The most unusual way to lose a friend...

[wintersun]

Today is not a normal day. Something is really terribly wrong. So let me start from the beginning...

I was just talking to my friend on the MSN (who I will call Mark here), who is form London. I asked him if he was willing to buy a POD 2.0 for me (which was suppose to go to my other friend anyways), after I would send him the money, and then he would mail it to me as a gift. There are no PODs in croatia, so this was the only way. He agreed, and, knowing that croatian taxes are abnormal, I intended to do a little frod on a Croatian tax law, and asked him to mail me the receipt. I was about to perform the same frod me and someone else has done when i was getting my pedal: scan the receipt, make it look like it was faxed, lower the price, and give it to the duties. It worked that time!

But Mark found it bad to be against the law, and didnt like the idea. So I started to explain him what is the political situation here in Croatia. I told him how we have a curopted government, how people are cheated in many ways, taxes are insane, that we have undercover cops dealing drugs and stuff. And I told him that this is the real world, unfortunately. At least for us here.

And can you imagine what he did after I told that?? HE F**** BLOCKED ME! I'm not sure whats wrong with this guy, but I'm guessing he wasn't aware of this kind of life, so I must have scared him away! He must have found me being a part of a "Croatian mafia" or a terrorist or something. I mean he always was a fair guy, but THIS???!!

I mean, you guys are from UK, does this story really affect you all the same way? Or is this guy hypersensitive or something :?:  I'm still in shock and can't belive that this is a way to lose a friend.  

So, comments?

[WITH FULL DISTORTION]

Thats a simple insane thing.
eitehr the guy has less than 18 and is affraid of doing any of this shite, or he doesn´t belong to the planet earth, or he´s a prick
Q:P
iface the same problem here in brazil.

[noodleplugerine]

I can partly understand.

If the guy felt he was getting into a situation which could get him into serious implications - He has a right to his own safety, etc.

And Trust me - A $%&#ing POD isn't worth Jailtime! :D

[wintersun]

I can partly understand.

If the guy felt he was getting into a situation which could get him into serious implications - He has a right to his own safety, etc.

And Trust me - A #$%!& POD isn't worth Jailtime! :D

No, he wasn't getting into that kind of a situation. I told him that. And for heavens sake, he was my friend lol. You cant block a friend for that.

[gwEm]

strange he blocked you indeed.

did you ever meet face to face, or is he an 'internet only' friend?

[wintersun]

strange he blocked you indeed.

did you ever meet face to face, or is he an 'internet only' friend?

Internet only.. But still, everyone is trying to avoid the taxes in any way, and mostly the duty guys just ask for a receipt so they can just write it down and good bye.

But this guy wouldn't even download a something from the internet. I admire his ways, but still, you cant just block someone without saying a word (I forgot to mention HE DIDN'T SAY A WORD).

Btw, taxes would cost me 50 GBP! 50 percent of a POD 2 price!!

[machine_of_god]

If a real friend in real life is like having sex with a reasonably attractive woman, then an internet friend is like masturbating to a picture of Margaret Thatcher...   :?

[Jonny]

I don't suppose it's unusual, it's just.. weird?

When your friend ceases to talk to you. Full stop. And s/he won't explain, you're just standing there saying: What?

And that's the end of that.

[Kilby]

As he has never met you in person he may be wondering if he is being roped into something potentially larger. In the UK people are always being warned to be on their guard against scams & money laundering scam from Nigeria and Eastern Europe.

Just as you do not know all his circumstances, he dosn't (really) know yours and he has run away from the situation.

Just mail him and say sorry if I placed you in a situation that you feel uncomfortable with, and that his friendship means more than the tax saving on the Pod

[Mr Ed]

A little OTT for sure, I can understand why he might not want to do that but it's still a really weird reaction.

Plus everyone does it, who here hasn't received something US-bought off ebay and it comes as a "gift" to save on duty? I never ask for it but it always happens, works out better for both parties.

[FernandoDuarte]

I can understand you... I saw the importation tax of England, and it's smaller than the tax from national products here in Brazil... Our importation taxes get the thing more than doubled in the price, if you get it by air mail... if it's parcel air, is about 80% + price...  :shock:

[Ratrod]

Import taxes suck. It's pure theft in my book when it becomes more than 20%.

I think you scared your friend a little. There's so much talk about internet fraud and crime these days.

[TwilightOdyssey]

For legality's sake, let me say that what you proposed is wrong and I'm glad it didn't work out, because it's illegal!













Now, that being said, you have two issues here --


First, can you really ever 'know' or 'trust' anyone you met solely through the interweb? I would be very skeptical of this. As machine-of-god rather comically put it, it doesn't really meet the criteria of actual 'friendship'.

Second, some people get very freaked out when the word 'fraud' is thrown around. Fraud is a very bad word -- I wouldn't use it in polite company. ;)

Further to that point, some people get very freaked out when they find out that it takes work and a bit of thought to send something from country X to country Y and not get burned by customs. Not everyone is up to creating/altering receipts, and not everyone is up to receiving said altered receipt.

When I sent WFD his first BK pickups, I knew how insane the customs are in Brasil. So, I made sure that they actually looked the part of a gift: no original packing, and even put a card in the box for authenticity's sake. Made it through with no problem.

Now, I've never met WFD or many of the other forum bros I've helped out sending gear to over the years, but I look at it like putting money in the bank -- it's an investment into Good Karma. :)

[FernandoDuarte]

When I sent WFD his first BK pickups, I knew how insane the customs are in Brasil.

Are you dealer on USA of BKP?

[TwilightOdyssey]

When I sent WFD his first BK pickups, I knew how insane the customs are in Brasil.

Are you dealer on USA of BKP?

Nope, just a guitar player like yourself.