Dear Milton,
I believe I have become the victim of a possible mail fraud scam. I hope I am wrong but please let me explain the circumstances. Any response or recommendation you can make will be most helpful.
I do want to readers to know about this. I have filed the proper forms with the U.S. Post Office for mail fraud. When I hear from them I will pass the information on to you. The Wargaming community is too fragile to allow this form of criminal activity to endure.
I do want you to know that your mention of Mr. Marcinek in Savage and Soldier established him as a reliable vendor. I want you to know that I can't hold you responsible in anyway, but I hope you feel some responsibility and will make some effort to help.
Back in December of 1991, I placed an order with a man called Gregory A. Marcinek. I had received a catalog from him called Walk the Paths of the Past, containing lots of real and reproductions of both Zulu and British war items from the Zulu War period. The catalog is very extensive, carrying items from shields to the Isandhlwana Bugle, to uniforms, to wildlife items.
I placed an order for a complete Colour Sergeant's reproduction uniform. This covered everything but the rifle. I sent him a check for $863.65 in U.S. dollars. This represents part of a $1,800 total cost.
I did not just send him a check based on the catalog alone. I had written him twice and received two answers. I had also called him at home and spoke to him at length about the order and information about the uniforms and reenactment groups, which I was hoping to form one at a local level.
I also wish to mention that I am a current member of the Victorian Military Society. I have been for several years, and I have a very strong interest in the British colonial period of history.
To get back to Mr. Marcinek, I mailed him a check on December 10, and it was cashed on the 13th. Since that time I have written him four times. Tried calling him at home, but have found out that his home phone number is now unlisted, and not even an emergency call can be placed through because the phone company does not even have a listing under his name. What he has is an unlisted number. I have placed a number of calls to his office phone, but there is only an answering machine. I have left a message but he has not returned my calls.
I am enclosing a copy of all my correspondence to him, as well as proof of payment, his written responses and a sample of his ordering form, and a letter that I received from Mr. Ian Knight concerning his knowledge of Mr. Marcinek's reputation.
Sincerely, Ronald Teleucky
Ed. Note: In Mr. Ian Knight's letter to Mr. Teleucky, he stated that he never gave Mr. Marcinek permission to use his name in advertising (which apparently Mr. Marcinek did!) Mr. Knight also expressed reservation about Mr. Marcinek's "excavations" in South Africa. A number of excavation sites listed by Mr. Marcinek were checked into by Mr. Knight, and he found that they are "protected historical sites"! (Mr. Knight's discovery caused a something of a furor in South Africa.)
S&S mentioned Mr. Marcinek's business in Vol.XXI No.4, and in Vol.XXII No.4. I got hold of the catalog from Nick Stern, but never ordered anything from Mr. Marcinek. I am very sorry about what Mr. Teleucky is going through, and I apologize if S&S have somehow "legitimized" Mr. Marcinek's operations.
As a final warning for all you potential mail order customers, S&S DOES NOT first check out all vendors before their name gets on the Reviewing Stand. However, I'll try to be more careful in how I write a review. I would mention where or who I got the information from, and whether any of my friends (that includes all of you S&S readers out there) or myself have had prior dealings with a vendor.
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© Copyright 1992 by Milton Soong.
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