Slashdot Mirror


Sal Wise, Philly eBay Scammer Strikes Back!

Warlock7 followed up last week's bizarre story of eBay Fraud by noting "The news in Phlly ran with the story and put Sal's picture online with video. Now Sal has decided to direct all blame on his old business partner. He's put up his own site now trying to divert responsibilty away from himself and uses his kids pictures to try and garner support." It's hysterical to read the original log about how everything was his father's fault, but now get to learn about a more powerful evil named 'Vince'. It's like a soap opera that won't let me blink until the commercial.

367 comments

  1. Proof that some people.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    need a good whack from a lead pipe to smack some sense into them.

    1. Re:Proof that some people.. by EtherAlchemist · · Score: 5, Funny

      First, put the pipe on eBay. Start bidding at $500 or offer Buy It Now for $2500. Sell said pipe. collect money.

      In two weeks say you've shipped the pipe, it should be there any day.

      In another two weeks, say you found it and this time have really mailed it off.

      After 2 months, say you don't know where the pipe is and can't offer a refund because your partner ran off with the money.

      --
      R(k)
    2. Re:Proof that some people.. by dotslasher_sri · · Score: 1

      next step: Profit!!!

    3. Re:Proof that some people.. by mrak+and+swepe · · Score: 5, Funny

      yor a lier! why are you lieing? you never did order no pipe off of me or i would of sent it. number one i am my own dad and dont no what your talking about and number one vince did it lets get this strait.

    4. Re:Proof that some people.. by hensons · · Score: 1

      I'll tell you what, though, if you help me sell my car I'll write you a check from my own personal checking account....it's okay, it should clear.

    5. Re:Proof that some people.. by msim · · Score: 1

      I've got mod points today, but i figured that i should comment that this should be marked informative, not funny *grin*.

      Now onto the RFID tag to really confuse some people. ;-)

      --

      Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know when your gonna get food poisoning.
    6. Re:Proof that some people.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Please pass on a Gmail invite to a fellow slashdotter :) sredhar [AT] speedpost.ne

      It is pretty sad how so many geeks are clammoring for gmail invites. It reminds me of high school when all the kids had to have the newest pair of Nike shoes to show off or whatever. Being able to sign your email addy as yourname@gmail has become a really trendy thing and it is fscking pathetic. It's like "look at me I'm part of the in crowd I've got a gmail address. OOooohhh.. I'm a fag. OOooohhh..

      Any real geek has better options that gmail which tells me that people begging for gmail invites are either poseurs or are just doing it because they think it's cool.

    7. Re:Proof that some people.. by Necr0maN · · Score: 1

      You'll also need to find some way to combine your gmail address with blogging and an iPod for ultimate sheep power.

  2. Thanks for the Laugh by bonestockR6 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ohh well that web site has completely changed my feelings about 'ol Sal. [sarcasm] Maybe I'll send him $2500 for one of his Laptop auctions. . [/sarcasm]

    1. Re:Thanks for the Laugh by TheUnFounded · · Score: 5, Funny

      He'll need it to cover the bandwidth bills after we're through...

    2. Re:Thanks for the Laugh by pHatidic · · Score: 1

      Well he was always nice to me. Oh...wait....yeah.....

  3. Re:fp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not! BWAAAHAAHAAAA

  4. Wow. by jebell · · Score: 5, Funny

    This guy changes stories more often than I change underwear (I know, I'm opening myself up for obvious jokes here). Not too long ago, he was blaming it on his father.

    --
    This is my sig. There are many like it but this one is mine.
    1. Re:Wow. by mrwonton · · Score: 4, Funny
      This guy changes stories more often than I change underwear (I know, I'm opening myself up for obvious jokes here). Not too long ago, he was blaming it on his father.

      Lets see, he changes his story every couple days sooo... that makes you normal by /. standards.
      --
      Not more than you need, just more than you want
    2. Re:Wow. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Was this before or after he was dead, or am I mixing up my stories here?

    3. Re:Wow. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Older child is right. Methinks this poster just fishes for hits to his incredibly lame amazon affiliate sales site. "Just a number game" he probably claims. Deny him. This kind of low-impact spamming waters /. down.

    4. Re:Wow. by wayward · · Score: 1
      Hey, looks like the pictures of his teenage kids have been taken down:

      No more pics of my kids! None of you little teenage kids who spams bad info all over the net needs to see what you's can never have!Also Justin spence is hosting a web site full of kids that are posting mis information and spamming my name with lie after lies so anything from that web page is just full of it.He is going to be sued hard! So much bad info on that site its not even funny anymore. Justin must think he is doing right since he is letting it go on!

  5. Vince by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    but now get to learn about a more powerful evil named 'Vince'.

    We've been hearing for YEARS that the dirt on Vince Foster will eventually come out. Now it has!

    1. Re:Vince by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, we learned long ago that Vince McMahon is the "Higher Power".

    2. Re:Vince by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      McMahon? The MC from "The Price is Right"???

    3. Re:Vince by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's Rod Roddy you nimrod...Vince McMahon is the dude from the "Publisher's Clearing House" commercials and was Johnny Carson's lackey.

    4. Re:Vince by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's Ed McMahon, dingleberry. Rod Roddy is the guy that used to host the Twilight Zone.

    5. Re:Vince by unitron · · Score: 1

      That wasn't the Twilight Zone, it was Outer Limits. TZ was hosted by Jan Sterling.

      --

      I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

    6. Re:Vince by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is the most inane thread I have ever read!
      T

    7. Re:Vince by canajin56 · · Score: 1

      What dirt? The Vince Foster case is pretty open and shut. Here is everything that is known: He comitted suicide by multiple gunshots to the mouth and neck. Although there was no blood found in his locked car, except what little dripped and pooled on the seat, and no bullet holes OR bullets anywhere in the vehicle, he obviously killed himself in it. His glasses were found 20 feet from his locked car, covered in his blood, but that is to be expected. Most people remove their glasses before they kill themselves. A black revolver, large calliber revolver was found on Foster. Mrs. Foster later identified this silver gun as the silver gun owned by Foster. The autopsy found the small .22 wounds in the mouth and neck were consistant with the .38 black revolver found on Foster.

      So there you have it. But if the dirt you are waiting for are the police photos and other evidence, they will never be released. The Supreme Court has decided that Mr. Foster's right to privacy trumps any potential public interest.

      --
      ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI
    8. Re:Vince by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I MARRIED A CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. huh by swimmar132 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wut? Did the baby steal the money?

    I'm so confused.

    1. Re:huh by Large+Green+Mallard · · Score: 1, Funny

      In soviet australia, money steals babies!

      (or so I hear)

    2. Re:huh by fireman+sam · · Score: 1

      As an Australian, I take offence to that racial comment.

      BTW, I have a laptop for sale on ebay for $910, anyone wanna buy it? I'll even pay for shipping. Just make the cheque payable to "cash" or Sal Wise^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H. Cash will be fine :)

      Look forward to doing business with you.

      SW

      --
      it is only after a long journey that you know the strength of the horse.
    3. Re:huh by AbRASiON · · Score: 1

      Don't tell me, a baby dingo stole your money didn't it?

      I jest, I'm in Melbourne :)

    4. Re:huh by fireman+sam · · Score: 1

      Yeah, a dingo named Vince. But then some guy shot it and burried the money somewhere.

      --
      it is only after a long journey that you know the strength of the horse.
    5. Re:huh by Guru2Newbie · · Score: 1

      Maybe a dingo ate Justin's laptop!

  7. The real criminal by mikeage · · Score: 4, Funny
    Can we make this a Slashdot Poll?

    Who's behind the Sal Wise scam?

    • Sal Wise - duh
    • Vince
    • Justin Spence - made up the whole thing
    • Elvis
    • Yo Mama
    • OJ Simpson - still looking for the real scammers
    • CmdrTaco - It's only one scam, it's just a duplicate listing
    • CowboyNeal
    --
    -- Is "Sig" copyrighted by www.sig.com?
    1. Re:The real criminal by Kris_J · · Score: 0

      It's not a scam you insensitive clod!

    2. Re:The real criminal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      How about

      * Some Puerto-Rican guy

    3. Re:The real criminal by ErichTheWebGuy · · Score: 1

      Missing Options:

      - Ken Brown (of Samizdat fame)
      - Darl McBride
      - It was me, you insensitive clod!

      --
      bash: rtfm: command not found
    4. Re:The real criminal by andy_fish · · Score: 5, Funny

      You forgot about Innocent Sal Wise- you can tell the difference between normal Sal Wise and Innocent Sal Wise because the latter always writes in italics.

      --
      & I wish I knew the password to your heart . . . &
    5. Re:The real criminal by coirec · · Score: 1
      Having followed this a bit too closely, I suggest the following additions/amendments to the options:

      Replace Sal Wise with two options: Sal Wise, Sr. and Sal Wise, Jr.

      Add Vincent Messina

      Add Vincent Massina

      Add "Some dumb kid named Angelo"

      There is actually some confusion whether Messrs. Messina and Massina are the same guy or not.

    6. Re:The real criminal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Replace Sal Wise with two options: Sal Wise, Sr. and Sal Wise, Jr.

      Sal Wise, Jr.? The Ghostbusters guy? He's in on this too? No WAY!

    7. Re:The real criminal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck You.

    8. Re:The real criminal by m2bord · · Score: 0

      okay...but if you add a messina...you gotta add a loggins.

      they just go together.

      (those who remember 70's musical groups will remember this one)

      --
      Is it 5:30 yet?
    9. Re:The real criminal by G-funk · · Score: 4, Funny

      And don't forget- the evil one always has a goatee.

      --
      Send lawyers, guns, and money!
    10. Re:The real criminal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also having followed a bit too closely as well, we should add Vincent Messina, Jr. since Sal Wise, Jr. had a civil case against him a few years ago.

    11. Re:The real criminal by stor · · Score: 3, Funny

      You forgot about Innocent Sal Wise- you can tell the difference between normal Sal Wise and Innocent Sal Wise because the latter always writes in italics.

      *poofy frodo voice* I want to hear more stories about Sal the Brave!

      Cheers
      Stor

      --
      "Yeah well there's a lot of stuff that should be, but isn't"
    12. Re:The real criminal by It'sYerMam · · Score: 1

      It'sYerMam, you insensitive clod!

      --
      im in ur .sig, writin ur memes.
    13. Re:The real criminal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "ooooh, Ghostbusters, eh? I like da black one."

      "Hey, but 'e don't do nuthin!"

      "I don't care, I like him anyway."

    14. Re:The real criminal by smooth+wombat · · Score: 1
      And don't forget- the evil one always has a goatee.

      No, the evil, or sinister one, is always the twin on the left. At least according to The Simpsons.

      --
      We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
    15. Re:The real criminal by Sepper · · Score: 1
      revised list:
      • Sal Wise Gamgee
      • Mr FrAUdo
      • Vince
      • Justin Spence - made up the whole thing
      • Elvis
      • Yo Mama
      • OJ Simpson - still looking for the real scammers
      • CmdrTaco - It's only one scam, it's just a duplicate listing
      • CowboyNeal
      --
      I live in Soviet Canuckistan you insensitive clod!
    16. Re:The real criminal by pegboy · · Score: 1

      I smell a OEMed version of "Clue" in the making here.

      --
      The piano has been drinking, not me... -Tom Waits
    17. Re:The real criminal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think more evil is contained in the ones that have a goatse.

  8. sam wise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    kept reading it as same wise. Good 'ol same wise would never do that! what a wierdo. This doesn't even make sence.

  9. That's not the real Sal Wise's website. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny


    It's not in italics.

    (*grin*)

    1. Re:That's not the real Sal Wise's website. by Rii · · Score: 2, Funny

      Will the real Sal Wise please stand up? I repeat..

  10. quick summary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    can anyone make a quick summary? too much reasing necessary...

    1. Re:quick summary by fwitness · · Score: 4, Funny

      too much reasing necessary...

      There is so much irony with that sentence that I cannot even begin to be sarcastic. This does not happen often.

      --
      -- I have fans? Wow.
    2. Re:quick summary by Alien+Being · · Score: 2, Funny

      "There is so much irony with that sentence that I cannot even begin to be sarcastic. This does not happen often."

      Are you sure it happened just now, or is it possible that sarcasm is so deeply embedded in your psyche that you can no longer recognize it?

    3. Re:quick summary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "reasing" ?

      Are you using Sal'sSpeellChequer (tm) ?

    4. Re:quick summary by stonecypher · · Score: 1

      Irony - the deliberate use of a word in a fashion contrary to its superficial meaning. A large branch of sarcasm is irony. Making the same mistake you're accusing someone else of is not.

      Watch more Futurama. Listen to Bender.

      --
      StoneCypher is Full of BS
  11. This is odd by bunburyist · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why would he post pictures of himself on a random website? Something isn't right. OR maybe he's just REALLY stupid, which is definately a possibility. Either way, I think that the Slashdot club people are probably quick to judge him as a scammer. Once we've completely de-bunked his claims, then we can call him a scammer! I think that judgement based on one guy who set up a website with all these reports of scamming could be slightly biassed. Not to say that this man isn't a slimy scammer, just don't beleive everything you read, including this guy's site nor the other guy's site.

    1. Re:This is odd by ruprechtjones · · Score: 1

      I have to admit, I'm a bit biased against sites like this when the spelling and grammar are that horrible. It may be dangerous to attribute credibility to writing style, but jeez Sal, buy a spell-checker at least!

      --
      Kip Hawley is an idiot.
    2. Re:This is odd by JeanBaptiste · · Score: 1

      well I just RTFA, and i think the site is a little strange to be true. not that i found anything blatently obvious, but for one, he starts off posting supposed pictures to him and children. that struck me more as 'political ad' rather than to be debunking accusations. I read more, some sort of sob story about sheriffs evicting him and whatnot. not exactly the factual evidence I was looking for.

      at the top he has a link to some sort of land record title. no names attached. yeah i can post a random land record too, especially if it doesnt have names attached.

      I didn't find any facts to support any position, his or otherwise...

      and his website sucks, but its simple enough to survive a slashdotting, maybe. i wonder what comcast is charging him.

    3. Re:This is odd by andrews · · Score: 5, Funny

      OK, you're on Slashdot complaining about spelling and grammar on another site?

      Wow.

      I just couldn't let that one pass.

      Go ahead and mod me down, I've got karma burning a hole in my pocket.

    4. Re:This is odd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did you thoroughly read about Justin's saga on his website? It's hard to believe that anyone who did would be questioning whether or not Sal is a scammer at this point.

    5. Re:This is odd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought I'd make a switch for once and complain about something other than slashdot. Sorry, I'll get back on the ball tomorrow.

    6. Re:This is odd by pgrst · · Score: 1

      it looks real.

      the page is on a comcast account with the username mich617 (check the site address). This is one of the aliases that sal wise used to email justin spence.

    7. Re:This is odd by CoughDropAddict · · Score: 1

      Did you READ the site in question?

      "These pics look better then the one on the news dont you think?"

