@creamofdespair Voixeon is absolutely correct in what they explained. No matter how many times I explained that it was not a custom, they just don’t seem to understand that. Therefore, it’s not covered.
https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/994302.html
WHO: Guro-Boy
https://guro-boy.deviantart.com/
https://josuke-hiigashikata.tumblr.com/ (Abandoned)
New: https://gyro-joestar.tumblr.com/
https://twitter.com/j0hnny_joestar(Abandoned)
New: https://twitter.com/gyr0zeppeli
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/vitreoushumor
WHERE: https://toyhou.se/guro-boy (Deactivated account)
https://refsheet.net/guroboy (Still trying to trade their dainty) Moved to https://refsheet.net/Wormwood (nsfw art featured here: http://archive.is/mP8Op )
New accounts: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/gintoki./
https://toyhou.se/Gintoki-kinnie
Still very active on Gintoki-kinnie, and joining several CS groups. Please be extremely cautious when dealing with them.
Was also discovered he still owns 2 longthings, despite being banned from the species/community.
https://sta.sh/214d2x3ndq2?edit=1
WHAT: 2 longthings (closed species by Glidertoo)
WHEN: Jan 31st, 2018
EXPLAIN: I was approached by Guro-boy when I placed a thread seeking Longthings to buy. They messaged me with two that they were selling, one at 150$ and the other at 100$. I thought this was fine and wanted to buy them both. They originally asked me to send as Friends and family, but I said I was uncomfortable with that and offered to pay the fees for them. They sent me an invoice, which I was comfortable with because invoices are more secure. They gave me the image files and all was fine after. About a month in, I was contacted by a user, who I won’t mention, stating that their longthing looked eerily similar to one of mine. I agreed and sent Glider a note about it. (I later learned Glider isn’t as active where I contacted them, so that’s not an issue). I then contacted Guro and they stated it was a custom. I was still very wary, but I accepted it and just kept things quiet while I did some research. Things got busy, IRL, so I dropped the thing to take care of my life.
Glider posted a journal to FA today, April 11th, 2018. And stated there was a tracing issue. I asked in the thread, for someone to note me the name of the user. I was noted, by SEVERAL people, that it was guro-boy. This prompted me to message glider, who was active on the site, for confirmation. They confirmed my suspicions and stated I was sold two altered long things.
As of currently, I have filed a dispute asking for them to VERIFY the legitimacy of these longthings, but I will be escalating it to an immediate claim.
PROOF:
Glider’s journal: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/8690922 (http://archive.is/utgJN)
The Two longthings I was sold: https://sta.sh/21sds6or442j?edit=1
Conversation for original purchase: https://sta.sh/017r9nhrw0el
Paypal proof: https://sta.sh/0amkxon9kd9
Second PM asking about legitimacy: https://sta.sh/01jzv5os7nd5
PM to glider: https://sta.sh/01x7uafbrotp
Folder with proofs: https://sta.sh/210pqzzkxepp?edit=1
Update: They have contacted me via email, and offered a refund on a payment plan after I escalated the dispute to a claim. https://sta.sh/01kh1arkw3ms
My reply and theirs: https://sta.sh/022fhs2g4eou
They have NOT refunded me anything yet. Despite this conversation happening this morning
Update 4/21/2018: They have contacted me via email and offered me the partial refund via. Together, we have decided that I will deny the refund so the case can be reviewed and the date extended in order to get a full refund of the 258$. I felt this was the best course of action, since the date they originally requested for the second payment was so close.
Updated: PayPal closed the case, not in my favor, and now I’m out the 258$. :,) So there’s nothing I can do, except hope that Guro actual refunds me, since I have no ground to stand on anymore. Update (5/1/2018): Paypal has closed the case, again, against my favor. I contacted Guro boy. They replied saying they needed to check if their bank wouldn't frekk out. Then proceed to tell me that they WOULD refund it. Here we are. Almost a week past the actual date they said they'd have the full amount. Nothing. I'm taking this as a loss. I am going to see if my bank will do anything. I am doubtful, but I can at least hope.
https://sta.sh/0bnt5rwp6b2
https://sta.sh/0wzpx7cx0gc
5/19/2018 My bank has denied the claim to reverse the charge. Their reason is that paypal stated that I authorized the transaction. They found the payment to be valid. So, I've filed a complaint with the BBB, but at this point, there's nothing I can do.
