How I got scammed through "Ebrahim Saadawi"

[dhessel]

So that was posted about a month before this bad sale and it has been about a month since then? Is this the same scam that almost got Tito? He mentions an egyptian rangefinder in his post in the anamorphic forum.

[Mattias Burling]

19 minutes ago, Inazuma said:

I always felt the information he gave out on this forum was shoddy anyway. I'm sure at one point he even claimed the D750 was as sharp as the C100, which is not even close to the truth. 

But to throw away his reputation for £200 (if that?) is especially baffling. 

I say it sounds about right. I did a side by side with the D750 and the BMCC 2.5K Raw and the Nikon isn't to far of.
But I dont think this has jack to do with the topic, total low ball to take the opportunity just because some guy didn't agree on some random spec of a camera.

[jase]

1 hour ago, mercer said:

Ahh the Internet... Sarcasm and humor sometimes does not translate well. I was joking around with that comment... Unsure if you were with your reply?

Gotcha, I didnt get it. Apologies :/

[Damphousse]

11 minutes ago, Mattias Burling said:

I say it sounds about right. I did a side by side with the D750 and the BMCC 2.5K Raw and the Nikon isn't to far of.
But I dont think this has jack to do with the topic, total low ball to take the opportunity just because some guy didn't agree on some random spec of a camera.

Yeah.  Wow.  You don't like some comment about a spec in a stupid camera review so you bring it up at a criminal trial?  I can see why we have a criminal justice system and due process.  If you allow a mob to mete out justice every ahole with an axe to grind comes out of the woodwork.

I appreciate Timotheus bringing this to our attention and as the aggrieved party I certainly give his posts a lot of latitude.  But the lynch mob of third party people who have suffered no harm real or merely alleged need to chill.  Ebrahim posts on here quite frequently.  If he all of a sudden disappears and makes no attempt to contact Andrew then we can take our speculation to the next level.

When I joined I found Ebrahim on this forum already.  He has contributed a lot.  You would think after years of contributions when something like this is alleged there would be some kind of grace period given for someone to give an explanation.  If you all are so willing to casually throw Ebrahim under the bus what will you do if someone makes an allegation against me?  It's been less than 8 hours and a disturbing number of people on the forum have savaged the guy.

 

[Timotheus]

Hi all, OP here. Thanks for the support. Healthy scepticism also always welcome, I know that would be my approach as well.

This thread is not intended to just burn the seller down, I am not a hateful person and believe revenge is a dish best left unserved. Justice and taking responsibility are a different matter though. I am truly, truly baffled by what happened. Can't get my head around the fact anyone would do this for this amount of money. Whether it's junior (ab)using his shared account or if they're both in the know; both bizarre.

Exactly because (Senior) Ebrahim's contributions have been so valuable for the forum I was hesitant to put this out, but this couldn't stand. Hopefully this gets sorted out.

[Ed_David]

I also really respect Ebrahim's posts on here and I respect people's levelheaded-ness.

This is a movie script as Fuzzynormal said - some snot-nose punk messing with us.

But I agree, let's give this man the benefit of the doubt.

This is not in any way a Bloom style-thing.  That was about domestic violence charges coming forward from two women -  an ex-fiance and ex-girlfriend.  That was a serious issue.

A personal issue for me, since I was also the witness to domestic violence growing up.    

This is about a lens scam by a respected poster on this community.

I agree, let's hear what Ebrahim has to say.  And also, can someone just please reach them?  He's on reduser, dvx,  nofilmschool, etc etc.

Can the OP or the other person just ask him?

 

And also, they are not being malicious posting this on this site.

All of you guys would have done the same thing if you were burned on a purchase.

How many of you have been burned on a purchase before?  

I think the OP handled this very rationally and with respect.

[PannySVHS]

Hallo,

for now you guys, just don´t do business with anybody asking for Western Union!

To make statements about beating anybody up does not belong in this forum, as far as my opinion goes.

To have spent a few hundred dollars on a scam is unfortunate. Aggressive statements from commenting audience of forum members are

unfortunate as well and not necessary.

To say: XYZ never said anything interesting about cameras and filming anyways is just a unfortunate facette of this unhealthy conduct.

The wealth of contributions of the Persona Ebrahim is well regarded.

I suggest to leave this topic as a warning for potential Western Union buyers, close it for futher comments and delete the aggressive statements.

