warning re. forum member ilsegretosvx

Dear fellow forum members,

I regret that it has come to this, but I would like to warn fellow SVX forum members against dealing with ilsegretosvx (real name Stefano Miraglia) - he is not to be trusted.

I sold him my '92 SVX in Los Angeles, on October 30 2004. At the time, he asked me to let him keep the NJ license plates on the car until he could drive back to San Diego that same day. He promised to send me the plates (REP32J) once he got back to San Diego. I waited.

In December 2004, I received a letter from the City of San Diego, informing me that I had not paid a parking ticket issued on November 12, 2004, for a 1992 SVX, license plate REP32J. I called Stefano immediately. He apologized and promised to send me the plates and take care of the ticket.

In January 2005, I received another letter from the City of San Diego. Ticket still not paid, and my license plates were still nowhere to be seen. I called Stefano, but his number had changed. On January 14, 2005, he replied to a PM on the forum, and wrote:

Hey, sorry about the delay in replying but Im stuck in Chico now. the State of CA took the plates after the smog and they had everything messed up. It cost $200 to reg the thing. I got hit with every fee in the world. Please send the tickets to me so I can take care of them. Sorry about the mix up. The car has been reged in my name they (DMV) had everything f ed up with the out of state thing. Either address will do.
4750 Hall rd Corning CA and yes that is Corning CA not NY

I trusted him again (don't ask me why) and sent him the letter. Never heard from him.

Last week, I got a letter from the City of San Francisco, informing me that I had not paid a parking ticket issued for (you guessed it) a '92 SVX, REP32J, issued on January 29, 2005. That's 15 days after Stefano said the California DMV had confiscated the plates.

This week, I received a letter from the City of San Diego, informing me that if I did not pay the outstanding parking ticket (yes the one from November 2004 that Stefano promised to pay, twice), they would report my citation to various credit reporting agencies, and lower my credit rating!

Six months after selling him my SVX, six months after he asked me to let him keep the plates for his drive back to San Diego as a favor, six months after he promised to send them back to me immediately, he has kept none of his promises, and left me to handle all his parking tickets. He has also lied to me repeatedly, and to the best of my knowledge is still using those license plates (despite claiming that the California DMV had confiscated them) and driving a car that is registered in my name without my permission. To top it off, his lying and irresponsibility are threatening to lower my credit rating.

I have begun taking legal action to rectify the matter, but to all fellow forum members: DON'T TRUST STEFANO MIRAGLIA (ILSEGRETOSVX).

I regret having to introduce a sour note to the otherwise polite and cheerful tone of this forum - I thought long and hard about it. Ultimately, I felt that I should warn other members of the forum, in case their goodwill (of which there's a lot around here) got taken advantage of by an untrustworthy forum member. Please beware.

PS - Stefano, when you read this, give me a call. I would LOVE to talk to you.

[shelfy]

kmin:

wow! i don't know what to say besides i'm sorry this has happened to you.

[Electrophil]

Not a good thing at all.

I hope you know all you have to do, is cancel the registration on the plates at your DMV. You can tell them exactly what happened, or not tell them anything. It doesn't matter. They will cancel the registration, and you are done with that. NV requires us to surrender the plates, but if you don't have them... well, you just don't have them. They still cancel the registration.

I'll remember that name.

some people truly suck big time...and I know what you mean ..would LOVE to talk to this person..best of luck

[Seraph]

If you really want to take extreme measures, you can do the following things.

1. Report your plates stolen.
2. Using the reports, go to your DMV and have them cancle the plates.

Yes. The local police can send the outstanding parking tickets to collection and it *can* lower your credit rating a few points. Most people will not take it against you for such a case. Also, if they do report to a credit agencies, if you have your police report, you *can* and should be able to tell them that someone did that to you and they will either remove it or post a note on your account so that people can understand.

If you want your credit report ran, PM me.

[Landshark]

lesson learned: do NOT sell a car and leave your plates on. seen it happen before to friends. "i'll mail them right back!"

