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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Fs - Set of LOMO Anamorphic roundfront F = 35,50,75,100 - NEW , PL mout , ARRI gear

Robert,
I agree with you and feel you have been more than patient.
You have sent a stranger a tremendous amount of money (more than the average ANNUAL SALARY in both our countries) and want a status update on a transaction you entered into in good faith.
We use escrow services to ensure that there is impetus on the seller's part to complete the transaction.
The internet and especially international dealings using it are often of questionable outcome and although we feel like this is a "community", the fact is that business must be conducted with precaution and safeguards in place.
If indeed the gentleman in question has personal issues to deal with, that should not affect your business dealings with him.
There's an old saying that Rick doesnt seem to get about your situation and that so many of us seem to ignore when entering to transactions of any sort is that safeguards must always be taken and in the spirit of "community":
NOTHING PERSONAL, JUST BUSINESS.
 
Rick LaLonde said:
By the way, cell phones don't work everywhere in Russia and in remote places there may be no phones at all - I know.
Click to expand...
Not to derail this forum, but phone coverage in Russia is much better, than US. I can't remember the last time I was in Russia and couldn't get a good reception, anywhere. Obviously, Siberian Tundra and Far East is not included. I doiubt Sergey is hunting LOMO lenses there:-) This is in contrast to LA, where in the center of Hollywood I have no AT&T reception. Also Russia has more free WiFi zones, than pretty much anywhere in the world. There is no excuse to not being able to respond to an email. BTW, isn't Sergey operates out of Ukraine? Kravchenko is Ukrainian name. Regardless, everything I'd mentioned about coverage in Russia applies to Ukraine as well...
 
It seems quite out of character for Sergey to go completely silent after such a large transaction. I followed his transactions for the past year and did a lot of research on his business as I was considering purchasing some lenses from him. I agree with you and believe you're justified in your frustrations Robert. Unless Sergey has taken ill or there has been some kind of emergency, it is unacceptable for there to be this amount of silence, especially with so much money on the line. I find it especially suspicious that there is no record of the package in the system, but fingers crossed that it is just an error. Unfortunately, it is not unheard of for people to just take the money and run, even if they followed through on previous transactions. Hopefully, this isn't the case.

I hope things work out for you in the end mate.
 
There are - or were - a lot of lenses in Siberia. Krasnoyarsk and other places as well. Jake, I'm glad you found phone service to be good where you were. I don't know how much time you've spent there, but if its not close to two years my comments might be more accurate.

Bad choice sending $32K worth of glass by EMS - I don't get that at all. But Sergey has had a deal go wrong at least once that I know of and he refunded the individual in full. That can be confirmed by postings on this user group. Unless something bad has happened to him, his record justifies the belief that you'll either get the glass or your money back. Have dealt with him and know others who have as well.

Yeah, I disagree, Robert. I think you did flame him. Your comments went past his actions to his person. You bet I think it's unfair. I stand by that without apology.

I'll let those of you who disagree have the last word. Signing off on this thread.
 
Just saw Sergey in a bar having a beer with Torrey Loomis . . .
 
I'd search around the web and see if those "NEW" lenses or serial numbers were being offered elsewhere as well.
 
Has anyone heard from Sergey?...please if anyone does, let me know, I still have not heard from him.
 
Rick LaLonde said:
Give the man a chance is a way of saying hold on awhile longer before posting negative statements that can harm the reputation (translate business) of someone who's always come through in the end. How indignant will you feel if we learn Sergey is laid up in the hospital or something? By the way, cell phones don't work everywhere in Russia and in remote places there may be no phones at all - I know.

There is a community aspect to this forum that is appreciated by most, I think. You might want to consider that since there was something of an ad hominem flavor to your post. You would have done well to have kept that to yourself until you knew more about Sergey's situation.

I'm sure you're a stand up guy who's simply irritated and nervous about the big $$ you put on the line - totally understandable. But a little more grace won't cause you any harm.
Click to expand...


Robert Horwell is as standup as it gets on this forum. Honest, reasonable, patient, and frankly just a really good individual. If he is putting out statements like the ones he is, I am 100% sure he is in the right.

Perhaps telling people how the forum operates is a little over the top for someone whose only been on it for 6 months. Most of us have dialogued for years.
If you want to speak of propriety and flaming people, statements like "you're a guy who's simply irritated and nervous" is borderline insulting. We're not a bunch of kids in a playground here. Well, we are, but not when professionallism is involved, ie. the buying and selling of goods vital to production and revenue.

Rick, I recommend you have a bowl of stfu.

Back on topic: Where is Sergey?
 
I'm really trying to avoid doing that. But sergey is just not doing anything to put my mind at rest.
 
Robert, I think that Sergey is ill or having some other problems. I don't think that after a long period of dealing with lenses he wouldn't scam. His name worth more than 32k. and Sergey knows it very well. Wish you patience. Everything will be OK.
 
Samson T said:
Robert, I think that Sergey is ill or having some other problems. I don't think that after a long period of dealing with lenses he wouldn't scam. His name worth more than 32k. and Sergey knows it very well. Wish you patience. Everything will be OK.
Click to expand...