      The news apparently showed some unflattering pictures, and he's trying to gain sympathy by circulating pictures of himself with kids. And it seems to work, even on Slashdotters.

    8. Re:This is odd by DakotaK · · Score: 5, Funny

      Heh, you've mastered the "I will mention that I will get modded down, thus I will get modded up technique. Bravo!
      (Note to stupid mods: this is a joke)

      --
      I am a viral sig. Please copy me and help me spread. Thank you.
    9. Re:This is odd by Afrosheen · · Score: 1

      Yeah but towards the bottom he claims that someone has hacked his email account and they've been sending email from it.

      This guy should write soap operas or something. I haven't seen this much BS since..well..ever. Amazing talent but a sick, sick individual.

    10. Re:This is odd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      Its a valid point. How you communicate is just as inportant as what you communicate.

      If you read/soud like an idiot than many people will discount you as an idiot and others just plain won't understand you. The responsibilty of clear communication belongs to originator of the communique. If you represent yourself as a stupid person, through unclear communication, don't be surpised if people who receive your communication think you are stupid.

    11. Re:This is odd by skinfitz · · Score: 3, Funny

      What if the awful truth is that hes just a ****ing idiot?

      I think that would frighten me more.

    12. Re:This is odd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > and his website sucks, but its simple enough to survive a slashdotting, maybe. i wonder what comcast is charging him.

      That's what Auto Reload is for.

    13. Re:This is odd by jcuervo · · Score: 1
      Heh, you've mastered the "I will mention that I will get modded down, thus I will get modded up technique. Bravo!
      Hmm. Lemme try that...

      Uhm...

      GOATSE!!!#%

      This post will be modded down. :D
      --
      Assume I was drunk when I posted this.
  12. You gotta wonder... by staynz79au · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why would he think anyone would beleive him? It's dicks like Sal that give dicks a bad name.

    --
    Awww... I wanted to explode - GIR
  13. Uggghhh.. by webteeth · · Score: 1, Funny

    I thought he was dead.

  14. Obvious Fake by David+E.+Smith · · Score: 0, Redundant

    You know that's not really from Sal because the page isn't written in italics

  15. Unexplained... by MaelstromX · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While I'll admit stranger things have happened, I'd still have to hold Mr. Wise 100% responsible until he provides a reasonable explanation of why the people at the check cashing place who knew him well were able to identify, without question, that he was the one that cashed the cashier's check, along with his other various lies, such as the person in the hospital who, mysteriously, the hospital had no record of.

    I'll give him points for effort, though. He didn't have to go out and make a web page defending himself, and I'm sure he'll draw a lot of sympathy for being such a family man! Maybe, if he gets a chance, he can also address some of the inconsistencies in his stories.

    1. Re:Unexplained... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative
      [...] and I'm sure he'll draw a lot of sympathy for being such a family man!

      Until, of course, the actual people those pictures belong to come forward and demand they be removed from his site :)

      I mean really

      $ file 000_000813.jpg
      000_000813.jpg: JPEG image data, JFIF standard 1.02, resolution (DPI), 271 x 271
      $ file P7120633.JPG
      P7120633.JPG: JPEG image data, EXIF standard 0.73, 10752 x 2048

      Then again, maybe I'm just being overly untrusting. But he reminds me a lot of a few compulsive liars I've known IRL, and I wouldn't put it past them for a moment...

    2. Re:Unexplained... by OOO0000OO0O0 · · Score: 1

      I don't know about you, but it would be pretty hard to sort out the inconsistencies in his stories. I would not want to be this man when he explains himself. For example he would be revealing top secret CIA insta-cloning technology (to explain the kids) coupled with spaceships doing laps around pairs of superdense cosmic strings (explaining his odd timing) while running simulations on an overclocked Itanium that's being cooled by a -276Celsius (!) heatsink (explaining how the hell he gets to watch all that pron in just 3 minutes). I mean, he's got enough details in his story to confound the holographic storage space of any p-brane! That's just too much ImplausiblePron for me to handle.

    3. Re:Unexplained... by icebike · · Score: 1

      I mean really

      $ file 000_000813.jpg
      000_000813.jpg: JPEG image data, JFIF standard 1.02, resolution (DPI), 271 x 271
      $ file P7120633.JPG
      P7120633.JPG: JPEG image data, EXIF standard 0.73, 10752 x 2048


      Hey, that little inconsistency doesn't prove a thing about scamming laptops on ebay. I'm sure he was just testing several cameras he was using for his other ebay scams ^H^H^H^H sales.

      --
      Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
    4. Re:Unexplained... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So you're holding Sal 100% responsible for scamming people...

      yet you're providing a link to the Free iPods! scan website yourself. Fuck you, hypocrite.

      Mods, sic'im! Can we get links in signatures banned already?

    5. Re:Unexplained... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Stop spamming your fucking Free iPod link

  16. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by thePMG · · Score: 1

    There are ads on /.? (Thanks Firefox + adblock!)

  17. Paypal? by Lampei · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm surprised he hasn't asked for Paypal donations yet.

    1. Re:Paypal? by mrwonton · · Score: 1

      Ahh man, did he die again?

      --
      Not more than you need, just more than you want
    2. Re:Paypal? by nova20 · · Score: 1
      I'm surprised he hasn't asked for Paypal donations yet.

      he may get his chunk

      /nova20 -- can't wait to get his $0.02 back from paypal.

  18. Same guy... by smkndrkn · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just by reading all the emails from the previous story and then reading this...you can tell it is the same person typing.

    Honestly why have the police not taken care of this guy already?

    --
    ======== In the future, everything will be artificial. ========
    1. Re:Same guy... by kai5263499 · · Score: 1

      Perhaps, like us, they are watching this guy's story with a sense of morbid curiousity.

      --
      -Wes
    2. Re:Same guy... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Calling all units, I repeat all units, some guy called smkndrkn has positively ID'd the perp. by a glance at the writing style. It'll hold up in court, cease all investigations (they're for pussies). Bring in our man...Yeeehah!"

    3. Re:Same guy... by smooth+wombat · · Score: 1
      Honestly why have the police not taken care of this guy already?



      It's Pennsylvania. We have no police.

      --
      We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
    4. Re:Same guy... by crossconnects · · Score: 1

      Sure, we do. They are all out stopping people for speeding who are obeying the limit! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself, but that's happened to me several times here in PA, and no, i really was not speeding)

      --
      no big sig
    5. Re:Same guy... by smooth+wombat · · Score: 1

      From what I have observed when the holidays come around and afterwards the State Police announce how many people they ticketed for speeding during the holiday period, they are making up the numbers. Considering the holiday times I've been out and about and have never seen one cop, state or local, the numbers have to be made up.

      --
      We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
  19. Sigh... by focitrixilous+P · · Score: 1, Interesting
    Now i listed other items for vince also. Laptops that he bought from the street and gold coins that i found out were fake. Yes thats right he asked me to list them gold coins and then after some paid i found out they were fake by taking one to a local jewlery shop. So one of the victims that never got there gold coins now knows why they didnt get it. I wasnt sending fake coins out to people and told vince this so i didnt send them and told vince he had to refund the person who paid. He never did give me the refund money to send to that person who i know and now im stuck with this on my name. A few things i listed he never cam thru with and im stuck with the bill. He's a low life creep and im not hiding nothing for him no more.

    Poor guy... This Vince charcter sounds like a real jerk. They should put him away for a long time, he's a career criminal who probably will never reform. He knows what he is doing, tring to spread the blame around to someone who is either fictional or not related, most likely, and now it's catching up with him. About time someone dealt with theses internet scams, but I'd rather see the government get a bunch of them at once.

    --
    SAILING MISHAP
    1. Re:Sigh... by TeraCo · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sal, is that you?!

      --
      Not Meta-modding due to apathy.
    2. Re:Sigh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yes

  20. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by rokzy · · Score: 1

    what's an advertisement?

  21. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Indeed, what ads?

  22. Sal Must be on AOL by TheBillGates · · Score: 1

    I've never seen so many English spelling and grammatical mistakes compared to Sal's website. Is Sal really on comcast or AOL?

    1. Re:Sal Must be on AOL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      At least he didn't misuse compare.

    2. Re:Sal Must be on AOL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The fact that someone actually posted something that was written that badly in an attempt to clear his name really scares me. I'm glad someone else noticed the HORRENDOUS writing! If this guy is as smart as his writing, it's no wonder "Big Bad Vince" was able to take advantage of him!

  23. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by ashkar · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    i can't remember the last time i saw anything but text ads anywhere on the web. adblock is my friend.

  24. Has anyone considered... by Trogre · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ... that this might not be a scam at all, and poor Sal is being harrassed to the point of suicide?

    To say nothing of his family, including newborn.

    Okay, so it's unlikely given the text so far, but not impossible. Vince might have the wrong guy.

    --
    "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
    1. Re:Has anyone considered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know that slashdotters don't RTFA but you obviously don't even RTFP(osts)! Vince? You mean Justin?

    2. Re:Has anyone considered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey Stupid Fuck

      Read And Comprehend The Story. This Guy Is A Fast-Talking Lying Scumbag.

    3. Re:Has anyone considered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Regardless of whether this Vince guy exists or is involved in any way, Sal personally stole a lot of money from a lot of people. If Vince gave Sal fake stuff to sell on eBay, Sal's gotta take responsibility for his part in it (intentional or not), and absolutely has to take responsibility for deliberately and intentionally stealing money. I have no pity for the worm. His children will be better off when their great role-model of a father is in prison.

    4. Re:Has anyone considered... by Rahga · · Score: 1

      I've not harassed him, and his problem probably has a lot less to do with /.'ers and average people harassing him as much as it is the ammount of short-lived press he is getting. If there's an iota of truth on his website... if you have a wife and kid and admit to living in somebody else's house that is only valued at $30,000.... you've got bigger problems than name recognition and harrassment. He would have seen situations that are far uglier than the current one.

    5. Re:Has anyone considered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Vince might have the wrong guy.

      Read the previous story and then try this who's who again!

    6. Re:Has anyone considered... by Trogre · · Score: 2, Informative

      Aw, crap!

      I meant Justin.

      --
      "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
    7. Re:Has anyone considered... by daveashcroft · · Score: 0

      You didnt happen to study at the George W. Bush School of Diplomacy did you ?

      What a charming message.

    8. Re:Has anyone considered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Okay, so it's unlikely given the text so far, but not impossible. [Justin] might have the wrong guy.
      Yeah, it's possible, but unlikely -- OTOH, "Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by incompetence". Maybe he's not a crook, he's just completely inept.

      OTGH, maybe he's a completely inept crook. :D
  25. ::shakes head:: by Spurnout · · Score: 1

    I swear...there are just some people in the world that never admit they are wrong even when they have been proven wrong and everyone in the world thinks that person is in the wrong. Someone should find that guys address and then have a billion people send him mail laughing at his stupidity. That'd rock!

    1. Re:::shakes head:: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because he's arab. You'll find students in school that even when presented with the evidence that a teacher saw them cheating, confiscated their cheat sheet, and other students rat them out, will still lie and say they didn't do it. Shame is a huge thing...... lying is not so bad, especially if it gets you out of shame. Even if they are faced with clear evidence, they'd still lie instead of admit they were wrong.

    2. Re:::shakes head:: by karolo · · Score: 1

      And where exactly does the arab thing come in? Anyhow, Wise doesn't sound arab to me, neither does Sal(vatore).

  26. And Vince answers to ... Sauron? by Mad+Martigan · · Score: 4, Funny

    Seriously. Even if there were an even greater evil power behind poor Sal's crimes, does that totally absolve him of responsibility?

    Yeah, I ran over an old lady and her cat ... twice ... But Vince made me do it! Can I have a cookie?.

    Sheesh.

    1. Re:And Vince answers to ... Sauron? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      nah, I think he's higher up than that...goes straight to Morgoth

  27. MOD PARENT "HILARIOUS"!!!! by ErnstKompressor · · Score: 1

    I have never wanted Mod points this bad in my life...for an AC no less.

    KUDOS!!!!

    --
    We apologise for the fault in this post. Those responsible have been sacked. -- Signed RICHARD M. NIXON
  28. It's easy to tell the evil one... by NightWulf · · Score: 1

    Just look for the guy with the goatee. Guys with goatees are always the evil ones. That or the guys with shaved heads....or guys with shaved heads WITH goatees make Hitler look like Mother Teresa.

    1. Re:It's easy to tell the evil one... by FxChiP · · Score: 1

      God, I must be tired and/or need my eyes checked, because I swear that the first time I read that I thought you were typing "Just look for the guy with the goatse."

      *shudder*

    2. Re:It's easy to tell the evil one... by AbRASiON · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I actually type goatse when I mean goatee (seriously) very very often - because I basically type goatse more than goatsee (see fuck I just did it again)

      I think it's time for the goatse song no?
      (If only I was creative..)

      goatse goatse,...

      actually never mind.

  29. I visited Sal's house.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I live in Philadelphia, and work downtown. I am posting AC to avoid being a karma whore and to avoid getting killed by this Sal guy. Last week or so after work I walked down to his address because its not too far from center city. Let me tell you that this guy lives in a crumby crumby neighborhood. And even worse, in a very crumby house. I didn't even think it was livable at first. Its a very small row home damn near falling apart. It has a basement window flush to the ground that is completely kicked in and just has a little fence in plastic fence in front of it. The whole house looks horrible, but in particular the front door is all screwed up. When I checked this place out there was a shitty car in front of the house (not a lexus, so I don't know who's lexus he got pictues of) and he lives across from a deli and about 2 blocks from a local hospital. The neighborhood is one of the worst in Philly. I didn't stay long and didnt dare take out my digital camera for obvious reasons. Anyway, the money that he's scammed people out of could probably pay his rent for over a year in the piece of junk that he lives in. Judging from his neighbors (I didn't actually see Sal, just his house) he is a low life and probably on welfare too. Everyone in that neighborhood seemed sleazy and the crime rate is either the highest in the city or in the top 3, or so associates have informed me. Anyway, I am certain that this guy is scum. And its getting out of control. Me and Justin have been in communication and I would like to think that I have helped him out and I intend to continue helping him out. Also everything me and Justin discussed, he fowarded on to the other victims so I'm trying my best to help out everyone involved. This Sal guy needs to get taken down.
    -Me

    1. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey Bruce Wayne - I think there's enough heat on him now. You can take your digicam back to the white neighborhood now.

    2. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Wow! I'm surprised the cops haven't arrested everyone on the block! It's such a bad neighborhood they've all got to be criminals...or on welfare, which is just as bad...you know, they're poor people! They're not like us! They live in old, run-down houses because they can't afford to live in the really expensive houses! That means they're bad! They ought to just do away with them!

      Dude, this guy may or may not be a crook, but if you judge me by the neighborhood I can afford to live in, you deserve to have Vince, or Sal, or whoever beat your ass.

    3. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by e9th · · Score: 1

      Give him up to the Nigerian hit squads. That'll fix him. Or at least leave him $40,000 poorer.

    4. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's A Nigger In The Woodpile.

