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Thread: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

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    Default Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    Mr. Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud, in my opinion.

    Brandon Cifani is a minor and a high school student. His email address is brandon15926@gmail.com; his FPGeeks user name is Brando090, his fountainpennetwork username is Brando090 (banned), his fountainpenboard username is Brando090, he has used cifani090 on other boards such as Head-Fi.org (banned), his former eBay IDs were “Brando090” (banned) and “Branny090” (banned), and his current eBay ID is “penmaney”.

    Brandon Cifani has a long history of fraudulent, dishonest, and deceitful behavior:

    - Lying about his age when inquiring about obtaining a firearm

    - Lying about the price he paid for a book when offering it for resale

    - Lying about his age when registering for an eBay account (three times). He has admitted this lie: “The reason im not on ebay is really not any of your business, and is related to me not being old enough (18)”

    - Lying about no longer being on eBay and about no longer buying items there while actively buying pens and other items on eBay

    - Violating PayPal terms of service by lying about his age

    - Winning items on eBay and refusing to pay for them (e.g. this group of Vacumatics which was won by user "penmaney" according to the seller)

    - Lying about the source of items he “bought” (see above)

    - Lying about owning certain pens and engaging in negotiations to sell or trade those pens

    A previous post here included a survey of some other of Mr. Cifani’s activities.

    Brandon Cifani’s latest and perhaps most serious fraud concerns the offering for sale of very expensive pens that he does not possess nor own. Here is a timeline of the events surrounding this fraud:

    On May 11 of this year, Brandon Cifani sent me an email asking,

    “Do you still have the Waterman combo for sale?
    --
    Best Regards,
    Brandon”
    This was an apparent reference to an old For Sale listing I had posted. I replied, stating that I still owned the pen to which he referred. He answered in part,

    “Could you please send me photos of that one, and silver and gold pens your [sic] looking to sell. English, German, French, and Italian pens along with the normal Waterman silver and taper pens.”
    I replied to Mr. Cifani, but I did not send a direct email. Instead, I sent my response through eBay to User ID “penmaney” as I suspected that was Mr. Cifani’s eBay handle. I asked Mr. Cifani what his budget was. He replied back through eBay from user “penmaney” and stated that his budget was “unlimited.” This confirmed that Brandon Cifani’s eBay userID was “penmaney”.

    I sent Mr. Cifani a photo of the Waterman combo, and I also sent a photo of some of my early overlay pens. Knowing Mr. Cifani’s history of unethical activities, in order to protect myself I subtly watermarked my name in the image of the overlays, and I included a comment in the EXIF data in the image file stating that I owned the pens in the image and that Mr. Cifani did not. On a hunch, I also sent a copy of the image to George Rimakis, as I know he has an interest in early Waterman pens and in overlays in particular, and the image included several early Waterman overlays. I warned George that if he were offered any of these items, a fraud was being perpetrated.

    Here is the picture I sent to Brandon Cifani:



    Mr. Cifani replied to me on May 13 and said, in part,

    “I would be interested in everything. What are the model number [sic] and what are you asking.”
    I replied by identifying some of the model numbers, including that of a Waterman taper cap half-overlay – a model 222.

    The next day, May 14, George Rimakis contacted me and stated that he had received an email from Mr. Cifani stating that Brandon had some sterling taper cap pens that Mr. Rimakis might be interested in. Brandon then emailed George a picture, with the cover note,

    “Here are some of the pens I can trade.”
    Mr. Cifani followed that message with a PM to George, in which Brandon stated,

    “I sent you some pictures of a recent overseas pen collection that I bought.”
    Here is the picture that Brandon Cifani sent to George Rimakis:



    The picture that Mr. Cifani sent to Mr. Rimakis of this “overseas pen collection” he had supposedly purchased was instead the very same image I’d sent him of my early overlay pens, complete with watermark (top left) and EXIF data indicating that Mr. Cifani did not own the pens.

