Just got an email from a USN lawyer saying the ACOG I bought from eBay last year is probably stolen and they want it back. 
Anyone else here dealt with the same situation? How’d it turn out?
It virtually always ends up with the voluntary return of the property to the rightful owner, or execution of a search warrant and seizure of the property. It’s not often that the owner will simply let you keep it.
You could ask for compensation for the voluntary return. Shoot for partial recovery of your loss, hope for shipping. Get a receipt if you return it.
You can likely file a small claim against the original seller for your loss, unless he too is an innocent owner and was defrauded.
Let us know how it goes.
Should have provided more detail. According to the email, the eBay seller is (was?) a US Navy sailor who stole the scopes and sold them online and is currently under investigation. So the owner is the US government.
The lawyer email stated that if they cannot ascertain the scope is really USN property (via some serial number), they can’t force me to return it.
Also, he referred me to the investigated party (the sailor and his attorney) for compensation. Fat chance of that yielding anything, right?
it’s “probably” stolen, so they want it back? i think i’d DEFINATELY be getting more information, and verification, before any decisions are made.
Ask for a written letter. Sounds like BS if it was an e-mail.
An email? HA, delete and move on.
Yeah I’m ignoring the email. If they want something, they can knock on my door. Until then, I’m going to enjoy my absurdly cheap but real ACOG.
If they gave you contact information contact them at the provided phone numbers and verify that the email is legit. If it it truly gov’t property you don’t want to be in possession of it when they come looking for it.
I would personally return it if the email is legit. That’s part of the risk of buying cheap shit off eBay. It’s cheap for a reason.
However, you should also contact eBay and ask for a refund if you hopefully paid with Paypal. They will probably require proof from the USN but will refund your money once they’ve obtained the proof.
Also keep in mind that they probably got your email addy from eBay and also have you’re other info.
My advice, don’t play around with this.
I’d verify that this guy is for real. You never know if you are being scammed. My next concern is this. How many ACOGs would the Navy have? They aren’t exactly a dirt fighting force. I’d find it hard to believe that the Seals are losing their geat and it is ending up on EBay. I doubt the Seabees would have ACOGs.
A email???? I can tell you first hand that when they want to talk with you they will call you in person THEN they want to come and meet with you. And you mentioned that they dont even know for certain it is a stolen item? I would be seriously surprised if this turned out to be a real situation and not a scam of sorts...
I’m not an attorney but this sounds right to me. The facts add up to “scam” more quickly than they add up to “trouble”.
It seems odd that a naval “attorney” would be contacting you. Seems like the official’s title would be more like “investigator”.
Email is not the right medium for this type of communication. If they’re investigating the seller and know he sold it to you, seems like they would have your mailing address.
And, of course, your email address and the fact that you bought the ACOG is probably really easy to find by any schmoe on eBay.
In my state, falsely claiming to be an attorney is a criminal offense (IIRC). If it were me, I’d be tempted to mention that in my reply. I’d ask for further contact information and someone who could verify the “attorney’s” bona fides. That way, you’re covered whether he’s real or not.
I too would not trust this email. When they come to the door with a badge…maybe.
Seriously, shouldn’t formal communication be involved here as well as badged personnel for interviewing and if necessary, evidence collection and/or recovery?
Can you copy and past the email for us to read?
If it is stolen, and the USN had purchased it on a government purchase order, they already have the serial number … they should have stated in their notification to you that they are looking for specific serial numbers and if you possess it to … well, you decide … in business law, you are not required to suffer a loss or obligated to return the product … unless of course you knowingly received stolen property.
Of “asking” for product return is not “demanding” product return … if this involves a lot of money, you should talk to an attorney before any action is taken.
my 2 cents: the government will write off such losses or turn over to the FBI for investigation … either way, stay on the right side of the law and know your rights.
I’d rather not paste the email because it contains personal information of the investigated party whom might not know that he’s in the legal crosshairs.
The email did contain very specific information regarding the seller’s name, his naval rank and his ebay account name with which the item was sold to me, and the time of sale (which is too long ago to show up on active pages). It also specifically mentioned the name of the NCIS agent in charge of the investigation and his seemingly legitimate email address.
The email also listed his full list of sales… I figure the guy made over $50k selling eotechs, acog’s, schmidt & bender and other high dollar items.
To be honest, this might not be a scam. The NCIS agent probably emailed because ebay refused to give out any more information than an account’s email address. If this is real, they appear in person and tell me they need the evidence to prosecute, I might give up ACOG to be the “good guy”, but only if eBay offers some kind of compensation.
Was it a navy lawyer or an NCIS agent? I got and email from and NCIS agent last year and before I could read it a warning screen came up and I had to click OK or agree or something to that affect. Did you get something like that?
If it turns out to be legit then there is no “might” give it up. If it is stolen property it’s not yours. Even if you paid for it.
+1… email sounds kinda fishy anyways.
Personally, I’d ignore the email. I’m pretty sure there’s no law that requires you to check your e-mail. E-mail isn’t like a mailing address, it’s not as reliable either. For all you know it could be the original seller trying to fake you out so he can get his ACOG back. After all, he does have your e-mail address - right?
the OP isn’t responsible for anyone else’s sins, especially not those already a year old. even if the ACOG was illegally sold, it was legally purchased. they have no authority or right to demand it back, and he’s under no obligation to cooperate, respond, or even confirm that he still owns it.
i’d delete, as well.
A thread on another forum thehighroad.org is talking about the email. The email is posted there if anyone is curious, it is the same as the one I received, verbatim.
Any financial discrepancies that may
arise from this issue will be a matter for you to address with GM1
JAMISON and his attorney. Contact information for GM1 JAMISON’s
attorney will be provided for you in the future.
in other words, “give it to us. and no, we’re not reimbursing you. and you cover shipping, too.”
If an item purchased by you does not contain a U.S. Navy serial number,
and cannot be fully identified as Navy property, than I cannot force you
to provide the item to us, however, we politely ask your cooperation in
rectifying this matter before us. If an item is ultimately identified
as U.S. Navy property, than its return to the Navy through us will need
to be facilitated.
if you “need” to do anything, let those instructions be issued through subpoena/court order. until you have one in hand, you’re not required to do anything. don’t let these guys con you out of your property.