    5. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by lightknight · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I know I'm responding to a troll, but what the hell.

      Do you know why the cops don't arrest everyone on the block? Because they are scared. After the sun sets, Center City and University City are the only places worth hanging around (ratio of cops:people can be 1:5 at times). I've lived in Philly for a number of years, and some Ambulances will simply not drive into West Philly after dark. It's not worth it to them.

      Now, I am not condemning the majority of people living there. But there are sections that are infested. I believe there was an incident a few years back where the mayor simply let the city burn (anti-terrorist squad dropped a bomb (literally), started a big fire).

      For that matter, West Philly is the only place I've been chased out of (young, stupid, new to Philly, drunk). Got on the El (going the wrong way), got off at 69th street (out of money, spent it all on beer). Nothing opens your eyes like being chased by crazies (as the people who live their call them) out of the West. And you think white people are racist? Damn, nothing like white kid running from a bunch of middle-aged black guys carrying bats and ranting about "Cracker...white man going to have his day...holding us down."

      I hated Track in high school (middle distance/sprinter), but sprinting full out, I gained a newfound respect for my old coach. I got back to Center City very, very sober.

      --
      I am John Hurt.
    6. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      lightknight: I wasn't aware I was trolling. I'm not saying that areas like that don't exist, or that they really really suck when you stumble onto one, I'm just saying that if you decide that you're going to do things like judge people based on what "side of the tracks" they're from, you've fallen as low as the guys who chased you out of West Philly. (this was alot wordier than I meant it to be, hope you see my point)

    7. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by LnxAddct · · Score: 4, Informative

      I live in philly too. Everything you described and the grandparent about Sal's neighborhood is extremely accurate. I've lived in Philadelphia my whole life. The cops have barely any power in some areas, either because of the mob, or just sheer numbers of gangs. Not all of philadelphia is bad, but there are a few sections that you just don't go to, and when you live here, you know that. Me personally, I live in a great neighborhood in Philly, barely any crime, I go for walks nearly every night and I have no fear in my neighborhood. But honestly in some neighborhoods, once its dark, you stay in. The bombing you were referring to was done by Philadelphia's first black mayor, Wilson Goode. It was to get rid of a radical group called MOVE who had been fighting with the city for years. The naturalists/radicals/ and everything else that composed MOVE got out of hand and seriously started disrupting the city at large. That's when our good ol' mayor decided to literally wage ware upon its citizens. With military aircraft they bombed the block that MOVE lived on, then let it burn for an hour, wiping out 60 houses and killing a few. A few people at city hall got in trouble for it, but the Mayor who actually okayed it was granted immunity. It was quite an incident, I hope I got all the details right.
      Regards,
      Steve

    8. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Holy shit! And you people want to go and "liberate" other countries?! Sounds like you Americans need to "liberate" a few of your own cities before you go stomping around the rest of the world.

    9. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by redog · · Score: 1


      That is not sal's house, anymore. According to the http://www.dyno-mite.com/ghoe/SalVidNBC10.rm local NBC10 report.

      The saddest/funniest part is that Sal continues his galavanting on the forum venting and makeing himself look more and more like what everyone already knows|suspects.

      Live on the thread/blog/forum Sal went from a self admitedly "dead" man who looked much like a very sketchy kid at best or a very effective con artist blameing first the mail, mail mixup, mailing address mixup(West Ave vs East Ave), check mixup.

      Then some one in the faimly had stole the mail and he didn't wish it to come to the eyes of the law so he was going to either do a good deed and pay justin to take his site down(read:restitution) or follow through with one of his very searious sounding threats of physical harm.

      Sal next names his father Sal Sr. as the perpetraitor. Sal Jr then emails justin the infamous:
      "Also dont be fooled by more emails by him because were ever he is he might try to email you but i allways will type to you with italic letters this way you know its me!Dont reply to this email just start a new reply this way he dont see i just wrote that to you!Email back asap so we can get the ball rolling and get my info off the internet and you can do whatever with his info that you want.I will give you date of birth ssn etc..if i dont hear from him!"

      Justin creates a forum and 1 user emailed a local Phily tv station on friday, by monday the forum was full of spectators commentators and wannabe PIs noteing sal's consistancys and inconsistancys(Mostly typeing patterns, common re-typed errors, spelling, and IQ) the TV station shows up at that address about noon and is on the phone with sal who had promised to meet them there, sal could not make it. And they also discover that sal has aparently not lived there for 3 months. Sal says he was wrongly evicted by his uncle vinnie because uncle vinnie owns the building but its not in vinnie's name so vinnie can avoid paying taxes; And the real "owner" of the land sent the eviction notice not vinnie. Vinnie says that Sal took him for "like thirteen thousand" in missing scooters and money Sal claimed to be selling via ebay. Users of the forum however have uncovered that Sal had actually told the Lexus owners club forum that the scooter shop is his. Sal then puts up his own site which doesn't help his position any IMO, really kinda added fuel to the fire. Thats about when the trolls and idiots started posting in the forums namecalling, morbid overuse of anal remarks, etc etc... but sal had politely warned everyone of this already so I guess he knows a thing or 2 about something. I'll make 2 perdictions: 1. Sal is lieing and will do very little time. Sal will change his story again before 1.

    10. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Phidoux · · Score: 2, Funny

      A U.S. mayor only has the power to bomb his own city. You need to be a U.S. president before you're allowed to bomb a city in another country!

    11. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by RPoet · · Score: 1

      If Futurama is anything to go by, being poor will be judged a crime in a thousand years :)

      --
      "Oppression and harassment is a small price to pay to live in the land of the free." -- Montgomery Burns.
    12. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Richthofen80 · · Score: 1

      I guess I really was shocked to read your post. I live in Boston, and took one of my first excursions into New York City last week. I knew that urban areas got a lot of focus in the 80's as being dangerous and crime filled, but lately most major urban areas seem to have been revitalized. In Massachusetts, Lowell and Brockton followed Boston's lead and had urban renewal campaigns. NYC, especially manhattan, just doesn't seem all that dangerous. Why is Philly still so bad? are they mourning the loss of the fresh prince? Why doesn't the state do anything about it?

      --
      Reason, free market capitalism, and individualism
    13. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by OscarGunther · · Score: 1
      With military aircraft they bombed the block that MOVE lived on, then let it burn for an hour, wiping out 60 houses and killing a few. A few people at city hall got in trouble for it, but the Mayor who actually okayed it was granted immunity. It was quite an incident, I hope I got all the details right.

      Almost. The "military aircraft" was simply a police helicopter. The bomb was supposed to stun the house's inhabitants, but they had volatile substances (possibly ammo) on the roof; this ignited and started the fire. Firemen tried to move in, but shots were fired (possibly the ammo discharging) and they kept back. Something like 60 houses in the Osage Avenue area burned. The city later paid for their reconstruction.

      I also live in Philadelphia and I love it. For me, it's the best city I've ever lived in. Sure, it has its share of all the ills that any old, large city is subject to, but it has its beautiful/attractive areas as well: Rittenhouse Square, Old City, the museum district, Manayunk, the Main Line, Chestnut Hill, the gallery district, etc. It's a city of restaurants, from Le Bec Fin (one of the best in the world) to Monk's Cafe (best beer bar on the East Coast). It's a city of neighborhoods, where neighbors really watch out for each other. It's a blue-collar town: people work here. More than pure achievement, people here appreciate effort. Mike Schmidt was booed because he made it look so easy (until he got his 500th home run and fans realized what they had). Someone like Allen Iverson is appreciated because, though undersized, he gives everything each game. Think the Phillies in 1993.

      My point is that it's typical of Philadelphians, who have a bad inferiority complex when comparing their city to New York or Boston, to talk about the bad stuff exclusively. Sal Wise and the two MOVE incidents don't even begin to represent Philadelphia.

    14. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by carlhirsch · · Score: 1

      I live in Philadelphia, and work downtown. I am posting AC to avoid being a karma whore and to avoid getting killed by this Sal guy. Last week or so after work I walked down to his address because its not too far from center city. Let me tell you that this guy lives in a crumby crumby neighborhood. And even worse, in a very crumby house...This Sal guy needs to get taken down.

      Soo.... you're saying he needs be punished for being POOR and living in a crappy neighborhood? I don't see what point you're making here. The conditions in which this guy lives shouldn't really have any bearing on the discussion.

      --
      . We've got computers, we're tapping phone lines, you know that ain't allowed - Talking Heads, "Life During Wartime"
    15. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While a lot of neighborhoods in Philly are pretty much as you describe, there are a whole lot more than 2 good ones. Having family in NYC and Boston, it's not much worse. Having friends in Detroit, it's a little nicer than there.

      The warzones are very easy to spot, and fairly easy to avoid. The only reason you need ever visit one is to buy drugs, and there are way better/safer ways of getting your dope.

      What happened to you happens to a lot of drunk, suburban college kids who wander into the wrong neighborhood. You can say that it's horrible that such places exist, I say it's a good form of Darwinism ... the world would be a better place if more of you people that can't hold your liquor get snuffed. Parents take note ... make sure your kid can hold his liquor before you send him to an urban school.
      I'm going to give you a Philly answer here
      "Yo stoopid, whaddaya thinkin ? Of course the democrats chased you out of west philly, it's their home ! Go back to your dorm room, and don't come out until you are sober enough to read a sign"

    16. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by lightknight · · Score: 1

      First problem: getting the state involved. Think of PA as Florida, but without the beach. PA is a dying state. The old people here are in decline (they outnumber us, and want benefits). So basically, major companies are moving out of Philadelphia because they are getting the living sh*t taxed out of them.

      The mayor of Philly, Street, recently raised the commuter tax. Not a good idea (many people travel from the suburbs via SEPTA to work in Philadelphia).

      The situation can be summed up as this: there are not enough (major) companies left in Philly to jump start the citie's economy. And the administrators are not giving up their grip on taxing and regulating, prefering a bait-and-switch tactics which are fooling no one. But they believe these tactics will work (and nothing can change their views apparently).

      The old people want their benefits, but the young population isn't fooled either. So they are moving out as well.

      It pretty sad when there is a ton of property to be developed (in Philly), but there is sooo much red-tape that no one can get the license to begin building. It's even worse when companies move across the river (Cambden), to a state (NJ) with even higher taxes, because Cambden is doing the right thing (tax-incentives).

      Having the mayor Street proclaim that the "city is owned by the Brothers" doesn't help things either.

      --
      I am John Hurt.
    17. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Words for the clueless:

      Camden not Cambden.

      City's not citie's.

      Oh, and the rest of Pennsylvania looks on Philadelphia as a canker-sore. (Philly is heavy democratic, the rest of the state is more evenly divided.)

    18. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by stonecypher · · Score: 1

      Whoever modded parent insightful deserves to be shot. The guy's webpage shows photos "of his house" which clearly aren't of his house, photos "of his car" which clearly aren't of his car, et cetera. Parent wasn't saying "he's poor so he's a crook." Parent was saying "I took a look at this guy's web page photos, recognized the address as a run-down neighborhood, went and checked, and whaddya know, his Lexus is a gremlin missing a door and both bumpers."

      --
      StoneCypher is Full of BS
    19. Re:I visited Sal's house.... by stonecypher · · Score: 1

      Man, that'd be a great story if city mayors had the authority to call in Military Aircraft, much less cause them to strike, less still to strike domestic ground.

      The bit about granting immunity, well, that can slide, because that was actually possible in minor dictatorships and the middle ages and in lots of pulp novels and so on. But you really think Philadelphia's mayor can just dial 1-800-bomb-us and watch the bunker busters rain?

      (Oh, and surely nobody in Philly would find out about that and, y'know, send him to jail or write a newspaper story or anything. This neatly explains why googling 'philadelphia "air strike" -iraq' turns up nothing in the first 300 hits. That said, the results are funny enough to check for yourself; lots of talk about TWA flight 800 and so on.)

      It appears that what really happened was that police dropped the bomb from a police helicopter, which admittedly I would also have mocked as total bullshit if I hadn't just read it on CNN. The real guilty parties appear to have been the police and fire commissioners of the day, Sambor and Richmond, allowed the fire to burn out of control once it had started, as retaliation for an hour and a half gun fight earlier in the day. Moreover, it looks like Sambor and Richmond, as well as the city of Philadelphia itself, were in fact sued, and have in fact paid out millions in damages to survivors. That said, an independant circuit judge exempted Mayor Goode from the charges, which can't be done without cause; this suggests that Goode wasn't directly related.

      It was quite an incident, I hope I got all the details right.

      Almost none of them. You were right that a bomb was dropped, and presumably that you lived there. However, you blamed the wrong man, claimed he effectively pardonned people when he did not and in fact could not, implied that the people involved with the incident were let off the hook when they were not, implied military support which did not exist, and totally misconstrued the MOVE movement, which were essentially extreme seperationsists. Whereas they did preach a shallow Ludditic order, they were stockpiling weapons and ammunition, and there's much debate whether the technophobic message was a cover to allow argument for legal assembly.

      But, uh, you got the city right. I realize you live there and all, but maybe next time you could do some research? For that matter, moderators, could you check that someone's even remotely correct before moderation?

      --
      StoneCypher is Full of BS
  30. MOD this guy up please by macdaddy · · Score: 1

    'nough said.

  31. The counter attack by Papa+Legba · · Score: 1

    I find it interesting that the Justin Spence site has been slashdotted out of oblivion but the Sal Wise site is still up. I bet Warlock7 is really sal waise and this is all a plan to knock Justin Spence offline and get his defense in place.

    Once again slashdot is the tool of the evil doers, when will it ever end!

    --
    Papa Legba come and open the gate
    1. Re:The counter attack by mrwonton · · Score: 2, Informative

      I know I'm just asking for a brutal slashdotting on this one, but before my server melts, here's a mirror of the video.

      --
      Not more than you need, just more than you want
    2. Re:The counter attack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's called BitTorrent. Thanks tho :)

  32. Maybe.... by deke_kun · · Score: 1

    A dingo did it!

    1. Re:Maybe.... by staynz79au · · Score: 1

      It can't have, the baby is still there. Here in Australia you can tell if the dingo did it cause they eat the babies too.

      --
      Awww... I wanted to explode - GIR
  33. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's just as easy to simply not look at them...Usually I don't mind because a lot of sites are paid per impression, and helping out the site's owner(s) doesn't bother me at all. That aside, I seem to see nothing but Novell ads after paying attention and refreshing on this story several times, and sure enough there's a guy with no shirt sitting in an office chair. As a Suse user, I'm a bit confused as to just what the shit it has to do with Linux but I'll just attribute it to the crazy Germans. It's not like their "tongue" ads are any better.

  34. Comcast, eh? by the+pickle · · Score: 1

    Who wants to place bets on how long it takes for that site to die a quick death by Slashdot?

    Sure hope they don't bandwidth-cap their hosted home pages like they used to (still do?) cap their cable modem connections...

    p

  35. Two words! by bdptcob · · Score: 1

    Atrocious spelling.

    1. Re:Two words! by bdptcob · · Score: 1

      And grammar.

