Entry tags:

charity, dan fogelberg's llamas, fan rage, high school girls, illegality, let's all get along, lip gloss, lurk moar, lying liar that lies, plucky girl detective, raised by hyenas, tv

A different flavor of vampire wank
What follows is an account written by swsa, a friend without a JF account, and it is such a classic take-the-money-and-run story that I present it to you unaltered (well, okay, I threw in some links).

~*~*~*~

In Moonlight fandom, their high priestess of campaigning is named Leeser. Leeser's status in the fandom grew and grew as she organized fan cons, did the leg work for their Variety ad, etc. She is absolutely beloved and a hero of their cause. Which is why another fan apparently felt secure enough to give her $11000 in order to pay for bus ads to run in L.A. This was all back in July. Since then, it's been one delay after another, and the fans were getting pretty pissy about not being given answers as to why ads that should've gone up in August, still weren't up in September.

So, finally the anonymous donor speaks up, with a tale of lost money, printers who were never contacted, and who then finally WERE paid, but only a fraction of what Leeser had told the donor it would cost, while thus far, the actual ad people haven't been paid at all...so basically, it all adds up to Leeser walking off with $10,075.

Now in comparison to scamming for lip gloss or ipods, it's pretty impressive. But what really makes this wank special is that Moonlight fandom is seriously like the most naive and trusting fandom EVER. Before Leeser has said even a word to explain herself, there are posters AGHAST that some are judging her!

QUOTE: I'm sure Lees will step forward and post something as soon as she's able, but that's not going to happen any sooner if the mood of the forums becomes increasingly hostile against her.

QUOTE: Simple way you should know she's not BSing... She uses her -REAL- name guys. And heck, it's not even a real large amount. $10,000... What is that? 5~ months rent in California?

Eventually, Leeser steps forward, and to the surprise of...not a single one of us who's ever been in fandom...THE MONEY WAS STOLEN. When a few people have the nerve to find this a bit doubtful, they're put on blast.

QUOTE: Wow...what a vicious pack this group has become...

What? You want a copy of the police report? How about having Leeser scan and post her new drivers license so you can confirm the date? Maybe she should provide three notarized statements to prove the theft?

Geez, get a grip.

QUOTE: do you know notice how it's always the same vicious pack of nay-sayers that like to cause the all of the dissention and doubt it seems to me they seem to get their jollies by trying to cause trouble & destroy our community because it's apparent to me they obviously have nothing better to do with their time.

There is even more in that thread about Leeser's daughter feeling suicidal because of her mother's fandom involvement, and a whole lot of "I can't believe you're making a fuss over this when people have lost everything in Hurricane Ike!" posts, and even a number of posts from sane people who realize they've all been conned. But overall, it's the most amazingly naive wank I've ever seen. It's kind of like getting in a time machine and going back to 1991 when people could still be shocked by online people lying.

QUOTE: One question. WHEN the bus ads appear am I going to see well needed apologies to Lees?

*head desk*

~*~*~*~

ETA: Bonus crazy: "I've been thinking about getting my teeth ground down and elongated." And that's from the star of the show.

ETA 2: Leeser returns!

ETA 3: More wank.

ETA 4: Now the thread's locked; wank has moved to the main Bus Ads thread.

(Sorry to fall behind, my power's been going on and off. ~~Please send lipgloss, vanilla glitter is my favorite.~~)

ETA 5: Update! "Although Leeser did send the forms today, the funds cannot be verified until Monday. The donor also posted some messages back and forth where she's trying to get a direct explanation and getting only the run-around. Finally, she lays a mega smack-down on Leeser."

ETA 6: A new Leeser-bashing thread at the Blue Whale Pub; mod resignations.

(Why do I always end up posting wanks with multiple updates?)

ETA ∞: I was waiting to update until the supposed Leeser-vindicating deadline this afternoon, but it looks like... I don't even know what. So:

The donor updates:

The ad agency has stated they cannot confirm whether the funds are available or not. The New York office is placing at least a 3-5 day hold on Lesser's account in order to verify funding with the bank, however it may be longer. They are now hoping to be able to post this account on Friday. The ads have arrived and are waiting in the warehouse. Lesser is aware of this. I am so angry at this moment I dare not say too much more. One thing I must say though is to Lesser: Shame on you! To put me through this is one of the most unconscionable deeds I have experienced in my life.

