[Mauser720]

Aaron -

No, I would not waste my time hiring a private detective, because you now have all the information you need.

Briefly, here are the steps I recommend:

1. Draft a letter to him. In the first sentence of the letter, you make the following statement: "The purpose of this notice is to inform you that unless I hear from you within 10 calendar days of your receipt of this letter, I am going to pursue the filing of a complaint of consumer fruad with the State of Florida regarding the manner in which you have defrauded me of $X,XXX.XX. This notice is being sent to you in two identical copies. One is being sent by certified mail with a return receipt requested, and the other is being sent to you by regular first class mail. Under U.S. Postal Service regulations I have a right to assume delivery of the regular first class mail if it is not returned to me. The reasons for this notice are as follows:"

And then you lay out all of your evidence, step by step. When did he call you. What did you tell him. What did he say each time you called him again, etc. Be very detailed and very specific. It doesn't matter how many pages of typing it takes to document beyond a doubt everything that has happened and when it happened, etc. Make sure you mention what type of a handgun it was, etc., because your complaint may be taken more seriously since this is a handgun issue.

The reason you must do this, is you must be able to prove with documentation that you have contacted him and that you have given him a chance to "do the right thing."

Then, you keep one copy of the notice for yourself, and you send the other two copies to him, one by certified mail with a return receipt requested, and the second copy by regular first class mail.

Here is what will likely happen: He will refuse to claim the certified mail, but he will open up the regular first class mail envelope, and then you have accomplished your purpose. Plus, you save the unopened certified mail envelop when it is returned to you marked "unclaimed" because this is further evidence that this man is not responsive.

I would still send both letters to his P.O. Box, because you do not want to tip him off that you already know his home address.

He probably will not believe that you are going to follow through with your promise to file a complaint. So after the 10 calendar days has elapsed, you go ahead and file a complaint with the consumer fraud authorities in Florida. Just do a Google search for this "Consumer Fraud, Florida" and it will take you to the Florida Attorney Generals Office. Read what they have to say. You can get the form they use to receive complaints too. Once you develop your case file and send it to Florida, be sure you also send it by certified mail with a return receipt requested. (Everyone takes certified mail seriously.) Include the home address you got from Google in the file, etc. Specifically tell them you want your money back.

Usually, what will happen is that it will be turned over to the office of the sheriff in the county in which the guy lives. Eventually you will get a generic letter from them that they are working on it, etc.

I would also check the county in which he lives to see if they have their own consumer fraud protection program.

If you will take the time to do this, not only is it very possible you are going to get your money back, but you will also have made it possible for the authorities in Florida to have a record on this fellow's activities. Perhaps you can prevent him from defrauding someone else. I have personally recovered $1,300.00 using just the approach I have outlined here.

You just have to have the persistence and durability of Plutonium 90.

Ron