    2. Re:Two words! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A lot more that just two words

  36. Off Topic question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey CmdrTaco, whatever happened to JonKatz?

    1. Re:Off Topic question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He got laid off like two years ago.

    2. Re:Off Topic question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      HE FUCKS DOGS

  37. still scamming.... by super_ogg · · Score: 0

    He's a ghetto dwellar, lock him up. Find him and string him up.
    ogg

    --
    Black cat, searing pain, flames...? I must be in Heaven! - Homer Simpson
  38. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't even get text ads

  39. That's not his baby.... by worseben · · Score: 2, Funny

    I traded it to him for a Powerbook. Where is it??

    1. Re:That's not his baby.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      They sent it to the wrong address and someone signed for the baby. Now the guy put up a web site and is claiming to be me. Give me a few more days to sort this out and you'll have your Powerbook or a replacement baby.

    2. Re:That's not his baby.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nice try, but you're not Sal... there are SPACES after your periods!

  40. Many questions here by quantaman · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does 'Vince" truly exist?
    Is the attrocious grammar, spelling, and sentence structure merely due to poor linguistic skills or is he trying to draw sympathy by protraying himself as a fairly unintelligent person that was taken advantage of?
    If his name is Sam Wise (yeah like that sounds real) then why is his comcast page mich617?

    But perhaps the most puzzling question of all,

    How in the heck is his page standing up to a /.ing so well?!?

    I think there's more to this fellow than meets the eye...

    --
    I stole this Sig
    1. Re:Many questions here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is the attrocious grammar, spelling, and sentence structure merely due to poor linguistic skills or is he trying to draw sympathy by protraying himself as a fairly unintelligent person that was taken advantage of? Attrocious? Protraying? If you're going to attack the guy's spelling skills, get some of your own FFS.

    2. Re:Many questions here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Sam Wise" as in Samwise Gamgee? Lord of the Rings? Only one letter off from "Sal Wise" the name of this Ebay miscreant?

      I wonder what the penalty would be for a citizens arrest performed by 100 Slashdotters who immediately marched this scum down to the 95th?

    3. Re:Many questions here by DashEvil · · Score: 1

      I wonder what the penalty would be for a citizens arrest performed by 100 Slashdotters who immediately marched this scum down to the 95th?

      What is that, the ultimate slashdotting?

      --
      -If God wanted people to be better than me, he would have made them that way.
    4. Re:Many questions here by gabba_gabba_hey · · Score: 1

      How in the heck is his page standing up to a /.ing so well?!?

      http://home.comcast.net/~mich617/

      that's how.

      um, and it's Sal Wise.
      Not that he's not a dick and it's not a pseudonym or anything, but for fscksake think about your questions before you ask them.

      yeah yeah, flamebait, whatever...get a life mods

    5. Re:Many questions here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Michelle is his wife.

    6. Re:Many questions here by southpolesammy · · Score: 1

      IIRC, mich refers to his wife/pseudonym "Michelle Heinlein", which in and of itself is a reference to author Robert Heinlein's book "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" and the alter-ego of the computer of the book is named Michelle.

      The 617 part refers to a birth date, as in 6/17. Probably Sal's BD, but it's hard to tell. This was referenced on one of the website entries, I think from the forum that Justin setup.

      --
      Rule #1 -- Politics always trumps technology.
    7. Re:Many questions here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One of our email users is a mich*, I went to go check to see if it wasn't him... heh.

      (It wasn't, btw, far as I can tell.)

  41. The thing is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



    Putting pressure on this "Sal" buttmunch won't solve anything.

    Putting pressure on the Phily police to get off their ass and DO SOMETHING, however.......

    Want to help out? Call the Phily police department. Trying to get a pathological liar to stop being a pathological liar is hopelessly futile.

  42. Willy Shakespeare says... by gwoodrow · · Score: 1

    ...he doth protest too much

  43. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I haven't seen an ad on /. in months. It's all because I followed the Apache Troll's suggestion and installed Apache on my system to redirect to a naked girl picture all the time. Then I put:

    127.0.0.1 ads.osdn.com

    in my /etc/hosts file. Now I never see anything but naked chicks where the ads are supposed to be! LOL!!!!1 It rulez!!!! Thanks Apache Troll!!!

  44. I'm laughing double hard now by l0ungeb0y · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    After reading that piece of crap web page I feel like offering Sam a copy of my hot selling "Spellchecker Secrets". For $12.99, you get an easy 1-2-3 how to on unlocking the hidden power of proper English through most modern software like Outlook, Word and Dictionary.com.

    But I'm also rolling in laughter at the idiots that got suckered by this dumbass. I recently bought a plasma for 4k off of ebay and everyone told me "ohhh... bad idea." Well.. I never had any doubts because I pay with Money Orders (never had a CC in my life) and there'd be no way this Sal guy would even past my first glance. Hell... with any item over 500.00 I call the seller and speak mano-e-mano before I make any decision, and each seller for an item over 500.00 should have at least 1,000 transactions and a high 90's percentile positive feedback score.

    So who's the bigger dipshit? Sal, because yeah... the dudes going down for being a dipshit who couldn't even bother to figure out a proper scam. He's putting the pics of his kids online to gain the "sympathy vote" but that's because he's scared as shit of going to a "Federal Pound Me In the Ass Prison". But the buyers are just a notch below that in dipshit level in my book, I have a feeling that the next time I hear about Justin Spence et al will be how they are fighting back against the evil 419 scammer who took their life savings in an "elaborate online fraud that you should know about".

    1. Re:I'm laughing double hard now by devilspgd · · Score: 1

      I never had any doubts because I pay with Money Orders

      huh? What does paying via a money order have to do with anything? -- If you paid via credit card and it never showed up, you'd at least be able to do a charge back. With a money order, you're out of luck.

      --
      Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to phish...
    2. Re:I'm laughing double hard now by l0ungeb0y · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      "What does paying via a money order have to do with anything? -- If you paid via credit card and it never showed up, you'd at least be able to do a charge back. With a money order, you're out of luck."

      Sort of answered your own question there, didn't you?
      yeah, maybe that's why I use half a braincell and follow up with the seller before I commit to a transaction, because when I send a money order for $4,200, I want to make sure I'm not shit out of luck, or maybe you couldn't wrap your pointy little head around that deep concept?

      Ohh and my post got modded down as flamebait because I have 0 sympathy for the dumbass who got suckered by some ignorant fuckwad on eBay... boohoo. Next time I'll remember to join in the mindless slashdot chorus and weep for the dumbasses that screw themselves and heed the idiots that answer their own questions. And I'll be sure to go cry for all those dumbshits that suckered by 419 scammers while I'm at it.

    3. Re:I'm laughing double hard now by devilspgd · · Score: 2, Interesting

      How does talking on the phone make you any safer? In order to snare a $4,200 prize do you think someone could come up with a prepaid cell phone, VoIP line, or something similar to use to scam you?

      You missed my point completely though: Pointing out what a savvy shopper you are, then mentioning how you paid via one of the least secure methods doesn't really support your case.

      A credit card user would simply email their credit card company and have the money back within minutes.

      (Well, my bank lets me email, most require a minimum of a phone call, or in some cases signed paperwork)

      Once a money order is out of your hands, it's all but gone. Once it's cashed it IS gone. Since it's as good as cash you can cash it at money mart or cheque cashing places, not a bank.

      --
      Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to phish...
    4. Re:I'm laughing double hard now by PriceIke · · Score: 1

      Unless it is a POSTAL money order, with a full description of its intended use. If you're then defrauded and have included ths with the MO, the federal government becomes involved and the MO does have teeth.

      Or so I read. Personally I try to avoid high-dollar purchases on eBay, because when you're screwed, you're pretty much screwed. The runaround eBay gives you if you have a complaint is pretty useless.

      My advice is never send out more money than you can afford to lose for an eBay purchase. And for god's sake if you need a laptop (or anything) for a business-related, on-deadline use, DON'T buy it on eBay, just go buy the thing.

      --
      It's not a lie. It's the truth with lossy compression.
    5. Re:I'm laughing double hard now by devilspgd · · Score: 1

      You still have to find the guy. How much effort is the post office going to go to in order to track down $3,400?

      The fraudster is already commiting fraud and probably theft, so why would they worry about one more charge from the post office?

      --
      Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to phish...
  45. Sal Wise's relationship with Vincent Massina by a-aiyar · · Score: 5, Informative
    Sal's website doesn't really shed light on who Vince Messina (sic) is, and Justin's bandwidth can't handle the Slashdot effect!

    Here's a link to a story on NBC10 (Philadelphia). Turns out that Vincent Massina is a South Philadelphia businessman who was defrauded of about $13,000 by Sal Wise.

    Why am I not surprised that Sal has managed to twist this around?

    1. Re:Sal Wise's relationship with Vincent Massina by liquidsin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It is actually possible that Vince was lying to the reporter to fuck over Sal. Just because he's a business man, doesn't mean he's not a crook

      --
      do not read this line twice.
    2. Re:Sal Wise's relationship with Vincent Massina by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Sure it's possible. But is it probable? No. I think the simple explanation is the right one in this case. Sal is a crook, and a pretty stupid one at that.

      When did Sal change his story to fit in Vince as the bad guy? I'm not entirely sure, but I think it was after the report came out that Sal had defrauded Vince.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  46. Re:fpr0st! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    f8lyur

  47. I thought he died? by zaren · · Score: 4, Funny

    It was made known it whatever car forum he hung out in that he died recently. I guess he got better...

    --
    Come to the University of Mars! Classes starting soon!
    1. Re:I thought he died? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      It was made known it whatever car forum he hung out in that he died recently.
      That story probably came about because Sal initially claimed that his father, Sal Senior, was responsible for all of the eBay fraud and that he had been hospitalized and died. The problem is, Sal gave a phone number for the hospital as "proof," thinking no one would check up on the story. Justin called the hospital, there are no records of Sal Sr. being there...
    2. Re:I thought he died? by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

      You're confusing him with Stephen King.

    3. Re:I thought he died? by c0wan · · Score: 1

      The rumours of his death were greatly exaggerated... Was that Mark Twain?

    4. Re:I thought he died? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe it was Vince who died ? I'm still holding out for the evil step mother making an appearance.

      Failing that l'll settle for Jason Vorhees or Darth Vader :)

  48. Re:Two words! (ob simpsons ref) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "And grammer"

    Sentence fragment! ;-)

  49. I'll have to take your word for it.. by cbreaker · · Score: 1

    Because the web site has been slashdotted for a week. Now it's probably even worse with this new post.

    This is good for Sal, though, since none of us can read anything on Justin's site.

    --
    - It's not the Macs I hate. It's Digg users. -
  50. RTFA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Vince appears in the news clip linked in the story.

    "mich617" is his wife.

    His page is on Comcast, who, call me crazy, might have more than a couple machines running its customers' websites.

  51. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Anyone else find the naked guy in the Novell Linux advertisement that I just saw on this page a jarring experience, at least the first time they saw it?

    As long as we're offtopic, I'm pretty sick of seeing It is what IT is .

  52. His Legal Defense Team... by Chordonblue · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...is gonna be PISSED. This is the exact sort of thing they hate to see their clients do.

    It was like when that Peterson guy was giving all those contradictory interviews. They are coming back to bite him in the ass now...

    --
    "...Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam..."
    1. Re:His Legal Defense Team... by AceCaseOR · · Score: 1

      Nahh... this is more like what Ward Weaver was saying to the press, both before and after they found Ashley and Miranda.

      --
      Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you in your sleep.
    2. Re:His Legal Defense Team... by k4rm4_p0l7c3 · · Score: 1

      legal defense team? i'm sorry if i've missed out on anything but he'll probably have some appointed attorney :) doubt this guy has solid backing financial or legal. he's scamming multiple people.. and from the looks of it isn't too good at his method.

    3. Re:His Legal Defense Team... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wrong.

      http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/07/28/laci.peterson. ap /index.html

    4. Re:His Legal Defense Team... by southpolesammy · · Score: 1

      Hmmm....sounds very much like the problems that a nefarious company located in Lindon, Utah has undergone over the past year or so.

      Rule #1 in legal defense: Shut your damn mouth. Don't make this any worse that it already is.

      Some people just won't learn. Fortunately, this is not a bad thing in this (and SCO's) case.

      --
      Rule #1 -- Politics always trumps technology.
  53. Spam Troll on Sal "Criminally Un-" Wise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just in case the bots don't harvest that addy from his bullshit ridden page:

    mich617@comcast.net

    Twist to depart on:
    Interesting how he threatened to kill to protect the "real" criminal, now this criminal seems anxious to have the "real" criminal tossed in jail.

    Sal Wise, you sir are a DOUCHEBAG! I hope your children are taken from you so they don't grow up to be DOUCHEBAGS. Gutter filth thieving sack of shit, GET A FUCKING JOB YOU WASTE OF LIFE! Any script kiddies wanna target this pathetic scum? If I could only post his IP address...

    1. Re:Spam Troll on Sal "Criminally Un-" Wise by tyrus568 · · Score: 1

      Be nice... maybe he has Multiple Personality Disorder.. I find the whole thing about the italics (italics=good nonitalics=bad) to be very interesting.

    2. Re:Spam Troll on Sal "Criminally Un-" Wise by Afrosheen · · Score: 0

      He never realized the use of grammar and lack of punctuation defined a recognizable style. Once this was pointed out to him, he tried to switch it up and punctuate more, in addition to the whole italics/non-italics bit.

      Not only is this guy a moron, but he's not a very good liar. The photograph the news station obtained of him seems to be either a high school prom photo or a wedding photo (hence the tux). So, he may indeed be married and judging by his intelligence and social status, may have married recently in anticipation of his first child. As they say, every myth tastes better with truth, so mentioning he's married or has a child sweetens the lies and shifts people's minds from the analytical to the emotional. It's a classic gambit that thieves and magicians alike use.

      One thing liars really, really hate is responsibility. Cowards at heart, they'll tell you anything to avoid real conflict or consequences of their actions. Now, most of us lie daily (does this dress make me look fat?), but the consequences are more social than financial or criminal. We lie to avoid hurting people's feelings mainly, not to steal thousands of dollars from unsuspecting strangers.

      Let me take a guess about this guy's psychological profile.

      1. Grew up poor in a jacked up neighborhood.
      2. Was probably the only white kid on his block.
      3. Father jailed for life.
      4. Mother had different boyfriends weekly.
      5. Never had anything of value to impress people with so...decided to start making up stories.
      6. Stories won him fame and got him out of trouble with the other crackheads where he grew up.
      7. Figured out at some point that lying can get you paid.
      8. At some point started experimenting with drugs, the smart money says he's hooked on something bad right now.

      I don't know whether I should feel sorry for this guy or encourage people to go kick his teeth in. Chronic liars have deep faults inside they desperately try to hide from others and are generally very spiteful of themselves and who they are.

    3. Re:Spam Troll on Sal "Criminally Un-" Wise by hubs99 · · Score: 1

      Now, most of us lie daily (does this dress make me look fat?)