Hopefully the real Ebrahim is doing well and not in need of scamming.

cheers

[Damphousse]

24 minutes ago, Timotheus said:

Hi all, OP here. Thanks for the support. Healthy scepticism also always welcome, I know that would be my approach as well.

This thread is not intended to just burn the seller down, I am not a hateful person and believe revenge is a dish best left unserved. Justice and taking responsibility are a different matter though. I am truly, truly baffled by what happened. Can't get my head around the fact anyone would do this for this amount of money. Whether it's junior (ab)using his shared account or if they're both in the know; both bizarre.

Exactly because (Senior) Ebrahim's contributions have been so valuable for the forum I was hesitant to put this out, but this couldn't stand. Hopefully this gets sorted out.

You did the right thing.  You and IshootbeforeItalk have first hand knowledge and we all appreciate you posting what you know.  My objection was to the lynch mob that had no first hand knowledge posting extreme things.  I can understand someone who is a victim being upset and even going a little overboard but to have people on this forum who have not lost a penny behave that way is unacceptable particularly at this stage in the process.

 

8 minutes ago, PannySVHS said:

I suggest to leave this topic as a warning for potential Western Union buyers, close it for futher comments and delete the aggressive statements.

 

I agree.  No Western Union ever.

Also realize documentation and tracking is key.  I recently sold several low cost items on ebay.  They were so low cost that I went with skimpy packaging and no tracking numbers because nothing I've ever sent has been "lost in the mail".  Well low and behold out of the four packages sent out one of them allegedly never got to it's destination nor was it returned to the clearly printed return address.  Hhhhmmm... why does that only happen when it is an ebay sale and I use no tracking?

As far as online transactions go I like Craigslist.  Meet in person in broad daylight in a busy public place.

[DBounce]

For the record PayPal is accepted in Egypt... Here's a list of the 202 countries where PayPal is accepted. So someone claiming it is not accepted where it clearly is should raise a red flag. 

[Kurtisso]

7 hours ago, Nikkor said:

I always knew he wasn't kosher.

 

[ntblowz]

Only use paypal and nothing else, or rather spend extra on retail, at you least you are guaranteed to get the stuff.

 

I'd say ban him if proven guilty

[IronFilm]

4 hours ago, Mattias Burling said:

Ok, one more post then Im done until he answers.

I see three theories to what happened.

1. Exactly as its claimed. Ebrahim put out an ad for an object. When he got a buyer he took the money and never sent the item.
He didn't do it to multiple people. He didn't do it anonymously on eBay. He didn't do it with something expensive instead of an item worth like a sixth of what one of his camera bodys alone is worth. Or probably just a fraction of what his business that he has mention many times makes.
He just threw reputation, status and morale down the drain for a few lousy. 
Also waisting the opportunity to make some real money on selling a 1Dii or 1DC to ten different people at once.

2. Its a deal gone wrong. The item got lost in the mail, broke, got stolen, wasn't what the buyer expected, what have you.
Buyer wants a refund. Seller doesn't feel that is fair. Argument. More argument. And finally some open letter type of "revenge".
The message earlier could have been part of such a refund discussion and not an admission of guilt.

3. Hacked account of an unknown, grandson, what have you.

Again, Im not accusing anyone of anything, just not ready to pass judgement so quickly when I see three theories. 
Its not beyond reasonable doubt imo.
 

Agreed with the calls to wait before rushing to grab the pitchforks. These for instance are three plausible theories laid out by Mattias. Or it might even be something else we haven't thought of yet. 

[Jimmy]

I just wanna say I have no problem with the OP and he did the right thing..... whatever has happened, the account of the seller is compromised and people need to be warned of that.

[Grimor]

I try to buy the same lens from him days ago.

I've no answer from him.

I tried to contact here and in dvxuser site.

Finally i buy throw the slr magic UK online store.

My luck!

 

 

[Guest Ebrahim Saadawi]

Okay,

You have no obligation to trust my words, and I don't actually need you to trust them as it doesn't harm me in anyway.

Before anything else, this is Saadawi Senior. This comes as a shocker to me as much as it does to any of you. And I thank all of the comments on this thread speaking of how I helped them throughout the years here. Let me thank you deeply (as this is probably going to be my last chance before being banned). So truly, thank you. I learnt just as much from you, even from 16 year old who are getting into their first cameras offered me amazing help and prespective I'd never got in my 21 years shooting motion picture film. Again thank you. 

Regarding this scam. I have zero idea how it happened and how. All of Mattius guesses are plausible. But my first and most suspected guess (90% sure of it),

1- Is that someone here, someone close to me did it. 

