Anbaric Posted July 23, 2022 Share #81 Posted July 23, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) The other issue here is that none of the usual suspects hide their addresses, which adds another disconcerting level of doubt here. I guess that the original poster was given the Essex address and doesn't necessarily have the new Oxford address that a couple of posters have mentioned? If so, it would probably be helpful if someone passed it on to monjue. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 23, 2022 Posted July 23, 2022 Hi Anbaric, Take a look here Camera Obscura Repairs UK.... Problem 😔. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted July 24, 2022 Share #82 Posted July 24, 2022 A good example of how it should be https://www.kamera-service.info/index.php/en/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anbaric Posted July 24, 2022 Share #83 Posted July 24, 2022 1 hour ago, jaapv said: A good example of how it should be https://www.kamera-service.info/index.php/en/ But sadly not available to UK customers, due to everyone's favourite act of national self-harm. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monjue Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share #84 Posted July 24, 2022 22 hours ago, Anbaric said: The other issue here is that none of the usual suspects hide their addresses, which adds another disconcerting level of doubt here. I guess that the original poster was given the Essex address and doesn't necessarily have the new Oxford address that a couple of posters have mentioned? If so, it would probably be helpful if someone passed it on to monjue. That would be very useful information if someone would kindly PM me. Thank you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Rogers Posted July 24, 2022 Share #85 Posted July 24, 2022 Message sent. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monjue Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share #86 Posted August 5, 2022 Hi, just another update. Alexander at camera obscura repairs UK, still has not replied to me or returned my camera or money. I believe they have gone for good. Again I'm devastated. As mentioned before, my M6 was given to me by my dad who recently passed away, It hold great sentimental value. I simply wanted to get it repaired. If anyone has any suggestion on how I can create further awareness to the photography community, Leica in particular about the unprofessionalism of Camera Obscura Repairs UK, then please mention it here or PM me. It would be good to know of other platforms I could post on to help others. I don't like to use the word Scam or speak ill of anyone, but it seems clear I have been scammed by Alexander and Camera Obscura Repairs UK. Also thanks for everyone's suggestions/help via PM's and within this thread, I really appreciate it so much. monjue. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muso Posted August 5, 2022 Share #87 Posted August 5, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) 42 minutes ago, monjue said: I don't like to use the word Scam or speak ill of anyone, but it seems clear I have been scammed by Alexander and Camera Obscura Repairs UK. After 3 months with no word, I'd call it a scam. Sorry this went so badly. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted August 27, 2022 Share #88 Posted August 27, 2022 Update re my IIIf and Summaron. Communication from Alexander at Camera Obscura has been appalling, even having been given his phone number - never answers and answers texts after many 'prompts'. The occasional communication is too detailed to suggest this is just a scam as he has my camera and money. I will lay out the whole saga in detail if not resolved in the next week or so - giving him one more chance for redemption. I live in hope that, despite the delay, I'll get my camera back and he'll have done a great job. I was advised on 15 August that the camera & lens would be sent (expedited shipping) that and I'd be given a tracking number that day. Nothing since then! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted August 28, 2022 Share #89 Posted August 28, 2022 (edited) On 8/27/2022 at 2:54 PM, MarkP said: The occasional communication is too detailed to suggest this is just a scam as he has my camera and money. Sorry - Typo. What I meant to write was: "His communication about the camera, when he does finally reply, is very detailed and doesn't fit with him being a scammer. He already has my camera and money so there is nothing more to gain from replying - it's just takes so long for him to reply. Nevertheless, I still don't have my equipment...😪 Edited August 28, 2022 by MarkP Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted August 28, 2022 Share #90 Posted August 28, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, MarkP said: Sorry - Typo. What I meant to write was: "His communication about the camera, when he does finally reply, is very detailed and doesn't fit with him being a scammer. He already has my camera and money so there is nothing more to gain from replying - it's just takes so long for him to reply. Nevertheless, I still don't have my equipment...😪 As posted before, he has done one CLA of an Elmar LTM for me, and I don't see him as a scammer. But he may well be overwhelmed by the problems of starting a new business as as a sole trader: marketing, bank loans, financial management, premises management, customer relations, plus actually doing the job, all in 24hrs/day, may have combined to make him incapable of getting any one of those right. If he had anything of mine, and I was in the UK, I would be knocking on the door of his premises to get my kit back. Edit: I should add, I also started a new business (a consultancy) as a sole trader, and I don't underestimate the range of skills you need to make it work. I kept it going for 9 years, ending with just three staff, before selling it with relief for a good (satisfactory, not life-changing) amount of money. I have sympathy for someone trying to do the same, but also sympathy for the customers who have handed over valuable personal possessions. Edited August 28, 2022 by LocalHero1953 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted August 28, 2022 Share #91 Posted August 28, 2022 Considering the bullshit on his LinkedIn site by his own account he isn't short of 'business skills' particularly as the one stressed most is 'marketing', and if marketing isn't about communication what is? I've seen CV's written like that before, they are delusional, perhaps like his camera repairs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
satijntje Posted August 28, 2022 Share #92 Posted August 28, 2022 Is it so difficult in UK to simply report this to the police? I would have launched an online “Strafanzeige” when this would have happened to me in Germany. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anbaric Posted August 28, 2022 Share #93 Posted August 28, 2022 https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/small-claims/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monjue Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share #94 Posted August 31, 2022 -UPDATE- After not getting anywhere with emails etc.. (as you all know) I turned to his Instagram account and did what I thought i would never do..... I spammed about 20 of his images saying something along the lines of "Can you please return my equipment and money you have stolen from me??? It’s monjue btw with the M6. If you check your inbox you will see emails you have ignored for months now." Within 15 minutes I got a PM from Alexander..... Long story short, after listening to him waffle on about himself for ages I now have my camera back. I would never recommend his company ever. However! @MarkP and anyone else having issues, I do recommend you spam his Instagram photos to get a reply. He doesn't seem to like that. https://www.instagram.com/cameraobscuragb/ Case closed, monjue. 9 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted August 31, 2022 Share #95 Posted August 31, 2022 1 hour ago, monjue said: -UPDATE- After not getting anywhere with emails etc.. (as you all know) I turned to his Instagram account and did what I thought i would never do..... I spammed about 20 of his images saying something along the lines of "Can you please return my equipment and money you have stolen from me??? It’s monjue btw with the M6. If you check your inbox you will see emails you have ignored for months now." Within 15 minutes I got a PM from Alexander..... Long story short, after listening to him waffle on about himself for ages I now have my camera back. I would never recommend his company ever. However! @MarkP and anyone else having issues, I do recommend you spam his Instagram photos to get a reply. He doesn't seem to like that. https://www.instagram.com/cameraobscuragb/ Case closed, monjue. Well done! I would have tried that and other stuff as soon as I wasn't getting a response. I had an issue with a large retailer recently and wasn't getting anywhere until I commented about the business on the Chairman's Linkedin page! Why any business ignores their customers emails is beyond me. Terrible service and no excuse for it. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted September 1, 2022 Share #96 Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) 14 hours ago, monjue said: -UPDATE- After not getting anywhere with emails etc.. (as you all know) I turned to his Instagram account and did what I thought i would never do..... I spammed about 20 of his images saying something along the lines of "Can you please return my equipment and money you have stolen from me??? It’s monjue btw with the M6. If you check your inbox you will see emails you have ignored for months now." Within 15 minutes I got a PM from Alexander..... Long story short, after listening to him waffle on about himself for ages I now have my camera back. I would never recommend his company ever. However! @MarkP and anyone else having issues, I do recommend you spam his Instagram photos to get a reply. He doesn't seem to like that. https://www.instagram.com/cameraobscuragb/ Case closed, monjue. I've just done the same. I am upset that I had to join Instagram in the first place, let alone that he has forced me to behave like this to try to get some progress. BTW, did he do a good job on the camera? Edited September 1, 2022 by MarkP 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monjue Posted September 1, 2022 Author Share #97 Posted September 1, 2022 3 hours ago, MarkP said: I've just done the same. I am upset that I had to join Instagram in the first place, let alone that he has forced me to behave like this to try to get some progress. BTW, did he do a good job on the camera? Good luck. As I'm currently working in Spain, I won't actually get to see the camera until November time!, but I'm sure it will be fine. I think his work is second to non, its simply the zero communication problems. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted September 5, 2022 Share #98 Posted September 5, 2022 (edited) I’ve still had no reply despite emails, texts, and spamming his Instagram images. I’m on the verge of dumping all the details of the whole saga here but I keep thinking I should give him the benefit of the doubt as maybe he has some problem at the moment. However, I’m rapidly running out of patience. Edited September 5, 2022 by MarkP 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted September 6, 2022 Share #99 Posted September 6, 2022 On 8/31/2022 at 9:47 PM, monjue said: -UPDATE- After not getting anywhere with emails etc.. (as you all know) I turned to his Instagram account and did what I thought i would never do..... I spammed about 20 of his images saying something along the lines of "Can you please return my equipment and money you have stolen from me??? It’s monjue btw with the M6. If you check your inbox you will see emails you have ignored for months now." Within 15 minutes I got a PM from Alexander..... Long story short, after listening to him waffle on about himself for ages I now have my camera back. I would never recommend his company ever. However! @MarkP and anyone else having issues, I do recommend you spam his Instagram photos to get a reply. He doesn't seem to like that. https://www.instagram.com/cameraobscuragb/ Case closed, monjue. It says a lot about him if bruising his ego is the only thing that gets a response. I expect emails and the phone didn't work because they put him too close to the coal face of accountability, but perhaps you have now broken Instagram as a way for him to hide? Watch out in coming months, we may find the new way to contact him is by smoke signals. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted September 6, 2022 Share #100 Posted September 6, 2022 This got me thinking, being a little bit cynical at times, it would be really easy to scam Leica (and other more expensive camera brand) users out of huge sums of equipment by setting yourself up as repair facility. Take a few jobs initially but farm them out to genuine repair shops, to get some good reviews and see business increase. Then you start stockpiling the gear and ignoring emails asking about progress/returns etc. Do a moonlight flit when most have just given up (as evidenced in this thread) and cash in on your stash to go and retire to Marbella. With scams/fraud on the increase due to cost of living it's best to be even more cautious about who you trust with your assets now! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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