Vinyl Doll Scam

[Denise O]

What I don't understand is why on earth the buyer even bothered to open a box that CLEARLY did not weigh the expected amount the box should weigh if it had a Full Size Silicone baby in it??? Even reborn boxes are much heavier than a box with bubble wrap and a plain vinyl manufactured doll in it... ESPECIALLY since the buyer says she has purchased numerous full body silicone dolls. Why didn't the buyer keep the original box and use that to ship the vinyl doll back instead of using a different box??? Something is really weird. What about insurance? I was told the buyer didn't want the seller to insure. WHY???? The buyer says she wasnt paying shipping so she didn't insist it be insured??? I don't care how many dolls you have had in the past or what artist you have purchased from. Claire herself has had something similar done with the whole Zadia nightmare a few years ago. Something is off. Also to say people believe one side or another is utter BS and it isn't up to anyone to speak on others feelings. This is not slander... its just a simple fact.

Edited to add... how can the doll have been taken in transit? Post office workers don't just keep spare babies laying around to replace in a box. They don't know what doll is in the box especially if it wasnt insured. Was the doll lost in transit for a time? Paypal would tell you to return the doll in its original contents back to the seller. They would NEVER say change the packaging to suit your needs. They just don't do that. They ALWAYS say to keep and return ALL ORIGINAL items back to the seller. Even the Judge Judy case that was televised said that had the artist kept the original doll instead of selling it she would have ruled for more in the judgement. Large boxes wouldn't increase the weight but a few ounces more than a smaller box. So saying she can get the CCTV footage is useless as the box was probably disposed of. I know about weights as we ship stuff internationally ALL THE TIME. It goes by pounds. A larger box would only bump the weight up a slight bit... so again, something isn't right.

[Silicones_byKristin]

First PayPal then Facebook now here....
All I have to say is people use your brain!
As a collector who shows my dolls off, it would be insane for me to not only ruin my reputation but spend $7500 on a Romie Baby I couldn't show/take out/trade or sell...
I am also out of pocket for the shipping cost back to her...
This is SLANDER and I will take action.
I tried everything to get her to help me resolve it and tried for 10 days to get her to help. I contacted customs/post office depot/insurance but she kept telling me " your problem"...file your claims so eventually I had to...
She was paying for shipping so like I said, if it was my plan to do this, I would have insisted on her getting insurance since I wasn't paying for it!
She Even said she's was going to refuse to sign for the return! Didn't have the COA and forgot some items...
How Would any of you feel if you bought $7500 Romie Baby and found nothing but a note, tons of bubble wrap and a cheap vinyl doll?
Good job I did a quick video with my phone which I was so excited I wasn't going to do at first!
The group even blocked me on the scammers group so I cannot even defend myself...
That shall not judge...

This shall all be over soon. As soon as the police get involved. Either them or the FBI for mail fraud. She has the package that was sent back to her (well not the original box)...but what ever doll was put inside claiming to be the doll sent. The finger prints on the doll will tell all. Many people in the dolly community have destroyed their own reputations for doing something stupid or scamming. First they gain the trust then they strike. I saw the video. I don't believe the video. There is NO way in items inside the box were shipped that way. IMPOSSIBLE for the sheet of paper to be laying in the center of the box without a single wrinkle all the way from over sea's shipping when there is a 1-3" gap between the plastic bubble wrap and the top of the box. The paper would have been crushed, the doll placed in the center for the box opening would have actually been partial unwrapped, or tossed around.. the hair would have been a mess, ect. In the box opening video everything in the box was laying perfect.. there was nothing out of sorts. There would have been no padding pressure to keep everything nicely together the way it was shown in the box opening. GIVE HER DOLL BACK>>> OR RETURN HER MONEY!!

[Silicones_byKristin]

I think you should reveal the name of this lady so that she is not able to scam anyone else who sees this thread.

I am the Lady and have never scammed anyone...
I do believe Kathy sent the doll but unfortunately this is what I unbox even though usps tape was still on!
All I can say is thank goodness I always do box packing/opening videos.
Whoever did this cannot be a collector. What would be the point in spending $7500 on a Romie Baby that you cannot show off to anyone, cannot take to shows, cannot trade or sell as well as ruining my reputation so I wouldn't be able to collect?!
Needless to say the cost of shipping the vinyl doll back to her tracked and signed for ( which she said she was going to refuse) is not refunded!!

If you believe she sent the doll, and "something else" happened to it... HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK?????? YOU told her not to insure this doll. IT would be your fault..
However that said, I don't believe someone else swapped out this doll. It didn't even come from Romie so the possibility of someone knowing what was inside is ridiculous.

[kd]

The names Muffin, and Frenchmurfett, kinda sound scandalous.

