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CB Mobile and Cell Phones Review of Patrick De Swert
Patrick De Swert

Patrick De Swert review: Scammer - No Stock - Phone4Real 85

R
Author of the review
10:30 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
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he is a scammer. he never has any stock, will take your money then dissappear. lots of stuff on the web about him!

Update by raj
Mar 12, 2009 2:24 am EDT

This is the most ridiculous post from these clowns at phone4real. Real quick Patrick Deswert, and his brother Nico Deswert took over $10, 000usd from our company. We have never had any type of business with these people other than their taking our money on a deal.

Mainstream Trading Co., Inc. has NEVER taken anyones money, if someone paid up front for an order and we could not supply the products we issued them a refund back. We have plenty of records to prove this. Unlike phone4real (Patrick Deswert) who I have plenty of records to show that he TOOK our $10, 000usd and never gave it back. Why, well he says "I thought the deal with going through Martino D'amico (Windy City Electronics), and he owes us (patrick deswert) money". I did not even know a Martino D'amico until this point, and the misdirected actions were just that, misdirected. At that point it would have been applicable to say well sorry, we apologize here are your funds back. No, No, No, this was over 3mo ago and we still do not have any money back from: Patrick Deswert, Nico Deswert, Velta Group (Belgium), phone4real.

Half the other people on this "List of scammers" I will agree with them on and say they are complete scammers. There is only one company on there that I deal with on a regular basis and that is MaddyDaddy Distribution (Matt Lee), great guy out of michigan who has been screwed over a few times just like everyone else. However, one thing I will say is every time I call he picks up the phone, and he does the same for anyone else. This is more than I can say for most people after an unfortunate event has occurred.

Tried to do business with Kevin Reid of Reidcom Inc. Complete joke and waste of time, took an order for $50, 000usd on CC gave in to Jose Silva and Peter Frommer (Classy Electronics) to run. Everyone knows these people are nothing but pure con artist, of course they took the money and are gone, had to do a chargeback. Now Kevin does not even want to stand behind the transaction. Furthermore, Our company actually put up $100, 000usd on Credit Card to Kevin Reid's "Top Supplier" "The Apple iPhone King", Tony aka Toni Jarad (www.appleiphoneking.com.au). Guy is out of Australia total scam, and waste of time. Ended up having to do a chargeback due to the fact he ceased communication, and could not keep is story straight. We are still fighting with the bank over this due to the amount of fraudulent activities this guy has done through his merchant account. They tell us it could be up to 120 days to re-coupe our funds from this ridiculous joke of a company (The Apple iPhone King). What a way to tie up working capital!

PS. Patrick I would appreciate your prompt response in taking our name out of your "List of Scammers". Being that we have never conducted any type of business with your company, OTHER THAN YOUR TAKING OF OUR MONEY, and If that makes us scammers you should really have your head checked!

PSS. Patrick, please feel free to call us at the number below.

Regards,
Mainstream Trading Co.
+01.888.739.6909

Update by raj
Mar 12, 2009 2:25 am EDT

First of all, I can only speak about my own experience with Patrick De Swert. Nico De Swert, Dirk Schuurmans, Steven Dewindt were business contacts that he mentionned in his own replies and communications that he made publically. The company he operated under in my specific case is called 'Oromono' and is located in Belgium. My story and comments below therefore do not apply to any other name or company mentionned above. That does not mean that I vowdge for these names that are unknown to me.

Based on my experience I do advise anyone to proceed with great caution whenever doing business with Mr. Patrick De Swert. Especially if a payment in advance is required. Do not be fooled by legitimate looking websites. Over the course of several months he changed the entire look and feel of his website multiple times. Even if your payment directly goes to the so called supplier, even if some sort of legitimate looking logistics company is in between the transaction or if a company is involved that does some sort of stock management and verification. Tripple check everything and don't have blind faith! Mr. De Swert is as smooth as baby oil.

A couple of months ago, Mr. De Swert operated through the website http://www.phoneworldonline.com reselling high-tech products (iPhones, Apple products, HTC phones, etc.) at lower prices. He targeted consumers. When placing an order you had to pay a certain amount in advance, the order was going to be delived in a matter of days. I placed an order and never received anything. I demanded a refund (which is my legal right under local law) but never received anything.

The website is no longer online but the URL www.phoneworldonline.com is now redirecting to www.phone4real.com. The company phone4real appears to be offering high-tech products and targets wholesale buyers. The contact e-mail is a guy named 'Patrick' and the address is still the same.

Dozens of consumers are in exact the same situation as myself, paid money in advance an got nothing in return, waiting for a refund. Some of them filed complaints, others gave up.

