Monster Receiver Guy is off his meds....Again!

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motorcityguy

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A year or so ago, I responded to a CL listing in Detroit, for a large receiver that was offered by a seller in Indiana, who I later came to find out was the infamous "monster receiver guy." The info and pic in his ad were limited, so I sent a polite inquiry with some basic questions. Got a quick response asking for my cell number, which I naively provided. (I would later regret that decision.)

Almost immediately, the abuse began. Emails and texts calling me a #%$@*@#*$ flipper, and touting his supreme knowledge and uncanny ability to perceive my motivations. The messages were not only rude, but quite offensive and filled with colorful language. Initially, I tried to diffuse the situation and defend myself, but this too, was a mistake as it seemed to inflame him further. So I simply ignored him.

Unfortunately, that didn't work, as he continued to send dozens more emails and texts which quickly escalated: He made it clear that he'd found out my name and address (gotta love the internet!) and was now making physical threats to come and get me, and claiming he would send the cops/press charges/call his lawyer. It was offensive, intimidating, and humorously pathetic, all at the same time!

The crowning blow was when he put my name, city, and phone number in his CL ad (along with a couple of other people that had apparently offended his delicate medical condition), calling us all out as #$%^&*(&*^%$% flippers. At this point, I reported him to CL, and the ad was removed in short order. Apparently the one thing that gets action from them is when you report that someone has put your personal information in their ad.

Fast forward to last week. I'd forgotten all about "monster receiver guy" (MRG) and was innocently trolling CL for interesting items. I found a listing on Indianapolis CL, for a receiver and speakers. The single photo, the lack of detail in description, and the location, should have tipped me off, but quite honestly I'd forgotten all about MRG. The receiver in the ad was mildly interesting to me, but the price was for a package deal. So, I sent a brief, polite, simple inquiry as to whether the receiver was available separately. Something like, "Will you separate? If so, how much for the receiver?". Pretty harmless question, right?

I got a response the next day that said, "Send me your number and make an offer." Still not realizing it was MRG, I responded that I don't make offers without first seeing the item. Then the explosion of emails came! Four or five in the first hour. (Thank goodness, I hadn't provided my phone number this time!) He sent all his usual rants: how he was so shrewd to determine I was a flipper, and how I was full of BS, how he knew my name and location, etc, etc. (Still not quite sure how a query about separating the items qualifies me as a "BS slinger"....)

Of course, I realized by now that it was the infamous "monster receiver guy" and I'd set him off again. Despite the temptation to respond, I was smart enough not to do so, but I have now received a dozen abusive responses over a period of several days since my original query. Not sure when they'll stop. Perhaps when someone else sends a fresh inquiry and diverts his attention from me? Clearly this moron has no life, in addition to having some serious mental problems.
 
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Guy is crazy. Many AK members have had experiences with that guy, and many of my former customers had experiences with him, too. (As a result, I worked on a lot of his items that he claimed worked...) Mental illness is a scary thing.
 
Why don't you block him? It's easy enough to block texts, calls and emails and there's the end of your problem.
 
I dont know if you want to block the guy that is threatening to come to your house to "get you".. I would want to save all of that just in case. And if he is going to give me a warning before he shows up, I want to know that too.
 
Why don't you block him? It's easy enough to block texts, calls and emails and there's the end of your problem.

Because that's not the only problem, he then resorts to posting your name, phone number, email and anything else that he can find on CL, ... so you need to watch for it. He also always calls with a blocked caller ID and only emails through CL's email.

I was able to find his real name, his several pseudonames, his phone numbers, and his address, he has many enemies so he isn't hard to find. Surprises me that nobody has taken the vigilante direction, apparently (and hopefully) we audio folks are above that.

I found an Indiana State Police Detective who was willing to talk to the Prosecutor's office about him down in Indy (I had saved and screenshot everything, forwarded all of the voicemails, etc.) and things did calm down. The Detective told me that they have a very large file on him, but that the Prosecutor's office didn't consider his offenses serious enough to warrant prosecuting.

So it calmed down eventually for me also, and whenever I see his ads here (150 miles away), Detroit (what, 400 miles away?), South Bend, Chicago, ... I always flag them from at least three IP addresses trying to save the midwest from his antics, but we'll never be rid of him.

His trademarks are several that I've noticed. He usually posts the same tired old photos he's been posting for years, his Marantz 4400? Pioneer SX-1250, a stack of JBL & Pioneer speakers (HP-100 and L100 maybe? Not sure I remember), sometimes has a price but not always, and almost always ends with "I also have an xxxxx" without a price (or prices) for this additional gear he has "for sale".

He did teach me to never give out my name or number and to scrub any return emails. He is also the only bad experience I've had on cl (knocking on wood).
 
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Chuck's often barely readable rants, emails, and CL postings remind me of the old saying: "Never wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty and the pig likes it.".

If an ad looks and smells like Chuck AKA: MRG, stay away.
 
Sounds like the guy has a history of doing the wrong things to people and I'm surprised that he hasn't been paid a visit by Guido and the boys yet for an attitude adjustment. It's only a matter of time before he does mess with the wrong guy. I'm still thinking I'd block all calls and texts from from him and move on with life.
Stories like this do make me glad though that I gave up wasting my time scouring craigslist a couple years ago.
 
I found an Indiana State Police Detective who was willing to talk to the Prosecutor's office about him down in Indy (I had saved and screenshot everything, forwarded all of the voicemails, etc.) and things did calm down. The Detective told me that they have a very large file on him, but that the Prosecutor's office didn't consider his offenses serious enough to warrant prosecuting.

They can't get him on stalking or criminal threatening? I'd think that the combination of him going the distance to find all your personal info, in combination with threats would warrant some action from the PD.
 
Chuck's often barely readable rants, emails, and CL postings remind me of the old saying: "Never wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty and the pig likes it.".

An opportunity to add one of my favorites; "Never get into a pissing contest with a skunk!"
 
Sounds like the guy has a history of doing the wrong things to people and I'm surprised that he hasn't been paid a visit by Guido and the boys yet for an attitude adjustment. It's only a matter of time before he does mess with the wrong guy.

Maybe Chuck IS the wrong guy.. Haha.

Reminded me of that scene in Breaking Bad when Walt says "I am the danger"
 
The flipper "community" is odd. I've run into a couple of people like that when I was into bicycles. Some people actually try to make a living at this stuff and get super territorial and cutthoat about it. I think people like him don't have what it takes to make it in the real world, so they try to eek out an existance reselling what they can. To be clear, I'm not talking about all people who resell for income, just the whack jobs.
 
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