Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

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Elle Rae
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Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Elle Rae »

I never thought it would happen to me. But I guess it was just a matter of time...
I won the bid for the Romie baby Brielle on ebay. The seller, redlipstickchic (who has now been suspended from ebay it appears), messaged me and informed me that paypal was holding the payment and she would need to call them and see what was going on. A couple hours later she messaged me stating paypal was holding the funds for 21 days and due to family emergencies and needing the money she could not wait that long and was refunding my money, which she did and cancelled the sale on ebay. Of course, I was crushed, I told her I still really wanted the doll. I would have flown to chicago and paid her cash (its only a hour plane ride from me). She said she could sell her to me if I sent her the funds through paypal "friends and family" so they would not hold the funds (DUH, red flag!). I stupidly agreed, because I figured if she had the doll on ebay, she really was trying to sell her.... Well, as I'm sure you've guessed if you've gotten this far, then the nightmare began. She said she would send the shipping info shortly, and that was the last email I received from her. I emailed her a couple days later, no answer. Then friday I emailed again, called the number in her email signature, which said "this number cannot receive calls at this time" or something to that extent, then clicked her website link, nothing there, then I decided to do a background on her.... 3 small claims court judgements against her, multiple aliases... then looked at her facebook, yikes! First photo was a meme saying " Let me be forever known as the girl that does whatever the f*** she wants". Ummm, okay. Well I called my bank and put a stop payment on the transaction, PLEASE TAKE NOTE, THIS IS THE WORST THING YOU CAN EVER DO IN THIS SITUATION; it happened to have not completed yet because of the Thanksgiving holiday. I thought, phew, dodged a bullet there. WRONG!!! I logged into my paypal today to send payment for a kit I was purchasing on here, and guess what I found?! My paypal account over $3000 in the negative!!! Apparently, paypal "fronts" the funds until your bank transaction goes through. Since I stopped payment with my bank, they cannot back me on this, and paypal will not either since the funds were sent friends and family. So basically I'm screwed. Lots of tears and several glasses of wine later and I'm now planning a trip to Chicago :lol:
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Barbara L.
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Barbara L. »

I am so sorry to hear of this happening to you.
It is so sad that our hobby is being screwed with in so many ways.
I hope there is something that can be done....do you have any other options?
Maybe Small Claims Court?
Dolls for Sale: https://www.reborns.com/VinStyleandMore and Vintage baby clothes & shoes for sale: https://vinstyleandmore.etsy.com
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Elle Rae
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Elle Rae »

It's probably a waste of time without knowing where she banks, but that is what I'm planning on doing. I have a ton of airline miles and friends in chicago, so I don't mind. The only thing is, the background check shows two different addresses, so I need to figure out which one she is currently residing at in order to file.
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Barbara L.
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Barbara L. »

Good luck and keep us posted!
:popcorn:
Dolls for Sale: https://www.reborns.com/VinStyleandMore and Vintage baby clothes & shoes for sale: https://vinstyleandmore.etsy.com
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Elle Rae
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Elle Rae »

Thank you! I will!
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ladybugmommy84
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by ladybugmommy84 »

I’m so sorry this happen to you! She recently posted in a group I’m in selling dolls. She sells a lot of dolls actually. She must have been posted as a scammer one time before because I remember a post she posted about not being one.
tovisbabies
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by tovisbabies »

she is selling some dolls on facebook right now.
kd
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by kd »

The auction which you won has the same pictures of the Brielle doll from a previous auction, which the doll sold. I am guessing red lip stick woman didn’t really have the doll to sell.
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

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Elle Rae
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Elle Rae »

I noticed that too kd. I think you're right.
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Monique_B
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Monique_B »

The frequency of stuff like this happening is what will eventually cause the demise of this hobby. It’s seriousky sad that scamming seems to be on the uprise no matter how many precautions we take. I don’t know how many times I’ve chickened out with selling because of the fear that too many scammers are learning nasty tricks from others to keep fooling us. Even when you use PayPal which is supposed to protect buyers and sellers, you still have to be concerned with chargebacks and false claims. I admire sellers that still continue to try and adopt out babies because they sure are brave!

Makes me sincerely miss the way things used to be in the doll community. Pretty soon instead of just asking for feedback and a security photo, we’ll have to start resorting to “put one hand on top of your head, balance a spoon on your nose and wear all orange from head to toe” funny, but not quite funny when you realize the usual things we ask of buyers and sellers are starting to not matter. *sigh*
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Tracy Lorraine
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Tracy Lorraine »

I’m so sorry this happened to you. Best of luck tracking her down. :hug:
ABabyC
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by ABabyC »

I'm really sorry this happened to you, Ella! :(
I saw the auction too and it didn't feel quite right to me, so I asked if the seller could send a security photo. She replied with:
"She's already packed, sorry" so I just moved on, but wish I had somehow written about it here to warn others...

Did you ever recieve a propor safety picture?
deeyates84
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by deeyates84 »

Stories like this is exactly why I will never deal friends and family on PayPal. I will pay the fees to insure I'm getting my dolls or money back. I've had an artist on the bb website not deliver and I had to get my money back on PayPal. I will never use the bb site again either over it.
Leesa
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by Leesa »

I'm so sorry that this happened to you. It really is a challenge in both selling and buying these days.
The first thing I would do is find the closest Police Department to her address. I would call them, especially if you plan to take a visit.
I would also check with their local District Attorney, this is internet fraud, and I'm sure the $ amount is substantial.
Maybe they already know her if she is a shady character. I would definitely have the Police behind me before I approached her.
Good luck - I hope you can get you money back.
Hugs
Leesa
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by susan2015 »

Oh no Elle how awful for you, my heart goes out to you that this gets resolved :hug:
I have been the victim of dolly scams, and the stress is absolutely overwhelming.
Its not only the loss of money its your feeling of self blame. But there is so many scammers in the doll world taking advantage of the honest collectors.
Also the payday loan mentality of sellers has caused me so much stress and financial juggling.
I sell dolls to buy dolls, and have been the victim many times where the seller withdraws your payment immediately from their paypal then decides not to sell the doll to you and you have to wait for your refund from their bank. I have waited many weeks previously with no doll and no money :banghead:
Sending you all my best wishes Hugs Susan xx :hug:
LovinIt_Crystal
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by LovinIt_Crystal »

Yikes! That name sounded familiar and it so happened last week she was making offers on a doll I had for sale. Thank goodness I didn't accept!
I really really hope you get some kind of resolution. I know all to well how frustrating it is to deal with calling ebay and paypal.
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by LovinIt_Crystal »

Hmmm...."luvmakup" and "redlipstick" sounds like the same person :?
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MissyDoll
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by MissyDoll »

LovinIt(Crystal) wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 8:05 am
Hmmm...."luvmakup" and "redlipstick" sounds like the same person :?
:thumb:
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NadiaK
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Re: Has anyone dealt with Angela Steele? Aka Mary Angela Steele

Post by NadiaK »

I am so sorry for what you are dealing with. That is just terrible. I do have to say that as soon as I saw this auction there were red flags for me. The fact that there was no reserve on the doll with a low opening bid was what concerned me. And after she sold for $3500 I was shocked. Obviously the seller would have paid a great deal more for this baby and for her to have let her go at such a low price seemed off to me. I sure hope you can get this resolved.
Hugs,
Nadia

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