Beverly Holdings Internet electronic goods scam, got scammed nearly US$3000 buying a video camera. Don't trust them! San Jose California

I ordered online through www.bharea.com a new Canon XH-A1 video camera. The camera, as well as having it Express Shipped Internationally to Australia using UPS, cost US$2919.20. I used www.me-gold.com to bank wire that amount and convert it into e-gold which is bharea.com's payment method.

Right up until I paid them they constantly sent me emails reminding me to pay etc. I asked them if there was a small change in the exchange rate between the day I sent the money through me-gold.com until the day it was received by me-gold.com and transfered to my e-gold account, what would happen. They quickly and happily responded that they would give me a small discount.

On October 18 2007 I successfully transferred my money from my e-gold account into bharea.com's e-gold account as they instructed. I then received a automatically generated "Payment Confirmation"; email which gave me a link to check my "Order Status" on their website. According to their website this is also the area that they provide the tracking number for the shipment. Upon checking my "Order Status" I found that it said my payment had been received and my parcel "sent". But I received no tracking number. Ever since I have been trying to contact them asking for my tracking number and I haven't got any response. They have gone completely dark.

Just to check it out, on October 23 2007 I emailed them from another email account with a bogus product inquiry to see how quickly they would respond (hoping that their email system was down and that was why they weren't replying to my other emails). But they responded within 15 minutes. I sent them a few more emails pretending to be interested in purchasing their product all with quick replies. I then sent another email but this time I mentioned that I was the same person who owned the bundy_899@hotmail.com account and I was waiting for my tracking number. The replies from bharea.com stopped. I have not heard back from them since.

The physical warehouse address they supply (according to Google) is actually an Asian restaurant. On their site they have a link to their company information as recognised by the "US Securities and Exchange Commission" so at the time I thought it was legitimate.

I just want my money back because I have saved really hard for it. If anyone wants to help me out feel free. I find it amazing that this kind of thing can so freely exist in the U.S. I mean everyone knows about the fraud and ripoffs through Chinese merchants online, but to be so explicitly fraudulent being based in America and being able to get away with it amazes me.

I hope this protects other people from my stupid mistake, and that hopefully I and the other victims of Beverly Holdings and their affiliated companies can receive financial compensation.

Nathan
Banora Point
Australia