Right so i just signed into my email to check the normal this item is ending, this item is relisted, deal here deal there. Then i notice an email with the subject "On going criminal investigation." WTF?!? Ok I know I'm a good boy so here is the body of the email:

To the parties listed in this e-mail,

My name is Det Bill Anderson with the Midland Police Department located in Midland, TX.
You are being contacted in reference to an on going Federal Investigation into stolen auto parts being sold on ebay.
The auto part in question is a Stage II upgrade kit for the Chev Cobalt and the Saturn Red Line Series cars. Your information has been obtained through subpoenaed information from ebay and paypal. At this time you are being contacted as witnesses in this case. I simply need you to reply to the e-mail stating that you received the item in question and how you received the item (US mail, FedEx, UPS etc..). Most of you paid through paypal but if you did not let me know what form of payment you made (personal check, money order, credit card etc...). Also if you know the name of the person you purchased the item from through shipping labels. If you have the invoices or shipping labels from the packages that can be e-mailed or faxed to me at the address listed below.

We will not be asking for the parts to be removed and sent back. We understand that you were purchasing said item in good faith.

Det Bill Anderson
Midland Police Department


Explore our web site at www.midlandtexas.gov

The information contained in this transmission is intended for the use of the person(s) named above.
If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by return e-mail. To contact our
e-mail administrator, please send an e-mail to postmaster@midlandtexas.gov City of Midland, Tex


There are um...ALOT of emails listed for this email. At first i thought scam, but all the links and what not are legit. I don't even remember who i got it from on ebay but im sure i posted it in the past. Anyone else get this email?

 

wow, at least they're letting you keep your ****. just give em a call at the station before you send in any info. do not reply to that email online.

 

If I were you I'd forget it till I got a letter in the mail or served.

ADMIT TO NOTHING!

 

X10!

Wait until you get something a bit more official than an email.
If they are really the police, they can find you by conventional means.

 

Its the real deal the person on Ebay you purchased was stealing them from a parts warehouse.
Detective Anderson is looking to lock him up for stealing over 40 kits. They are not looking to get the parts back as they are now locked into our cars vin number once installed.

But yeah its legit and the guys ebay name used to be 1fastlittlecar / asmokinss or something like that.

Search the forums as Detective Anderson posted here awhile back asking for help from us.

 

It's only illegal if you knowingly receive stolen property. The terms of use of eBay explicitly state that there is to be no illegal or stolen goods posted on their auction site. That terms of use frees both eBay and you as the buyer from any legal responsibility regarding the purchase of stolen property. Cooperate with the cops and you won't have any problems. Give them a hard time and I assure you that they can and will make life very difficult for you in the future.

 

Guys that is the dectetive that is trying to bust the guy who sold almost 100 stolen S2 kits on ebay. A TON of us here have been in contact with that dectetive who is trying to catch this guy. He does not want the parts back he just wants a little help catching this guy. I bought one of the S2 kits not knowing it was stolen. There have been numerous posts on here talking about this. Responding to his E-mail wont hurt you.

 

yea i just searched like werewolf said too. first contact

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/show...ctive+Anderson

 

ok everyone got to it before me lol

 

too bad i don't have the labels and what not.

 

best advice ever. we're taught this method of information assurance in the military. reply by phone to verify. Then if the person is like, "huh?". You just saved yourself from a virus or identity theft.

 

he said you can keep the parts... i would be saving that email, and nailing the thief to the wall... Obstruction of Justice is not something worth getting in trouble for..

 

Exactly this.

And this.

 

thats bullshit... a detective would most likely call you. and the fact that they did not even leave a contact number... I would not reply to that email. Just because the links are legit doesn't mean the email is.

 

i deleted the contact number and email addy so people on here wouldn't be ********

and i went through my paypal history to find

Payment To:
Paul Reyes (The recipient of this payment is Unverified)
Seller's ID:
06fastcar
Seller's Email:

 

why don't you be proactive and call him? that way you're saving your ass if it is a real email, and you're not sending out any personal information if it is bull ****. And if it is bull ****, you're already on the horn with the cops and you can let them know the name, and email address of the douche trying to scam you.

 

just called...."bill anderson is currently on the phone."

 

x10000

 

He e-mailed you because that's the contact information that you give eBay and Paypal. IIRC, they don't HAVE your telephone number.

 

^ Agreed

I'm telling you its legit but it is safer to call him to verify.

 

ebay ftl

 

thats what i was thinking. seems legit to me

 

I would definately delete that message...

paypal has your telephone number and address...

the cops don't e-mail people... they send letters.

If you really want to get into it... call the midland PD and ask for detective what's-his-name... see if it's legit or not.

Honestly I can't see a "federal" investigation about a Stage II kit... there's no serial number on the injectiors or pulley or anything to prove it is stolen... and it's not worth that much money.

Now if someone sold a whole LSJ on e-bay... I could see that.

 

He's Legit

and you missed the part where this guy stole and sold hundreds of kits. so say he avgs 400 a kit he took in around 40k or more.

 

If it's several hundred S2 kits and they're sold online to customers over state lines, it's a federal investigation and if he's selling S2 kits, he's probably into other less public-friendly activities that they want to bust him for, its just that he's probably left himself open by selling these and it's an easier take-down.