So in relation to point 1. of Mr. De Swert's statement I can tell you that he is not telling the truth. I am a buyer, he took my money.

In relation to point 2. of Mr. De Swert's statement I can tell you the following:

The Belgian Government's Economical Inspection (division in Antwerp) confirmed to me the following: following several complaints from customers, they made a visit to Mr. De Swert late 2008 pointing out that he was in violation of national trading law and that he needed to pay these people back. Mr. De Swert showed great willingness and promissed to comply. But, he had to leave the country for a few days for a business trip. He would resolve the issues upon his return. A few months have passed since then and the situation is not resolved. The inspection authorities have tried to get a hold of Mr. De Swert, stopping by at the address that he is referring to dozens of time (so they claim). However, they were unable to get a hold of him. These people just don't ring the bell, they leave letters, notes. If a government instance like that is telling me that they are unable to locate someone, I tend to believe them. I urge you not to take my word for it, you can contact the government's economical inspection in Antwerp at +32.3.206.94.43 on weekdays between 9am and 17pm CET.

In relation to point 3 of Mr. De Swert's statement I can tell you the following:

I do not have a complete list of all consumers that are in the same situation as myself but from what I can tell, there are a lot of people in my situation. I do urge you to GOOGLE on 'Patrick De Swert' and 'phoneworldonline.com'.

The following website is a notification website where people can report what they believe to be fraud. The word 'internetoplichting' litterally translates to internet fraud. The link http://www.internetoplichting.nl/index.php?topic=15969.0 is a thread dedicated to Mr. De Swert's activities and it lists names of consumers even official case numbers submitted to local police.

These is a Dutch website and I can understand that it is not of much help to English speaking people but I urge you to use the following service http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ which will enable you to translate the website from Dutch To English. Please take your time and browse through these pages. You will find some valuable information.

Other websites are http://miphone.web-log.nl/mijn_weblog/2008/08/nieuw-blogske.html and http://www.9lives.be/forum/apple/587425-phoneworldonline.html

Complaining customers come naturally to doing business. However, these are a lot of complaints in this case and all about goods never received and money never refunded. There is no way you can minimize this situation to a matter of one individual customer that talks bad of you. There are too many websites and too many testimonies of people that tell the same story.

Mr. De Swert's has given many explanations and told some really incredible stories about his setbacks which lead to the current situation. To make a long story short: he claimed to be the victim of a scam himself. All the money that people paid in advance was most likely used to place an order in hong kong (or china) and he claims that he got scammed (loosing a lot of money). He briefly believed that playing the victim role would generate sympathy among consumers and that they would exonerate him from having to pay their money back.

Naturally, consumers did not agree so he started to have an avalanche of really bad luck on a daily basis which naturally delayed his legal obligation to pay people back. He claimed that he was scammed again, suddenly offered the opportunity to people to pay extra money in order to speed things up, then his hard drive containing all consumer contact and payment information fell on the floor and he lost everything, naturally you could not reach most of the time because his mobile phone didn't work well ... the list goes on and on ...

Mr. De Swert claims in his statement above that he is working on the problems but he has been claiming that for months now. He's claiming that he would pay everyone back 'eventually' but message disappeared rapidly. Often he made statements such as 'if I was a scammer, I would not invest so much time in making things right' or 'if I was a scammer, I would be long gone but I'm still here'. He plays the victim role perfectly, always blaming other people, even the consumer. According to his own statements, consumers that file a complaint would not get their money back because they don't deserve it, because it's childisch of them to file a complaint for a couple of 100 Euros and simply because these complaint are really making his life difficult. At some point he blamed the consumer for the situation.

Mr. De Swert has my contact information through my original order information, numerous e-mails and reminders that I have sent him and to which he replied. I did resend all my information again when he dropped his hard drive. If he does not know or can't remember then this is because he does not want to.

I have no alternative motive in telling you this information except to warn other consumers not to make the same mistake.

Don't take my word for it, GOOGLE!

Update by raj
Mar 12, 2009 2:27 am EDT

1 days ago by Opgelicht482 +1 Votes
quote
Bericht door: oromono op Maart 10 2009, 17:37:09
Kindjes, dit hebben jullie allemaal aan jullie zelf te danken remeber? Ik heb door al die roddels het niet makkelijk gehad en nu zijn ze het aan het verkloten op Engelstalige sites.

Sorry vergeet het.

