BajaNomad - Overcast Alert! Mega Scammer!

Overcast Alert! Mega Scammer!

PJC - 4-18-2008 at 07:00 AM

Mike Overcast finds another tool. Jeeze, what a fat SOB.

The Link: http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/#videoid=241547

Consider emailing this to the station:

----

You may wish to reconsider your choice of Baja "experts". He's an entry-level National Inquirer of Baja. He is known among Baja Enthusiasts as a litigious, slanderous and self promoting alarmist.

Aliases include: Gary Newsome", "Cabo 500", "Speed Mex", "Janice Gilmore", "Hollister", "andymeyer", "Garner racing", "aj racing", "Baja Brad" etc.

Google him up....get the facts.

A few links:

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/sho...light=Overcast

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/sho...light=Overcast

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/sho...light=Overcast

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/sho...hlight=newsome

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33524

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthre...=2467#pid99733

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthre...6695#pid143114

http://www.aeabcs.com/index.php?opti...=154&Itemid=27

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34463

http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/show...light=overcast

http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/show...098#post760098

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=14292

http://www.baja.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23807

-----

The station email page is at:

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/contactus/index.html

[Edited on 4-18-2008 by PJC]

MexicoTed - 4-18-2008 at 12:11 PM

In case you can't get to the video, here's the story in text:

Baja's Governor Addresses Border Violence

SAN DIEGO -- The governor of Baja spoke out in San Diego, one day after the U.S. State Department issued a travel alert in Northern Mexico.

During a visit to UCSD's Institute of the Americas, Jose Guadalupe Osuna Millan, focused on several projects the state has lined up. But the underlying theme was the travel alert.

There he spoke about business opportunities in the state, trade and also education -- but more noteworthy, he talked for the first time about the rising violence along the border.

Speaking in Spanish, Millan said, "I'm sure that many Baja residents who now live in San Diego, will come back to live in their native cities in Mexico once the violence is under control."

Although the violent attacks are aimed primarily at drug traffickers, the recent alert states that tourists are also at risk. The percentage of tourists that visit Baja has dropped significantly in the last few years.

Travel agent Mike Overcast has been working in the field for 25 years. He said the violence has never been as prevalent as it is now and it's lead to a 90 percent drop in tourism south of the border.

"We want to make sure that everybody that is considering going to Mexico knows about the alert and then acts accordingly," he said. " Unfortunately the crime situation, especially in Tijuana, from Tecate to Ensenada is actually getting worse as time goes by. It's not getting any better."

Baja's governor tried to focus on other aspects of his trip but he couldn't escape the underlying issue of violence and crime. He said part of his agenda is meeting with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to increase communication between both states. More than 200 homicides in Ciudad Juarez have been documented this year and even neighboring El Paso, Texas, north of the border has reported a spike in shootouts, kidnappings and car thefts. U.S. officials said there has been also reports an increase in drug-related violence in the Mexican border cities of Tijuana and Chihuahua, as well.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/15916655/detail.html

I don't understand this at all!

flyfishinPam - 4-18-2008 at 12:18 PM

Over the years I have seen and read posts regarding this Mike Overcast and just don't understand their intent. Usually these posts are something connected to something of personal dealings by the poster and do not concern us general readers to this board.

What is wrong or slanderous about this guy stating there has been a travel warning issued by the us state department? It is truth is it not? Also what is incorrect about his statement that the baja california tourism industry and related businesses have seen a 90% decline due to this bad prress that just so happens to be the truth.

Its time for some truth for a change. It would be nice to see accurate news so that we may make intelligent decisions as to our travel and state of security instead of having to read them from off an informal message board.

I for one would like to see those who have the power remove their heads from their posteriors and actually DO somehting about it instead of make incessant promises that something will ge done.

lizard lips - 4-18-2008 at 12:29 PM

Overcast a travel agent? That's a new one.

I've lived here 22 years and never had any problems. Why did they pick this guy to speak out?

flyfishinPam - 4-18-2008 at 12:43 PM

Well I don't know this guy from Adam but after watching the video I really cannot find anything he said to be untruthful. As someone in tourism I believe it is best to inform ones clients with the truth then allow them to make the decision thats right for them (of course my personal ethic won't ever make me rich but I don't care). I am sorry this is happening but putting this guy over the coals for making his statements won't do anything to alleviate this bad situation. Look, it took a travel warning, a truthful one, by the state department to get the governor of BC up to san diego to even address the situation to the very tourists they count on.... then he tries to convince them to invest in the business community :lol:

Hook - 4-18-2008 at 01:17 PM

If this article had been issued four months ago, I would have called it accurate.

But now, four months later, it sure seems like improvements have been made, at least in The Gauntlet.

Either that, or there is a real good job of covering up incidents involving tourists.

I choose to believe the former.

bajamigo - 4-18-2008 at 02:02 PM

If this guy is a legitimate travel agent, why is he trashing a traditional vacation destination? Sure, what he said is or may have at one point in time been true. but that is not the issue. His responses simply had no balance. If he's pretending to wear the trappings of authority, his comments should not have been so unjustifiably negative. If "overcast" is his real name, it's entirely fitting.

Gadget - 4-18-2008 at 02:39 PM

Mike Overcast, not the big bad hombre I had him pictured as.

I take what he said with a grain of salt.

I've made my adjustments to traveling south and feel fine about further trips to Mex.

I rode with Curtis Guise to San Felipe for the 250. Overcast came up in our conversations. Curtis being the consumate diplomat that he is, simply commented that he was glad they were hopefully rid of him for good on Racedezert.

[Edited on 6-18-2008 by Gadget]

bancoduo - 4-18-2008 at 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gadget

I road with Curtis Guise to San Felipe for the 250. Overcast came up in our conversations. Curtis being the consumate diplomat that he is, simply commented that he was glad they were hopefully rid of him for good on Racedezert.

Hopefully SCORE'S Sal Fish will be close behind :no:

Ken Bondy - 4-18-2008 at 04:06 PM

Overcast is often portrayed in this forum as self-serving. But I don't see how anything he said in this clip could benefit him as a "travel agent specializing in Baja". Can someone explain this to me?
++Ken++

PJC - 4-18-2008 at 04:42 PM

By pattern Overcast trumps up fear about Baja California (north) while peddling his supposed travel services and throughly bogus race promotions in Baja California Sur.

The guy is far from bright, as dishonest as they come and likely mentally deranged.

He has made a laughing stock of himself in the off-road community by being a fraudulent promoter of the "Cabo 500" race on the backs of BCS business people and prompters of a legitimate race without their permission.

Whenever his fraudulent antics are challenged he starts with bogus letters from fictional legal counsel and then progresses to telephone calling and harassing whatever public associates of the challenger he can find. His phone calls are laced with profanity, tyrannical threats and almost always behind fictitious names all while the called individuals phone shows "Mike Overcast" on the caller ID.

He does not stop there but, operates under numerous aliases to further his penchant for negative attention. His websites and BLOGS attempt to slander and defame numerous leaders in the Baja on-line and Off-road Motorsports community. Fortunately, to be on his "bad list" one will find themselves accompanied by truly good and stellar people in Baja and the off-road community.

His only saving grace is that he has not offended someone as mentally unstable as himself and that the sane realize that legal proceedings against him would likely yield only the persuable financial resources of a complete loser, i.e. "not much".

[Edited on 4-18-2008 by PJC]

Ken Bondy - 4-18-2008 at 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PJC
By pattern Overcast trumps up fear about Baja California (north) while peddling his supposed travel services and throughly bogus race promotions in Baja California Sur.

The guy is far from bright, as dishonest as they come and likely mentally deranged.

He has made a laughing stock of himself in the off-road community by being a fraudulent promoter of the "Cabo 500" race on the backs of BCS business people and prompters of a legitimate race without their permission.

Whenever his fraudulent antics are challenged he starts with bogus letters from fictional legal counsel and then progresses to telephone calling and harassing whatever public associates of the challenger he can find. His phone calls are laced with profanity, tyrannical threats and almost always behind fictitious names all while the called individuals phone shows "Mike Overcast" on the caller ID.

He does not stop there but, operates under numerous aliases to further his penchant for negative attention. His websites and BLOGS attempt to slander and defame numerous leaders in the Baja on-line and Off-road Motorsports community.

His only saving grace is that he has not offended someone as deranged as himself and that the sane realize that legal proceedings against him would likely yield only the persuable financial resources of a complete loser.

That's all interesting, but it really doesn't address my question. How did what he say in that clip benefit him in any way?
++Ken++

Iflyfish - 4-18-2008 at 04:48 PM

Flyfishing Pam,

Thanks for standing up here. I like Ken don't see anything in the post that does not fit with what I have been reading and seeing. I of course will defer on this judgement as I do not live full time in the Baja as some of the posters here do. Getting a feel and keeping updated with accurate INFORMATION is what I need also in order to make informed decisions.

I appreciate your openness and candor. I hope one day to fish with you, I was too ill on my last trip to connect. I am on the mend as we speak.

I have read posts about this guy in the past and if he is the scam artist that one reads, then I also appreciate the heads up. To his credit BJC does list refferences. I don't have an interest at this time in pursuing the links, though I am appreciating at least some attempt to document his/her concern. Flaming someone is not ok with me, providing info on a scam artist is a public service. It is up to us in some ways to sort out the reality of things like this.

Iflyfish

Roberto - 4-18-2008 at 06:07 PM

I haven't followed the link. But I can tell you that over the years, Overcast has organized several scams, including a Baja Travel Club where folks would pay for services that were never rendered and could get no satisfaction because the principals were not available, behind several screens, etc. He has done other things, like promoting (and taking credit for organizing) races that were actually organized by other entities and gotten sponsorships and otherwise detracted from activities and revenue, potential or otherwise, of the legitimate organizers.

And, finally, ANYONE who has ever even vaguely questioned his activities has been threatened with lawsuits, smeared on public websites and worse. I fully expect this thread to appear on one of his sewer holes. You might want to peruse this thread for an example that concerns this website.

[Edited on 4-19-2008 by Roberto]

PJC - 4-18-2008 at 06:09 PM

See " By pattern Overcast trumps up fear about Baja California (north) while peddling his supposed travel services and throughly bogus race promotions in Baja California Sur.".

Key on "pattern".

[Edited on 4-19-2008 by PJC]

Ken Bondy - 4-18-2008 at 06:21 PM

I am obviously not making myself clear. Many on this board think that this Overcast person is a bad guy. That may or may not be true, but it is not my issue nor my question. My question was, for the third time, what did he say in that video clip that was of benefit to him?

Interestingly, immediately after I made my first post in this thread, I got an email (not a U2U) from something called "baja ****** Mexico Club" with the subject "SENSITIVE-DISTURBING-MEXICO VIOLENCE REPORT". In the body of the message it said:

<<SENSITIVE INTERNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DOCUMENT
>>

O NOT OPEN WITHOUT KNOWING THIS IS DISTURBING

The email had an attachment titled "para bsmc 2.pdf" which I of course have not and will not open.

I am not aware of the "baja ****** Mexico Club". Does anyone on board know what this is? The timing was extremely curious.

++Ken++

Roberto - 4-18-2008 at 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Interestingly, immediately after I made my first post in this thread, I got an email (not a U2U) from something called "baja ****** Mexico Club" with the subject "SENSITIVE-DISTURBING-MEXICO VIOLENCE REPORT". In the body of the message it said:

<<SENSITIVE INTERNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DOCUMENT
>>

Like I said, I haven't followed the link, nor do I intend to. I know all about Overcast that I care to know. While that particular link may not reveal anything on it's own, the story is long, and the con "long".

"baja ****** Mexico Club" is Overcast's fraudulent travel club. :lol:

Edit: I am waiting for an email or a sliming post regarding me any time now. Some on this board know about the posts regarding members of this board calling some of us pedophiles and worse - you cannot post about Overcast without getting this kind of treatment.

[Edited on 4-19-2008 by Roberto]

DENNIS - 4-18-2008 at 09:22 PM

Amazing...Absolutly Amazing..........

Overcast hasn't even been here and everybody is running to hide.

PJC - 4-18-2008 at 09:38 PM

Dennis, who's hiding?
.

vgabndo - 4-18-2008 at 10:16 PM

The link opens to a gas station robbery in San Diego.

What does that have to do with Baja California?

BajaNomad - 4-19-2008 at 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vgabndo
The link opens to a gas station robbery in San Diego.

What does that have to do with Baja California?

http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/#videoid=241547

David K - 4-19-2008 at 08:27 AM

Guys, he didn't say anything bad in the newsclip... It is that the media goes to him as some kind of authority of Baja travel that is bugging PJC and others.

It is how he has treated Baja Nomad (Doug, and this forum) that should have all Nomads upset and leery.

[Edited on 4-19-2008 by David K]

DENNIS - 4-19-2008 at 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PJC
Dennis, who's hiding?
.

Not you, Pat. Just seems as though this guy causes more alarm for some than he's worth. I know you have legit concerns especially on the raceing issues. [ I almost said race issues...phew...caught it just in time ]

vgabndo - 4-19-2008 at 09:43 AM

Thanks Doug...it came up correctly this time.

I think Overcast is correct. There HAS been an escalation of violence along the border.

Don Alley - 4-19-2008 at 10:13 AM

I think what may have some concerned is that despite the man's tarnished reputation (deserved or not), media uses him as a quotable source, perhaps signifying that these media outlets are out of touch and not doing a diligent job of investigating happenings in Baja.

Using such sources may diminish the news in some eyes, as well as undeservedly enhance the image and reputation of the allegedly questionable spokesman.

Enough weasel words? :lol:

Roberto - 4-19-2008 at 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Don Alley
I think what may have some concerned is that despite the man's tarnished reputation (deserved or not), media uses him as a quotable source, perhaps signifying that these media outlets are out of touch and not doing a diligent job of investigating happenings in Baja.

Using such sources may diminish the news in some eyes, as well as undeservedly enhance the image and reputation of the allegedly questionable spokesman.

Bingo! Now that wasn't so hard to understand, was it?

Roberto - 4-19-2008 at 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by PJC
Dennis, who's hiding?
.

And you STILL managed to misspell it! :lol:

(just kidding you).

So, for the record, who IS hiding, and in what way?

DENNIS - 4-19-2008 at 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roberto

And you STILL managed to misspell it! :lol:

(just kidding you).

So, for the record, who IS hiding, and in what way?

Jeezo...my spelling is falling apart.

Sorry...I can't be held responsible for yesterdays perceptions. They're obsolete.

Gadget - 4-19-2008 at 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Overcast is often portrayed in this forum as self-serving. But I don't see how anything he said in this clip could benefit him as a "travel agent specializing in Baja". Can someone explain this to me?
++Ken++

Well, you asked it 3 times Ken and I really still didn't see the answer, that we both may be looking for.

My guess is that the media spotlight strokes his enormous ego. Anything else he had to offer is old news or just his on skewed opinion.

Roberto - 4-19-2008 at 12:36 PM

Gadget, I thought Don answered it rather well. But let me give it a shot. I am concerned because it lends credence to a con, which might lead to more people getting ripped off "after all, I saw it on TV".

flyfishinPam - 4-19-2008 at 02:58 PM

Well now we know that TV news is a bunch of bullcrap I thought we already knew that. TV is a serious waste of time and brain cells. Anyway that interview with this guy could have taken place at any time, like right after the baja mil and the TV people found it and decided to edit it into a story regarding the Mexico Travel warning and the governor's visit. :rolleyes:

Gadget - 4-19-2008 at 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roberto
Gadget, I thought Don answered it rather well. But let me give it a shot. I am concerned because it lends credence to a con, which might lead to more people getting ripped off "after all, I saw it on TV".

Yep, you are correct, he did. I must have missed that post.

It is actually worded much more cleaverly than mine also. I will make necessary improvements on all my future redundant post replies. :biggrin:

[Edited on 4-20-2008 by Gadget]