Wednesday, March 25, 2009

This Company is a Scam! See Evidence Enclosed

Fredrick & Webster Inc, with Paul Webster, is a farce
Morgan, Webster and Stone, with Peter Morgan or Sam Stone is a farce

If you are contacted by Paul Webster for a CFO search, or to conduct a personal job search for you, avoid all contact. He is a scam artist. I have started this blog as a forum to keep this from happening to anybody else, and to get feedback from others who have been scammed so that, together, we can bring justice to Paul Webster.

He also has gone by the name Sam Stone and sells guns over the internet, including GunsAmerica.com, but never delivers the guns.

More and more stories are hitting this blog, and we are gathering critical mass to bring this guy down.

Update - May 2, 2010

There has been significant activity by this scam artist who has gone by Paul Webster and Sam Stone in scamming purchasers of guns over the internet. Read the posts below.

The latest firm name is now Morgan, Webster and Stone under the name of Sam Stone.



Update - July 20, 2009

Since posting this blog, we have brought together at least 6 other individuals who have been victims of this scam. Many of these individuals have used their own money to set-up additional links to this blog, additional websites and have launched investigations with local authorities in Florida and Georgia. Collectively, we have been taken for tens-of-thousands of dollars from Paul Webster's scams. If you have fallen victim to Paul's scams, please share your story and file a report with at www.ic3.gov. We are all dedicated to bringing this man to justice.

It looks like Paul has taken down all links to the sites below. If you find another one that he has posted, publish the link in the comments section below!


Note that Paul has recently moved his website and address to a Georgia location. His new website address is: http://fwsearches.com/index.html

The content hasn't changed however!

After I updated this link on 5/18, you will notice that the site is now "temporarily under construction." He is no doubt going to move his page to another web address.

His old Fredrick & Webster website was: http://financeexecutivesearches.com/WHYWA.html
This site no longer works. His Florida work number and cell phone have been disconnected.

His new address and phone number from his website is:

950 Herrington Rd, Ste. C-112
Lawrencville, GA 30044
Phone: 888-717-7741

Evidence

After being contacted by Paul Webster through "the Ladders" executive job search site for a CFO role, Paul said all of the right things regarding a job search for me. I signed a contract (which I will post here) with him to engage in a personal retained job search for me for a $4,500 retainer fee. After several weeks of consulting sessions, I never heard from him again.

My attorney uncovered the following information from an online forum in Florida where Paul scammed some money from some outdoorsmen for the online purchase of guns. They did an extensive search on him as well and found him to have several business aliases. See this link for more info, and be sure to read the entire thread:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1752885/page/1/nt/4/fpart/4

Private Investigator's Search

I have currently engaged a private investigator to do a background check on Paul Webster. I will share what results I can when they are available.


Call to Action

If you have been scammed by Paul Webster, Sam Stone or other, please add your story to this blog so that we can accumulate as much evidence against this scam artist as possible. If he has contacted you regarding doing any type of business, avoid engaging him or you will lose your money.

32 comments:

  1. This guy took me for a ride just recently. Like to talk with you further on how you handled with PI and other Law Enforcement.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Myself and about 20 other buyers on AuctionArms.com just got scammed out of a lot of money by this guy. He used the name Stephen Fredrick and seller name FWI on the site, but he is also Paul Stephen Webster. He has another website at theexecutivesearchsite.com, which he runs out of Lawrenceville, GA., right near Atlanta that is almost identical to the website out of Coral Springs, FL. He listed about 23 firearms and ammo auctions on AuctionArms.com and got me personally for $5389.00!! So far, I have filed an FBI Internet fraud complaint and a police report with the county police that Lawrenceville, GA is under jurisdiction with. This all just happened within the last 2-3 weeks, so this guy is on a role scamming people with various schemes. He knows firearms very well and definitely said all the right things to me. I talked to him personally on the phone at least 4 times and he convinced me through his business savy to trust him. Can't believe I let my guard down. I would be interested in any info you find out and would like to talk to you personally sometime if that is possible.

    Thanks, Jeff

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sandbox23 and Jeff -- thanks for posting your comments. I would like to connect with so that we can bring all of our evidence together against Webster. Let me know best way to contact you via e-mail, then we can connect offline.

    ReplyDelete
  4. He took a number of people on 24hourcampfire.com about a year and a half ago - self included.

    He'll appear legit but he's a con artist.

    Do NOT hire this guy for an executive search, and DO NOT purchase anything online from him.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mark,

    Contact me via jbharley@msn.com.

    Jeff

    ReplyDelete
  6. I was defrauded by this scam artist a few weeks ago for $1,500 for a "career search contract".

    He contacted me through Netshare.com regarding a CFO position. He said all the right things and asked for $4,500 a "refundable retainer". When I told him that I could not afford that amount he reduced it to $1,500. After the payment he didn't reply to my emails or voicemails and completely disappeared.

    I am going to file a claim against him in the Small Claims Court as well as file a compliant with the Better Business Bureau.

    I am going to do everything in my power to find and bring this man to justice, even if it takes a long time.

