Warning to Everyone

[rabernet]

You'd have to be a complete tard to be taken by that ad. And running away from a breeder you've never heard of is a bit overly paranoid...they all had to start somewhere. How do you think these reputable breeders got their reputation? There are lots of small time hobby breeders (some you've probably never heard of) who sell quality animals for great prices because they don't have the big recognizable name, don't rely on the money for income, only deal locally therby limiting their customer base, etc...

Slowly re-read what I said:

If I can't phone up the breeder I'm working with, and I've never heard of them before, I'd run very quickly the other way.

More than likely, if it's a Cameroon scammer, I won't be able to phone them. If there's a new breeder I've never heard of, but I'm interested in an animal that they have, I'd like to be able to talk to them on the phone and get to know them a little better (especially if there's no feedback anywhere on them). If I can't call them, I'll pass.

[tonkatoyman]

Well said Robin. It only takes a quick scan of this forum to find people who purchased from someone over the net. When things went south they discovered they could not contact them by phone to discuss the problem. So they just got stuck with the results.

[TheReptileEnthusiast]

As has been stated, Cameroon scammers have been around for years. A friend of mine almost sent money for a hyacinth macaw before I talked her out of it. The ads are easy to pick out. The grammar is generally horrible, not just bad spelling, but stuff written completely out of order, and they often claim to have moved to Cameroon for work.

[sho220]

Slowly re-read what I said:



More than likely, if it's a Cameroon scammer, I won't be able to phone them. If there's a new breeder I've never heard of, but I'm interested in an animal that they have, I'd like to be able to talk to them on the phone and get to know them a little better (especially if there's no feedback anywhere on them). If I can't call them, I'll pass.

Sorry...poorly worded on my part. I wasn't singling you out...There's lots of people out there wearing their tin foil hats thinking everyone is out to screw them...

[seeya205]

Thanks for the advice! If the deal is too good than meet in person!

[D&J Reptiles]

Well i see alot of good points to everyones argument. I put this as a warning because this ad was from dallas. and the people were contacted by phone. The people that are scamming are using people that we can talk to every day, payment was sent to texas. it wasnt till shipping that we had any information it was out of country and by that time we all know the people with the ad could not be reached. but we have filed with the IG3 and local law enforcement. Money gram will only refund if local law decide to look into the scam.

[Bundu Boy]

I'm in South Africa and have not heard about this person....

But we do have a ton of scams here on our local listing sites, mostly from people in central africa that claim to breed pieds, bananas, albinos at ridiculously low low prices.....

We actually play a game here with this lot by emailing them and stringing them out for ages, they keep thinking they're gonna get a sale then we throw 'em a curve ball. A favourite is to ask for a picture of the snake feeding, or a picture of the snakes with a paper with todays date etc.....

They tend to just take pictures of morphs off google and reckon that we don't realise......

Sad thing is that they dupe a lot of people, the fact that there are so many ads and they keep coming means that there ARE people that get conned......

[Vypyrz]

There's lots of people out there wearing their tin foil hats...

Hey, I resemble that remark...

[SixSnakes]

Question: when they are advertising on kingsnake, they have the "Registered PetHobbyist User since ..." up on the right hand corner.

Do the scammers, once found to be a scammer, lose this part of their add? I don't know how kingsnake works, but do they ban that person from advertising again under that same name? I would assume so... I hope. I would tend to think people who have been on kingsnake for years would not pose quite the risk, but I could be wrong. I would think red flag if it said "Registered PetHobbyist User since YESTERDAY."

[mechnut450]

man scammers are eeverywere look at car lots that are fly by night ( or change owners fast) but yeah if I can't call a person or they call me I won't deal with them. I mean comeone everyone got a cell phone and with all these incalling plans/ unlimited calls programs it not hard to call a person.. I can all any one in the united states and talk for days and not cost me a dime now. which is sweet lol. It a shame I still single ( come on who has not met a female that likes talkngi on the phone lol)
Me I like to get theinfo I need, and get off sadly I also like this in a store get what I came after and get out of there .