May 24, 2007 I purchased the 18K gold Rolex Ovettone wristwatch here in St. Louis County as an investment piece. It was in pristine condition; stored in my safe and unworn.
In June of 2010 I decided to sell the watch; I contacted Jon Shaffer, d/b/a Watchcat.com for consignment of the watch to his web site He agreed to place the watch on his website for sale. I sent the watch via US Registered Mail and received his signed receipt dated June 17, 2010.
In addition, I requested a letter from Shaffer as his written acknowledgement of receipt, which I received, dated June 26, 2010.
Mr. Shaffer posted the watch on his site in late July of 2010 with an asking price of $ 6,775.00. For the next ten months, we exchanged emails phone calls, as he wavered on the pricing, status and “whereabouts” of my watch.
In December of 2010, I requested in clear terms that I wanted the watch returned immediately. I offered a $ 500.00 fee to him for time and expenses he incurred in his attempt to sell my watch. At that point, Jon Shaffer began a series of contentious and erratic communications, the result of which was that he refused to return my watch nor the proceeds of a sale.
I filed police reports in Carthage, Missouri and spoke with Detective David Struberg, who investigated and in fact, interviewed Shaffer. I was informed by Struberg that there were at least two other individuals who had been defrauded by Mr. Shaffer. Detective Struberg attempted to obtain an arrest warrant from the State Prosecuting Attorney’s office in Joplin, MO but he was turned down.
I filed a criminal mail fraud report with the US Postal Inspection Service, spoke with a US Postal Inspector in St Louis and was informed the US Attorney’s Office would not waste their time on a $7000.00 postal fraud.
In July 2011 I retained an attorney in St. Louis County to assist me.
On July 28, 2011 she sent Mr. Shaffer a letter requesting all communications be addressed to her as she attempted to retrieve my property. Mr. Shaffer failed to respond.
She filed a civil suit in the Circuit Court of St Louis County, subpoenaed Shaffer: no response. On March 23, 2012 the court issued awarded me judgment against Shaffer for the sum of $ 10,000.00.
I have been attempting to collect on that judgment!
My watch still appears on his website for sale but listed as sold to JT for $5,495
jpegs on his website clearly show alteration of the serial number.
After all this I have yet to receive a penny from Shaffer.