Craig Sears + Vintage Barns = FRAUD

Looks like Craig is selling a barn here on Craig's list. I wonder how many people he will sell it to and if anyone will ever take delivery!

I checked the email today at stolenbarn [at] hotmail.com and found this (June 2nd, 2006): Hello, we too were duped in [date] by Craig. We bought a timberframe cape dismantled in [location], Maine. He "stored" it until we were ready for it. Needless to say, when we wanted it, it had been sold to someone else. We lost about $25,000. He is very, very bad news. Rotten, awful man. I have removed dates and names, but you get the idea.

A recent email reports that Craig has a website at: www.geocities.com/vintagebarns

I think this is an old site (at least one of the barns pictured was sold about four years ago.)

I am also told Craig uses Uncle Henry's http://www.unclehenrys.com/Ho... to advertise his barns and barn material.

I have not seen evidence of continued eBay activity as reported above - he may have been dumped by the guy he had shilling on his behalf, or changed to another eBay user ID.

Caveat Emptor.

Let the buyer beware.

Another victim this week - alas, finding this site too late to avoid losing out with Craig. I received an email, and then chatted by phone with the victim.

 

Of interest:

 

I watch the stats for this blog, and I see many people visiting, arriving here from craigsears.com www.craigsears.com, or directed here after searching for something. I though it interesting that someone came here via google after searching for: sears federal timber fraud

Perhaps another victim is out there. Please contact me at: stolenbarn@hotmail.com

 

 

Update:

I got an email a few days ago from a Gentleman in Maine who was defrauded of tens of thousands of dollars by good ol' Craig. He found the site when he Googled Craig, and contacted me immediately. He is now sending me documentation. The supply of aggrieved victims of Craig seems limitless!

eBay update:

It looks like Craig is cultivating an off eBay relationship with Charisma.h. This quote from a recent Charisma.h auction of a Craig barn salvage item:

"In the market for something you don't see? We've got everything. Drop me a note and we'll work something out."

(I wonder, though I do not know, if this type of marketing conforms to eBay rules?)

 

I recently found an article in which Mr. Sears is extensively quoted. I found it humerous in a sad and dark way that someone who destroys historical structures was featured so prominently in an article about the destruction of historic structures without any light being shed on his role in their demise.

 

In any case, here is a link to the article http://www.hamptonunion.com/news/02132005/news/64 342.htm" title="http://www.hamptonunion.com/news/02132005/news/64 342.htm" target="_blank"http://www.hamptonunion.com/n.... this building has been parted out on eBay. though it is easy enough to deliver a bag of old cut nails or a few window panes, I can't help but wonder how those who purchase larger components of this dead house will fare.

 

 

 

Craig Sears' web site is down.

However:

CHARISMA.H Now SELLS for CRAIG SEARS on eBay

I have confirmed that the architectural salvage and building frame items being offered by Charisma.h on eBay are in fact being sold by Craig Sears.

He is being represented by charisma.h on eBay.

I suggest that anyone considering bidding on these items read this blog carefully, and the associated website www.craigsears.com. Know that if you bid on and win one of these architectural salvage items, including complete barn frames, you will be buying from Craig Sears. This has been confirmed to be via email by CHARISMA.H, who also stated the following (I am paraphrasing, as he requested I not quote him directly):

...I am Sears' eBay sales rep...I do not own the things I sell nor take responsibility for the quality of said things... [and] ...I am neither Craig Sears nor do I take responsibility for his actions...I have a good eBay reputation, etc...

For the record, it appears that CHARISMA.H does have good "feedback" on eBay, meaning that his sales activity, at least previous to his representing Sears, was deemed satisfactory& nbsp;by his customers. I know nothing that would indicate Charisma.h intends to defraud anyone, or is knowledgable about the business practices of Craig Sears, beyond what he can learn here. In fact, as I state above, Charisma specifically claims ignorance of Craig Sears' past business practices, though he has seen this web blog and therefore has, in my opinion, adequate reason to be suspect and cautious of Craig Sears. Hopefully for him his transactions on behalf of Sears will be sucessful, and his "feedback" will remain positive once Sears has to deliver the goods Charisma "represents" for him on eBay. 

As stated below, all views and opinions expressed herein are my own, and you should use your own judgement in any decisions you may make.

I received an email yesterday from yet another person claiming to have been defrauded by Craig Sears. It seems legit and I am awaiting details to confirm. The list is getting longer.

 

*Edit* [January '05] I received a substantial folder  of documents from this person, including cancelled checks, signed contracts, and details of how the individual was defrauded by Sears. I have added this information to the "collection".

