Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone else getting weird inquires via kingsnake ads? Ones where the person wants to pay with money order or certified check, and then offer to have their carrier come pick up the snake?

This is the second one I have gotten.

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Hello,

Will like to know if you still have this Snake available for sale .. pls email me the final asking price and email me more pics if you still have more and also let me know if you will accept a Certified Check or Money Order as a mode of payment ... Pls email me back now so that we can proceed on how to make payment cos u dont need to worry yourself about the pick up i have a shipper that will come and pick up the Snake from you after you must have receive the payment.

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It's a common scam. Has been around for years.
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www.geckobabies.com

Really? Can you give me more info on the scam?

I got one of those, too. I thought it was strange because it was so non-specific, but the author wrote her full name. I emailed back stating that the funds would need to clear first and I couldn't guarantee the animal's safety once he was in the hands of her shipper. How exactly does this scam work?

Sounds like a scam that is a little more common on craigslist. They will try to get you to give there more personal info, "for payment and shipping" purposes. They will even send you "payment" for the wrong amount and tell you to give the extra to the shipper when they arrive. Last one I looked into, I tracked back to the Phillipines. Don't give them anymore info than you already have. Most everyone who posts ads on here knows that the seller sets up the shipping, if someone is offering to take on that hassle, be suspicious. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Basically the scam is that they send you a bogus money order/check with additional funds to pay their "shipper".
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

I've gotten some of those in the recent past! They slaughter the english language in the ones I see!lol! Jeff

I TOTALLY AGREE!!! You can always spot fishy crap from overseas by the .....well put..."slaughter of the english language". I get hundreds of e-mails a month telling me that I have won 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 million dollars and that I have to pay a shipping fee for the money and what not.....it's all BULL $H!T!! If you have trouble following the text, SPAM IT!!

send the difference from the huge check or money order to them, via Western Union. They will say that somebody in the US owes them a certain amount of money - much more than you are asking for your animal or item. They want to send the check or money order to you, have you cash it, and send them the difference - RIGHT AWAY, via Western Union. The checks or money orders may even be real, but originally made out for somebody else, for a much smaller amount. Your bank will accept it, and it may take many days before the bank finds out the money order / check is bogus, and then subtract the money from your account. By that time, the "buyer" has tried to pressure you into sending a few thousand dollars to them overseas, and there is no way to get it back. They really have no interest in whatever you are selling, only the cash.

It works surprisingly well, even though it has been around for quite a while. I got one of those checks once (for $2,000 or so), and called the bank in Tx. They said it was real, but the real amount was only for $20 or some low amount. I sent it to the Postmaster as mail fraud. But it is nearly impossible for them to prosecute from afar. Sometimes I play with the scammers a little. If I can get them to waste postage on mailing it all the way over here, then it takes their profit down a small notch.

I would send all information to the FBI mail/email fraud department. There is a link for it on the FBI website, though if I remember correctly from the last time I forwarded them similar scam emails, it takes a little digging to find. But its been awhile so it may not be as hard.

Many of these types of scams come from Nigeria, especially the 'inherited a fortune and need to 'spread the wealth' type emails. Producing and running scams via the internet and regular mail seems to be the number one industry in Nigeria. The UN should put an electronic embargo on that country...
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PHLdyPayne

Hi,

As soon as the FBI finds out it is out of country they are done. I would bet good money it is out of country most are. I have been told that they are trying to make a branch of the secret service to examine in pursue international fraud. There is just nothing the feds can do when a guy in (Russia IE) is ripping you off....Good on you for not losing any money. I was not so lucky. I had a very similar deal that went bad years ago dealing with the sale of a lap top computer.

Keep up the good fight,
Bill
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2.1 Tripple Het Caramel, Orange Ghost, Genetic Stripe
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
0.1 Het Pied
1,1 Pastel Het for Orange Ghost
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
1.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
1.0 Pied 50 percent White
0.1 Clown
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Chocolate Lab

I got the same email today ,has any one reported this to kingsnake.

Hello,
Will like to know if you still have this Snake available for sale .. pls
email me the final asking price and email me more pics if you still have more
and also let me know if you will accept a Certified Check or Money Order as a
mode of payment ... Pls email me back now so that we can proceed on how to make
payment cos u dont need to worry yourself about the pick up i have a shipper
that will come and pick up the Snake from you after you must have receive the
payment.

Amanda

Kingsnake is aware of these scams, but we have no way to control who emails sellers. Though if scam type ads are placed in the classified sections these can be reported via the usual 'report abuse' manner and the actual ad can be removed and the account of the poster can be banned.

For all sellers, whether you sell on the Kingsnake.com classified section or elsewhere should make yourselves aware of the various 'buyer' scams in circulation. Don't accept certified checks, money orders, cashiers checks etc. for amounts greater than the cost of the animal you are selling. Don't accept pick ups by third party shippers. Use your own shipping methods (ie Delta Airlines, the 'ship your reptile' service etc.) direct to the address of the shipper (or nearest airport). Don't ship animals first, make sure any Money order, personal check etc. clears with your bank first. Double check the ship to address to make sure its authentic and don't be afraid to lose a sale by asking more information or demanding payment done in a certain way (ie via cash, or paypal).

Also keep in mind that many reptiles require CITES papers to leave the country to go to another country. These take time and cost money, so make it clear you won't ship outside the continental US (if seller lives in the US) or out of Canada. (or any other country you live in).

Above all us, use common sense. Do a google search on email scams, or buyer scams. There is a wealth of information on this. Milk people who send you suspicious emails for information. Ask where they are located, refuse to hand over the snake to an outside shipper, that you insist on using your own. That you will only accept US issued (or Us and Canadian issued) Money Orders, certified checks etc. for the exact amount you are selling the snake for, plus cost of shipping and you won't ship till after the money is received and cleared.

Another big red flag on these sorts of emails is the fact they don't say what animal they are asking to buy from you. Its very general...you certainly can send a return asking them to specify what animal they want, as you have multiple animals for sale (whether you do or not). These scam letters all read like form letters... heck, if you are really bored, send them a frozen thawed pinky mouse and claim that was the only ad you had up for and the only one you have left LOL.
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PHLdyPayne

have something like that posted as part of the "welcome" info for new classified account holders? If not, maybe you could automatically send them an email similar to your post.

"Old timers" will be familiar with a lot of these scammers, but younger, or new to the business ad posters may not. Your post could possibly save them from becoming a victim, if they don't see it here.

Thanks for posting the great info - Hope everyone gets to see it!

I think that's a great idea for newbs!
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www.geckobabies.com

I emailed the "Amanda" back asking for her phone# and this is the responce I got (LOL)

Hello,
> Thanks for the email am located in Bellwood, IL. you don't need to worry yourself about the pickup cos i have a shipper that will come and pick up the Snakes from you and deliver it to my reptile home here in Bellwood .. so all you need to do is to email me your full name and address including your home and cell phone number where to mail the payment to .. Thanks and email me back now
>
> Regards
>
> Amanda Tabb
>

HAHA....you should say that the snake is 27 feet long and is venomous and costs $2,000,000.00 Geez I crack myself up...I am even laughing just typing this...ahhaha.

You Know,

When I get those adds as well, I respond that the snake cost a Kabillion dollars and then I get a response with a form letter. They just pump out tons of them and hoping just to hit a few for the pay day.

Regards,
Bill
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2.1 Tripple Het Caramel, Orange Ghost, Genetic Stripe
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
0.1 Het Pied
1,1 Pastel Het for Orange Ghost
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
1.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
1.0 Pied 50 percent White
0.1 Clown
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Chocolate Lab