If you want a cautionary tale about doing business with a company you don't know anything about, consider the story of a California businessman - I'll leave his name out of it - who ordered a batch of Apple iPhones last August from a liquidator who gave an address here in Ledyard.The buyer, after several weeks of negotiations by phone and e-mail, told police he wired $49,000 to an account at the Bank of America branch in Mystic in payment for 100 phones.

The buyer, after several weeks of negotiations by phone and e-mail, told police he wired $49,000 to an account at the Bank of America branch in Mystic in payment for 100 phones.He never did get the phones, and after weeks of unbelievable excuses - my cell phone fell in the toilet, for one - and then unreturned calls and e-mails, he tried to put a hold on the Bank of America account to which he had wired the money. He was told it was empty.

He never did get the phones, and after weeks of unbelievable excuses - my cell phone fell in the toilet, for one - and then unreturned calls and e-mails, he tried to put a hold on the Bank of America account to which he had wired the money. He was told it was empty.Last week, Ledyard police charged Elaine Roberts, 36, of Blacksmith Drive, Ledyard, with first-degree larceny in the failed phone-sale deal.

Last week, Ledyard police charged Elaine Roberts, 36, of Blacksmith Drive, Ledyard, with first-degree larceny in the failed phone-sale deal.An arrest-warrant affidavit filed in the case says that police determined $49,000 was wired into Roberts' Bank of America account on Aug. 12.

An arrest-warrant affidavit filed in the case says that police determined $49,000 was wired into Roberts' Bank of America account on Aug. 12.Just two days later, a check for $12,046.58 was drawn on the account and used to buy a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer from a Mystic car dealership. Four days after that, a check for $13,958.44 was used to buy a 2009 Chevrolet Aveo from the same dealership, police say.

Just two days later, a check for $12,046.58 was drawn on the account and used to buy a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer from a Mystic car dealership. Four days after that, a check for $13,958.44 was used to buy a 2009 Chevrolet Aveo from the same dealership, police say.Around that same time, there was also a cash withdrawal for $10,000 as well as smaller debit purchases for household items. By Sept. 11, the $49,000 was gone and Roberts' account had a negative balance, according to the affidavit.

Around that same time, there was also a cash withdrawal for $10,000 as well as smaller debit purchases for household items. By Sept. 11, the $49,000 was gone and Roberts' account had a negative balance, according to the affidavit.Police, in the course of their investigation, also unearthed some other complaints against Roberts, including one, outlined in the affidavit, in which an Ohio man who said he wired $993 to Roberts' Bank of America account and never got the 100 iPhones he was promised.

Police, in the course of their investigation, also unearthed some other complaints against Roberts, including one, outlined in the affidavit, in which an Ohio man who said he wired $993 to Roberts' Bank of America account and never got the 100 iPhones he was promised.Like the California businessman, he also made a complaint directly with Ledyard police.

Like the California businessman, he also made a complaint directly with Ledyard police.Other complaints police uncovered about Roberts were posted on a consumer complaint Web site, ripoffreport.com, where people are encouraged to post about their experiences with scams and fraud and bad business practices.

Other complaints police uncovered about Roberts were posted on a consumer complaint Web site, ripoffreport.com, where people are encouraged to post about their experiences with scams and fraud and bad business practices.Sure enough, I found Roberts there, with people complaining about the same kinds of experiences police cited her for in their arrest affidavit. One poster said he did business with her after visiting a Web site selling surplus materials, a site that is now shut down.

Sure enough, I found Roberts there, with people complaining about the same kinds of experiences police cited her for in their arrest affidavit. One poster said he did business with her after visiting a Web site selling surplus materials, a site that is now shut down."I too am a small business, trying to make a living in a bad economy," reads one of these posts.

"I too am a small business, trying to make a living in a bad economy," reads one of these posts. "After losing my job of 27 years I began selling on eBay and Amazon. I have worked with a few liquidators and have had no problem until I came across Cash Up Front Liquidators! I spoke with Elaine through many e-mails and she assured me that I could trust her and her company, that she has been doing this for years."

"After losing my job of 27 years I began selling on eBay and Amazon. I have worked with a few liquidators and have had no problem until I came across Cash Up Front Liquidators! I spoke with Elaine through many e-mails and she assured me that I could trust her and her company, that she has been doing this for years."Once on ripoffreport.com, I couldn't help but poke around for complaints about other local businesses. I found quite a few.

Once on ripoffreport.com, I couldn't help but poke around for complaints about other local businesses. I found quite a few.Someone complained about a horse they bought from a woman in East Lyme. Turns out the horse wasn't trained as promised and threw the buyer's son the moment he got on.

Someone complained about a horse they bought from a woman in East Lyme. Turns out the horse wasn't trained as promised and threw the buyer's son the moment he got on. Someone else complained that an online contest by one of the casinos seemed to be rigged. There was another complaint against Mohegan Sun from someone who said they don't have a poker room as promised. This was answered by people who said in posts that he just must have missed it.

Someone else complained that an online contest by one of the casinos seemed to be rigged. There was another complaint against Mohegan Sun from someone who said they don't have a poker room as promised. This was answered by people who said in posts that he just must have missed it. Someone complained about a small hotel in North Stonington that was dirty and smelled and wouldn't return their reservation money.

Someone complained about a small hotel in North Stonington that was dirty and smelled and wouldn't return their reservation money.But I couldn't find anywhere on this big site - and there are thousands of complaints from all around the county - any other instances where someone wired as much as $49,000 directly into the bank account of someone they know very little about.

But I couldn't find anywhere on this big site - and there are thousands of complaints from all around the county - any other instances where someone wired as much as $49,000 directly into the bank account of someone they know very little about.And I'll bet you the guy in California who sent his money in good faith last summer to a bank in Connecticut will never do it again, no matter how good the deal looks.

And I'll bet you the guy in California who sent his money in good faith last summer to a bank in Connecticut will never do it again, no matter how good the deal looks.This is the opinion of David Collins.

This is the opinion of David Collins.