    To be sure that Brandon did not simply mix up some pictures, and that he was claiming that he both owned and physically possessed the pens in the picture he had sent, George asked him about a few details of the pens, and George also inquired about how the purported “overseas collection” was shipped to Mr. Cifani. Brandon promptly replied,

    “The Waterman's [sic] on the left are about 5 3/4 inches long, while one being just lightly longer. The beautiful Moore overlay pen I was lucky to acquire a short time ago seems to have the cursive initials 'AG' or 'AC'. While I'm open to trades, I'm reluctant to let the Watermans go, and cash is king for these pens. As for shipping, I was lucky enough to get the package personally shipped with a secured delivery which was quite expensive, but well worth it.”
    This reply eliminated any possibility that Brandon could claim that he innocently mixed up any pictures, and it also made it clear that he was claiming that he actually had the pens in the picture in his possession.

    George then asked Brandon how much he was asking for the group of pens. Mr. Cifani replied,

    “For the collection, excluding pens 1,2,3, and 5 I could do $33,300.”
    To summarize: Brandon Cifani is attempting to sell, for over $30,000, a group of pens that don’t belong to him.

    [George Rimakis’s version of these events is posted here. We collaborated on our posts to ensure accuracy.]
    Last edited by kirchh; May 17th, 2013 at 03:24 PM.

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    So sad. I've replied to George over on FPB, but thank you, Dan, for shedding light.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    I think he's done this before as well...pathetic. I would highly suggest that all boards ban him.He needs to learn his lesson. David, I know I said once on FPB that I didn't really want to ban him, but I fully revoke this statement. This is ridiculous and off the wall. Thanks to the original poster for revealing this.
    Will
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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    I've observed Brandon's antics over some time and suggest the cause may well be a mental health issue that leads to this obsessive and far from normal behaviour. Of course i could be wrong, which is fairly common.

    Regards
    Hugh

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    Quote Originally Posted by HughC View Post
    I've observed Brandon's antics over some time and suggest the cause may well be a mental health issue that leads to this obsessive and far from normal behavior. Of course i could be wrong, which is fairly common.

    Regards
    Hugh
    possibly. The problem is getting the poor soul to listen to something like that. (maybe he has?)
    Will
    If my p.m box is full, feel free to email me at dabantur@gmail.com.

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud


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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud


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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    Quote Originally Posted by Manny View Post
    Not to be a school marm, but be careful, because we have already seen (maybe) that you never know if an internet name is the same as the real person. It is tempting to think that is the same person, and I assume you guys have more info than I do. Is this from his own link, or from a name search? School marm moment over.

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    Quote Originally Posted by Marsilius View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Manny View Post
    Not to be a school marm, but be careful, because we have already seen (maybe) that you never know if an internet name is the same as the real person. It is tempting to think that is the same person, and I assume you guys have more info than I do. Is this from his own link, or from a name search? School marm moment over.
    I googled the name and it came up on google+. I also posted a link of this thread in the google+ fountain pens community, just in case.

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    Senior Member Marsilius's Avatar
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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    I guess I am saying just be cautious. As all the news floods in, there are still questions, no?

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    Senior Member Tony Rex's Avatar
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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    From Ricky's description of this individual and this behaviour above, I reckon he was trying to become a middleman. An unauthorized brokerage of some sort, which for him is an entrepreneurship endeavour, that is called fraud by everyone else... But hey, nowadays it's all relative right?

    Tony

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    Quote Originally Posted by Marsilius View Post
    I guess I am saying just be cautious. As all the news floods in, there are still questions, no?
    A seemingly similar photo to the Google+ profile shows up on a Facebook profile with that name. Also similar to the photo I found when he was trying to "do business" with me last year.

    I have no questions, life is too short and there are too many reliable sources for pens to bother with Brandon.

    I also like how this thread appears as the fourth Google result when searching his e-mail address.

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    Senior Member Marsilius's Avatar
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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    Quote Originally Posted by gweddig View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Marsilius View Post
    I guess I am saying just be cautious. As all the news floods in, there are still questions, no?
    A seemingly similar photo to the Google+ profile shows up on a Facebook profile with that name. Also similar to the photo I found when he was trying to "do business" with me last year.

