Thurman Wade BerryHill: Mail/Wire Fraud Alert to All Users

[Hugo Borchardt]

Thurman BerryHill (Thurman wade Berryhill Wichita falls TX 76301. Phone number 307797xxxx) posted a 1900 AE for sale on the forum that he says he inherited from his Grandfather. He goes under the username Kainrahl. Note his phone # is not in Texas, which he explained was because he had just moved there and was in the military.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=23732

Forum members had helped analyze the gun in another thread, and I spoke to Thurman on the phone. We negotiated a price for the gun. He was reasonable on the price as he said he needed the money. He gave Ron Wood as a passive reference (only that he helped him identify and price the gun, just as I would have done for Thurman), and had a couple stories about the gun.

My first mistake: I overnighted him a personal check as I reasoned it would be better than sending a money order if he did not ship me the gun. Upon receipt he called me and told me the bank would have to hold the check for 10 days, and gave me his bank account number and asked me to deposit the funds directly and he would tear up the check. In return he would ship the gun that day (which he did).

My second mistake: Believe it or not, I deposited the funds directly to his bank account. Fortunately he did ship me the gun and I am very pleased with it. I need to have a background check run on it however.

My third mistake: through miscommunication between my wife and I, we did not cancel the check. Thurman deposited the check instead of tearing it up, and it cleared my account 2 weeks later. Thurman hung up on me the first time I called, and does not return my calls or emails.

I had hoped that Thurman did this only under financial duress and would make this right, but am in process of dealing with it through the banks, law enforcement, and my attorneys. I have clear documentation including written negotation of the price and terms, deposit receipt to his bank acct, and copy of the cleared check.

I know that several of you have been burned similarly in the past, and though this is quite embarrassing to me as in retrospect I made several mistakes, I felt it important to post as a warning to the honorable members of this forum that trade here. Hopefully it will save someone some time and money.

I invite Thurman to contact me immediately and clear this up.

Thanks!