[Beachwalker Mandy]

I agree with what Denise O said. I have no idea who is lying but obviously someone is or the doll wouldn't be missing. I do know that the vinyl doll sent in replacement weighs more than 1.7 lbs. as the person who received her said was her weight. I mail Lee Middleton dolls all the time and that particular doll would be 4 lbs.
I sure hope that no one loses over $7000.00 here. That is just too much money to lose. I do know that if I mailed a doll like that, most especially overseas, that I would have every single paper filled out correctly, and the doll would be insured to the hilt for the full amount or the buyer would not be buying her from me. No way am I going to lose that kind of money. Sure, there are custom fees but if a person is paying over $7,000 for a doll they must be prepared to pay the cost of shipping and customs too. I am not taking sides. I do not know who is who and what is what. I just feel bad that something like this is going on.

[srucker]

Nadege is Frenchsmurfette and Kathy is Muffin

[Court_LLRN]

Having read through everything on both posts on Facebook as well as what's here on doll-fan... and being a very unbiased party: there is no way that a said collector of silicone dolls wouldn't have noticed the weight. If it was a reborn doll in the box, I'd say that's passable. But a Lee Middleton doll weighing 2 pounds... there is just NO WAY for her to have not realized this. If I received a box that I was expecting a full body silicone in and it was that light, I would immediately have all red flags raise, turn on my camera and say UP FRONT that I felt something was wrong. This is not at all what happened, according to the video.
This is such a horrible horrible thing and one of the biggest scams I've come across. I'm truly gutted over this and I really hope you get the authorities involved, Kathy.

[chelle77]

What I don't understand is why on earth the buyer even bothered to open a box that CLEARLY did not weigh the expected amount the box should weigh if it had a Full Size Silicone baby in it??? Even reborn boxes are much heavier than a box with bubble wrap and a plain vinyl manufactured doll in it... ESPECIALLY since the buyer says she has purchased numerous full body silicone dolls. Why didn't the buyer keep the original box and use that to ship the vinyl doll back instead of using a different box??? Something is really weird. What about insurance? I was told the buyer didn't want the seller to insure. WHY???? The buyer says she wasnt paying shipping so she didn't insist it be insured??? I don't care how many dolls you have had in the past or what artist you have purchased from. Claire herself has had something similar done with the whole Zadia nightmare a few years ago. Something is off. Also to say people believe one side or another is utter BS and it isn't up to anyone to speak on others feelings. This is not slander... its just a simple fact.

Edited to add... how can the doll have been taken in transit? Post office workers don't just keep spare babies laying around to replace in a box. They don't know what doll is in the box especially if it wasnt insured. Was the doll lost in transit for a time? Paypal would tell you to return the doll in its original contents back to the seller. They would NEVER say change the packaging to suit your needs. They just don't do that. They ALWAYS say to keep and return ALL ORIGINAL items back to the seller. Even the Judge Judy case that was televised said that had the artist kept the original doll instead of selling it she would have ruled for more in the judgement. Large boxes wouldn't increase the weight but a few ounces more than a smaller box. So saying she can get the CCTV footage is useless as the box was probably disposed of. I know about weights as we ship stuff internationally ALL THE TIME. It goes by pounds. A larger box would only bump the weight up a slight bit... so again, something isn't right.

Totally agree~~with all of this.
Something is very weird concerning all of it

[Dottie in Virginia]

I may be completely off base, but is it common practice to video box openings just t prove what was in the box? I have seen many box openings from excited buyers wanting to show off their new babies but this seems different. Also. was the package not addressed to the buyer's real name?

I am surprised that PayPal sided with the buyer because of the weight difference alone. PayPal has a 100% fraud guarantee. Recently, a person changed my password and sent money from my checking account (over $1,000) to herself. PayPal returned every cent of my money. The weight difference should have been a huge red light in this case. I don't get it.

[Lori JR]

[Tracy Lorraine]

If the seller is being scammed by the buyer & if the seller gets the authorities involved, she will now be in her own trouble because she falsified the customs information. It is fraudulent to send an item as a gift so that the buyer can avoid customs fees when $7500 exchanged hands. This is probably why the person that swapped the doll knew they could get away with it. They knew the seller wasn't going to hang herself by filing theft of a "gift" worth $50 that suddenly became a $7500 collectable doll.

[Chel58]

If the seller is being scammed by the buyer & if the seller gets the authorities involved, she will now be in her own trouble because she falsified the customs information. It is fraudulent to send an item as a gift so that the buyer can avoid customs fees when $7500 exchanged hands. This is probably why the person that swapped the doll knew they could get away with it. They knew the seller wasn't going to hang herself by filing theft of a "gift" worth $50 that suddenly became a $7500 collectable doll.

I totally agree Tracy!!I've never sent a doll no matter what the price,without insurance and I ALWAYS require a signature and would never send as a gift.I feel bad for the seller but she's got a problem here.
Sadly since I started collecting 10 yrs ago,the dolly world as changed and not for the better

[love4reborns]

Where is the boxing opening video?

How sad to be scammed...ugh.

[Tracy Lorraine]

Where is the boxing opening video?

How sad to be scammed...ugh.

