved.

If anyone has issue with this post or would like more details, please let me know.

-Keith

Well, I bought a Larbel Episode 1 Obi-Wan from him. He did tell me that the saber had been undeliverable the first time he tried to ship. I got it maybe 3 weeks after I paid. I sort of got the feeling that he was selling things that he didn't have in his possession yet. Anyways, thats my story........good luck man.
By the way, why wouldn't PayPal refund the money?

Well JSS isn't affliated with the forum other than he posted here ocassionally (not at all in the past few months). I'd hope no one persues business with him through here either and I personally am annoyed by those that find here only to go pay someone to do what they can get from Tim or do themselves. :evil:

I've seen the debacle on fx-sabers.com where quite a few of them sent their Luke hilts to get his "hero" upgrade... he recently posted that they were all sent, but we'll see...

Corbin and Novastar (TFN poster and head of the Balance of Power video) haven't said anything, but JSS did rip them off. They commissioned him to do some of the sabers for BOP. He never did them and stopped responding. Novastar himself and Tim picked up the slack.

I guess the bottom line would be to look to do it yourself, buy something with more recourse (like ebay stuff), OR... get Tim to do it. :D

I agree Xwing........and just to clarify, I didn't do business with him through TCSS, it was eBay.

Well....I got suckered I guess. I originally contacted Jeff thru eBay and didn't see mcuh of a problem as his feedback was all positive. I had also checked on him thru the forums. He seemed like an honest guy. I guess not.

Paypal was not able to recover the funds from his Paypal account. He obviously emptied his account so nothing could be recovered. Once Paypal does their initial recovery process, I don't know what else happens. I got a response saying that Paypal was not able to recover any funds even though the dispute was in my favor. The e-mail also stated that they will take further actions but were unclear as to what they were. I'm not getting my hopes up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by uglyone

Well....I got suckered I guess. I originally contacted Jeff thru eBay and didn't see mcuh of a problem as his feedback was all positive. I had also checked on him thru the forums. He seemed like an honest guy. I guess not.

Paypal was not able to recover the funds from his Paypal account. He obviously emptied his account so nothing could be recovered. Once Paypal does their initial recovery process, I don't know what else happens. I got a response saying that Paypal was not able to recover any funds even though the dispute was in my favor. The e-mail also stated that they will take further actions but were unclear as to what they were. I'm not getting my hopes up.

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Basically you are out your money because they will make no further effort to recover your money. I have had it happen once before not with JSS, paypal tried there was no money in the account so I just lost out. You can file a complaint with ebay not that it will get your money back.

I didn't deal with JSS directly thru eBay. So I'm out of luck for the moment. I plan on taking things to a much higher level than just filing eBay complaints. I've had people prosecuted for online fraud and plan to do it again. I may not get my money back, but things get very uncomfortable for the scammer.

It's your choice how you handle it, but I normally find that it costs more to persue the mater than to just accept the lose.

But that is just my opinion and with that and $1 you can get a cup of coffee :wink:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by uglyone

I'm new to this board because I'm looking for a way to get my money back from JediSaberSmith (Jeff Bettis). I've read the posts on another forum where he is rearranging things and so forth but my deal with him dates back to October.

Here's the story:

-I paid Jeff Bettis to make a display case for me in late October. My payment of $120.00 was sent on October 23.
-On November 5, I contacted him to get an update on the status and he told me that it was almost done.
-When I did not hear anything from him about the completion of the project, I e-mailed again on November 13. At that time he responded that he had not finished the case.
-After almost 10 days, I still did not get any confirmation that the case was completed and shipped.
I sent e-mails on November 21, 26 and 28.
-He finally responded on November 28 stating that the package was returned to him marked "Unable To Be Shipped" and he requested my address. I sent him my address in 3 different e-mails on November 28th, December 1 and December 5 and requested in all three e-mails that he send me a tracking number once the package was sent. Mr. Bettis did not respond to any of those e-mails.
-The final communication from JSS was on December 11 after he saw that I filed a Paypal claim against him. He assured me that the case was on the way via USPS Priority Mail but failed to provide me with a tracking number even though I asked several times. Here it is January 1, still no case, e-mail or refund. Paypal failed to recover the funds for me (no big surprise) so JSS ripped me off for $120.

In this case, Jeffrey Bettis:
1. Rarely responded to e-mails
2. Never told me when the case supposedly shipped the first time
3. He pulled the oldest line in the book saying that the package was returned and he needed my correct address
4. Failed to provide a tracking number even though I requested it several times
5. Has yet to respond to 3 e-mails since the package was supposedly shipped a second time.

I have saved all of my communcations with JediSaberSmith. I have tried to e-mail him through his website as well. Still....no response.

I would like to get my money back from Jeff. I don't even want the case anymore after all this nonsense. My intention on posting in the forum is to let people know what they will be dealing with if they order from him. I also want to get his attention to hopefully have him do the right thing and refund my money. This problem can be very easily resolved.

If anyone has issue with this post or would like more details, please let me know.

-Keith

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:cry: I feel sorry for you, man.

Well....I guess my posting has paid off. Jeff initiated a full refund with Paypal today. It is currently still pending but at least he has done the right thing. As annoyed as I was with him, I do respect the fact that he stepped up and took care of the problem.

Well said X-Wing!! With the world Tim has created here virtually any saber is possible here! A wealth of knowledge that stays cutting edge in the forums and Tim's got all the stuff to make it happen![/quote]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Do-Clo

It's your choice how you handle it, but I normally find that it costs more to persue the mater than to just accept the lose.

But that is just my opinion and with that and $1 you can get a cup of coffee :wink:

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WOW you can get Coffee for a $1 still??? wish I were that lucky

Go to 7-11 or a good diner. Quit buying that Starbucks crap. :P

edit-Or CircleK for the far south and west.

ewwwww starbucks....... who drinks that stuff?? even Denney's is $1.50 now.

That is sad when Dennys coffee cost more then the breakfast.

I admit I stop going there years ago though. I am a Awful-Waffle man myself. Gotta love them hashbrowns scattered, smothered, n covered.