[immortal_suby]

My brother had it happen with a motorcycle he sold. Guy was riding around with no moto license and my bro's plates. One day one of my brother's friends caught up with the guy and gave him a beat down and took the plate.

Sorry this had to happen to you. The guy I bought my svx from did let me drive it home from georgia with his plates on it, but I took them off the minute I got home and registered it properly.

[ensteele]

You could also report the car stolen. That might get someones attention!

I was allowed to keep the plates on several car I purchased, and I sent them back as soon as I arrived home. They were sent out registered mail as well.

I agree with reporting the plates to you local DMV.

[Electrophil]

I was just pondering this, and up front, I've never been in the situation you guys are talking about. On either side, as a matter of fact.

I bought the 92 from a member, but he dropped off the car and took the tags with him.

But what would a typical police officer do if you were pulled over for no tags, and you had the freshly signed title in hand? Has that ever happened to anybody?

[svxthc]

What a two faced, irresponsible punk. We should kick him off the forum. Report the news to the DMV and if nothing happens report the car stolen, because in half that is true, the plates are not his. That's a shame he's using your plates and still manages to get unpaid parking tickets. Idiot?

[NapaBavarian]

I don't know if these will help, but maby...

Must have Acrobat Reader

CA release of liability form

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg138.pdf

I assume NY has a similar form, did you send it in? Did he pay by cash or check? If he paid by check then get your deposit records, I've also heard that banks must keep photo copys or electronic coppies of deposited checks, don't know if it is true, but if it is and you can get it then it would be very damming evidence of proof of sale.

Have you sent letters to the cities that have sent you parking tickets?

[immortal_suby]

Originally Posted by Electrophil

But what would a typical police officer do if you were pulled over for no tags, and you had the freshly signed title in hand? Has that ever happened to anybody?

In south carolina you are allowed to drive with no plates for 30 days as long as you have insurance on a car. The car you are buying does not need to be insured, you just have to have insurance on something and the law makes that insurance automatically cover the car.

It is also pretty easy to get 30 day temp plates to use for things like this.

I am sure it varies state to state though.

[Electrophil]

Originally Posted by immortal_suby

In south carolina you are allowed to drive with no plates for 30 days as long as you have insurance on a car. The car you are buying does not need to be insured, you just have to have insurance on something and the law makes that insurance automatically cover the car.

It is also pretty easy to get 30 day temp plates to use for things like this.

I am sure it varies state to state though.

I was thinking it went something like this. When I bought the 92, I went to the DMV, they gave me a sheet good for 10 days to stick on my windshield. Then you bring the car in for a VIN check, and after that, they give you a 30 day "pass" for your windshield.

[UberRoo]

I've never bought or sold a vehicle (in the US) where either party kept the plates. Titles usually have a "report of sale" stub on them that you can submit to the licensing department. If you date the title and submit the stub, you're covered.

With friends I trust, I just sign the title with no date and keep the report of sale stub. With strangers whom I generally trust, I fill out all the paperwork. With people I don't trust, I go to the licensing department with them to make sure the transfer takes place successfully.

I've never had the misfortune to learn these lessons the hard way, but I've seen it happen to other people many times. I would not let this linger. Call the people who are sending you the tickets and explain what's happened, fax them evidence if possible, and ask for an extension. Hopefully they'll accommodate you. Call the licensing department and see what your options are to report the sale. Call the police and see what can be done. Even if these people can't help you, ask them if they have any suggestions. The new owner may be hit with some fees for not transferring the title in a timely manner, but that's not your problem.

Thanks for all the support and advice, everyone.

I don't want to say too much about the course of action I've taken, but the end result should be satisfactory for me, the cities of San Diego and San Francisco, and the California DMV. Stefano, or ilsegretosvx, well... a man reaps what he sows.

And trust me, lesson learned on this one. Unfortunately no one I don't know personally will ever get the same measure of trust from me again.