      Come on, did you really just insinuate that /. people, check that,men have wives/girlfriends.

      Player pleeuz

    4. Re:Spam Troll on Sal "Criminally Un-" Wise by Afrosheen · · Score: 1

      Yeah, actually, alot of us are married. There are some fruitcakes here as well. Slashdot consists of a wide variety of nerds and onlookers.

    5. Re:Spam Troll on Sal "Criminally Un-" Wise by hubs99 · · Score: 1

      A little defensive are we.

      I was playing on the stereotype of nerds, which I think falls in line with the many Beowulf cluster, Insensitive clod, Soviet Russia comments that are dropped here every day/Article.

  54. hey he could make money by WormholeFiend · · Score: 1

    selling that movie to hollywood...

    it could even help Rob Schneider get his career back in high gear...

    but then again, maybe not.

    1. Re:hey he could make money by Motherfucking+Shit · · Score: 1
      it could even help Rob Schneider get his career back in high gear...
      I can see it now, "Deuce Bigelow, State Prison Ho." Or maybe "Sal Wise gets a Darwin Prize."
      --
      "BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
  55. One Good Thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Although Sal apparently nearly successfully trick members of an on-line forum into believing he was dead and buried to raise "funds for his widow and children," he won't see a dime of it. Thanks to Justin Spence and Slashdotters, the people running the collection for the forum were notified in time before giving it to "Sal's grieving family" and are in the process of returning the money to the donaters.

    1. Re:One Good Thing by jcomeau_ictx · · Score: 1

      Did you notice Sal's apparently back posting in that forum again? And some of his old buddies are not exactly welcoming him back with open arms. Thanks for the link!

  56. Man by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just take this idiot out and wack him, please. This is after all Philly.

  57. It was the one armed man by staynz79au · · Score: 1

    Yeah sure Sal.

    --
    Awww... I wanted to explode - GIR
  58. Next Episode by B.D.Mills · · Score: 5, Funny

    So far we have the following episodes:

    IV: A New Scammer
    V: Philly eBay Scammer Strikes Back!

    Let's hope that the next episode is:

    VI: Return of the Money

    --

    The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke
    1. Re:Next Episode by Bob+Cat+-+NYMPHS · · Score: 1

      Episode I: The Phantom Auction, is gonna SUCK, I bet.

    2. Re:Next Episode by notAyank · · Score: 1

      that is the funniest post i have ever read on /.

  59. We should Photoshop his Ass... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://home.comcast.net/~mich617/000_000813.jpg is the bigger picture of the resized one on his page. I can see it now....a complete spoof of that site along with some photoshopped goodness of this loser and his son.

    1. Re:We should Photoshop his Ass... by JohnnyComeLately · · Score: 2, Funny

      Submit the idea to Something Awful

    2. Re:We should Photoshop his Ass... by OOO0000OO0O0 · · Score: 1

      Photoshop his ass? That might get pronish! Maybe we can photoshop just his ass with a flamethrower creatively used to obscure the pronish parts, with ominous smoke rising. Wait, we don't want to photoshop that.

    3. Re:We should Photoshop his Ass... by Motherfucking+Shit · · Score: 3, Funny
      http://home.comcast.net/~mich617/000_000813.jpg
      Oh. My. God.

      How old is that kid, 2, maybe 3 years old? And he's got an earring?

      What the fuck is wrong with people?
      --
      "BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
    4. Re:We should Photoshop his Ass... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    5. Re:We should Photoshop his Ass... by HydroPhonic · · Score: 1

      He doesn't look anything like "Daddy"!! My GF KNOWS!!

    6. Re:We should Photoshop his Ass... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How old is that kid, 2, maybe 3 years old? And he's got an earring?

      What the fuck is wrong with people?


      You don't get out much do you?

      'round these parts you'll see babies who have yet to crawl with earrings.

      Little girls get their first makeup kit before they even enter kindergarden. Parents are hoping to be grandparents before their 30th birthday.

  60. Poor Fellow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I feel so bad for this guy, that I decided to take his email address, and sign him up for as many Nigerian Money Opportunities that I could find. I think everyone reading this should do the same!

  61. Neat trick by Kunta+Kinte · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Judging from his neighbors (I didn't actually see Sal, just his house) he is a low life and probably on welfare too. Everyone in that neighborhood seemed sleazy...

    Neat trick, being able to tell a person's character from the look of their neighbors. Must come handy at times I'm sure.

    Not everyone that lives in poor neighborhoods are crooks or on welfare!

    The media and people's naiveness is to blame for this stereotype.

    The majority of the poor are probably working 2 jobs and getting little assistants if any. It's just that the media has no incentive to show you a single mother working 2 jobs, the vocal minority that make it big rapping violent lyrics, dealing drugs, running ebay scams etc. get all the face time they can stomach.

    Think about this the next time you judge someone by where they're from.

    --
    Based on upvotes, Ageism is the only "-ism" Slashdotters care about and think isn't SJW
    1. Re:Neat trick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've never had assistants either. Yay for me!

    2. Re:Neat trick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you ever been to a ghetto? Do you know people that live in a ghetto?

      If so you'd realize that the people that live in the ghetto, also hate the damn place and for the most part don't trust anyone there.

      However its much easier to spout off some moral nonsense and feel like a good person than to actually realize that in the real world, stereotypes exist for a reason and ghettos are shitty.

      Idiot.

    3. Re:Neat trick by jm007 · · Score: 5, Funny

      here here! I couldn't agree more... I mean, everybody knows that you know you've moved up a class when you can have normal-sized assistants

    4. Re:Neat trick by mcowger · · Score: 1

      No - actually, I think he judged him based upon that he stole $7000!

      Suggesting that he is on welfare may or may not be true, but you have to admit that many of the poor, are, in fact on welfare....that why we GIVE them welfare, becaus they are poor.

    5. Re:Neat trick by Pionar · · Score: 4, Informative

      Ok, how about the woman with two kids whose husband was killed in a car accident? is that a lifestyle choice? that's my neighbor. the little pittance she got from his life insurance paid for the funeral and paid off the car and three months' mortgage. had to sell her house and get a second job. moved to where i am (a shitty area, I'm only here to use the maximum of my money for schooling) and is on TANF (temporary assistance for needy families) and food stamps, and when the TANF runs out, she'll have to try to get AFDC (aid to families with dependent children), which is not as easy as people believe.

      people down on their luck aren't always "whores". In fact, if you'll consult the 2000 census, you'll see that the majority of welfare recipients are, contrary to what the Republican liars tell you, white rural families, not inner-city black single mothers who "can't keep their legs together".

      Damn you unfeeling bastards and your unfair stereotypes.

    6. Re:Neat trick by Pionar · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually, I live in a ghetto (Haughville represent!), and have for most of my life (when I was 16, my dad got a good job, but now that i'm on my own, back in the ghetto - for now) and find your statement that people in the ghetto don't trust anyone there to be insulting. Most people in a poor neighborhood know who it is that is bringing the neighborhood down. Usually, at least in the neighborhoods I've lived in, the decent people in that neighborhood trust each other.

      However, it is true that no one wants to live in a bad neighborhood, but there's a reason for that: non-residents. It's true. All the elements that make a neighborhood bad are out of that neighborhod's direct control. Namely drug pushers, slumlords, vacant houses, criminals, bad cops (there's a few out there), and unsympathetic people. Most criminals come from a different neighborhood. Drug pushers don't live here, vacant houses and slumlords (guys who won't fix their properties) devalue property, and bad cops perpetuate the ideal that the man doesn't look out for you. When you're black and you get in a dispute with a white store owner, he gets the benefit of the doubt (disclaimer: I'm white, but I've seen this happen).

      However, most of the rest of your comment is true.

    7. Re:Neat trick by gmhowell · · Score: 1

      She is not a whore, but she did allow a moron to sire her children. Ain't my fault he didn't carry enough life insurance. Oh, they couldn't afford it? Then they couldn't afford two kids.

      Are these the same white rural families who can't seem to afford a book for their kid, but can afford a case of Milwaukee's Best for themselves? I grew up around all types of losers like this (and am only a couple generations removed from such behavior), and as long as people are not held responsible for their actions, those actions won't change.

      --
      Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
    8. Re:Neat trick by crimson30 · · Score: 1

      The majority of the poor are probably working 2 jobs

      This is definitely true. My poor neighbor (a roofer) works for everybody on the street to try to support his alcoholism/drug habit/whatever his deal is. He has several jobs under his belt!

      Neat trick, being able to tell a person's character from the look of their neighbors.

      Given how the guy on the other side of my house(mentally retarded) collects welfare, I think I really upset the balance of the neighborhood by displacing some renters that collected welfare as well. And given how I'm a pretty decent guy (if I do say so myself), I'd say this confirms that you definitely can't judge a person by their neighbors!

      So what kind of neighborhood do you live in, anyway?

    9. Re:Neat trick by wolfgang_spangler · · Score: 1

      Or a few packs of cigarettes a day. My sister in law is one of those people. She can't afford anything decent for her daughter but always has enough money to support 2 packs a day. How much is a pack? 3-4 bucks? ~7 bucks a day? ~200 bucks a month?

    10. Re:Neat trick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Now that, my friends, is indeed the funniest post I have read on /. in, well, forever...

    11. Re:Neat trick by Oligonicella · · Score: 1

      "The media and people's naiveness is to blame for this stereotype."

      Bullshit. Some stereotypes are deserved. Some neighborhoods are nothing more than hives of criminals, the good folk left years ago.

    12. Re:Neat trick by Zebbers · · Score: 1

      yah, rural whites who can't keep their legs together
      don't reproduce if you can't even support yourself.....

      i've seen many a documentary on the rural white problem. They always have several children. That's where the buck stops.

    13. Re:Neat trick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For those who are rural, and thus probably subsistence farmers, having several children makes a lot of sense. Sacrifice in the short term to have free farm help later on.

    14. Re:Neat trick by mirio · · Score: 1

      Ok, how about the woman with two kids whose husband was killed in a car accident? is that a lifestyle choice? that's my neighbor. the little pittance she got from his life insurance paid for the funeral and paid off the car and three months' mortgage. had to sell her house and get a second job. moved to where i am (a shitty area, I'm only here to use the maximum of my money for schooling) and is on TANF (temporary assistance for needy families) and food stamps, and when the TANF runs out, she'll have to try to get AFDC (aid to families with dependent children), which is not as easy as people believe.

      people down on their luck aren't always "whores". In fact, if you'll consult the 2000 census, you'll see that the majority of welfare recipients are, contrary to what the Republican liars tell you, white rural families, not inner-city black single mothers who "can't keep their legs together".

      Damn you unfeeling bastards and your unfair stereotypes.


      Sad story. It really is. The only completely innocent people here are the childen. Sorry, but the family should have had life insurance. If it wasn't enough, they should have moved to a smaller house when he was alive in order to afford good life insurance. It's amazing how much money you can save by doing small things every month. If they had cell phones and inadequate insurance coverage, they're at fault, NOT THE REPUBLICANS.

      I'm not rich, but if I died today our house would be paid for and my wife could make it on her own. I've made sure of it. We don't yet have children, but getting life insurance EARLY in life helps keeps premiums down as one gets older. Taking care of a family in the event of an untimely death is the responsibility of every parent. If you can't adequately prepare, don't have children. Life insurance coverage should be on par with being able to afford diapers in the decision-making process.

      Let's be responsible, folks.

    15. Re:Neat trick by theonetruekeebler · · Score: 1
      Neat trick, being able to tell a person's character from the look of their neighbors. Must come handy at times I'm sure.

      Compare the neighborhood where Mr Wise lives to one of the claims he has made about who he is: a Lexus owner, see. He joined an online Lexus owners forum, publishing a picture of himself standing next to a Lexus, which was parked in front of a fairly nice house. The house does not jibe with the house the grandparent post saw firsthand. Nor does the Lexus jibe with the crappy car the grandparent post mentions. In other words, we may have a reasonable suspicion that Mr Wise has made misleading statements about who he is.

      Incidentally, his wife notified the Lexus owners club that he had died tragically and set up a PayPal account accepting memorial donations.

      In the meantime, stop being so goddamned sanctimonious. That he lives in such a dismal neighborhood is not ipso facto proof that Mr Wise is a bad person. It does, however, conflict with claims he has made about himself. It is the contrast between the claims and the truth that gives some of us pause.

      --
      This is not my sandwich.
    16. Re:Neat trick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The majority of the poor are probably working 2 jobs and getting little assistants if any. It's just that the media has no incentive to show you a single mother working 2 jobs, the vocal minority that make it big rapping violent lyrics, dealing drugs, running ebay scams etc. get all the face time they can stomach.

      A single mother of 1 can't get HUD or welfare, neither can a mother of 2. Have 4-5 and you qualify for HUD assistance to live in a $200,000 house for ~$35 a day. Those people piss me off.

    17. Re:Neat trick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're a fucking asshat.

      Go eat shit and die.

    18. Re:Neat trick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the family should have had life insurance.

      Bullshit. They live in a first-world country, the woman didn't *ASK* for her husband to be killed, society should have taken care of her.

      they're at fault, NOT THE REPUBLICANS.

      Spoken like a true republican. "It's not *our* fault people who are poor can't provide for themselves."

    19. Re:Neat trick by mirio · · Score: 1

      the family should have had life insurance.

      Bullshit. They live in a first-world country, the woman didn't *ASK* for her husband to be killed, society should have taken care of her.

      they're at fault, NOT THE REPUBLICANS.

      Spoken like a true republican. "It's not *our* fault people who are poor can't provide for themselves."


      You're right. No one (who isn't a murderer) asks for their spouse to be killed. I'm saying that in all likelyhood, they could afford a life insurance policy. I have a couple of policies. One is a $100,000 policy that costs us $15/month. I got the policy when I was 19. I still have it at 27 and the premium hasn't changed a bit.

      Are you telling me that 'poor' people can't afford $15 a month? The assumption made by the parent poster was that the family was doing well financially until the husband died. If they were doing well financially before he died, they should have been doing well afterword.

      It's not the taxpayers' responsibility to take care of people. The purpose of government is to set up a system where we can take care of ourselves. This is why we have insurance reguations and insurance commisioners. They are there to ensure that we are able to buy insurance for ourselves.

      When will socialists understand that surrendering money to the government is surrendering power to them...power that is used to buy votes with income redistribution programs. Power to wage wars that the socialists disgree with. Come 'on folks.

      Robin Hood has no place in government. Government is about law and order, not benevolance. If you're feeling so generous toward that poor woman and her children, YOU give them some money. Don't force me to do so with the IRS's gun stuck to my head. It's a simple concept called freedom. Freedom to me means freedom from government.

      It always makes me laugh a little when socialists start railing fiscal conservatives (and no, I can't STAND Bush) for being 'uncaring' or something similar. The fact is that I was born dir poor in a house in rural Georgia. My brothers and I spent our childhood helping my mother take care of my father who developed a mental disability after we were born. We were dirt poor.