You have to be a member of the group to see it.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1156834947669217/

[LHargreaves]

Does the seller have the customs form and receipt that says package weight when shipped? That would clear up a lot

[DonnaB]

Yes she does as well as tracking info. To ship to UK max insurance is 2500. Within the US it is 5000.

[Frenchsmurfett]

First PayPal then Facebook now here....
All I have to say is people use your brain!
As a collector who shows my dolls off, it would be insane for me to not only ruin my reputation but spend $7500 on a Romie Baby I couldn't show/take out/trade or sell...
I am also out of pocket for the shipping cost back to her...
This is SLANDER and I will take action.
I tried everything to get her to help me resolve it and tried for 10 days to get her to help. I contacted customs/post office depot/insurance but she kept telling me " your problem"...file your claims so eventually I had to...
She was paying for shipping so like I said, if it was my plan to do this, I would have insisted on her getting insurance since I wasn't paying for it!
She Even said she's was going to refuse to sign for the return! Didn't have the COA and forgot some items...
How Would any of you feel if you bought $7500 Romie Baby and found nothing but a note, tons of bubble wrap and a cheap vinyl doll?
Good job I did a quick video with my phone which I was so excited I wasn't going to do at first!
The group even blocked me on the scammers group so I cannot even defend myself...
That shall not judge...

This shall all be over soon. As soon as the police get involved. Either them or the FBI for mail fraud. She has the package that was sent back to her (well not the original box)...but what ever doll was put inside claiming to be the doll sent. The finger prints on the doll will tell all. Many people in the dolly community have destroyed their own reputations for doing something stupid or scamming. First they gain the trust then they strike. I saw the video. I don't believe the video. There is NO way in items inside the box were shipped that way. IMPOSSIBLE for the sheet of paper to be laying in the center of the box without a single wrinkle all the way from over sea's shipping when there is a 1-3" gap between the plastic bubble wrap and the top of the box. The paper would have been crushed, the doll placed in the center for the box opening would have actually been partial unwrapped, or tossed around.. the hair would have been a mess, ect. In the box opening video everything in the box was laying perfect.. there was nothing out of sorts. There would have been no padding pressure to keep everything nicely together the way it was shown in the box opening. GIVE HER DOLL BACK>>> OR RETURN HER MONEY!!

I actually did advise Kathy to get the authorities involved as I would not only like to know what happened but also clear my name 100% but she refused and said she was scared of repercussions from customs.
I did not notice the weight of the box as it came when I wasn't in so was placed on my dressing table in my nursery where I opened it.
I did not move the box prior to opening it and had no reason to suspect anything waswrong as the usps tape was undisturbed.
I tried for 10 days to help resolve this and did not want to file but Kathy repeatedly told me to adding she would just let PayPal sort it!
I will not tolerate Slander and have already intrucked my solicitors to contact the culprits warning them of the implications of their actions/comments. I have no issue involving the authorities.
I am a genuine person who is as much a victim as Kathy.


I always put my real name at the end of each message.
Kind regards
Nadège

[Frenchsmurfett]

I think you should reveal the name of this lady so that she is not able to scam anyone else who sees this thread.

I am the Lady and have never scammed anyone...
I do believe Kathy sent the doll but unfortunately this is what I unbox even though usps tape was still on!
All I can say is thank goodness I always do box packing/opening videos.
Whoever did this cannot be a collector. What would be the point in spending $7500 on a Romie Baby that you cannot show off to anyone, cannot take to shows, cannot trade or sell as well as ruining my reputation so I wouldn't be able to collect?!
Needless to say the cost of shipping the vinyl doll back to her tracked and signed for ( which she said she was going to refuse) is not refunded!!

If you believe she sent the doll, and "something else" happened to it... HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK?????? YOU told her not to insure this doll. IT would be your fault..
However that said, I don't believe someone else swapped out this doll. It didn't even come from Romie so the possibility of someone knowing what was inside is ridiculous.

I did not refuse insurance. Kathy told me post office told her it would cost $600/$700 to post so I mentioned to her how others had sent their dolls. At this point I was only thinking damage and silicone isn't fragile.
SInce she was covering the shipping cost, it was her choice.
The post master did know what was inside because he told Kathy she wouldn't send the doll from his post office as she had told him on the phone she was $7500 but declared $50 on the box! ( I have the email)
I wish she would get the authorities involved rather than slandering my name. I have as I have nothing to fear from them.
My solicitors are in the process of studying the comments and will issue letters warning of the repercussions of Slander.
Kind regards
Nadège

[Frenchsmurfett]

I've watched the video several times. Smurf, you are a terrible actor, might hang onto that day job.

Terribly childish..I was not acting nor am I an actor.
FYI, I work with special needs children and enjoy my job.
Seems they have more sense than some neurotypical adults!

[georgeanne]

No one in their right mind would ask for and allow such an extremely expensive doll be shipped and received without insurance. Both of you knew better. I think both of you should equally suffer the consequences of such foolish actions.