Wacht nog maar een jaartje
unquote

Message posted by Patrick on a dutch complaint board (link -->http://www.internetoplichting.nl/index.php?topic=15969.180) where he says "the people he scammed, it was all their own fault, and now they are posting on english sites and f******g it up for me. Sorry forget it (paying these people bac he means by that). You'll just have to wait for another year"

What an attitude for such a lowlife ! Scamming people it was it was all about from the beginning, even with people in California involved !
19 hours 46 minutes ago by Opgelicht482 +1 Votes
Newest development in Europe from the sitewww internetoplichting.com, posted by a member, this day March 11th :
quote
Titel: Re: Phoneworldonline
Bericht door: JanBE op Maart 11 2009, 09:38:46
De economische inspectie heeft op 4/3/2009 een proces verbaal opgesteld voor overtredingen van:

- de wet van 14 juli 1991 betreffende de handelspraktijken en de voorlichting en bescherming van de consument.
- de wet van 16 januari 2003 tot oprichting van een Kruispuntbank van Ondernemingen, tot modernisering van het handelsregister, tot oprichting van erkende ondernemingsloketten en houdende diverse bepalingen.
- de wet van 11 maart 2003 betreffende bepaalde juridische as-pecten van de diensten van de informatiemaatschappij.

Dit proces-verbaal werd voor nuttig gevolg doorgestuurd aan de Procureur des Konings bij de Rechtbank van Eerste Aanleg van en te 2000 Antwerpen, Bolivarplaats 20, tel. 03/257.80.11.
unquote

For those victims of phoneworldonline.com now phone4real.com please contact public prosecutor in Antwerp, phone +[protected], office hours !
16 hours 35 minutes ago by Opgelicht482 +1 Votes
RECTIFICATION ; the number of the Public Prosecutor in Belgium handling this case should read :

+[protected] repeat +[protected] !

Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer's satisfaction.

85 comments
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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 15, 2009 12:28 pm EDT

Raj,

You are very funny. Mainstream has been telling me I would get a refund for 3 months. I still dont have any money from them!

Mainstream seems to be refund other people, Someone that made an order couple of weeks ago just got a refund.

Mainstream must be paying other peoples refund out of my money

All I can see is that Mainstream has made a very bad attempt to refund and made all of this a total nightmare.

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Mank
New Haven, US
Jun 13, 2009 12:00 pm EDT

The email you provided returns from the mail delivery system. Are you sure that is the right email. Interested in iPhone 3g's

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wholesaleproducts4u
Burbank, US
Jun 12, 2009 2:29 pm EDT

This is pretty funny, I really did not do very much research on this company before I jumped on a deal with them, and have never even heard of this website until today.

I ordered some phones 3 weeks ago from Mainstream, they were back ordered I asked for a refund about a week after placing the order. They put me through the whole RMA process, but either way I got a payment confirmation yesterday that posted to my account today. Full balance paid, not a penny less No B.S. Pretty satisfied with a refund, tons of other companies would have never even offered that. I will order again when they have more products available.

P.S. kd13: if you were my customer and you wrote all this ### on here about my company. I most likely wouldn't give you a refund either. From your comments it looks like they were still working issues out with you... Food for thought, good day everyone!

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 12, 2009 11:38 am EDT

Well Looks like this game is over. Mainstream has lied to me over and over. Told yesterday money was going to be sent, nothing came.

I have been scammed, Learn from my lesson

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 11, 2009 7:57 pm EDT

another day and guess what no money refunded lol

Great Service From Mainstream.

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 11, 2009 11:49 am EDT

Alan I order 20 Apple iPhones from Mainstream.

I hope I get my money back.

Doesnt look good.

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sjohnson01
Miami, US
Jun 11, 2009 10:57 am EDT

Well, I have been watching this tread for a long time and haven't said anything. Frankly I still don't care get involved, and I am not picking any sides, so don't get me wrong. I just think it is fair to everyone on here for me to share my story. I did a transaction with mainstream trading a few months back, purchased about 20pc all together of some high end phones. I did some research on the company before committing to the order and felt pretty satisfied with the transaction and price I was getting at that time.

I was told delivery time would be 5 days, which was applicable for the products I was ordering. Well 5 days rolls around and I had not received my phones, so i called and sent an email. Within an hour I was called back my a sales person and my email had been responded to. I was told there was a slight delay, and I have worked with a lot of electronics suppliers and seen this many times. I said ok and asked for a tentative date of when I could expect my shipment. In summary I received my products about 3 days later, all authentic (which is the biggest issue when dealing with high end phones), and pretty much as described.

Again, this is my experience, and I have not ordered from them recently. As someone who has played around with selling electronics on ebay and locally I know a lot of people jump to conclusions when anything goes wrong. Seems to me there are a few people on this thread that are just going back and forth about the same issue, and I can only take this at face value. However, something that I know from past experience is that customer support at mainstream was very good when i dealt with them, and i was pretty pleased with my transaction. Business is business and things go wrong, sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and make the best of a situation. It took me over 20yrs in business to eventually realize this and to accept it.