Also: Homophobia on Leeser's board? Convention money shenanigans? Sockpuppetry? (Note: the Blue Whale Pub board seems to be down at the moment.)

ETA ∞ +1: And now about $8K in convention funds cannot be accounted for. (More.) Yes, we are pretty sure this is not VB on the rampage again.

ETA ∞ +2: I think

dhaunea called this one...

ETA ∞ +3:: The ads are going up on Monday?

ETA 9/29/08: Y'all, please somebody take this over and do a new entry or something. I can't keep up with all the board shenanigans now.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

	kerryblaze 2008-09-23 01:01 am UTC (link)
	The donor updates. I'm just so not understanding any of this. Why is it taking so long for the ad agency to verify funding with the bank. Unless it's the debit card issue that was raised. Though that all would've been resolved with a bank check. (Reply to this)(Thread)

danceswithelvis
2008-09-23 01:38 am UTC (link)

Someone in there mentioned a credit card transaction, which would make sense considering Lesser has most likely misappropriated those donated funds into her own pocket.

I don't remember if it was on the MLL or the Blue Whale Pub where the donor mentioned that Lesser went with her to withdraw the funds because supposedly the bank wouldn't do it for Lesser with a check. Funny thing is that they had the same bank. Regardless, that situation there made every warning bell I have go off. Suspicious behavior coupled with a possibly dangerous situation for the donor.

This whole thing has made the part of me that still gives a damn about police work want to bang my head on my desk repeatedly. D:

/rambling Sorry

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

faultypremise
2008-09-23 01:50 am UTC (link)

You know, I have this whole conspiracy scenario in my head.

From the looks of it, having read other questioning threads, Leeser potentially has been skimming off the top of donations for awhile now. Private messages sent to only certain members to solicit donations for flowers/gifts/etc to cast members of the show. Yet the amounts never seemed to match. (Like $600 for a bouquet of flowers to someone? Jeez.)

So she gets kays to donate $11,000. Most likely she already knew the ads wouldn't cost that much anyway, so she was free to spend some of it. But, something happened. (And I doubt she was robbed, either.) She spent too much of the money somehow, or realized far too late that it would actually cost MORE than she originally thought it would and she no longer had the amount the agency wanted for the bus ads.

She had to stall. So communications stopped. Kays, naturally, began to question what was taking so long.

I'm wondering how she managed to scrounge up the dough for this, saying what I'm guessing is true.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lerefuge 2008-09-23 04:01 am UTC (link)
	That's exactly what I think too! So many fishy things but for sure, there was a problem with the money and it's not because it was robbed. I hope fasn don't trust her with money again. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2008-09-23 06:22 am UTC (link)
	Did you see the latest? http://thebluewhalepub.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=3464&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&sid=820a55ce3b3e8b5d01669534e143d07b&start=15 Down to the bottom, there's an accounting of money spent at that con, with about 8k missing. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2008-09-23 06:30 am UTC (link)
	And... topic gets deleted? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cleolinda 2008-09-23 06:35 am UTC (link)
	Oh wow. The "more" link I just put up should have the info, though. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	danceswithelvis 2008-09-23 06:44 am UTC (link)
	It just keeps getting worse and worse. -_- (Reply to this)(Parent)

	faultypremise 2008-09-23 06:55 am UTC (link)
	I have no idea how you keep finding these wanks that just never end, but they sure love you! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cleolinda 2008-09-23 07:03 am UTC (link)
	I think I must have some horrible kind of ETA wank magnetism. I swear, all that happened was a friend said, "Hey, you gotta hear this story, and also, I don't have a JF account, could you post it," and suddenly it's like a week later and we're still here. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

faultypremise
2008-09-23 07:13 am UTC (link)

It's been fascinating right from the start. And the bizarre sort of back and forth interactions with the MLL and BWP folks has only added to it. It's like some kind of unfolding reality drama soap opera rollercoaster.

Not to mention Leeser has some sort of cosmic ability to draaaaaaaaag this out over days, possibly even weeks at this rate.