    We need more ways to publicize his scams. Parasites like this should be put away.

    Mark, thanks for starting this blog. Let me know if you need any more information.

    R.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is background information and address registered under his website domain name:

    Domain Name.......... theexecutivesearchsite.com
    Creation Date........ 2008-12-09
    Registration Date.... 2008-12-09
    Expiry Date.......... 2009-12-09
    Organisation Name.... Paul Webster
    Organisation Address. 4085 Hancock Bridge Pkwy 111-371
    Organisation Address.
    Organisation Address. North Fort Myers
    Organisation Address. 33903
    Organisation Address. FL
    Organisation Address. UNITED STATES

    Admin Name........... Paul Webster
    Admin Address........ 4085 Hancock Bridge Pkwy 111-371
    Admin Address........
    Admin Address........ North Fort Myers
    Admin Address........ 33903
    Admin Address........ FL
    Admin Address........ UNITED STATES
    Admin Email.......... paul@financeexcutivesearchs.com
    Admin Phone.......... +1.2392461974
    Admin Fax............

    Tech Name............ YahooDomains TechContact
    Tech Address......... 701 First Ave.
    Tech Address.........
    Tech Address......... Sunnyvale
    Tech Address......... 94089
    Tech Address......... CA
    Tech Address......... UNITED STATES
    Tech Email........... domain.tech@yahoo-inc.com
    Tech Phone........... +1.6198813096
    Tech Fax.............
    Name Server.......... yns1.yahoo.com
    Name Server.......... yns2.yahoo.com


    R.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rex -- thanks for the information. I am talking to a few agencies on how we can use our collected information to get Webster. I hope to have a plan within the next week or so. In the mean time, you can file an Internet Fraud Complaint with with the FBI at www.ic3.gov.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Will do Mark.

    Also, I'd be happy to contribute to the cost of employing an agency; even the entire amount that he took from me.

    It occurred to me that when he set up the domain in Yahoo (as well as the fictitious job listings), he would have had to pay using a credit card which, theoretically, would have his home address on it. I am going to contact Yahoo to find out what their procedure is for dealing with fraudulent activity that occurs on their web infrastructure.

    The questions in my mind are: Is Webster even his real name? If / when he is located what can be legally done to bring him to justice, that is not cost-prohibitive?

    I will update the Blog when I have some more news. In the meantime, I am trying to figure out how to publicize this Blog more effectively in order to find other people affected by Webster's scams.

    R

    ReplyDelete
  10. Completely agree with you on how to increase the visibility of this blog. I was racking my brain on how to do that as well. Also, I assume that Webster may have visibility to this blog, so perhaps as we get deeper, we take some of the conversation off-line.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Rex -- I have some updated information to pass along to you and Jeff that I would like to share offline. I just got off of the phone with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Computer Crime Center. I have Jeff's e-mail, but I need yours. Can you provide me with your e-mail? If you do not wish to put it on the blog, I have set-up a private e-mail for correspondence. It is WebsterScam@gmail.com. Simply send your e-mail address to that e-mail account.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Rex and Mark,

    Please contact me at my private email, jbharley@msn.com, as I have alot of interesting info on this jerk to share with both of you.

    Thanks, Jeff

    ReplyDelete
  13. Mark & Jeff,

    Thanks for your messages. I have emailed my contact information to both of you.

    Look forward to hearing from you.

    Regards,

    Rex

    ReplyDelete
  14. sent info via websterscam@gmail.com

    Look forward to talking with you guys.

    --Dave

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mark & Jeff,

    Did you both receive the documents I emailed to you on Saturday?

    Also, do either of you guys have Dave's email so that I can forward him the same email?

    Thanks,

    Rex

    ReplyDelete
  16. Rex,

    I just sent you Dave's e-mail. I have some documents and further info that I will mail to everyone today as well and then we can determine what our next collective steps.

    Thanks,
    Mark

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Guys...I am one of the 24 Hour Campfire members that was scammed by this piece of human trash. Took me for over $3,000. Would be happy to help in any way possible. My username on the campfire is Racer1 if you look at the thread referenced above.

    Also, thanks for setting up this page. Hopefully anyone who does a search on our buddy "Paul", or "Stephen", or whatever the hell he calls himself this week, will find this and stay away from him.

    Steve

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Steve,

    I have just sent you a private email to bring you up to date with recent developments not mentioned on this blog.

    Rez

    ReplyDelete
  19. Go by the fleeced a*****. Got hold of me through an excutive seach even gave me an interview first for a "great job". The rest is histiry like everyone.

    I ran a backgroud check later an got his daugther name I believe. He mentionned the same name in one of my phone conversation.

    If anyone needs the report let me know.

    Louis

    ReplyDelete
  20. OK... he's resurfaced... this time under Peter Morgan, Fort Myers Florida, Morgan, Webster & Stone, Inc at GunsAmerica.com and clipped me for $7,450.00 in February 2010 ..... before disappearing.... I've got the US Postal Inspectors working on him and have already turned him in to the IC3... Anyone who has been clipped in Missouri PLEASE CONTACT ME! Good Luck!

