Police help get refunds in gold sales

By Pat Litowitz
New Castle News

The Neshannock Township Police Department is playing a pivotal role in preventing certain Internet sales from becoming losing propositions.

A Wilmington Road business, operating as Internet Sellers Inc., sold scrap gold jewelry through eBay, an international auction site. The business is registered as a state corporation.

The identity of the owner or owners has not been verified. The business no longer operates at its Wilmington Road site.

Accessing limited eBay records, the New Castle News learned that Internet Sellers Inc. sold 2.3 kilograms (approximately 5 pounds) of 14-karat scrap gold jewelry. The nine sales, which took place between June 18 and June 21, involved five buyers and totaled $21,425.

Erie resident Patricia Trujillo drove to Neshannock Township on June 15 to purchase scrap gold from the business.

“He wanted me to send money,” she said. “I wanted to verify the quality of the gold.

“Half of the stuff he was trying to sell me was junk. I ended up giving him $2,800, and then he gave me, what’s known in the industry, as dental gold. He called it platinum.”

Trujillo forwarded the metal to her refiner, who determined the value to be $2,100.

“He said if it wasn’t good he’d refund my money.”

Purchases involving Internet Sellers Inc. took place nationwide.

“People buy gold all over the world,” Tennessee resident Robert Taylor said. “I order from all the states.”

In Taylor’s instance, he paid for scrap gold that never arrived.

“You need to protect yourself,” he said. “I just want my money back.”

Ed Tatom of Redding, Calif., took a proactive approach by contacting buyers who had transactions with the Neshannock company.

“I basically helped out six or seven people,” he said.

However, the work of the Neshannock Township police allowed the affected consumers to get their money back.

“Believe it or not, I got my ($3,650),” Tatom said.

Taylor and Trujillo also were told that refunds were coming.

“(The Neshannock Township police) were very, very helpful,” Trujillo said. “(They) filled me in on everything that was taking place.

“EBay and the FBI take this serious. I think that’s a phenomenal thing. I am just overwhelmed about how serious they treated (the complaint).”

Attempts to contact Neshannock police Superintendent Phil Carlo for comment were unsuccessful. He had noted previously that this was an ongoing investigation.

Trujillo said that the Neshannock police informed her that eBay and the FBI’s fraud unit initiated the investigation. An eBay spokeswoman would not confirm that. Calls to the FBI seeking comment were not returned.

“We have a global fraud investigation team,” eBay’s Nichola Sharpe said. “We do get in touch with authorities. We have a good reputation with the FBI.

“We do everything to assist law enforcement.”

The state’s attorney general’s office offers a Bureau of Consumer Protection service to aid consumers with product or service complaints.

“Out-of-state buyers buying from a Pennsylvania seller or business can still file (a complaint) with the state or file with their own (state’s) attorney general,” said Lauren C. Bozart, assistant press secretary for the attorney general’s office.

For more information, call (800) 441-2555 or visit www.attorneygeneral.gov.

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