Stolen Gear, Venmo Scam, and Adorama — My Ongoing Experience
Hi everybody, a few months ago I fell victim of a scam and I want to share my story to help others avoid a
nightmare I’m still dealing with. Nearly $7,000 worth of my camera gear was stolen through a Venmo scam —
and months later, I found my stolen Leica listed for sale by Adorama.
What followed has been months of frustrating dead ends, no seller protection from Venmo, no police response,
and radio silence from Adorama — even after confirming they had my stolen gear.
Here’s the full story:
Timeline of Events
12/22/24 — Sold nearly $7,000 worth of gear in person, buyer paid via Venmo.
01/03/25 — Buyer filed a chargeback, claiming they didn’t authorize the payment.
01/04/25 — Appealed to Venmo with full proof of the conversation.
01/05/25 — Filed a police report, provided buyer's license plate and all Venmo records.
• Venmo denied my appeal. The police assigned me a detective, but aside from one call asking me to try
identifying the person via phone, I’ve had no updates despite following up every two days.
My Stolen Gear Listed on Adorama
04/06/25 — Found my stolen Leica M8 listed on Adorama’s website (serial number confirmed).
• Emailed Adorama immediately — listing disappeared within an hour.
• I called in and was told to contact Jack Gold, but despite multiple attempts, I couldn’t reach him.
Adorama Response Timeline
04/10/25 — Sent follow-up.
04/11/25 — Emily W. replied, said multiple departments were investigating, asked for my police report. I sent it
that day.
04/15/25 — Lars C. confirmed they received it, asked for patience until after Passover.
04/16/25 — I informed them Leica marked the item as stolen, cc’d my detective. Lars C. replied, saying the
item was removed from their site, and they’d follow up.
04/28/25 — No reply, escalated again.
04/30/25 — Lars C. asked for 1-2 more business days. No further communication despite weekly follow-ups.
Recent Updates
06/23/25 — Got through to Jack Gold, transferred to Simcha Engel, both unaware of the situation.
06/24/25 — Spoke with Keith Guralchuk, he said the Leica was sold to a customer — contradicting earlier info.
• I forwarded proof from Lars C. saying it was removed from listings.
• As of today (07/01/25), no further response from Adorama.
Looking for Advice
• Have you dealt with Adorama regarding stolen gear?
• Any advice on next steps?
Appreciate any insight or similar experiences.
Stay safe out there, everyone.
Stolen Gear, Venmo Scam, and Adorama — My Ongoing Experience
Hi everybody, a few months ago I fell victim of a scam and I want to share my story to help others avoid a
nightmare I’m still dealing with. Nearly $7,000 worth of my camera gear was stolen through a Venmo scam —
and months later, I found my stolen Leica listed for sale by Adorama.
What followed has been months of frustrating dead ends, no seller protection from Venmo, no police response,
and radio silence from Adorama — even after confirming they had my stolen gear.
Here’s the full story:
Timeline of Events
12/22/24 — Sold nearly $7,000 worth of gear in person, buyer paid via Venmo.
01/03/25 — Buyer filed a chargeback, claiming they didn’t authorize the payment.
01/04/25 — Appealed to Venmo with full proof of the conversation.
01/05/25 — Filed a police report, provided buyer's license plate and all Venmo records.
• Venmo denied my appeal. The police assigned me a detective, but aside from one call asking me to try
identifying the person via phone, I’ve had no updates despite following up every two days.
My Stolen Gear Listed on Adorama
04/06/25 — Found my stolen Leica M8 listed on Adorama’s website (serial number confirmed).
• Emailed Adorama immediately — listing disappeared within an hour.
• I called in and was told to contact Jack Gold, but despite multiple attempts, I couldn’t reach him.
Adorama Response Timeline
04/10/25 — Sent follow-up.
04/11/25 — Emily W. replied, said multiple departments were investigating, asked for my police report. I sent it
that day.
04/15/25 — Lars C. confirmed they received it, asked for patience until after Passover.
04/16/25 — I informed them Leica marked the item as stolen, cc’d my detective. Lars C. replied, saying the
item was removed from their site, and they’d follow up.
04/28/25 — No reply, escalated again.
04/30/25 — Lars C. asked for 1-2 more business days. No further communication despite weekly follow-ups.
Recent Updates
06/23/25 — Got through to Jack Gold, transferred to Simcha Engel, both unaware of the situation.
06/24/25 — Spoke with Keith Guralchuk, he said the Leica was sold to a customer — contradicting earlier info.
• I forwarded proof from Lars C. saying it was removed from listings.
• As of today (06/27/25), no further response from Adorama.
Looking for Advice
• Have you dealt with Adorama regarding stolen gear?
• Any advice on next steps?
Appreciate any insight or similar experiences.
Stay safe out there, everyone.
Jun 27, 2025 at 05:59 PM
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