.... oh my. Possible weeks. You poor thing.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	danceswithelvis 2008-09-23 08:37 am UTC (link)
	It's the literal fandom train wreck we can't look away from. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	faultypremise 2008-09-23 06:31 am UTC (link)
	It's over here now. :P http://thebluewhalepub.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=3411&start=195 (Reply to this)(Parent)

	faultypremise 2008-09-23 01:46 am UTC (link)
	Looks like it's standard business practice according to someone who just posted there. Sucks, though. Means this whole thing is drawn out for at least another five days. And Leeser? Dead silent. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

kerryblaze
2008-09-23 01:59 am UTC (link)

Lesser claimed that she was going to use her debit card. I've never known any hold ever on a credit card or debit card. You either have the credit or the money in your bank account or you don't.

The issue with debit cards having spending limits was brought up right after Lesser said she was using a debit card. That could be the problem and the ad agency can not share that information with Kay.

If Lesser used a personal check, then there would definitely be a hold. However, a cashier's check (or bank check) would not have a hold. That would've solved the problem last week. All she had to do was go to her bank, give them the money or have them take it from account, and got a cashier's check. There is never a hold on them.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2008-09-23 02:13 am UTC (link)
	This is starting to make my head hurt. (Reply to this)(Parent)

missandrony
2008-09-23 11:55 pm UTC (link)

Holds when it comes to credit and debit cards are actually very common, you just usually don't notice them.

I'm taking this from my own experiences and quizzing my mother, who works in her bank's merchant card services department. Debits are the transactions where you need to key in your PIN number in order to authorize the transaction. In this case, the company is "reaching" directly into your bank account to withdraw the money. Usually the transaction reflects on your account immediately and posts the next business day. (Unless you rang it after hours or on the weekend, in which case it might push out a day or post early Tuesday morning.) It's like you pulled cash out of an ATM to pay. Because the result is an immediate withdrawal from your account, if the funds aren't there, the transaction is declined.

I couldn't quite get as clear an explanation on why credit card holds take so much longer (she's head of HR, not a rep or a processor), but as I understand it, the credit card transaction has a lot more parts to it. You need to go through the creditor (like Visa or Mastercard), the automatic clearinghouse, and the bank of origin, and it's kind of a hot mess. When a debit card is run as a credit (which is whenever you don't key in your PIN), the bank places a hold on the funds in your account, presumably to be set aside for your purchase. This is where so many people get into trouble: I find my credit transactions, depending on the company, can take from 3 to 5 days to post (more if a weekend intervenes!), and whether or not you have the "funds" in the account can be a little murky. If you're off, and you get a negative balance, the bank may "float" you the money - then charge you an enormous fee for what could be a very tiny little loan. They may continue to let you spend a couple hundred dollars past zero and just charge you more.

One time when I had my wallet stolen, the thief used my card at a casino in Reno, and when my bank (who INFORMED me fraud was occurring) failed to shut down the account in time, all the withdrawals/charges posted and I was more than $1000 in the hole. (I got it fixed after a LOT of teeth-gnashing.) A less honest creditor may not "check" your account so carefully.

There are good, legitimate reasons Leeser may have chosen to run her transaction as a credit. California actually has strong consumer protection laws for credit card users - if you dispute a transaction and win, you'll be refunded and the credit card company will be out the money. Leeser may have wanted that protection. Or frequent flyer miles. I guess that would also be legitimate.

Now the other possibility is that the fraud department saw this large transaction and froze the account. I've had it happen to me before when I've started spending lots of money in random places, like when I first went to college or traveled to Europe. Usually a phone call to fraud telling them, "Relax, I'm the one using the card," will unfreeze everything, however.

But I'd wager that Leeser's had problems with her bank before, like maybe multiple overdrafts and so before they let a transaction that large occur, they placed the hold. Basically, they don't trust her or her money very much, so they go above and beyond to make sure everything's legit. And if Leeser's been dipping into the fund, it's more than likely she's relying on that credit time/hold to, say, get her to another payday, where she can then replace the funds.

Still, I'll bet a dollar that charge gets denied.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	kerryblaze 2008-09-23 02:01 am UTC (link)
	And Leeser? Dead silent. Not anymore. She claims they just haven't run her debit card yet. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2008-09-23 02:13 am UTC (link)
	You ever notice that the more she says the less anyone actually knows? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	killer_gopher 2008-09-23 06:31 am UTC (link)
	They loved your response, as you were quoted in a post in the 'general' catagory. In fact, it was in a thank you to fandom wank thread; you must be doing something right! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2008-09-23 07:01 am UTC (link)
	I totally missed that. Blue Whale Pub seems to love your quotes though. I've seen them giggle at your take on this a few times. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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