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 11, 2009 9:44 am EDT

STILL NO MONEY.

People what should I do go to Georgia and get my money myself?

Mainstream Trading CO. INC. still owes me $11, 000 plus they should pay for my bank overdraft fee. Since I was told I would have money weeks ago.

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 10, 2009 11:56 am EDT

Well hello everyone, still no money from mainstream.

3months trying to get this money back. It was all my savings for a year and its gone.

Company told me they would send money today but I have heard that for weeks.

I think I got scammed. Will update if anything comes along.

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Patrick
, BE
Jun 04, 2009 7:57 pm EDT

this post was not started here but on the site www.fraudwatchers.org. i don't know you but i know Lyle and his boyfriend Madd Lee the thief and scammer

I try to call you buuut no answer, you can try it again on my cellphone +[protected]

Regards,

Patrick

Mainstream
Mainstream
Atlanta, US
Jun 04, 2009 7:45 pm EDT

Patrick,
on that note it was my money that was involved in those deals that went south with you and your little "Merchant Terminal" not Lyle's. So maybe you should be calling me. Either way patrick you are just a flat out liar and I don't care to talk with you, or even associate myself with you. Every-time I personally have or my company has it always ends bad...

Thing is we never talked any ### about you and if you look at who started this [censored] thread, it was raj. It had absolutely nothing to do with us. So i am going to put this as plain and simple as I know how. Get a life, quit talking stupid stuff that you know nothing about, or you can keep this up and I will make sure our attorney gets so far up your ### for frivolous slander you will not know which way is up. Just let it go, we all have!

Thanks,
Robert Thompson

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Patrick
, BE
Jun 04, 2009 7:38 pm EDT

you and you boy friend mr. lee, do you love each other or only business?

Mainstream
Mainstream
Atlanta, US
Jun 04, 2009 7:37 pm EDT

Andrew Thurmond is a sales representative not a partner of the company.

Thanks,
Robert Thompson

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Patrick
, BE
Jun 04, 2009 7:35 pm EDT

Lyle can contact you, and you never get any answer? Tttt, Lyle please pay you people back and no other story

Regards,

P

PS: do you have money?

Mainstream
Mainstream
Atlanta, US
Jun 04, 2009 7:35 pm EDT

My name is Robert Thompson. I can give you a call, but before that. Please email me your invoice number and a little more information on what your issue is: Robert@MainstreamTradingCo.com

Thanks!

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 04, 2009 6:51 pm EDT

is there an owner of Mainstream that can contact me?

Other than Lyle Stephens?

[protected]

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 04, 2009 5:49 pm EDT

another day looks like to wire again...

Last chance tomorrow I guess...

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 04, 2009 12:07 pm EDT

waiting for wire today.

Been told I would get it today.

Will it come I HOPE SO...

Cant reach anyone at Mainstream this morning

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 03, 2009 7:38 pm EDT

Correct I hope tomorrow that the wire can we sent early in the morning so I can confirm payment sometime in the afternoon.

Mainstream has the correct info now.

Yes myfault on the account name

Mainstream
Mainstream
Atlanta, US
Jun 03, 2009 6:12 pm EDT

kensley,
the return payment was sent. We can not help that it was returned due to the fact you gave us the wrong Beneficiary name... Either way we are getting this all wrapped up for you! Thanks for all the comments.

Regards,
The Mainstream Team

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 03, 2009 5:33 pm EDT

another day gone still no money from mainstream trading company

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kd13
Gilbert, US
Jun 03, 2009 3:46 pm EDT

Well no money still from Mainstream they might have tired to send it a couple of days ago but something happened.

Wait for possible wire today but its already geting late on the east coast.

Hope to get money ($11, 000) back soon.

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Patrick
, BE
May 20, 2009 6:27 am EDT

what the ### are you saying, you don't know me, and you have no right to say this ###.

###

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Patrick
, BE
May 20, 2009 2:57 am EDT

###,

1. Do you lose money by me? ...no. Shut up for the second time, you have no reason for put my name on the internet.
2. I was locked up ...Yes. But already released and also for a reason, because i'm innocent!
3. Do what you want to do, i'm not in the iphone business my site is down and we have better business with new name.

You are a loser.

Regards,

Patrick

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Patrick
, BE
May 19, 2009 6:15 pm EDT

you know me? don't think so. shut up!

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Patrick
, BE
May 19, 2009 5:36 pm EDT

i'm the best and biggest man in the world. And al the brokers like mainstream without any stock are the biggest losers in the world.

