Founders Playing Cards (KS)

[Don Boyer]

PS: Sorry for reviving an old thread, though the comments of scam suspicion are actually very recent and is probably worth investigating as i'm sure that a few fellow Discoursers had pledged to this amazing deck.

Any time anyone has relevant information on an old topic, by all means, revive it.

We should draw up some guidelines for people to help them at least try to fish out Kickstarter scams.  For example, never fund someone who's using some company name instead of their own and whose corporate website is a case study in obfuscation.

[Fred]

To be honest if i had found this on kickstarter during the funding period, i would have pledged too. Sure, there are definitely some suspicious lack of information when you look at the whole picture in hindsight, however there is equally an enormous amount of effort put into the designing of the deck. The backers of this scam arent naive at all, just unlucky. The scam is simply pretty damn convincing. For some reason, i still have a tiny amount of hope that the decks will eventually be delivered.. But im probably just deceiving myself as i admire the design so much.

[Magic_Orthodoxy]

ditto - this was one of the decks I wanted, but only found out about it too late....

Define "obfuscation" (or beclouding) is the hiding of intended meaning in communication, making communication confusing, wilfully ambiguous, and harder to interpret.

[Fred]

Apparently all the money pledged was sent: via amazon, to this guy.

http://www.buffalo.edu/directory/user/gjslabyk?query=gjslabyk%40buffalo.edu&affiliation=student&qualifier=email&perpage=10&start=0

If anyone can confirm this, then getting the University involved would probably be beneficial in finding a solution.

[PrincessTrouble]

The KS surveys were sent out this afternoon (got mine at 12:19pm CDT).  I'm still holding out hope that these materialize.

[Paul Carpenter]

Unfortunately the survey doesn't contain critical info like the sizes for the t-shirts, or how many coins people paid for. Derp.

Note that when you fill that out they get your name and address.... <conspiracy>

[Don Boyer]

Unfortunately the survey doesn't contain critical info like the sizes for the t-shirts, or how many coins people paid for. Derp.

Note that when you fill that out they get your name and address.... <conspiracy>

The bigger question to me is: what the hell is he delivering, since USPC has never heard of him?

[Fred]

And also, why is he even bothering if hes already successfully scammed his backers? The surveys are dodgy.. This could get interesting...

[Rob Wright]

I did not back this project, so I cannot read the latest update. But from what I can see. There is a lot of comments about fraud. I think people are jumping the gun a little. his project says delivered by July, and it's still July. He may not have them delivered by the end of the month, but anyone that has pledged on KS knows this is not uncommon. I just received a deck that was due in June, a few days ago. I've backed quite a few cards on KS. Some project creators are great about updating, some-not so much. A few that I have backed, have had 30 or more days between updates. As far as someone saying USPCC has not heard of this guy. I find it hard to believe that USPCC would say anything about a customer. There is a such thing as privacy laws. As far as the survey not asking about sizes and such- He might just be a dummy, or plans on using backerkit or something. Not defending this guy. if he had updated a little better. this negative feedback may not be happening.

[PrincessTrouble]

This was the latest update:

Update #17 - For backers only · Jul 24, 2013 · 23 comments   
Surveys are sent.
Cards are sorted.
Coins are coming.
Shirts are printing.

On the surveys, please don't forget to make your Add-On selection (if you purchased one). Also, if there were any custom modifications to your order, please remember to note that as well, thanks everyone.

Still more to come ...

[Paul Carpenter]

As far as someone saying USPCC has not heard of this guy. I find it hard to believe that USPCC would say anything about a customer.

If you inquire in the right way, it's not breaking any trust for them to simply say whether they've heard from the guy. They actually do watch Kickstarter very closely and know what projects might be coming down the pipe.

This is a really weird project. Tons of work put into it at a very fine level, great materials, great design, and then.........nothing......... once the money rolled in. Bizarre.

