Owner of iPhoneNow.ca scam site convicted and jailed on unrelated charges

October 29, 2008 by James

A while back we’ve reported on an appalling fraud scheme that targeted hundreds of Canadians who were looking to purchase an iPhone before it officially came out in Canada, perpetrated by one man.

The man’s name is Scott Frederick Byers, also known as Joshua Trousdale, and he was operating the now defunct site iPhoneNow.ca. Mr Byers, a seasoned scammer who was convicted several years ago of running a similar scam that targeted would-be PS2 buyers (who obviously have never received the goods they paid for), was taking orders and money for iPhones without ever shipping them.

After the fraud was discovered he promised to reimburse his victims the $390,000 he netted in the process, however almost all of them have never seen even one cent of their money back.

That’s why it’s nice to read that Vancouver Sun reports that this fraudster was jailed due to an unrelated offense in Vancouver — this time around he “simply” used forged documents and obstructed justice. While he obviously tried to say he’s not guilty, he’s currently awaiting trial in a BC jail. At the same time the investigation regarding the iPhoneNow.ca fraud charges is still ongoing.

And here a question to our Canadian readers: do you maybe think our anti-fraud laws are not what they’re supposed to be? It’s rather weird that someone accused of repeat fraud was free to commit more crime until the latest charges were brought up.

Tags: app, Canada, iPhone, News, OS

Article by James

My name is James Farlow, I'm 23 years of age, attending university in computers engineering and apart of that I enjoy blogging here and now for a few sites. The phone that I currently use is a custom modded white iPhone 4 but am really looking forward to iPhone 5.

Line 2 - second Line app for iPhone - free trial!

http://www.scamandfraudblog.com Bobba Louie

What goes around comes aound.

Bobba
http://www.scamandfraudblog.com
BlackLotusNS

I went out with him when I was 16 kind of. I met him, he bought me a cellphone, and a black lotus, and I never really talked to him again after that. He paid my cellphone bill for almost a year without me even really talking to him too much.
iphonew

Sounds like a loser overall =)
BlackLotusNS

Circumstance can make us all do things we may not have thought possible.
iphonew

Well, giving away cell phones and air time in an effort to win someone's affection (even tho I'm sure you're a super girl and all) is something I'd classify as a loser move. And thieving online is not the smartest move either. To be honest it doesn't take much smarts to organize that – open a website, sell stuff and never deliver it. I only hope he'll learn from this experience, though looking at his previous illegal online dealings that is quite unlikely.
Fourknobs

Check out Peter Frommer. One of the largest scammers in the US for iphones. He’s currently headed to prison for 9-33 years on a different scam, but he took millions from people in a huge iphone scam.
Also watch out for Rowllando Retana aka Ron Retn. He’s in Costa Rica avoiding police in the US for a huge luxury car scam. He’s running iphone/electronics scams from Escazu, Costa Rica. Hopefully, someone will put a bullet in him, because the FBI refuses to extradite him on “such small value offenses”. $400k on one car scam alone. Sounds high value to me.
Iam anonymous

Ron RETANA, for Rowland RETANA SIBAJA. He is
still in Costa Rica, keeping doing this iphone scam. The only thing is that he
did it and could not hide forever as I have too many info about him. It took 2
weeks to get everything sorted.

If someone is looking for RON RETANA, I can
help. I am in Costa Rica and I have all the info needed to “get in
touch”. Do not count on the police… he has been doing this for years…
I saw this iphone story on a comment posted in 2010. Now, we are in 2012, … and
he is still doing this… He has for more than $600.000 law suit in the USA…
He needs to be responsible of his acts.

I promessed I will make his life Hell in Costa
Rica as he cannot go back to US!… So, I am doing it.

Here what I have:

-His real name and his 2 surmanes

-His phone numbers

-His exact address

-What kind of cars he drives + registration
plates

-The 8 companies registered on the name of his
dad Eduardo + the 5 on the name of his brother Jefery. …Ron doesn t have
anything on his name…

-Contact details for those companies.

-An actual company in the USA! (maybe on the
name of his dad)… Well, this one is a freebie as I am not in the USA:

It s named: “RyR Investment – 175 Olive
street,San Bernardino – CA 92410-3665″.

I am not so sure about that one, but the
probalitity is very high. This company was registered in Costa Rica and the
name of it is similar to the ones his dad owned. There are only 2 companies
having this name in the world. One in England (which is not related), and one
in San Bernardino: It s just 20km west from Foothill Auto Body, in Rancho
Cucamonga… place for which one Ron has been sentenced to $150.000 in March
2011 for scam I presume.

http://www.sgvexaminer.com/images/20…%2023%2011.pdf
page B-14.

If someone want that info:

write to scam.ron.retana@gmail.com
Iam anonymous

Ron RETANA, for Rowland RETANA SIBAJA. He is
still in Costa Rica, keeping doing this iphone scam. The only thing is that he
did it and could not hide forever as I have too many info about him. It took 2
weeks to get everything sorted.

If someone is looking for RON RETANA, I can
help. I am in Costa Rica and I have all the info needed to “get in
touch”. Do not count on the police… he has been doing this for years…
I saw this iphone story on a comment posted in 2010. Now, we are in 2012, … and
he is still doing this… He has for more than $600.000 law suit in the USA…
He needs to be responsible of his acts.

I promessed I will make his life Hell in Costa
Rica as he cannot go back to US!… So, I am doing it.

Here what I have:

-His real name and his 2 surmanes

-His phone numbers

-His exact address

-What kind of cars he drives + registration
plates

-The 8 companies registered on the name of his
dad Eduardo + the 5 on the name of his brother Jefery. …Ron doesn t have
anything on his name…

-Contact details for those companies.

-An actual company in the USA! (maybe on the
name of his dad)… Well, this one is a freebie as I am not in the USA:

It s named: “RyR Investment – 175 Olive
street,San Bernardino – CA 92410-3665″.

I am not so sure about that one, but the
probalitity is very high. This company was registered in Costa Rica and the
name of it is similar to the ones his dad owned. There are only 2 companies
having this name in the world. One in England (which is not related), and one
in San Bernardino: It s just 20km west from Foothill Auto Body, in Rancho
Cucamonga… place for which one Ron has been sentenced to $150.000 in March
2011 for scam I presume.

http://www.sgvexaminer.com/images/20…%2023%2011.pdf
page B-14.

If someone want that info:

write to scam.ron.retana@gmail.com