Byeeeeeeeee

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Patrick
, BE
May 19, 2009 5:15 pm EDT

O my god losers. i have another business not iphones anymore. i'm rich and don't need to sell F**cking iphones

Best regards,

Patrick

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Patrick
, BE
May 15, 2009 5:04 pm EDT

no i'm Patrick not from mainstream.

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kd13
Gilbert, US
May 15, 2009 4:21 pm EDT

who ever John Sullivan, Senior Partner of mainstream trading co is. I want him to call me

[protected] call anytime.

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kd13
Gilbert, US
May 15, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

John Sullivan, Senior Partner of mainstream, Why dont you contact me to discuss this issue.

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Patrick
, BE
May 14, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

He told me that i took money from his company, but amex took i back and sent it back to the cardholder. Yes i know he is a big lier.

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kd13
Gilbert, US
May 14, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5985/rmakf23032009.jpg

REFUND INVOICE

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kd13
Gilbert, US
May 14, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

RETURN INVOICE PROOF BELOW.

NOTICE REFUND WITHIN 5 DAYS.

View 0 more photos
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kd13
Gilbert, US
May 14, 2009 4:24 pm EDT

Mainstream trading co. Refund the first order not the second order.

Now money has been sent, i have been asking for 2 months.

5 / 14 / 09 still not money refunded.

Mainstream
Mainstream
Atlanta, US
May 14, 2009 2:22 pm EDT

Transfer 3 of 6
DOMESTIC WIRE TRANSFER DETAIL

Initiated By: ... ******68 On Feb 19 2009 At 3:37:29 PM ET
Last Modified By: ... ******67 On Feb 19 2009 At 3:40:05 PM ET
Status: ... Completed
Processed: ... On Feb 19 2009 At 3:45:22 PM ET
Template Name: ...
Transaction ID: ... [protected]
Entry Method: ... User Entry
MTS Advice #: ... [protected]

Amount: ... $ 10, 489.84
Value Date: ... 02/19/2009
Debit Account: ... WBFL *********7560

Receiving Financial Institution
ABA #: ... [protected]
Name: ... WELLS FARGO BANK, NA
City/State/Zip: ... SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Beneficiary
Account #: ... ******1136
Account Name: ... Kensley Finnell
Address Line 1: ...
Address Line 2: ...
Address Line 3: ...
Reference: ...

Originator to Beneficiary Information
Orig/Ben Info: ...

Beneficiary Financial Institution
Account Name: ...
Address Line 1: ...

Transfer 3 of 6

© Wachovia Corporation, 2004

Mainstream
Mainstream
Atlanta, US
May 14, 2009 2:18 pm EDT

Kensley AKA kd13,

This is the biggest load of crap. This individual placed an order with our company. We drop shipped numerous iphones to some of his ebay customers, and have refunded him. Still he sees it necessary to go and make post against our company. I have attached a Wire Confirmation of a partial refund made to this customer. We are now working on getting his remaining balance paid on a business deal that we got burned on. HOWEVER we are still standing behind the order and refunding this individual, and have open communication with this customer.

This sit is FULL of half truth, WHOLE Lies!

John Sullivan, Senior Partner
Mainstream Trading Co., Inc.

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kd13
Gilbert, US
May 08, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

Mainstream Trading Co., Inc is a total rip off,

I order 20 iphones from them, they never sent product.

I requested refund 2 months ago!

5/8/09 still no refund!

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Patrick
, BE
Apr 28, 2009 12:14 pm EDT

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/jonathan-maithai-broker-and-thief-no-stock-and-lier-c195316.html

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Rajiv Choudhary
, HK
Apr 28, 2009 9:51 am EDT

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

THIS IS TO STATE, THAT I RAJIV CHOUDHARY ALSO CALLED "RAJ" IN HONG KONG THE OWNER OF "SINO LINK GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LTD" HONG KONG HAS MET Michiel Briet AND Patrick De Swert on 2 occassions ONLY in Hong Kong. ALL VIEWS ABOVE FROM username: Raj are not mine, and I don't know who this Guy/ Person/ Entity is NOT KNOWN TO ME & has no association with me or my Company. His views about Patrick and Micheal are exclusively his. As far as I am concerned, Me or my company did not find Patrick or Micheal in capacity of scammers. Any actions which Patrick and Micheal take are exclusively their's and have nothing to with me or my company. I was NOT Cheated or SCAMMED By these two individuals.

Any questions please feel free to email me.

Thanks,

Raj

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Patrick
, BE
Apr 27, 2009 11:25 am EDT

/URL removed/