      When I got older, I made the decision that I wasn't going to be poor anymore. I went to college with $200 in my pocket that I had saved working at a local fast-food restaurant and worked my way through college. I finished with the BSCS in 3.5 years. I now have a decent job and make a comfortable living.

      Don't tell me the sad stories about being poor. I've already lived them. I understand them more than you will ever know. Poverty is a state of mind. And yes, it is a state that is easily achieved at the hands of great despair...yet it is possible to overcome it when you make the mental leap of deciding that you are no longer going to be poor.

      In other countries, for one reason or another, people are resigned to living in poverty. In the US, we have more programs than one can shake a stick at that will get people out of poverty. I used federal students loans which I will finish paying off later this year. This is the type of assistance I agree with...not giving man a fish, but teaching him to fish.

    20. Re:Neat trick by mirio · · Score: 1

      Bullshit. They live in a first-world country, the woman didn't *ASK* for her husband to be killed, society should have taken care of her.

      No one *ASKS* for their house to burn down. Should the the government (or as you put it, society) be responsible for helping a family if their burns to the ground? (answer: NO)

      Should the government pay for your auto insurance? Why shouldn't they have to pay for the car. Hell, why am I even working? The government should give ma a nice comfortable life even if I just decide to sit on my lazy ass all day long.

    21. Re:Neat trick by moosemoose · · Score: 1
      i'm further to the right of most republicans and for the life of me, in my 53 years, i just cannot recall any republican with any influence (or anybody for that matter) saying that the majority of welfare recipients are inner-city black single mothers who "can't keep their legs together". it is common knowledge among those with an education that the majority of welfare recipients are rural whites. of course i don't hang around trailer parks or truck stops and i am certain that this view can be found there. the last bastion of racism in this country is the poor and the elderly. are you not guilty of the same stereotyping you you oppose? or maybe in your mind there are good stereotypes and bad stereotypes.

      --
      the real evil is not what people think - its how people think
    22. Re:Neat trick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I actually do know people who can't afford an extra $15 a month... my parents. My dad works both a regular job that doesn't pay a "living wage" and in the Army Reserves to get enough money to be able to put food on the table after paying bills. He has modest life insurance policies through Army and his church, but that's it. He has trouble even getting together the funds to pay property taxes and auto/homeowners insurance, much less what a life insurance policy would charge an older reservist in this day and age. When his boss "accidently" let the health insurance lapse, my parents had to sacrifice money from their food budget and let some bills lapse just to get their vital prescriptions (diabetes and blood pressure meds) while waiting for the "snafu" to resolve.

      I'll admit part of this situation is attitude. Like were it me, I'd be handing my boss the pharmacy bill and making him pay the excess for his mistake of letting the insurance lapse. My dad won't do that because ironically his Army training makes him accept whatever the authority figure does without argument. But still, there are people who simply don't make enough in wages to live off of and meet basic expenses. For them, life insurance is a luxury much like a cell phone that they can hardly afford. And not all of these people indulge in vices like drinking or smoking as some of the other responders have insinuated. That is a stereotype, as is assuming everyone who is too poor to afford life insurance is that way by choice. Not everyone can move up to better paying jobs. That is a pipe dream fed to many Americans by propoganda. If everyone left the low wage jobs, who would be there to perform those services?

    23. Re:Neat trick by mirio · · Score: 1

      Not everyone can move up to better paying jobs. That is a pipe dream fed to many Americans by propoganda. If everyone left the low wage jobs, who would be there to perform those services?

      Hmm...

      I guess I'm just 'lucky' then? Hmm...you'll have to explain to me then why the hell I cried myself to sleep in college because I didn't think I was going to ever finish. Or why I lived off of peanut butter sandwiches for 4 years. Luck has nothing to do with it.

      I've already stated the programs that allow people to move up. Here in Georgia, we have the Hope grant that will give VIRTUALLY ANY GEORGIA RESIDENT money to go to college or a vocational school to learn a trade. Barring some mental disorder, anyone should be able to take advantage of one of these programs. All you have to do is turn off the television and GO DO IT.

      It's not propoganda. It's the truth. No offense to your father, but with the military (yes, even the Reserves) he should be getting the GI Bill ($40,000 for college or vocational training).

      If he has cable television, he could cancel it and it would save him $40 bucks a month...

      There's a nice insurance policy there.

      Again, no offense to your father, but his health insurance is NOT his employer's responsibility, it's his. Employer paid health insurance is a BENEFIT, it's not a RIGHT.

    24. Re:Neat trick by DaemonGem · · Score: 1

      Umm, correct me if I'm wrong, but people working two jobs and being poor don't usually have computers, or the time to set up their own websites and respond to that many e-mails.

      --
      "Alle reden vom wetter. Wir nicht." - SDS Sozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund.
      j00 4r3 3n73r1ng l337 w0r1d.
    25. Re:Neat trick by Pionar · · Score: 1

      Actually, in many states, it is the employer's responsibility. Plus, when a stated benefit is stated as part of a compensation package, then it is the employer's responsibility to keep that benefit for that employee unless a previous agreement is made.

      cable television. that's rich. i haven't had cable television since i left the parents' house.

      Then, even if said person can get a college education (there's more to affording college than tuition and books - childcare, having to live off two or more jobs to pay for it all, then trying to find time to study - plus, some people just don't have the intelligence to go to college), if they are over 45, it's going to be next to impossible to find an employer to invest in someone who can only work for another 15-20 years. I know what you're going to say, that's why it's illegal to discriminate based on age. It's very expensive to fight that kind of thing, which is something an unemployed person can't afford.

  62. Is ANY of it real? by Saeed+al-Sahaf · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't think there's any real proof that both this AND the original site are real. It all reads way too much like something staged as a game to see how many people (including Slashdot eds) can get sucked into the story. I don't buy any of it.

    --
    "Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
    1. Re:Is ANY of it real? by jcomeau_ictx · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I can't say I blame you. If I weren't involved in it first-hand I'd probably feel the same way. As I posted on Justin's online forum a couple days ago, the stranger this gets, the more I feel like this whole story is in a Robert Anton Wilson novel, and I'm just one of the minor characters...

    2. Re:Is ANY of it real? by k4rm4_p0l7c3 · · Score: 1

      I've read everything he's written you and i'd suppose this guy is the textbook case needed for a new section in the DSM: pathological liars. the yarns this guy spins are amazing.

      keep on fightin'. i just can't understand how you haven't gotten more help from the cops or federal. have you tried contacting your local state rep or congressman? there has to be a way.

    3. Re:Is ANY of it real? by jcomeau_ictx · · Score: 1

      It's nice to get all philosophical and speculate. I don't know if Sal is real, or if he's a poorly-written AI program running on an ancient PDP-10 in MIT's basement... but I lost $405 real dollars to him, her, or it. I have no first-hand knowledge of Justin's or anybody else's stories, but I bought a coin on eBay I never received.

    4. Re:Is ANY of it real? by neds_dead · · Score: 1

      From Vince's site, there is link to an active fraud case against Sal Wise. This seems to confirm its validtiy.

      If not, then another would seem appropriate.

  63. Babies Prove Innocence! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No one who has committed a crime or is evil in any way could have possibly impregnated a woman. Right??

  64. I am evil apparently by Fizz753 · · Score: 1

    Quote: but now get to learn about a more powerful evil named 'Vince'. /Quote. Ahhhh my first name is Vince. Guess I am evil, wait is that REALLY a bad thing?? :)

  65. Please Explain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    erm, could somebody please explain the joke to me? It must be some obscure TV show/movie I've never seen.

  66. Use the Helmet of Troot! by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

    It may have never happened, it might not work on everyone, but I have a hunch that the Xerox lie-detector would work on Sal. (Or Sal.)

    --
    One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  67. And now a word from our sponsor... by SEWilco · · Score: 1
    It's like a soap opera that won't let me blink until the commercial.

    It's like a soap opera that won't let you blink without presenting another commercial.

  68. Remindes Me by r2q2 · · Score: 1

    This guy remindes me of some pop star out there.

    --
    My UID is prime is yours?
  69. website background by kd5ujz · · Score: 1

    Great, He even uses the patented "EBAY Great Deal Green" background on his site. sigh........

    --
    -William
    God is everything science has yet to explain.
  70. Phase 1.5 begins...NOW! by Mitleid · · Score: 4, Funny

    People! People! Listen here!

    All the speculation and uncertainty on whether Sal is a scammer/family man/ghost should have been a pretty blatant indication that this whole fiasco is simply part of the Halo 2 ARG, Haunted Apiary! I'd think such an "enlightened" group as the slashdot crowd would have caught on by now.

    As for me, this whole "Sal Wise" component is the final piece of the puzzle. I've solved the riddle...

    Have YOU?

    --

    --
    Is it me, or did it just get fatter in here?
    1. Re:Phase 1.5 begins...NOW! by OOO0000OO0O0 · · Score: 1

      Wait a minute. Are you sure it's not just Duke Nukem Forever coming 3 lines of code closer to alpha stage and we're witnessing the fallout?

    2. Re:Phase 1.5 begins...NOW! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      'bout virus like behaviours, Microsoft shoudn't joke about that. there masters at spreading bad code.

    3. Re:Phase 1.5 begins...NOW! by geekoid · · Score: 1

      don't tell me your just NOW solving it?

      Monkies, monkies, pie

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    4. Re:Phase 1.5 begins...NOW! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      anagrams for Sal Wise.. Was lies, saw lies

  71. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anyone else find the naked guy in the Novell Linux advertisement that I just saw on this page a jarring experience, at least the first time they saw it?

    I find it sexist and offencive. Don't you think the slashdot crowd would enjoy a nakid woman as well?

  72. In the email trail... by St3phen · · Score: 2, Informative

    The "real" Sal goes on to explain towards the end that Justin will know he's the "real" one because he'll send all his emails in italics.

    1. Re:In the email trail... by thempstead · · Score: 1

      ....and this is when we find out that Justin used a mail client which only supported plain text ... hence no italics ...

  73. How much longer... by perplexo · · Score: 1

    until microsoft fires him?

  74. I thought he was dead... by JoeF · · Score: 1

    For a dead man (Google cache), he looks pretty alive...
    I wonder how he is going to explain it to his Lexus buddies who even donated money for his "widow."

  75. "Sal Wise" by smbober · · Score: 0

    If you rearrange the letters in his name, one of the more interrsting ones that somes up is "WAS LIES". Think about it! Pretty freaky! Huh?!

    Sean

  76. Call a Scammer!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sal Wise (Salvatore Wise)
    1941 W. Passyunk Ave.
    Philadelphia, PA 19145
    telephone: (215) 468-2929

    Other Addresses:
    Michelle Heinlein
    1103 Daly St.
    Philadelphia, PA 19148
    (215) 468-2681

    Michelle Wise
    2326 Camac St.
    Philadelphia, PA 19148
    (215) 468-2920

    emails:
    Bbsal2@aol.com
    mich617@comcast.net

  77. Waiting patiently... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...for Vince to put his side of the story on a website! I can't wait!

    Lucky for Sal, I don't think Vince exists to sue him for libel.

  78. Damn... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Figure a week maybe 2 for anyone that needs refunding and then its over...in Japan.

  79. The true villian is by Phelan · · Score: 3, Informative

    Obviously the true villiant behind this is Kyser Soze.

    --
    "Nimis exaltatus rex sedet in vertice - caveat ruinam!"
  80. If there is real proof by BCW2 · · Score: 1

    It needs to go to the Feds. This is a classic interstate fraud case and the Deparment of Justice has the jurisdiction. I think it actually falls on the Federal prosecuter for that district. I belive the penalties are rather severe when you add all the individual charges together.

    --
    Professional Politicians are not the solution, they ARE the problem.
  81. Re:rapping violent lyrics? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How about you drop your stereo types before you comment on others.

  82. Vince Foster is DEAD by El_Fanboy_Grande · · Score: 1

    Vince Foster was an Arkansas lawyer who later became deputy White House Counsel under the Clinton administration. He was later found dead apparently from suicide, although the details are shady. Kinda funny how Sal's wife has the same name as a character created by Heinlein, and now his previously unmentioned landlord is named Vince Foster!

  83. Photoshop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Photoshop the kids! Photoshop the kids!

    *Waits for baby with 10 inch penis on forehead*

    1. Re:Photoshop by Simple-Simmian · · Score: 1

      the Little pimp took the kids picture down and now has a completely story! LOL This is some funny crap (in a tragic kind of way.)

      --
      If you don't like what I write don't be a CS and mod it down. Refute it.
      Yea I can't spell. So what is your point?
    2. Re:Photoshop by Simple-Simmian · · Score: 1

      Completely new story.. Damm

      --
      If you don't like what I write don't be a CS and mod it down. Refute it.
      Yea I can't spell. So what is your point?
  84. Sal Wise =Star Wars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Vince: Sal....I am your Father

  85. Email Safety Rules by RzUpAnmsCwrds · · Score: 1

    Here are my (reasonably) fool-proof security rules:

    - NEVER enter personal information into anything other than a web browser.
    - NEVER enter personal information unless the browser URL begins with https:// and the security icon is displayed.
    - NEVER enter personal information unless you EXPLICITLY TRUST the website.
    - CHEK THE SPELLING of the website address.
    - NEVER enter personal information after following a link from an email or website (other than the one you're logging into).
    - ALWAYS type the address of your service into the address bar.

    1. Re:Email Safety Rules by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Good rules, but I can't help but mention that:

      CHEK THE SPELLING of the website address.

      Is just SO ironic.

    2. Re:Email Safety Rules by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      - NEVER enter personal information into anything other than a web browser.
      - NEVER enter personal information unless the browser URL begins with https:// and the security icon is displayed.
      - NEVER enter personal information unless you EXPLICITLY TRUST the website.
      Very sane and poignant guidelines. You forgot one, though,

      -NEVER use Internet Explorer to enter your personal information.

      Recall the IE bug whereby a site can spoof the IE address bar using a specially placed null character. You could be at http://scammer.ru/fraud/phish.html but IE would happily display http://citibank.com/account-verify.html in the address bar.
  86. OT- Philly by lightknight · · Score: 1

    For those who've lived in Philly (as a college student).

    Pasquallys rocks :) (if you live down there, you know).

    --
    I am John Hurt.
  87. YIC! by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

    George Lucas--Greedo scammed me first!

  88. Re:shilling Amazon referral-whore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I agree with this post.

  89. What about his death? by autopr0n · · Score: 1

    Any idea what the whole thing about him dying on the lexus owners club site was about? Just a cynical attempt to get more money?

    --
    autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
    1. Re:What about his death? by jrockway · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I liked his replies when he was uncovered... "I never posted anything saying I died."

      That's pretty hard to do when you're dead, Sal.

      "Hi I'm dead! Give me^H^H my wife some money. I really am dead!"

      I love people. They're so amuzing :)

      --
      My other car is first.
  90. anyone actually seen the video? by qsqueeq · · Score: 1

    what's up with the retarded kid in the #36 jersey behind the reporter at the beginning? ~q

  91. Re:BitTorrent by JoeF · · Score: 2, Informative
  92. Of course! by Guppy06 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "but now get to learn about a more powerful evil named 'Vince'."

