Police say this is an exchange of goods

[mauricev]

I was the victim of swindling in Queens, NY on Sunday, May 27th, 2024. As I was entering I-495 East from I-295, a driver on the side of the entrance ramp flagged me down and gave me what turned out to be a fake story that he was was visiting from Dubai and that he was with his whole family (which he apparently was) and that he lost his wallet. To make a long story short, I ended up giving him $1,120 dollars. At one point, he left a “Rolex” watch in my car.

I later learned the watch was fake, thus confirming that I really had been swindled.

I want to report this to the police, but they claim this is an exchange of goods and therefore not a crime.

 

[zddoodah]

I want to report this to the police

You did report this to the police. You cannot force the police to do anything. As explained at the other site where you posted this, you were beyond gullible and will have to chalk this up as an expensive lesson.

 

[Just Blue]

I want to report this to the police, but they claim this is an exchange of goods and therefore not a crime.

sigh...

You should really stop posting this all over the internet. Franky you should be embarrassed.

Apparently, you though to take advantage of a tourist's misfortune and instead they took advantage of your blind greed.

 

[quincy]

I want to report this to the police, but they claim this is an exchange of goods and therefore not a crime.

It sounds to me like an exchange of goods.

You might have believed a false tale of woe, and you apparently overpaid for a fake Rolex, but this simply shows naïveté on your part.

If it makes you feel any better, I think your heart was in the right place.

 

[adjusterjack]

I think he can get most of his money back by advertising a fake (replica) Rolex. I read that a quality replica can bring $1000 or more.

 

[Just Blue]

It sounds to me like an exchange of goods.

You might have believed a false tale of woe, and you apparently overpaid for a fake Rolex, but this simply shows naïveté on your part.

If it makes you feel any better, I think your heart was in the right place.

lol... I love you Q!. You see the best in everything/everyone. <3

IMO OP heart was not in the right place.

 

[quincy]

I think he can get most of his money back by advertising a fake (replica) Rolex. I read that a quality replica can bring $1000 or more.

That can also get you sued by the trademark owner. Regardless of disclaimers and the fact that trademark infringement centers on consumer confusion, using a trademark without authorization from the trademark holder and selling counterfeit goods is infringement on the rights of the holder of the trademark.

What mauricev could do is notify the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation of the illegal sale but I doubt there will be any interest in investigating a roadside sale of a single watch that the seller may not have even known was fake. It is probably best if mauricev just enjoy his fake watch.

Trademark holders do monitor online sales, however, and websites often will refuse to publish ads or will pull ads that violate the IP rights of others (lest the site be found liable for contributory infringement).

 

[Bali Hai Again]

I want to report this to the police, but they claim this is an exchange of goods and therefore not a crime.

If you are from NewYork you should have known better. You’re fortunate something worse didn’t happen to you. Next time don’t stop and call 911 to report a stranded motorist.

 

[quincy]

Following is a link to a 6/9/2023 media release from the US Customs and Border Protection on seizures of fake watches at LAX. These seizures are not uncommon, by the way.

From the release: “While it may seem innocent, the money you spend on counterfeit products often funds criminal activity, from forced labor, human and drug trafficking, to violent crimes.”

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/fake-luxury-watches-worth-over-12-million-intercepted-cbp-lax

The CBP release also provides a link to reporting fake goods.

lol... I love you Q!. You see the best in everything/everyone. <3 …

Thanks for the nice (if not entirely true ) words, Blue. <3

 

[not2cleverRed]

If you are from NewYork you should have known better. You’re fortunate something worse didn’t happen to you. Next time don’t stop and call 911 to report a stranded motorist.

I hope you meant: "Next time don’t stop. Just call 911 to report a stranded motorist."

 

[Bali Hai Again]

I hope you meant: "Next time don’t stop. Just call 911 to report a stranded motorist."

Yes, that’s precisely what I meant. However, I fail to see the difference between what I wrote and what you wrote. Would you be kind enough to explain the difference? I’m getting up in years.

 

[Zigner]

Yes, that’s precisely what I meant. However, I fail to see the difference between what I wrote and what you wrote. Would you be kind enough to explain the difference? I’m getting up in years.

The way you wrote it could be interpreted as you encouraging the OP to not stop and not call 911.

The next time anyone complains about my pedantic comments, I'm going to link back to this thread.

 

[Just Blue]

Yes, that’s precisely what I meant. However, I fail to see the difference between what I wrote and what you wrote. Would you be kind enough to explain the difference? I’m getting up in years.

The way you wrote it, it seemed you were telling to not call 911.

 

[Bali Hai Again]

The way you wrote it, it seemed you were telling to not call 911.

Thank you for clearing that up. I sincerely appreciate you response and will attempt to make myself clearer next time.

 

[Just Blue]

Thank you for clearing that up. I sincerely appreciate you response and will attempt to make myself clearer next time.

I knew what you meant...but it could be taken the other way.