Beware: smc252 (Steve Cook)

I paid him 370$ for JE pistons on June 2nd. Steve Cook from Colorado, smc252 on alltrac.net, email smcstevesmc@yahoo
I`ve sent him ~10x more emails and PMS, than he replies, and always replies short stupid sentences. I`ve asked 10x for a cellphone number or IM, but he just ignores me, replies once in 2-4 days.
But this just stroke it.
A week after payment he replies: "Apparently my roomate shipped my JE pistons to someone else for next to nothing, without asking me. No wonder they are not where I put them. I have boxed up a GOOD set of stock pistons and also Forged oem rods, I will send you $75 back for waiting as well as the rods and pistons. Sound fair?"
i send him "i can give 100$ shipped for good oem toyota 86.5mm pistons only. i do not need rods"
later he writes "Pistons sent 1hr ago, paid extra for 5-7day priority mail, oem forged pistons"
OEM forged? anyway im still waiting, he doesnt reply me at all, since last 10 days im asking him 2x a day to send me back the rest of my money. i escalated a dispute claim to paypal. he has replied to paypal instantly with tracking number, but doesnt write me at all. the item has dispatched from US on june 17th.
now when the item will be received, paypal will close the case and i will lose all my money? or i can still file "item not as expected"?
if item is not as described - do i receive money only when the item return shipping is finished?

pistons are the last piece i need for a rebuild. i started to communicate with this scam in May. its the end of June and the car just stands still out there, summer will be over soon as the user is on alltrac.net for more than 5 years, i thought i could trust :/

I think you can still dispute this ... It really sucks .. I got jacked on pistons too when I did my build ... set me back 3 months ... :bangshead:

the worst part is i have no money and many people have offered me forged pistons for 400$ but i have nothing no pistons no money.. i wouldnt stress so much if it was winter outside, but i bought the car to build it for summer

Yup I was the same way ... wasnt willing to spend another 500 till i got my money back , which thanks to commerce ( now TD ) I got my money back ... hope you get yours back ... you should cause that was a complete :bs: deal , but i know there are different rules when you purchase things off a forum vs ebay ... good luck bro , i know i would be :x

ok, its already 1.5 month.
i received pistons - they`re very used, stock 86.00mm (NO OVERSIZE!!) and really damaged pistons, totally unusable in my case. Ive sent him 50 emails and still I havent received a single cent! 370$ for junk metal? very nice deal. all that he replies is "patience" or "im busy"

its been more than 3 months. i found his phone number, called him, he said everythings fine, he would send me return address and return my money. then he ignored my calls for 2 weeks. then sent me "dont ever call me at 4am" and now another 2 weeks of ignorance. this is ridiculous.
can anyone find some other type contact info or family member contacts?

this is the scammer:

Steve Cook
720-217-3665
1408 Lydia drive
Lafayette, Co 80026

I hope I get to US in next months and visit this bastard to kick some face.

omfg this guy is a total disaster.
Ive spent 100$ on calls to this asshole. Ive sent him pistons back (another 60$). And got zero reply. Now when I called him, some girl picked up and says "wrong number", etc bullshit, I said there is Steve on the answering machine recording, shes like 'whatever'. now he changed his answering message to generic.

Luckily i got my money back. Though I was late on paypal deadlines and paypal really doesnt care about package contents if the deal is outside ebay, seems American Express is quite helfpul against frauds. I heard this guy is a drug addict, maybe thats why he lost his way and tried to screw me up. Sent his junk damaged pistons back to his address and filed refund at my local bank and got full refund. Of course I still lost about 150$ that I spent on international calls to this jerk`s voice mail. I hope his bank penalizes him enough to make him understand. If i didnt live that far, it would have been much worse for him cause in Europe we dont waste time to go to court but deal with such people in person. The pistons cost half of my monthly paycheck so its a personal thing if someone decides he can screw up other people.

I can really feel your pain.
I hope this person will be banned from alltrac.net :x
Good thing you got some of your money back.

the weird thing is that he's on alltrac for many years and lots of posts, so i thought he`s legit :| after this mess i bought forged pistons on mr2 forum from a fresh member who had only 2 posts, and he agreed that i pay him half before and half after the item is shipped and there were no problems. so its hard to decide who can be trusted on forums..