Reptile & Amphibian Forums

To Moderator, have attempted to edit these emails to be within kingsnake TOS, simply posting to see what others think of this email string....

..

First email in response to an ad with multiple babies for sale, kinda lacking but still not totally looking wrong...

Hi there,
I am interested in your snake listed on (Kingsnake).I would like to know its mode of feeding and how old is it and if it is ready for pick-up.What is the final price?Get back to me with the pictures and other information that i need to know.
Thanks
Xxxxxxx

My reply:

Hi Xxxxxxx,
Not sure which one you are interested in as there are several babies listed in this ad ranging in price from xxxxxxxxxx per baby. They are all eating fine and have been switched over the Frozen/Thawed mouse hoppers. All are ready to go. That litter was born on 05/09 making them just days shy of 6 months old.

His reply - warning bells now going off in my mind.....

Hi there,
Thanks for your quick reply.Can you be home for the pick-up cos the Carrier will be there for the pick-up as soon as you receive the payment and i will be paying you via Money Order.Kindly get back to me with your pick-up address and payment information including your phone number, so i can proceed with payment first thing tomorrow morning.Hope to hear from you.
Yyyyyyy

Note is now signing by last name only. And still no mention of a specific animal or specific price.

My reply.....

Sorry for the skepticism but this is starting to sound like the common "nigerian scam" that has been cycling through internet sales. First they want an item, then they offer to pay with money order with their own carrier to pick up item. Then the money order is for more than necessary with balance to be returned with item etc. Of course the original money order is counterfeit and while typically close enough to deposit, gets discovered and funds retracted leaving the seller with no money in and whatever amount refunded gone along with item for sale. Key points that are starting to sound wrong is you having your carrier pick up the "item" and not seeming to care which of several animals we are discussing. Been selling reptiles for many years and NEVER had a legit offer with the buyer having their own carrier.
For those reasons and others, industry standard is animal shipped by seller and only after funds have cleared.
I'm assuming one of two things:
1 - There is a miscommunication and you will be fine with me shipping via my carrier at your cost of $40 and that you are fine with an exact amount money order that is allowed to clear prior to actual shipment.
2 - This is a scam and I will not hear from you again as you know I am aware of the general scam and will not fall victim to it.

So far no reply but then again, just sent my response this morning ....

So, what do you think? To me this reeks of scam!!!!
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
36.51 BRB
29.42 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

>>To Moderator, have attempted to edit these emails to be within kingsnake TOS, simply posting to see what others think of this email string....
>>
>>..
>>
>>First email in response to an ad with multiple babies for sale, kinda lacking but still not totally looking wrong...
>>
>>Hi there,
>>I am interested in your snake listed on (Kingsnake).I would like to know its mode of feeding and how old is it and if it is ready for pick-up.What is the final price?Get back to me with the pictures and other information that i need to know.
>>Thanks
>>Xxxxxxx
>>
>>
>>My reply:
>>
>>Hi Xxxxxxx,
>>Not sure which one you are interested in as there are several babies listed in this ad ranging in price from xxxxxxxxxx per baby. They are all eating fine and have been switched over the Frozen/Thawed mouse hoppers. All are ready to go. That litter was born on 05/09 making them just days shy of 6 months old.
>>
>>His reply - warning bells now going off in my mind.....
>>
>>Hi there,
>>Thanks for your quick reply.Can you be home for the pick-up cos the Carrier will be there for the pick-up as soon as you receive the payment and i will be paying you via Money Order.Kindly get back to me with your pick-up address and payment information including your phone number, so i can proceed with payment first thing tomorrow morning.Hope to hear from you.
>>Yyyyyyy
>>
>>Note is now signing by last name only. And still no mention of a specific animal or specific price.
>>
>>My reply.....
>>
>>Sorry for the skepticism but this is starting to sound like the common "nigerian scam" that has been cycling through internet sales. First they want an item, then they offer to pay with money order with their own carrier to pick up item. Then the money order is for more than necessary with balance to be returned with item etc. Of course the original money order is counterfeit and while typically close enough to deposit, gets discovered and funds retracted leaving the seller with no money in and whatever amount refunded gone along with item for sale. Key points that are starting to sound wrong is you having your carrier pick up the "item" and not seeming to care which of several animals we are discussing. Been selling reptiles for many years and NEVER had a legit offer with the buyer having their own carrier.
>>For those reasons and others, industry standard is animal shipped by seller and only after funds have cleared.
>>I'm assuming one of two things:
>>1 - There is a miscommunication and you will be fine with me shipping via my carrier at your cost of $40 and that you are fine with an exact amount money order that is allowed to clear prior to actual shipment.
>>2 - This is a scam and I will not hear from you again as you know I am aware of the general scam and will not fall victim to it.
>>
>>
>>So far no reply but then again, just sent my response this morning ....
>>
>>
>>So, what do you think? To me this reeks of scam!!!!
>>-----
>>Thanks,
>>
>>
>>Dave Colling
>>
>>www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com
>>
>>
>>
>>0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
>>0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)
>>
>>LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
>>36.51 BRB
>>29.42 BCI
>>And those are only the breeders
>>
>>lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats
-----
Thanks,

Frank Roberts

Sounds like a scam to me. I'd never allow someone to use "their carrier" to pick up a Boa.
As you stated the M/O or payment method must clear before any shipping occurs

I'm certain you will not hear back from this scammer !!

. . . Lar M
-----
Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

Totally agreed Larry, even contemplating a PO box for the "business".
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
36.51 BRB
29.42 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

your warning bells are dead on, sounds like scam to me.

Jesse had some items for sale on craigslist and got a very similar email, they were at the point the person asked for the address to send the cashiers check (not a M.O. but they use both) and ph# to arrange the 'shipping agent' to pick up the item. Luckliy he was telling me about it, let me read the email and I informed him of these scams. I believe he is going to send a response similar to yours, just not as nicely worded.

Glad you didn't fall for it, it's always good to put out reminders since some people (ahem, Jesse!) still haven't heard about these scams.

Have a great day Dave!
-April
-----
'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow

Hey April, glad Jesse didn't get scammed, I post the reminder when I get them just to help us all keep on our toes and also to show they are getting better at it. Remember how terribly worded they were in the beginning? Still not worded well but aproaching wording I have seen from some real customers.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
36.51 BRB
29.42 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I recieved the exact same email yesterday.. they ask for the exact information that was in my ad so all i did was copy and paste my ad in the reply.. then the reply i got back was the same as the one you recieved.. i just simply ignored it from there and havent heard anything else back from them...

John

Persistant little $%#$%#%'s aren't they??
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
36.51 BRB
29.42 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

i have to say this is a very poor attempt of a scam lol but not good enough to actually be a scam

funny thing is you can not make a post on craigs list with out getting at LEAST one just like it
-----
-Stephen-

0.1 Fiance (Babe)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer)
1.0 norm corn (Jake)
1.0 col redtail boa (Switch, formally known as Dixie)
0.1 ball python (Bella)
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Torpaz & Saphira)