https://sta.sh/0k1iahz5sle
https://sta.sh/018o63e5htu8 (BBB case)
Guro has been seen trying to commission Glider, despite not refunding me the amount. https://prnt.sc/jmayyx (Archive link: http://archive.is/ynH7z )
5/26/2018: It looks like Guro-boy has migrated to making off-brands of the closed species he was banned from. https://toyhou.se/~forums/5867.service-reviews/63052.psa-artist-beware-guro-boy-updated-5-24-?page=8#post-1493872
http://archive.is/uruXC
Second update: Guro has now blocked me from his social media platforms, which leaves me no way to contact him. It confirms that he was the one that made these fake longthings, and not this "darlingdoq" account he claimed sold him these. https://sta.sh/0hdfdn9kpor
Third update:
And ladies and gents, I have payment part 1 of 2 from Guro-boy.
https://sta.sh/014i8wjqluw5
https://sta.sh/0gbcxkc9wk
Update (6/2): Guro boy has been caught tracing art from other artists and selling them as commissions. http://bibbity-babbity.tumblr.com/post/174478869145/josuke-hiigashikata-quick-question-would-you ( http://archive.is/MntOu)
Update 6/3: New accounts added to the list of accounts.
Artist beware from traced art: http://bibbity-babbity.tumblr.com/post/174477990110/guro-boy-vitreoushumor-art-theftbootlegging
**Update 11/3/21: New accounts added to the beware.
If anyone is interested in retweeting the AB post on twitter: https://twitter.com/Artists_Beware/status/994804199920754688
** 6/20/2018: A rep from paypal called me today. She resolved my claim and issued a credit for thew full 258$ to my account. It turns out, there was a large misunderstanding on paypal's part and my correct channel through the BBB resolved this. I issued a refund to Guro-boy for the 125$ they gave me. I am not interested in keeping money that is not mine. I am considering this resolved.
Sheep Yes, I did explain that and the one rep added that to the file as supporting evidence. However, they are viewing this as a “violation of acceptable use” instead of a situation where buyer rights are protected. I am going to try one last means of going through twitter, but I’ve expended all avanues as it’s been closed twice “after careful examination”.
Sheep You could always PM Monster if you don't want Guro to see!
If everything fails, I suggest going to the BBC. I can provide advice with that if it comes down to it. I had to use the BBC in the past when an artist who owed me a triple-digit price custom disappeared after the paypal window had closed (and this was before it was changed to 180 days). Paypal said nothing could be done because it was long past the window and my bank also said that it was long past their window (which btw is weird, they have a window?!), so what I did, with advice from an amazing user on the beware I submitted, was contact the BBC to basically complain that Paypal had shafted me hardcore.
This actually brought a real human being to talk to me online and they gave me half of the custom's price back. The agent didn't give me back 100% because the transaction was so long ago and said this was a one-time thing, but still, 50% is much better than 0%, so I was happy.
So yea, if everything fails, try that and I can help with filing with the BBC if you need it!
So, I just got off the phone with my 4th PayPal representative and they said that there is nothing more that can be done. However, he advised me to file a dispute through my bank for the full amount and that he was going to make a note in my file so it could be processed to show that PayPal could do nothing to assist me. Don’t know how far that’s going to go, but it’s at least lessens my worry of my bank refusing due to supporting evidence from PayPal.
Just to confirm and make sure... Was this refunded and resolved? I know at the last update was the issue with the bank. Anything else after that? (Hopefully good news)
Also Bump
@creamofdespair No, it has not been resolved. My bank denied the claim on grounds that paypal said "I authorized this transaction", and guro-boy is refusing to answer my emails and has disappeared completely from contact. So, I'm not getting my money back at all.
I suggest taking it up with the Better Business Bureau as I mentioned before as it sounds like that is the last option available to you in getting your money back. :(
You can call your bank and state that you were sold stolen goods (you basically were) That was altered after. It’s the same as being sold a stolen phone. Your bank, under that ground should be able to file it with PayPal.
@creamofdespair That is what I did, but as i mentioned earlier, my bank conducts their own investigation. All PayPal did was send them a picture of the transaction, then a highlighted portion of their user agreement. My bank concluded that as “authorized” and stated that it was a “valid transaction”. I’ll upload a picture of the documents here in an hour. Once it’s decided, there is sadly no way to open it back up. I have filed a complaint with the BBB in hopes that it will go somewhere. :( Its a terribly unfortunate situation for me, especially since I have to eat the cost.
That’s really really dumb. I can’t believe your bank won’t do anything in the event of stolen goods. I know Guro won’t message you back on email. Have you tried their twitter or tumblr? Thry seem to be happily posting and retweeting away there. It’s extremely upsetting as an onlooker to see them carry on as if they didn’t do anything wrong.