    It all makes sense now! He was posessed by Vince Clortho, keymaster of Gozer!

  93. "Strikes Back?" by veg_all · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That's not striking back. That's further incriminating oneself. It's a common reaction under suspicion: talk more. Even a first year law student, would Mr. Wise have been smart enough to have one standing beside him, would be advising his client to "shut up shut up SHUT UP!"

    Fortunately for J Spence, Mr. Wise does not, in fact, appear to have been smart enough to engage counsel. This is all evidence quite favorable for the plaintiff. It's now cached on hard drives all over the world.

    What an idiot.

    --
    grammar-lesson free since 1999. (rescinded - 2005)
  94. A Case for Pro Bono... by Chordonblue · · Score: 1

    If there's enough publicity involved, a case like this might pay for itself. Think of it - Internet, ID Theft charges, abuse from people online. It's just the sort of thing an ambulance chaser like Boies would love.

    --
    "...Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam..."
  95. That WOULD explain the lack of police action. by wernst · · Score: 1

    I have spent more time than I care to think about reading all of this (including all the sites and forum postings I can fine), and it seems so cut and dried to me that I have been wondering why the police haven't acted yet. If all this were staged, that would explain it.

  96. This just in! CmdrTaco and his untold addiction! by Cyberhwk · · Score: 1
    It's like a soap opera that won't let me blink until the commercial.
    You watch soap operas?!!! Stuck on the night shift? Lost the channel changer? Its a joke. No offense. I watch cartoons personally. I'm partial to road runner and wily coyote cartoons.
  97. You're right! by veg_all · · Score: 1

    Except I think you meant "gimp."

    Anyway, I think it's outrageous this guy has attached a crude graphic of a diamond to his son's delicate earlobe.

    --
    grammar-lesson free since 1999. (rescinded - 2005)
  98. Re:Almost by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    THE REAL SAL WISE WRITES LIKE THIS!!!1~

    I'll now put some useless filler to bypass the Lameness filter

  99. Why did Sal tell him to cancel the check? by sneakers563 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This is the part I don't understand. Actually, I can see telling Justin to cancel the check to try to divert suspicion, but why would Sal wait until Justin told him he canceled the check to try to cash it? Why no cash it right off? Wasn't Sal running the risk of having the whole scam fail? Any theories? What am I missing? Sadly, this is the single most interesting thing in my life right now.

  100. Forget cops by shaitand · · Score: 4, Funny

    Forgets cops, I want a new show called Scammers, Spammers, and Nigerian pimps!

    1. Re:Forget cops by ALeavitt · · Score: 1

      You're forgetting the most dangerous of all: Nigerian Snippers.

      --
      This sig has been stolen. Return it to its original user for a reward.
  101. Judging Sal by crimson30 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Well, since he never refuted any of Justin's e-mails other than claiming he didn't write the earlier ones (establishing that they were indeed sent from his account), it certainly shows that somebody did indeed scam Justin. Given that there is no loss of credibility to Justin as of yet and the e-mails seem legit, this boils down to 2 likely possibilities which one can choose from:

    1. The hospital misinformed Justin as to whether or not Sal was admitted AND the bank staff have misinformed Justin about Sal as well. In this case, it is quite possible this Vince character used Sal's computer and e-mail client. Oh and, Sal and Vince happen to have a matching writing style.

    2. The bank staff is not confusing anyone with Sal and the hospital staff correctly informed Justin.

    Is scenario #1 possible. Sure.

    But, perhaps you ought to read all those e-mails again.

  102. Man by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What a larpo looking clown. I am a larpo that does not know that removing the image tag doesn't remove the image

  103. From the NBC article by crimson30 · · Score: 1

    Wise promised to meet with NBC 10 reporter Harry Hairston, but never showed up. However, later over the phone he said he is in the process of issuing refunds.

    Hmmmm... does anybody notice a trend here?

  104. NO NO NO! That was West E 1694 W East Street by Howzer · · Score: 1

    Sal lives at West E 1694 E West Street.

    Or whatever...

    Wasn't there a whole chapter of Sal's scam devoted to whether the cheque had been delivered to East East West Street or East West East Street?

    I'd be utterly amazed if he's at ANY address listed ANYWHERE in the online records of this ugly transaction...

    For my money (not that I put any up, thank god) he's long, long gone.

  105. Ready for the Fight Club ending.... by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Funny

    When he realizes he *is* Vince!

    (cue flashback of "Vince" cashing yet another check).

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  106. You's by kahei · · Score: 1


    I am comforted to see that there are still people who not merely say but _write_ 'youse', completely without irony.

    I just wanted to share that with y'all.

    --
    Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
    1. Re:You's by jcuervo · · Score: 1
      I am comforted to see that there are still people who not merely say but _write_ 'youse', completely without irony.
      Ah youse makin funna me?
      --
      Assume I was drunk when I posted this.
  107. Re:Naked Guy in Novell Ad on this page? by Teun · · Score: 1
    find the naked guy in the Novell Linux advertisement that I just saw on this page a jarring experience

    Grow up!
    By last account most people are born that way (naked), that's how nature intends us to be.

    Tho I admit a girl would likely make a nicer ad...

    --
    "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
  108. Fool me once ... by quarkscat · · Score: 1

    shame on you; Fool me twice, shame on me.

    The "eBay police" (and problem resolution
    retards) are a total sham, as they always
    favor the scammers that pay the highest
    advertising fees.

    What more eBay scammers really deserve are
    victims with enough time on their hands,
    and enough malace aforethought, to hunt
    them down in person. Monies can more
    readily be recovered in person, particularly
    after the scammer gets kneecapped ... as it
    provides a wonderful incentive to make
    restitution ( before the second barrel of
    "00" gets used ... )

    1. Re:Fool me once ... by iainl · · Score: 3, Funny

      'before the second barrel of
      "00" gets used ...'

      Why do I have strange visions of you torturing someone with bits of Hornby railway track?

      --
      "I Know You Are But What Am I?"
    2. Re:Fool me once ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - can't get fooled again.

    3. Re:Fool me once ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I prefer Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice and there's a funeral service.

  109. He's changed it again! Must pay attention to /.!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pitiful pile of crap that he is. Sal has changed his site. He's removed the pics of his kids and is calling the collective population of the web a bunch of kids. What a creep. Loser pile of crap criminal. Why'd he say that it was his dad when now it is all Vince? Loser, liar and a criminal. This shithead needs to go to prison. Why haven't the cops arrested him yet?

  110. Conspiracy Theory by LouCifer · · Score: 0

    It's my belief that Sal is actually the one who stole SCO proprietary code.

    Now, if only we can convince Darl that Sal's to blame..

    --
    Religion is for people afraid of going to hell.
  111. Has anyone ever heard of Jack Campbell? by adzoox · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Has anyone ever heard of Jack Campbell and MacMice? This guy does the same thing. He says one thing in a forum, then says something completely different in another forum concerning his actions and his companies actions.

    He's been caught on the internet several times misrepresenting an attorney, stealing patented products, and making claims about his products that are just insane.

    If any of you are interested and like this kind of story. I've done two stories on my website about this kind of scammer.

    One story is similar to this one and is about eBay. (Titled: Scamming Scammers & The Scheming Scammers Who Scam Them Back)

    The other is about Jack Campbell as mentioned above. (Titled: Catch Me If You Can Part II: The True Story Behind MacMice)

    I think it's interesting to read stories like this and I wish more people read or were interested in them. If you can understand how pathological narcissitic people work - you can learn to avoid them.

    --
    Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
    1. Re:Has anyone ever heard of Jack Campbell? by isaac · · Score: 1
      Has anyone ever heard of Jack Campbell and MacMice? This guy does the same thing. He says one thing in a forum, then says something completely different in another forum concerning his actions and his companies actions.

      Your website is some first rate net.kookery.

      FWIW, I bought "the mouse" from macmice.com long before I heard about this flamewar. To all those who say "you can buy the same mouse elsewhere for less" I say "show me where." I've seen similar mice to "the mouse" but no mouse exactly like it.

      As a recent mac switcher and someone unaffiliated with any side in this fracas (except for being a satisfied macmice customer), I advise you to find a new hobby.

      -Isaac

      --
      I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. For Entertainment Purposes Only.
    2. Re:Has anyone ever heard of Jack Campbell? by adzoox · · Score: 1

      I actually DON'T SAY THIS ANYWHERE:

      "you can buy the same mouse elsewhere for less" I say "show me where." I've seen similar mice to "the mouse" but no mouse exactly like it.

      I do say, distributors should buy them directly from Adomax which DOES sell them in Asia under another name.

      So, if my understanding is correct, as long as you like a product it's ok to support intellectual property theft and pathological liar owners/CEOs. It's ok for him to claim patent rights on products he doesn't have an iota of design effort into? It's ok for him to sell AND develop products for items which he does not have the licensing rights to develop for?

      You need to seriously examine your ethics and integrity.

      I also have NEVER, ever said that there were a lot disatisfied MacMice customers. In fact, I would say the opposite. Jack Campbell knows that with his questionable business practices, he MUST make customer service paramount.

      I'll give you a quick lesson on the mouse though:

      It is not that great of a mouse. If you think it feels or acts anywhere close to the quality of the Apple Mouse - you are just plain weird. It feels cheap and clicks cheap. It feels "thin" in the hand. That said, it is a mouse of a relatively standard shape, it performs like a mouse should. And, I will add that the majority of his products are nice looking and perform well.

      At the initial time it was sold, which was this past Christmas, The Mouse was touted as having a better tracking DPI (AND CPI) as the Apple Mouse - it was even promoted as being one the highest CPIs in the ENTIRE "mousing market". No, Logitech's low end brand has a cheaper mouse than the MacMice Mouse that has an EVEN HIGHER resolution.

      The Mouse Box is very nice looking. Notice the (TM) - Jack Campbell wants you to think he has something registered or patented. He owns NO intellectual property. He takes for granted that most people don't know you can stick (TM) on anything.

      The Mouse (and other products) instructions, advertisement, and description wreak of a lack of proper footnoting and patent/trademark recognition of Apple, Griffin, and dozens of other manufacturers and designers.

      If you actually READ my story on the site, you could see that there are serious offenses elsewhere - you can also read why nothing has been done about it, and why I IN PARTICULAR, have a beef with him.

      I suspect you are a lackey of his. He has lots of people he's sent free products to or has buddied with him to troll the web looking for posts. If you aren't a lackey - then either you're integrity is that of SPAMHaus CEO or you lack intelligence to comprehend the grossness and perversion of business MacMice represents.

      --
      Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
    3. Re:Has anyone ever heard of Jack Campbell? by isaac · · Score: 1

      I said I bought the mouse long before I found out about your pet crusade.

      Now you're telling me "You need to seriously examine your ethics and integrity" and "you're [sic] integrity is that of SPAMHaus CEO or you lack intelligence to comprehend the grossness and perversion of business MacMice represents" as a result?

      Pardon my french, but kindly fuck off. You don't know me, not even a little bit. You may have a legitimate beef, but your paranoia and hostility makes me dismiss you and your cause out of hand.

      I'm not going to apologize for the (apparently) egregious oversight of failing to vet my mouse purchase with you, oh mighty guardian of mac accessory business practices.

      I might think twice about ordering another macmice.com product. (I only bought themouse because my girlfriend requested it.) I will certainly never visit your site again, however. There aren't enough hours in the day for me to care about every crusade, and you lost my support with your attitude.

      -Isaac

      --
      I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. For Entertainment Purposes Only.
    4. Re:Has anyone ever heard of Jack Campbell? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ah, the four letter word always adds insight into a conversation

  112. OT: ACLU sig question by MobileDude · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    >>What part of "shall not be infringed" is so
    >>hard to understand?
    >>Do you ACLU? [aclu.org]

    I'm confused. You quote from the 2nd amendment of the Constitution yet have an ACLU link? Oil and water if you ask me...

    Those nutjobs are only interested (98% of the time is more like it) in pursuing liberal causes. I doubt "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms..." fits into their agenda of bashing Boy Scouts and city logos.

    --
    10 MD .\crash 20 CD .\crash 30 GOTO 10
  113. Article about MOVE bombing by theslashdude · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I was really surprised to hear about this bombing, so I looked it up. Here is a cnn article about it.

    1. Re:Article about MOVE bombing by PrvtBurrito · · Score: 1

      If no criminal charges were filed in that case, I can see why Sal hasn't been arrested, yet.

      --
      Laboratree - Scientific collaboration based on OpenSocial.
  114. Get your facts straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Military aircraft? No. They put a member of the Phila. PD Stakeout Squad (equivalent of SWAT) on a PA State Police JetRanger (the city didn't have any helicopters back then), and he dropped what was essentially a "satchel charge" on the roof to destroy a bunker that was built there. What they didn't know was that gasoline was stored on the premises. The mayor opted not to fight the resulting fire.

  115. Meet Frodo's friend's brother... by sczimme · · Score: 1


    SalWise Gamjee.

    --
    I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
    1. Re:Meet Frodo's friend's brother... by mriker · · Score: 1

      No, no, it should be SalWise Scamjee!

  116. his pics are gone! by gosand · · Score: 1
    How in the heck is his page standing up to a /.ing so well?!?

    No kidding. Not to mention that from the time I first looked at his page to now (10 minutes later) it has changed. He took down the pictures of him and his kid. Now there is a picture up of bad ol' Vince.

    ROFL. If this guy is innocent, I would feel very sorry for him. I would not want to incur the wrath of a million internet dorks. If he is guilty.... oh well.

    --

    My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

  117. If you don't believe it, come visit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There are several square miles of North and West Philly that are stuck in the third world. Stretches of square blocks are ruins and rubble. As far as what the state can do, well last year they took over the public school system because it was in such poor shape. It doesn't help that the current mayor has himself declared bankrupcy, twice. I've lived in half a dozen cities in the US and visited quite a few more and Philly is, by a difference in kind, the rudest city in the country. Decent pretzels though, but their claim to fame sandwich is, Steak-ums?

  118. Yes, the goatee! by DrWhizBang · · Score: 1

    In fact, that's why, when I got a Standard Schnauzer, I named him "Evil" Montgomery Burns!

    --
    Schrodinger's cat is either dead or really pissed off...
  119. Poor people commit crimes by Kombat · · Score: 1

    Not everyone that lives in poor neighborhoods are crooks or on welfare!

    The media and people's naiveness is to blame for this stereotype.


    Well, that, and the fact that almost all crime is commited by poor people (that is, people living at or below the poverty line).

    --
    Like woodworking? Build your own picture frames.
  120. Story is PRANK by Saeed+al-Sahaf · · Score: 0, Troll
    I can't say I blame you. If I weren't involved in it first-hand I'd probably feel the same way. As I posted on Justin's online forum a couple days ago, the stranger this gets, the more I feel like this whole story is in a Robert Anton Wilson novel, and I'm just one of the minor characters...

    Nice damage control, but the gigs up. Cat's out of the bag. Story is prank. Move on.