[Don Boyer]

I did not back this project, so I cannot read the latest update. But from what I can see. There is a lot of comments about fraud. I think people are jumping the gun a little. his project says delivered by July, and it's still July. He may not have them delivered by the end of the month, but anyone that has pledged on KS knows this is not uncommon. I just received a deck that was due in June, a few days ago. I've backed quite a few cards on KS. Some project creators are great about updating, some-not so much. A few that I have backed, have had 30 or more days between updates. As far as someone saying USPCC has not heard of this guy. I find it hard to believe that USPCC would say anything about a customer. There is a such thing as privacy laws. As far as the survey not asking about sizes and such- He might just be a dummy, or plans on using backerkit or something. Not defending this guy. if he had updated a little better. this negative feedback may not be happening.

Because of many recent failures, people have turned up their bullshit meters to 12.  This guy makes no updates for what, two months, then comes out with some bullshit post about reaching the moon?  Add to this how he attempted concealing his identity AND that USPC never heard of him despite today's claims that the decks are sorted, and things start looking suspicious.  If it looks like bullshit, smells like bullshit, sounds like bullshit, feels like bullshit and even tastes like bullshit, it would take some pretty powerful voodoo to pass it off as a rose.  This project is less rose-like by the update.

[Fred]

But its just so boooootiful Don! As ive said before, i just cant understand how this is a scam when it is clear that a lot of thought and effort has been put in. I think the creator had high hopes and dedication at the start, but when ~$40k big ones hit his bank account he probably just phased out and couldnt be shitted going through the actual production process as he had already won.

[Card Player]

I never backed this kickstarter project. I did do some basic research on the man behind The Department of Design. The designers name is John Slabyk. His name comes up in the DodSr.com Whois Record.

https://twitter.com/humanot

https://plus.google.com/109327236914662289129/posts

http://pinterest.com/dodsr/

JOHN SLABYK BIO
John Slabyk is the Art Director for Barack Obama's 2008 campaign for President of the United States. [1] [2] [3] Prior to joining the Obama campaign, Slabyk worked as a freelance Art Director and Graphic Designer for various design firms and advertising agencies, such as Ogilvy Mather, FCB (now Draftfcb), and Leo Burnett Worldwide. He also co-founded celsiusDesign, a branding design agency, with friend and design partner, Shane Parrish. John originally gained notoriety in 2003 [4] by creating a public proposal to rebrand the Buffalo Sabres, by modernizing their original identity introduced in 1970. The proposal gained much attention from Sabres fans, specifically after the team released their controversial new identity, returning the team to their original colors, but replacing the crest with a new stylized bison, which earned the nickname "Buffaslug". [5]
http://www.in.com/john-slabyk/biography-149297.html

John Slabyk and Scott Thomas, designers with the Obama campaign oversaw the customization of the logo for 12 different identity groups as well as for each state with 50 additional versions. There was also identity for Republicans and Independents supporting Barack Obama.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obama_logo

[MrMollusk]

Obama did this.

[Paul Carpenter]

A few interesting things. Because registering a domain name is close to a "legal" procedure you do have to use a real name when doing so. Transferring domains requires lots of paperwork, signatures, etc. because domain ownership is tied to a specific person/organization.

So, John Slabyk is the registrant of dodsr.com. He also is the registrant of newblueandgold.com. That is a site devoted to the redesign of the Sabres hockey logo and branding. You can google for stories about that, so it would appear "John Slabyk" is not a pseudonym.

If you then google for "john slabyk obama" (one of Google's recommended searches related to his name) you will see that this fellow is a real designer and worked on various aspects of the Obama campaign logos. This can be verified in many places and stories online. You can find John on LinkedIn and see that he lists Obama for America as one of his places of employment. I wonder if the President's staff would be interested to know that someone doing work for them has apparently walked off with nearly $40,000 of people's money...

Interestingly, the wikipedia page for "John Slabyk" was deleted on March 14 2013, just one day after his Kickstarter was funded. Looking at the comments it was clear that the subject of the article was changing information about himself which was flagged as suspicious. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/John_Slabyk

I'm becoming increasingly convinced that this was a twisted experiment and we'll never see those cards.