Dismantled barns. Barns. Vintage Barns. Antique barns. Dismantled barns. Barn. Barns. Timber frame. Bank Barn. Barn wood. Maine. Barn wood. Barns. Dismantled barns. Barns. Vintage Barns. Antique barns. Dismantled barns. Barn. Barns. Timber frame. Bank Barn. Barn wood. Maine. Barn wood. Barns. Dismantled barns. Barns. Vintage Barns. Antique barns. Dismantled barns. Barn. Barns. Timber frame. Bank Barn. Barn wood. Maine. Barn wood. Barns. Dismantled barns. Barns. Vintage Barns. Antique barns. Dismantled barns. Barn. Barns. Timber frame. Bank Barn. Barn wood. Maine. Barn wood. Barns.

Regarding the above post: I have now received extensive documentation including legal documents and a ruling against Sears from the court. It appears defrauding people is nothing new for Sears, as this dates back to 1997. He also seems to regard the ruling of the court as not applying to him, as I have been told he never paid the judgement against him.

I received an e-mail today from a person in New Hampshire who outlined for me how Craig Sears defrauded her on a barn deal. I have received detailed information, and am awaiting copies of contracts and so forth.

Please - if you have been defrauded by Craig Sears, let me know.

Craig was a bit surprised when I showed up with a sheriff, a legal complaint, and a desire to take home with me the barn and materials I had paid for and had been trying to get for months. Unfortunately for me, there was not much left to take home. Here, Craig tries to convince me that this pile of sticks represents a properly stored barn.

Note: Craig Sears continues to advertise this exact barn for sale on his web site. He does not own it, and it is destroyed. He has "sold" it to at least one other customer that I know of and stolen their money.

You can see more images and read the details at craigsears.com www.craigsears.com.

 

People have asked me if Craig Sears knows about craigsears.com. Frankly, I don't know or care. The site isn't for him. It is for you, the consumer, so that you have important information available to you in the event you come across his web site while seeking to buy a vintage barn, and consider doing business with him. I think it is fair that you have the type of information contained at craigsears.com so you can be cautious in your decisions. You may still decide to work with him. Who knows, maybe you will not be defrauded as others have been.

But an important thing to note is this: Most of the structures featured on his website (note: site taken down 1/15/05) Craig either does not own and/or does not possess to sell. Some have previously been destroyed or sold. These include the "Tip Top Farm" (does not own, damaged and essentially destroyed), the 25' x 35' Cape Ell and Barn c. 1790 (does not own, not in his possession, badly damaged, parts missing), and the 100' x 40' bank barn circa 1850 (sold years ago). I do not have any information on the few other structures on the site, but I think you get the idea.

Many people ask "Well, why don't you sue him? Well, the answer is - all in good time. It is a complicated process. Craig has no assets in his name (he boasted of this when I had him served with a complaint at his home in Maine.) But the wheels are in motion. Here is a link to the first complaint filed in Maine: http://www.craigsears.com/bc.html" title="http://www.craigsears.com/bc.html" target="_blank"http://www.craigsears.com/bc....

The above image is how I discovered the "Tip Top" or Bangor Barn was dismantled and stored by Craig Sears. He left it lying in a field - in the snow, rain, beating sun. He reduced it to kindling, all while maintaining that the barn was carefully dismantled, documented and blueprinted, and ready for delivery to be raised on a new site.

Welcome! Please feel free to visit craigsears.com www.craigsears.com to learn about a fraudulent business called Federal Period Timber Frames of Maine and that company's owner and, in my experience, fraud artist - Craig Sears. Scroll down through this blog for details of this fraud, updates, and photographs.

 NOTE: SEARS NOW SELLS ON eBAY. See posts below for details.

I have now been contacted by no less than 6 other victims of Craig Sears

Craig Sears sells vintage barns, or timber frames, and barn wood. At least that is what you would think, based on his web site. In reality (based on my personal experience), he takes money from people and delivers nothing. He is a classic con artist, with several victims other than myself that I know of directly. A search of his name in Google shows that there appears to be other victims of his questionable business activities with whom I am not directly familiar.

All information provided herein is based on my personal experience with Craig Sears. Documentation is available to support all claims of fraud made by Stolen Barn and craigsears.com www.craigsears.com, including legally binding contracts executed by the parties involved. You are free to draw your own conclusions and make your own decisions. This blog is simply provided for informational purposes.

If you have suffered a loss from Craig Sears or Federal Period Timber Frames that you believe constitutes fraud, I would like to hear from you. Please post a blog entry or please e-mail me at: stolenbarn [at] hotmail.com