    ReplyDelete
  21. hundreddollarbill,

    I just got contacted by a guy last night that almost got ripped off by Webster, but saw this blog just before he sent the money. If you want his email, it has a phone number that has an answering machine on it, with a guy by the name of Sam asking you to leave a message.
    Email me at jbharley@msn.com if you would like.

    Jeff

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hey guys I was one of those that got scamed in May 2009 he toke me for $900. I file a police report and havent heard anything about it since then. I got plenty of emails that are saved if they are needed reguard the way he scamed me.

    garrett_gallentine@yahoo.com

    WE NEED TO NAIL THIS GUY!!!!

    -Garrett

    ReplyDelete
  23. He got me for $1285.00 last week. Gun sale on GunsAmerica. He used the name Sam Stone to me, and you're right, he knows just what to say to you. If anybody finds him, I'd prosecute him, sorry that's persecute him personally. I live on disability and that money was more than I get a month to live on and he knew it, and still he screwed me.

    ReplyDelete
  24. As of last week his number is 239-220-7952
    retirednotdead@gmail.com
    11301 Bonita Beach Road Suite 7
    Bonita Beach Florida,
    Email says his name is Samuel Stone

    ReplyDelete
  25. Got me too....same $1285.00. Same name "Sam Stone". I should have known better, but like others have said --the guy said all the right things. I wrote him a personal check, so I am f'd. I will report this to GA and other appropriate authorities.

    ReplyDelete
  26. CHRIS IN OHIO:
    WELL IT LOOKS LIKE I GOT THE DEAL, HE ONLY GOT ME FOR $1235.00
    I MUST HAVE JEWED A LITTLE BETTER,
    I'M ON THE SHERIFF'S DEPT. HERE IN OHIO, BUT I DONT KNOW THAT THAT WILL HELP ANYMORE THAN SOME HAVE ALREADY TRIED, LOOKS LIKE I'LL BE GETTING IN THE LOOP, I'LL MAKE A REPORT THIS WEEK, AND GET THE PAPER WORK STARTED WITH THE USPS, IF NOTHING HAPPENS THIS SUMMER, AS I WORK ALL SUMMER WITH THE WINTER OFF, I WILL BE UP FOR A WORKING VACATION THIS WINTER TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, CONTACT ME AT GUNRUNR@DRAGONBBS.COM
    THANKS FOR THE BLOG

    ReplyDelete
  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  28. I actually just came across the blog you and several others have regarding a "Webster" or "Stone" that is ripping off people at GunsAmerica and other internet sites. Well, I unfortunately got suckered in for $1200.00 about a month ago for 2 Kimber handguns that never arrived at my FFL location, and am getting all the information possible on finding this guy for a long prison term. I have an email address(retirednotdead@gmail.com) and a cell #239-220-7952. I sent my personal check to Morgan Webster & Stone, Inc. 11301 Bonita Beach Rd. Suite 7, Bonita Springs, Florida 34135 which I later found out is actually a storage facility and not corporate office like I was led to believe. I am working on getting the personal info on the owner of the facility. Also, the bank info on back of the cleared check is not legible and my bank cannot tell me what the name of his bank is (I wanted to find a money trail to his account and follow it to him). He had talked to me on the phone for 16 minutes and gave me some background on himself (supposedly) that he just got married to a younger woman (15 years younger) and had to sell his gun collection because she was not comfortable about firearms. I have had his GunsAmerica account closed down, but they will not give any personal info without a subpoena from local police. My police department will not prosecute internet fraud cases, so I will start filing with the FBI and the ATF this week. Any other info to help me continue the search for this scam artist would be greatly appreciated.
    Email me @ tomtom13@att.net.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Tom,

    Paul Webster took me (and several others on 24 Hour Campfire) on a Kimber handgun in October 2007. Sent money, never received the item.

    Hoping a growing laundry list here will provide ample PC for the state of Florida to actually do something about this guy.

    ReplyDelete
  30. FYI....
    Fugitive accused of grand theft arrested
    3:28 PM 03/22/2011 www.nbc-2.com
    LEE COUNTY: A fugitive wanted by the Lee County Sheriff's Office was arrested Monday, nearly four years after the investigation into the suspect's online sales began.
    The Economic Crimes Unit began investigating Paul Webster's online activities after several complaints were made in 2007.
    The investigation revealed Webster was advertising guns and electronics for sale online. Webster collected money from the buyer, but never sent the purchased item to the buyer, according to investigators.
    Webster used multiple post office boxes and moved often, which made him hard to track, reports said.
    On March 21, detectives located and arrested Webster in Lee County.
    Webster faces grand theft charges in Lee County. Sarasota County issued warrants for Webster for grand theft and scheme to defraud.
    Webster is also wanted in Georgia on similar charges.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Praise the Lord, justice has finally been done! Now we all have to make sure he never gets out of jail... Got my $1200 worth just reading the article. I will be glad to fly down there and supply evidence against him for mail fraud. Please keep me updated at: tomtom13@att.net

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete