[TA Widow]

So technically this isn't a stolen car, but it's stolen money that was paid for a car to be built. My thief is named Bob Mcelreath. He goes by 9 different business and e-bay names: shop names are Pick a Pony, Build a Bandit, Pontiac Pros, Discount Classic Auto Restoration, Common Man Classic Hot Rods. Known e-bay aliases eck0211, turtlevhare, winstoncup2watch, restoguru7881.

My husband paid $15,000 for a fully restored Trans Am Bandit on June 4, 2012. He unexpectantly died on June 7, 2012. That's 3 days later. About a week goes by and I start trying to contact Bob and his company. 51 days later I have to drive nearly 500 miles round trip because no one can bother to respond to an e-mail or phone call. I get a new contract promising a full refund within 30 business days- my husband told me and other people confirmed that it's a policy of the shop to refund widows the money if the car isn't completed before the purchaser dies. This time the money was barely in the bank! The new contract is written by the Bob's step-son, Zak Kampert. Bob finally returns from God knows where and said that he'd left the step-son in charge and he apologized for Zak not returning any messages. He says and e-mails that normally he has a "well-known" 60 day refund policy for widows, but he'd honor the contract. He gives me $2000 in mid-August. At the end of the 30 days Bob states publicly that I had coerced his UNDERAGE stepson into the contract and I knew that he has a "well-known" 90 day refund policy. I talked to the stepson for about 30 seconds on the phone. I never met the man. He sent someone else to deliver the contract because it was 20 whole minutes away (I'd just driven 4 1/2 hours with 2 kids in the car). There was no coercing. The policy changes at the owners whim.

It's been 144 days today since my husband passed away - that's a bit more than either version of his well-known policy. Bob Mcelreath refuses all communication. The police cannot do anything because he gave me a $2000 partial refund and he does barely enough work to be considered only a horrible business man and not the con man that he is. He is currently conning at least 34 other victims out of at least $500,000!!! He's on the hunt for more too - he keeps putting more ads on e-Bay and other sites. I have no idea how he stays out of jail! The NC Attorney General's office is "investigating" so they can't comment. Does anyone know how to get this crook to pay people money they owe him? Suing him won't work because he has told everyone that he's "liquidated" his assets. He is an amoral professional con-man.

[Txbobcat]

I am sorry for the loss of your husband. I dont know if it will do you any good but I would talk to 2 or 3 lawyers at once. Remember at the same time that a lawyers #1 job is to be paid not to help a client. If they promise you a great outcome but want a huge deposit or fee they may be of the same character as the thief.

[David Holmberg]

How was the money sent to the shop?
Is it possible to get the car as paid for and then sell it?

I'm very sorry for your loss.

[se428bandit]

There is a couple threads on Trans Am Country about them.
http://transamcountry.com/community/...?topic=53317.0

[TA Widow]

Thanks. The car was never made. He paid for the restoration of a car. It was to be completed within 10-12 months. Bob Mcelreath changes the name of his shop whenever the publicity gets bad, hence the 13 aliases. My husband always checked on things like that before paying for anything, let alone a $15,000 car!!! He talked to the thief for hours and thought he was a great guy. I assume that my husband was upset because he'd just been diagnosed with a really rare (non-fatal) diabilitating disease. My guess is that he didn't dig as deep as he usually did. The thief claimed to have known someone with the very same 7 in a million disease. That's why he was willing to give my husband such a great deal - if he'd only pay up front. The paperwork came in stamped Paid the day he died. It was all he'd talk about that day. He was ecstatic. I'm so glad he never found out the truth.

I learned of all the aliases after my husband died. I also learned that he has at least 35 other people he's stringing along. I feel even worse for some of them. The worst has already happened to me. One poor guy has terminal cancer. He knows he's dying and he ordered his car thinking he'd get to drive it before he died or leave it to his kid or something. He hasn't got the car yet, no date that I've heard of. Another guy returned from fighting for us in the Middle East expecting to surprise his 5 year old with a ride. No date, no car. Another just got a divorce... At least 3 are out of the country. Bob calls everyone that won't come to his shop too lazy to see their "beautiful" cars. He's supposed to send them updated pictures but I don't know of anyone who's actually getting calls or e-mails from him. When I went there all I saw were rust buckets. He's currently working on something like 3 cars. He churned 3 others out recently and they're already brought back in because they're not done right. A different guy said his paint bubbled after the first car wash. Still another guy said his car broke down halfway down the road from the shop. One guy picked his up "early" (19 months after paying - 9 months after the contract said it'd be done) Bob had the nerve to tell everyone that the guy was just weeks away from a beautiful car. My 9 year old could have done a better paint job. A newborn could have grabbed chunks of the rust off some the pieces he "restored." It was missing 105 pieces!!! That guy is pretty vocal so Bob sent a very thinly disguised death threat to him against his entire family. Bob likes to send out bulk e-mails to his victims with ridiculous excuses, threats, and lies about anyone who dares suggest he's not honest. I've been mentioned in a couple of them. I really just don't understand how he stays out of jail.

[TA Widow]

Sorry for the delay, I'd tried before and it never showed up. The money was wire transferred. It is impossible to get the car because I never received a VIN or title. Only the paperwork stamped paid was sent to the house when my husband died. Then Bob Mcelreath's shop went into hiding for nearly 2 months. They returned zero phone calls, mail, or e-mails. When I drove just about 500 miles to the shop I finally got a new contract promising a full refund, no car. Then the lies and excuses started.

I'm not special, except that I caught on to his theft early on because my husband died only 3 days after paying for the car. This disgusting excuse for a human being is currently conning at least 35 other people out of over half a million dollars! And he's on the hunt for more!!!

Some of their stories are just as bad as mine. One guy is facing terminal cancer and wanted the car before he died. Bob promised he'd get it, as of yet, nothing but heartache. One guy was fighting for us in the Middle East. He wanted his car when he came home. Nothing. Yet another guy was told the repairs to a car he already owned would take 5 months. It's been nearly 2 years. One guy gave up and got his car "weeks away from a beautiful car." It was missing 105 pieces, was riddled with rust, and had a paint job my 9 year old could have done better. His was 9 months late. He's been pretty vocal with pictures and a running dialogue of what he's been through. As a result, Bob has made a very thinly veiled threat to kill his entire family. There are nearly 3 dozen similar stories. He preys on people going through a significant change in their lives or people who finally scrape up enough money to get a car they've always dreamed about. Bob Mcelreath is a vile, amoral, coward of a man.

[bigpop]

I have a question and a comment. Where did you find out about the other folks that he is allegedly bilking? And all the other facts that you post?i.e. the amount of money total that is in question,the others stories?
Also, you mention you drove quite a distance to meet with him, is he in the same state? If not, that seems to be a Federal Offense,(across state lines). Call the appropriate Federal Agency in your state and his.(Attorney General) Larry B.

[1beautifuldaughter]

Very sorry about your loss and situation, Its very sad to have to accept these days that there are so many people who will put the all mighty dollar before humanity, I dont know if its of any help. But I once met a guy from Sweden through Ebay that got screwed out of $3500 and he couldn't do anything about it because the US laws don't protect or help out of country transactions. So the local police couldn't do anything, I went to the consumer protection agency in that county who was familiar with the name. It took about 3-4 years of emails phone calls , I would not let anyone forget and became a thorn in this guys side and the agency was able to make him comply to things that would bring the law in. Well I got the guys money back in Sweden and I was pretty proud of myself. So just saying,, If the law cant help because the law is the law,, and you find a good person in some consumer protection agency maybe you can be thorn in there side and make them Cave. Good luck, and again sorry you became a victim to "the all mighty dollar", And sorry about your husband.

[Simple Man]

Call 60 Minutes, or a similar show.

[ITSAV6]

That really sux!

[lust4speed]

Strength in numbers. You need to contact as many upset customers as you can and then as many as possible visit to the appropriate enforcement agency. The low-life continues to profit because it's pretty easy to ward off one person at a time.