I'm doing my best to believe this I really am. When I try to call him his phone is even blocked. I have since found out that the tracking number he sent me is an invalid number. So it's not looking good. I am really hoping there is a genuine reason for his silence but it's looking a bit bleak.
 
His phone is blocked too, yikes. He has stopped responding to me since May 24th. I also had the invalid tracking # but my shipment did show up luckily. His method of dealing with this is unacceptable and no matter what people say on the forum to protect him, it's not going to help him regain confidence in future buyers. Unless we find out that he's truly in the hospital, kidnapped, etc...
 
Listen guys, I am in the same boat with my partners asking me responsibilities, so... However, it's just his kind of way of doing business. I know him from other deals earlier, he's a good man. And he already referred some personal affairs in the past placing him out for awhile. I concur with Samson, his name worths more than the money he has received from us. Believe me. He is legit. He's just used to be off-line or unreachable for a couple of months. It is not the first time, if this can help and calm you down :-)

I keep my trust on his services.

In any case, I will try to contact some people who personally know him, as well, other parties who may add some help locally, as far as possible.
 
Emanuel A. said:
Listen guys, I am in the same boat with my partners asking me responsibilities, so... However, it's just his kind of way of doing business. I know him from other deals earlier, he's a good man. And he already referred some personal affairs in the past placing him out for awhile. I concur with Samson, his name worths more than the money he has received from us. Believe me. He is legit. He's just used to be off-line or unreachable for a couple of months. It is not the first time, if this can help and calm you down :-)

I keep my trust on his services.

In any case, I will try to contact some people who personally know him, as well, other parties who may add some help locally, as far as possible.
Click to expand...

Any luck finding Sergey with your contacts?
 
Ok still no word from sergey. To all those who still think this is going to be ok, to those who have money invested with him at the moment. Here are a few facts, about my experience with him and why i think sergey is probably not going to re-surface again on reduser.

1. Prior to payment sergey was readily available to reply to emails, in fact he mailed me a lot, usually trying to push the price of the lenses up. After i paid him, the emails were less frequent, usually with 4 days to a week to reply. I paid him 22nd April for lenses that he said he had in hand. The lenses pictured in this thread. He said they would be ready to ship tuesday 1st May. They never shipped.

2. He stalled me on the shipping, giving excuse after excuse as to why this could not be done, including the idea that the whole of Russia was not working from 1st - 9th may. I went with it, trusting him.

4. The stalling kept going. " sorry i've been away" lenses disassembled for painting of index marks". Work i thought had already been done.

5. I asked sergey if i could arrange my own shipping, i didnt want to use russian post. No reply. Then email telling me the lenses have shipped on 22nd May. Strange i thought, i don't remember Sergey asking me for my address, maybe i gave it to him in a past email. I scoured my emails, he doesnt have my address. I mail him again, 23rd he sends me a tracking number that is not valid. Sergey then Disappears. No contact since then to many many emails sent to him.

6. I did some research, found out some very interesting facts, one being that according to his ID with the TAX department number sergey lost the right to be a trader or individual entrepreneur.

7. I also know there are a few others either in dispute with sergey or have money with him at the moment. The lenses have disappeared, no one knows where they are.

8. Friends and colleagues in Russia, have not heard from him, neither do they know his whereabouts.

9. He does not respond to phone calls.

This has been a massive hit to me. It's no small amount of money. It has the potential to put me out of business, as i had quite a few jobs lined up for these lenses, it's why i was happy to pay way over the odds for them. 2 of those jobs have now gone and the third looks like it will not work out either as i will have to let the company know what has happened. It was a big job and would more than pay for half the cost of the lenses.

I'm not a big player, I'm a very small fish compared to most. I pooled a lot of resources to pay for these lenses. Not only have those resources now gone out of my business, so has my money paid to sergey and the revenue created by the purchase of the lenses. Now i will have to sell more of my assets to try and cover this loss.

I hope one day i get to see sergey face to face, maybe he could explain to my 4 kids why he is doing this. The stress and worry far out weighs the money, now my main goal is to keep my business afloat and keep a roof over our heads.

I know there are some of you out there who will say, don't worry, he will surface he is an honest man. But i don't see any honesty in what has happened here, i have been lied to on more than one occasion during this process, i can't see any good reason not to reply to an email, he know he has my money, he knows he hasn't sent the lenses, he must know how i will be feeling. That tells me a lot about him. I would love for you all to be right, but it's not what i see happening at the moment.

Thank you to everyone who has been in touch with information, and offered support.

Bob
 
So sad to learn about this. I hope everything turns out for the best in the end, Robert.
 
V sad Robert,I know exactly where you are coming from.Ive been through the same with Torrey.Just think RED should do something with these kind of suppliers/members.The forum is a place where you tend to have a certain amount of faith in its members .Hope you get the glasses you have payed for.
 
Robert,

Do you know who was servicing the lenses? I think Sergey uses SPB sale. Have you contacted Viktor? Maybe he still has them or could at least give you some info.

Nick
 
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