    I have no questions, life is too short and there are too many reliable sources for pens to bother with Brandon.

    I also like how this thread appears as the fourth Google result when searching his e-mail address.
    Don't get me wrong. I don't mean keep doing business. Just be careful of hanging before trial . . . O heck go ahead, it's just the Internet.
    Seriously, things and evidence have a way of piling up, and some of it turns out to to be spurious sometimes. That's all I'm saying. Wait, I said school marm time is done! I'm off to get my pitchfork!

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    Senior Member david i's Avatar
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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    Quote Originally Posted by Marsilius View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by gweddig View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Marsilius View Post
    I guess I am saying just be cautious. As all the news floods in, there are still questions, no?
    A seemingly similar photo to the Google+ profile shows up on a Facebook profile with that name. Also similar to the photo I found when he was trying to "do business" with me last year.

    I have no questions, life is too short and there are too many reliable sources for pens to bother with Brandon.

    I also like how this thread appears as the fourth Google result when searching his e-mail address.
    Don't get me wrong. I don't mean keep doing business. Just be careful of hanging before trial . . . O heck go ahead, it's just the Internet.
    Seriously, things and evidence have a way of piling up, and some of it turns out to to be spurious sometimes. That's all I'm saying. Wait, I said school marm time is done! I'm off to get my pitchfork!
    Hi,

    Of note, this is the same Brandon who has emailed me and phoned me previously, most recently emailing me to remove the entire thread from Fountain Pen Board. While a con man might mimic someone for more than a year on multiple sites and boards to try to do rather bizarre deals, I can assure you the person involved in this "deal" is the same fellow who has been posting about pens, guns, cars, stereos and precious metals, who has been tossed from ebay a couple times, who has admitted to having been tossed from ebay for bad pen deals. Make of that what you will. I'm just back from two weeks of night shifts at hospital following the Chicago Pen Show. Fried, am I. So, more details will have to wait a bit.

    But this latest "adventure" is merely a neat follow up to numerous of its kind, building quite nicely on one of his more entertaining forays, in which he tried to sell me one particular pen, one quite rare in fact and very old, using a picture of that pen someone else had sent him in discussion, a "deal" which was more entertaining to me than even the escapade above, because... why? Well, that truly rare pen he had tried to sell me? The pen he did not own? I actually owned it (the actual pen, not just that type) already.

    As they say... whaddreDahOdds?

    More a bit later in the week.

    regards

    daivd
    Last edited by david i; May 18th, 2013 at 08:04 AM.
    David R. Isaacson, MD

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    Ok, I satisfied the cautious thing. This reminds me (on a fairly grand scale) of students who plagiarize their own teachers' writing and are surprised to get caught.

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    No surprise here.

    He tried to scam me 4-5 times, and I can mention many others that I know as fact.

    His scams were always easy to sniff out. My concern was that he would graduate to better and larger scams, and it looks like that day is here.

    Thanks for sharing. Spread the word, people.

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    For those who would like to hear Brandon, in his own words, do peek in on George's similar thread at Fountain Pen Board.

    Brandon is hard at work, apologizing, yet again, while blaming the world for trying to deceive him so many times about pens. A bit pathetic, but consider this a rare example of the "dumb crook", too weak in tactics to succeed. Consider those out there with this attitude, but with more brains...

    Link to FPB thread with Brandon's response

    http://www.fountainpenboard.com/foru...gaged-in-fraud

    regards

    david
    Last edited by david i; May 18th, 2013 at 08:45 AM.
    David R. Isaacson, MD

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    because... why? Well, that truly rare pen he had tried to sell me? The pen he did not own? I actually owned it (the actual pen, not just that type) already.
    @Davidi Now that, though sad, is funny - the mouse and the mouse trap!
    Cw



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    Forgive quickly, Kiss SLOWLY.
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    That makes you smile.”
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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    He's a minor, contact his parents and the police. And since this is interstate fraud, the FBI as well.

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    Default Re: Brandon Cifani is engaged in fraud

    As a minor, he needs help....of one kind or another. Meanwhile, thanks to everyone for the warnings.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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