My Good Buddy Matt and the Hollywood Police Department

In the dialog Matt and I had, can't really call it a conversation. I asked him if I should file a police report. As with most things I said to Matt, he found this quite amusing and in his most cynical way said sure if I'd like to waste more time on this. I asked Matt why PayPal wouldn't find this helpful. For after all if by chance the police department did find these lovely people wouldn't PayPal want to know. Once again, Matt assured me PayPal wasn't going to give me the money no matter what happened since I didn't send it to the address on the credit card.

Where Do I File The Police Report?

I made the transaction on my computer in my office in Fort Lauderdale, but I live in Oakland Park and the computer was shipped to Hollywood. Usually you go to the police department where the transaction took place. Not with internet fraud you go to where the item was shipped to. So off to the Hollywood Police Department. Glad they are only 15 miles away.

The first thing I learned was this is not fraud but Grand Theft. Okay, whatever I just want my money or the computer back. Detective Eddie reviewed my documents and gave me about as much hope as my good buddy Matt, but was a lot more sympathetic. Out of sure frustration I asked Detective Eddie if he would just humor me and do a drive by, after all who knows he may just stumble upon the ring of internet thieves everyone has been looking for. Okay, so I read too many James Patterson novels.

Detective Eddie assured me yes they would go to the address I was provided and take a look. He told me not to go there myself. I told him "self" and I had already had the conversation that I wouldn't be going there. Although, it is very tempting to do.

Detective Eddie then proceeded to tell how hard this would be to prosecute and how this scheme works.

• First, if they found the computer, or any other stolen stuff at the address they would then have to find the drive for FedEx and have him/her come in for a photo lineup. Detective Eddie asked me how many people I thought FedEx drivers saw a day. Okay, not much hope there.
• Second, these people (the criminals) pick an address and learn exactly when the FedEx truck will be there and greet the driver before he/she even gets to the front door. Most often, they meet the driver a block away and say, "hey I'm about to leave and I'm expecting a package can I get it now?" Makes it easy for the driver, one less stop.

So I left the Hollywood Police Department with a case number and was told to call back in 15 business days (yes I know the difference between calendar and business) to get a copy of the report. I forwarded the case number on to PayPal and as of now I haven't heard anymore from them and the case remains open. 

I make a comment to someone that the criminals of today's society are smarter than we are. He said no they are not. Okay then, they are smarter than me. No way could I think up these schemes.