[valhalla1973]

I and several other friends backed this project on Kickstarter in various amounts.   Time has passed,  delivery dates and commitment dates have come and gone, and it has become clear to everyone involved that John Slabyk designer and his  "Department of Design" has walked away with nearly $40,000 dollars.  Neither he or Kickstarter are responding to the issue.   No one is sure what or how this exactly happened,  the only thing that is clear, is that John Slabyk defrauded Kickstarter backers out of thousands of dollars and "disappeared".   As soon as he received the money everything went dark.    This guy may be a good designer,  but he is a thief, quite literally.
Comments on Kickstarter:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dodsr/founders-playing-cards/comments?cursor=3834793 

[Don Boyer]

I and several other friends backed this project on Kickstarter in various amounts.   Time has passed,  delivery dates and commitment dates have come and gone, and it has become clear to everyone involved that John Slabyk designer and his  "Department of Design" has walked away with nearly $40,000 dollars.  Neither he or Kickstarter are responding to the issue.   No one is sure what or how this exactly happened,  the only thing that is clear, is that John Slabyk defrauded Kickstarter backers out of thousands of dollars and "disappeared".   As soon as he received the money everything went dark.    This guy may be a good designer,  but he is a thief, quite literally.
Comments on Kickstarter:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dodsr/founders-playing-cards/comments?cursor=3834793

Best course of action is to file complaints with your local Consumer Affairs department, and, if you're interested in making the extra effort, the one where Slabyk lives.  Turn up the heat on him.  Your local police department might also be able to take on a fraud case like this, and it's even possible the FBI will become involved as this crosses state lines.

[Don Boyer]

Interesting news - within the last two days or so, a backer convinced the NYS Attorney General to look into this as an Internet fraud case.

If you backed this ripoff, go here and read what's been going on and how you can join the suit against John Markian Slabyk, d.b.a. The Department of Design.

[sprouts1115]

To whom it may concern,
I would like to formally join the complaint for File Number: 2013-1133994 at the Internet Bureau of the NY Attorney General's Office, against John Markian Slabyk and his company The Department Of Design. I was also defrauded in the amount of $13.00. Please contact me if you need further information.  I'm one of many who have been defrauded.  This person has not made any attempt fulfill his requirements to his backers.  Basically, When the Kickstater ended the lights went out.

Sincerely,
Russell Leigh Common

[Don Boyer]

To whom it may concern,
I would like to formally join the complaint for File Number: 2013-1133994 at the Internet Bureau of the NY Attorney General's Office, against John Markian Slabyk and his company The Department Of Design. I was also defrauded in the amount of $13.00. Please contact me if you need further information.  I'm one of many who have been defrauded.  This person has not made any attempt fulfill his requirements to his backers.  Basically, When the Kickstater ended the lights went out.

Sincerely,
Russell Leigh Common

Um, Russ...  You do know this has to be sent to the NYS Attorney General's Office, right?  And not the rest of the world at large?  Posting it here is about as useful as teats on a mule.

[sprouts1115]

Yea I know.  I emailed it to:  mailto:ifraud@ag.ny.gov and reference File Number: 2013-1133994  Founders holds a special place in my heart.

[volantangel]

Is there anything an international can do in an attempt to get his money back ? I have put in significantly more than you sprouts.

[GBAllison]

So I found this to be interesting.  Apparently the guy is "updating" his Facebook page by routinely deleting any negative comments.

https://www.facebook.com/FoundersPlayingCards

corey on Dec 3

scumbag keeps deleting my comments on the founders facebook.

most recent comment was something along the lines of "just wondering how you find the time to delete all my comments but don't have the time to say sorry for this failure of a project and refund everyone immediately".

deleted within a few hours.

I assume people know about how to report his Facebook page as "spam or scam."  If enough people do that, at least Facebook might pull down that page.

[PrincessTrouble]

Thanks for the info, Don.  Email sent.

Also, reported the Facebook page as a scam.