I say so because no one outside of my close circle of Saadawi Media company knows and has access to my gear quite so specifically. And because the password of all my accounts on EOSHD/DVX/FB is pretty much known to be simply my name. So those are the ones who had access to perform such a scam. Thus, this is 100% someone close. 

2- It's not my grandson Ebrahim, as he asks for a thousand dollars and I give him. He never needed a penny that I didn't offer. We have a relationship stronger than iron, and we both need no money of this kind. I run a successful Nuclear Radiology Center, Lecture in Middle east's highest regarded universities, and I run Al Saadawi Media, let's not get into numbers but I have no need to scam anyone for 1000-2000 USD while I make that in a day, therefore neither does my grandson. Because what I make, he receives as well.   

3- To let you know: this isn't just Timotheus who's been scammed. I just looked into the inbox of this account on EOSHD and Facebook, and it's 6 people who have been scammed. Three were scammed for about 250-300$, and 3 were scammed for 650-700 USD for Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8 Ai-S. And the buyers were given photographs of my actual personal items, not from somewhere else (which makes me baffled, he/she got into my gear closet and took these photographs SO incredibly rudely and fear-free. I can tell that by the little mark on the SLR on the front ring thread and from a unique accumulation of specks of dust on the Nikkor rubber zoom ring. 

4- I have no idea what to do or who to accuse or sue, no evidence and no way for me to proof who did it. And sadly, the sole channel to send money into Egypt is Western Union money Transfer (Paypal doesn't work as someone assumed earlier, it works only for sending out payments not vice versa), and the way the scam worked is that the buyer send the money as a regular transfer, just giving someone a payment for any reason, and once they recieve it of course there's no way to claim it back or sue or any of that. It's gone. So legally 6 people just sent him money and he received it, no more. 

5- I will do my best to figure out who did this to me, and wrote all these messages to more than 4 people that are incredibly insulting to me and to the reader and to the forums/countries where the sellers are from. 

6- Even if I couldn't figure out who did this, I promise that I will refund all of those who have been scammed through my own pocket someday, even when I have no obligation to.  

7- I will no longer use this account because more scams might be made through it. But I do hope it doesn't get banned just as reminder of the name and the contribution points. I'll just change the password and leave it as there. it's a shame because I considered EOSHD to be my bigger family. But anyhow even if members do trust me this situation will always keep a bad taste in your mouths for me and my sayings. 

8- For anyone who wishes to keep in contact with me, I'd happily do so through Ebrahimsaadawi@gmail.com as this is probably my last contribution here. 

Thank you and I am deeply sorry.

[HelsinkiZim]

13 minutes ago, Ebrahim Saadawi said:

Okay,

You have no obligation to trust my words, and I don't actually need you to trust them as it doesn't harm me in anyway.

Before anything else, this is Saadawi Senior. This comes as a shocker to me as much as it does to any of you. And I thank all of the comments on this thread speaking of how I helped them throughout the years here. Let me thank you deeply (as this is probably going to be my last chance before being banned). So truly, thank you. I learnt just as much from you, even from 16 year old who are getting into their first cameras offered me amazing help and prespective I'd never got in my 21 years shooting motion picture film. Again thank you. 

Regarding this scam. I have zero idea how it happened and how. All of Mattius guesses are plausible. But my first and most suspected guess (90% sure of it),

1- Is that someone here, someone close to me did it. 

I say so because no one outside of my close circle of Saadawi Media company knows and has access to my gear quite so specifically. And because the password of all my accounts on EOSHD/DVX/FB is pretty much known to be simply my name. So those are the ones who had access to perform such a scam. Thus, this is 100% someone close. 

2- It's not my grandson Ebrahim, as he asks for a thousand dollars and I give him. He never needed a penny that I didn't offer. We have a relationship stronger than iron, and we both need no money of this kind. I run a successful Nuclear Radiology Center, Lecture in Middle east's highest regarded universities, and I run Al Saadawi Media, let's not get into numbers but I have no need to scam anyone for 1000-2000 USD while I make that in a day, therefore neither does my grandson. Because what I make, he receives as well.   

3- To let you know: this isn't just Timotheus who's been scammed. I just looked into the inbox of this account on EOSHD and Facebook, and it's 6 people who have been scammed. Three were scammed for about 250-300$, and 3 were scammed for 650-700 USD for Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8 Ai-S. And the buyers were given photographs of my actual personal items, not from somewhere else (which makes me baffled, he/she got into my gear closet and took these photographs SO incredibly rudely and fear-free. I can tell that by the little mark on the SLR on the front ring thread and from a unique accumulation of specks of dust on the Nikkor rubber zoom ring. 