    --
    "Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
  121. Are we being scammed? by [talon] · · Score: 1

    Maybe we are being scammed by sal and justin?????

  122. Slashdot has paid too much attention to this by SuperBeef · · Score: 1

    The continuing coverage of Sal's scams is showing slashdot's trashy gossip side. I think there should be less of this. On a more slanderous note.... Sal's a little bitch.

  123. Re:OT: ACLU sig question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you fucking ignorant shit-smeared asshole, dripping with runny fecal residue. idiot, mindless tool. don't let the fact that you're uninformed and incapable of becoming informed stop you from spewing the stupid sewage of your diseased head. that's what we love about you. go back to russia, you mindless commie slavetroll.

  124. Messina.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In NY Messina is the last name of a crime boss for on of the top families.. I can't remember what crime family he runs.

  125. Obviously Intelligent by PhraudulentOne · · Score: 1

    No more pics of my kids! None of you little teenage kids who spams bad info all over the net needs to see what you's can never have!Also Justin spence is hosting a web site full of kids that are posting mis information and spamming my name with lie after lies so anything from that web page is just full of it.He is going to be sued hard! So much bad info on that site its not even funny anymore. Justin must think he is doing right since he is...

    I love when people take the time to type out things such as "you's" and "you's guys." I mean, its bad enough that people speak like that, but to type it? Its hilarious!

    --
    You create your own reality - Leave mine to me.
    1. Re:Obviously Intelligent by Le+Marteau · · Score: 1

      I mean, its bad enough that people speak like that, but to type it?

      Why is it bad that people talk like that?

      People talk differently depending on their upbringing and where they live. Would you have everyone talk like William F. Buckly? Personally, I think it's great that Philadelphians talk like that, and that Cajuns talk like they do, and that Minnesotans talk the way they do, Canadians, Bostonites, etc. etc.

      This fetish for everyone speaking like an English professor is really something to be avoided. Remember, the language is an evolving thing. Spellings, pronounciations, etc, all evolve over time, and these differences add spice to life.

      It really is rather bigoted and ignorant to mock the way other people speak. I'd really take thet time to examine this tendency to laugh at other people's ways of speech, because it points to something important.

      --
      Mod down people who tell people how to mod in their sigs
  126. No, the pics are still there... by MobileDude · · Score: 1

    He took them out of the HTML, but the actual pics are still in his Comcast folder:

    http://home.comcast.net/~mich617/000_000813.jpg
    http://home.comcast.net/~mich617/P7120633.JPG

    Poor children, I can only pray they are spared a lifetime of trouble like this....

    --
    10 MD .\crash 20 CD .\crash 30 GOTO 10
  127. I smell a reality TV show by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anyone from NBC or FOX reading this?

  128. l0ungeb0y? you're a fucking idiot... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your mighty powers of "FOLLOW-UP version2.0 (tm)" allow you to know in advance if a deal is legit?

    Howdy-friggin'-do! We done got our selves some kinda fucking super-hero powers, we do!

  129. Odds are for us by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    at least half the sellers on Ebay are scammers.

  130. Come on yous! by michael+path · · Score: 1

    From the truth website:

    Also to any detectives looking at this all refunds are being sent by next week and i have already called to try to talk to yous. Also my wife has nothing to do with this and cashed one check for me and did not know what it was for other then it was a dvd player and that dvd player was shipped out and i have the tracking number for it so her name should not be in this. I mean really now we have a 3 week old baby to take care of do you think we need this crap right now? Too many lies are on that web page about me and i am taking it down and will sue.

    I know people talk like this in the NY/NJ/PA area. Carl, from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, for example. I'm shocked that someone would type this and put this up as their website.

    If it weren't for the URL, I would be sure this was a satirical site.

  131. Re:I remember MOVE by bitplayer · · Score: 2, Informative

    Sigh. Five years of lurking, and now I've got to post about this...hopefully, this will give a little context to people who aren't familar with the incident or aren't from the area or even from the US. In the final analysis, people see in it the things that they want to see, like Koresh and Waco. This posting is long and could use some editting, but if you don't like it you can ask /. for your money back.

    IANAME: I Am Not A MOVE Expert.

    Quickie Personal Background:
    I've lived in or near Philadelphia all of my life.

    At the time, my German grandmother did recieve telephone calls from relatives in the old country asking why "the mayor of Philadelphia was bombing the city". This "bombing" is true, in a sense, but not in the way most people would imagine such a bombing.

    The May 13th, 1985 incident occurred in the "West Philadelphia" district, which is only a few miles from my school (Drexel University, class of '89) in the city's "University City" district. IIRC, while driving to school that morning (while sitting in traffic on Woodhaven Road, actually) I heard news of a firefight between the police and MOVE. Later that afternoon, while at school, I saw smoke from that area of the city. In other words, this was a day long event and it was the culmination of years of antagonism between MOVE, it's neighbors and the police.

    What is MOVE, exactly?
    MOVE is essentially a back to nature group. For some reason, they chose to go back to nature in the middle of one of the USA's largest cities. They also had a penchant for annoying their neighbors to the point where the cops would be called in.

    There seems to be a reasonable (Though I think that Mumia (yes, *that* Mumia) was convicted in the death of a different police officer, not Ramp. Perhaps I've got my murders mixed up.) synopsis of what MOVE is about here http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/Mo ve.html

    So, what happened?
    An earlier altercation between MOVE and the police occurred in 1978 in an area called "Powelton Village". This incident resulted in the fatal shooting of a police officer named James Ramp. (Incidentally, Powelton is near Drexel's dorms, fraternity houses and student apartments.)

    After the 1978 incident, the MOVE house at Powelton Village was razed. It had been heavily damaged but it has been argued that razing the house was mere payback/revenge to/on MOVE. MOVE relocated to Osage Avenue in West Philadelphia and proceeded with the same behaviors that lead up to the first confrontation. I'm not quite old enough to remember the 1978 incident, so I'll leave it at that.

    There seems to be a reasonable synopsis of the MOVE incidents here
    http://www.campusprogram.com/reference/en/wikipedi a/m/mo/move.html

    My recollection of the 1985 incident:
    I clearly recall that the TV news had stated that firemen were kept away initially because they were fired on. I don't see why the firemen would be kept away from the fire for several hours. The fire eventually destroyed 60+ homes in the area. That section of the city is densely built, so there are many two- or three-story homes on each block. I don't think that the city government would have been so blinded by MOVE-hatred to purposefully destroy 60+ homes, the majority of which would have been owned by people who where not sympathetic of MOVE.

    The "bomb" is alternatively described as designed to destroy a "bunker" or fortification on the roof of the building or as a distraction/ruse. Police today often use "flash-bang" devices to stun or disorient people in siege or hostage situations. This device was much more powerful than a flash-bang and used a military grade explosive (C4 or some similar plastic explosive, IIRC).

    I recall that police were present in a building with a wall common to the MOVE house and

  132. "Yous" by cyclist1200 · · Score: 1

    But if i was yous i would not take part of what justin is doing on that page.

    Only in Philly could a man be so convinced that "yous" was an actual word that he would put it in print.

    OK, maybe in Boston too.

  133. Opps! Preview is good... by Saeed+al-Sahaf · · Score: 0, Troll
    It's nice to get all philosophical and speculate. I don't know if Sal is real, or if he's a poorly-written AI program running on an ancient PDP-10 in MIT's basement... but I lost $405 real dollars to him, her, or it. I have no first-hand knowledge of Justin's or anybody else's stories, but I bought a coin on eBay I never received.

    Good Bonus Troll, I give you points! This whole thing stinks like prank thought up over beers... My money is on the whole thing folding quickly as people realize that it's a couple of guys seeing how far they can take it! Good show!

    --
    "Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
    1. Re:Opps! Preview is good... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      I doubt people have delved this far into the thread, but there is at least some corroborating evidence from where I'm standing:

      Go look at the ebay feedback forms for the different accounts that Justin and others have linked. The evasions on all of them seem very similar.

      Of course, it's possible that the same people set up some dozen accounts just to give each other bad feedback.

      Damn. Guess that isn't proof. It's good enough for me though. If you're still wary, maybe you can ask the eBay guys if the fraud reports have really been filed.

      Regardless of the 'hoax' status (which I don't buy), I think this has gone far enough that the people responsible will be facing some serious legal problems. And that may be the best proof: Now that it looks like some jail time is coming, why would they continue the hoax?

  134. I wouldn't want to be his attorney! by simpl3x · · Score: 1

    After he's finished writing all of this material on the web, and the emails, imagine the noose he will have tied! Can you say "prison bitch?"

  135. Re:I remember MOVE by CatPieMan · · Score: 1

    The officer that Mumia killed (in cold blood and all) was Daniel Faulkner (1980 or 81, I think).

    In the northern part of the city, US RT1 aka Roosevelt Expressway (I think that's the name) is dedicated to this officer.

    Mumia has been on death row for a while. I think I heard he was a radio personality before he killed the officer, but, I was too young to remember.

    -CPM

    --
    ---You're all I need, When the water runs deep, You're all I need, Now I cry my soul to sleep -- Collective Soul, Needs
  136. Amazing by jpellino · · Score: 1

    He even actually spells out "yous" just like yous guys would say it.

    --
    "Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
  137. Philly TV News story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.nbc10.com/news/3580062/detail.html

    "According to Wise's landlord, he lived in the south Philadelphia apartment for three years until he was evicted for not paying rent."

  138. beware escrow by eggfellow · · Score: 1

    interestingly, the report ends by recommending that online purchasers look at using an escrow service, without pointing out that bogus online escrow services are just another tool of these scammers.

  139. good analysis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This is one of the letters people have sent Justin. I copied it since I think it makes some cogent points ( from http://justinspence.com/slashdot.htm)
    ----------- --------

    You got slashdotted and managed to make Sal a world celebrity,
    so here are three comments from the other side of the pond; a
    Freudian one, a legal one and a general one.
    Freudian
    Your good manners and wish to be fair is what got you suckered.
    This happened:
    - After the buy, your intuition warned you that something was
    amiss.
    - You over-reacted by telling Sal openly that you didn't trust
    him.
    - Sal came up with a plausible explanation and you felt guilty
    for your open distrust, therefore trusted him more than you
    should have.
    - Sal got bingo.
    If you had been just a tad more tactful, not cancelled the
    deal straight away and explained why on top of it, but only
    "requested additional information" while keeping up your garde,
    chances are that you would have ended up cancelling the deal
    anyway before sending that cheque. Sal is retarded, just as
    you say on your site, but he does have a skill for playing
    on other people's guilt and for creating it when need be.
    That's exactly where he got you.
    Ironically, that wouldn't work with a mafioso; it only works
    with decent people. Because of this, Sal has an implicit
    guarantee built into his scam method, that he won't piss off
    people who would go after him with guns; he will only piss off
    decent people who will frustrate themselves with an unwilling
    police and a slow and ineffiecient judiciary. Retarded or not,
    Sal surely has his targets right.
    Legal
    Beware of the evidence chain and beware of more lies yet
    not uncovered. Sal is good at his job; he keeps building
    deniability where you'd think none is possible, and he knows
    damn well how to shift between objective and subjective
    innocence. He is not alone; someone with legal knowledge
    and time in jail has been instructing him on the fineties
    of deniability. Consider:
    - He told you to cancel the cheque. In order to prove fraud
    at the time of the sale, you must prove either (a) that
    he had no laptop to sell in the first place or (b) that
    he intended to cash on it and never ship it. Based on
    his mails you can prove neither.
    - Being unable to fullfill a business agreement after it
    has been entered into is not fraud; only tort. If you
    can't prove fraud (intent+act) at the time of the sale,
    a decent lawyer could probably keep Sal out of jail
    unless other offences can be proven, e.g. fraud at the
    time of cashing your cheque or at the time of writing out
    the bounced refund cheque. On both these counts he claims
    it wasn't him.
    - The father story is a good one too: it creates a circular
    fifth amendment case in which Sal can blame his father,
    yet refuse to testify against him, while he can also
    refuse to answer control questions that would incriminate
    himself. It covers everything, from mails to matching
    signatures on Fedex receipt and cheque. What's best in
    this is that Sal's father, if he exists and is alive, can
    use the very same fifth amendment to refuse to testify
    against his son. You end up in an impasse where it is
    plain and clear that one of Sal or the father is guilty
    and lying, but there is no way to prove whether it is
    the one or the other, so both get acquitted.
    All in all, the only weak point in all this is the United
    Check Cashing Co. videos, if there are any. If you really
    plan to keep going, you should subpoena those videos asap,
    to make sure they don't get rutinely destroyed after the
    lapse of their shelf time.
    General
    It is my strong impression that Sal owes money to many
    more people than just ebayers; I would expect him to
    be in the red with his local drug dealer and at the pub
    too, while his car is being repossesed and the landlord
    has given him final notice about the rent. Sal seems to
    be a person that opens a hole

  140. American TV Shows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Didn't knwo you guys were still running candid camera :)

  141. End of the world? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mod me down for repeating previous posts, but damn, his website makes the grammar here look like Shakespeare. Never thought I'd see that day.

  142. Let Me Explain... by etLux · · Score: 0



    This is all so easily sorted out. Let me explain.

    Sal had a tough start in life because he was his own father, a tradition he carried on with his newborn son, who is, thus, actually his grandfather, and secretly the owner of eBay.

    Worse, he's hooked up with that Heinlein gal, who is the distant unrelated daughter of Robert Heinlein, who, like Sal, is also dead -- but because he didn't own a Lexus (Robert Heinlein, the science fiction writer, that is), was unable to be suddenly brought back to life to collect the bereavement contributions for his own death. This saddened Sal, so, like anyone else naturally would, he took to writing bad checks.

    Now, Sal had to get around, of course, so he also took to selling laptops on eBay (which his grandfather who is really his son secretly owns) in order to buy himself a mess of motor scooters from some guy named Vince Messina who, unlike Robert Heinlein, is apparently either not dead or undead.

    But Vince Messina didn't know how to ride a laptop, and worse, he had Windows XP installed on his motor scooters (without Service Pack 2, no less), so, of course, this caused Sal's father, who is secretly his son, to begin speaking in Italian -- which, of course, is how you can tell he isn't himself in his emails.

    Finally, the reporter from Philly Channel 10 News came along, and, a pleasant and intelligent fellow, he decided to clear everything up by sticking a motor scooter in Heinlein's pants (Michelle's, not Robert's) and claiming that he had $43,000,000,000 in a Swiss account that you, too, could have 80% of if you'd just chip in a few thousand dollars to help Sal make the refunds on the merchandise Vince made him sell on eBay because Sal's son (actually his grandfather), presumably in diapers due to his grandfatherly prostate condition, was in hock to the Lexus dealer.

    There.

    Everyone understand now?

  143. oh, dear... by jeff.covey · · Score: 1
    i read that as "the evil one always has a goatse..."

    i don't think they'll be showing that on the 6:00 news.

  144. Re: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you people are all assholes that are saying these comments ,Mr & mrs Wise are decent people, not like all of you tahat are writing theses lies