4- I have no idea what to do or who to accuse or sue, no evidence and no way for me to proof who did it. And sadly, the sole channel to send money into Egypt is Western Union money Transfer (Paypal doesn't work as someone assumed earlier, it works only for sending out payments not vice versa), and the way the scam worked is that the buyer send the money as a regular transfer, just giving someone a payment for any reason, and once they recieve it of course there's no way to claim it back or sue or any of that. It's gone. So legally 6 people just sent him money and he received it, no more. 

5- I will do my best to figure out who did this to me, and wrote all these messages to more than 4 people that are incredibly insulting to me and to the reader and to the forums/countries where the sellers are from. 

6- Even if I couldn't figure out who did this, I promise that I will refund all of those who have been scammed through my own pocket someday, even when I have no obligation to.  

7- I will no longer use this account because more scams might be made through it. But I do hope it doesn't get banned just as reminder of the name and the contribution points. I'll just change the password and leave it as there. it's a shame because I considered EOSHD to be my bigger family. But anyhow even if members do trust me this situation will always keep a bad taste in your mouths for me and my sayings. 

8- For anyone who wishes to keep in contact with me, I'd happily do so through Ebrahimsaadawi@gmail.com as this is probably my last contribution here. 

Thank you and I am deeply sorry.

You shouldn't feel so bad. In a way you too have been scammed of your credibility. I hope you figure it out. However, scammers may have figured out that these forums are the way to go if you can hack a respectable users account. Its not that absurd a thought.

But people were threatening to come to your house and that wasn't cool.

[mojo43]

11 hours ago, Ed_David said:

here's details on him - the younger one at least - goes to the  Faculty of Dentistry

Lives in Mansoura, Egypt

His dad seems to be a radiologist (physician)

Makes sense, the younger one couldn't cut it in med school, so goes to dentist school.

I think using this info and geotagging facial recognition software with all his photos you can find his friends and then find him.

He doesn't work professionally in film, so he has no reputation to keep there.

 

So all you can do is embarass him at his school and his dental practice if he has one and then shame him with his father and his business and probably find the whole family.

I'm probably guessing his dad doesn't know this is giong on, so reach out to the dad on nofilmschool and find other ways to contact the dad.

 

Unless there is an explanation.

But anyway, you can ruin his reputation and really embarass the shit out of him with his dad.  Who will probably give him a good spanking.

 

 

https://vimeo.com/ebrahimsaadawi - young one

That's awesome... on the page that you linked https://vimeo.com/ebrahimsaadawi there is a video and it contains my footage. Or at least the front pic is my footage... 

 

 

[PannySVHS]

40 minutes ago, HelsinkiZim said:

 

But people were threatening to come to your house and that wasn't cool.

 

This is a shame. I posted above: aggressive comments should be deleted, thread should be closed for comments but left on the forum as a warning about Western Union transfers.

I was scammed before twice, once by an ebay seller for 100USD. Aggressive messages of people, esp. who have not been put into harms themselves by the matter, should not be accepted, neither should threats of aggression of any kind. Shame about that verbal misfortune. I hope these aggressive words will be deleted by Andy Lee or other moderators. It is not up to anybody to assume. Of course it can be helpful to warn people about possible risks or scams, like the poster of this thread did.

So let´s just leave it that way and not post aggressive threats nor assumptions nor insults.

[fuzzynormal]

24 minutes ago, mojo43 said:

https://vimeo.com/ebrahimsaadawi there is a video and it contains my footage.

Hold on a moment, I think we need to confirm this accusation so we're not misunderstanding. 

You're claiming that personal footage you shot is in a video that someone else, Ebrahim Saadawi, is representing as their work?

[Escapist]

Ebrahim, wrote a massive article on here which he let me edit and re-publish on my site for free, so this is certainly a very weird situation.

If what Ebrahim says is true, we should at least try to investigate it and try to remove the blame from him as best we can. Wouldn't it be wrong not to? 

1. Andrew, is there a way to determine the IP Addresses that logged in to Ebrahim's account during those replies to those transactions?

2. As a challenge to Ebrahim, this person had access to your physical gear and 3 of your accounts (EOSHD, DVXUser, and Facebook). That sounds like someone very close to you.