Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted a CBB male BP about a week ago. Some guy from Canada emails me and says he has a shipped in the US that'll ship him the ball. He asked for all my info: name, address, phone, and a pic of the ball python. I sent him all this then his reply freaked me out a little.

He said he's send me $3160. for the ball python. I then cash the check and keep $160 for my trouble. At the time I was asking $60 for the BP so the $100 was for running around cashing the check (he said).

I guess this guy was trying to get me to launder money. Of couse, I told him I wasn't interested.

FH

I got a similar e-mail today about my two 100% Het Piebald females I posted in the KS Classifieds this morning. Canada. Sells to UK. Cashiers Cheque. Interesting name, too. =)

Chris
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0.1 Normal
0.2 Het Piebald
1.0 Reduced Pattern
0.1 Banded
0.1 Screaming Child

I get e-mails like that a lot, with people wanting to send a cashiers check to someone they know here in the U.S. and then give so much to me and then to the person they have here, I always just ignore those e-mails, they just seem a little odd to me.

I have gotten it many times. Sometimes I adverise stuff for sale on craigslist and they tell me they will pay with a check and that you can keep the extra money. You send the item and the check is worthless, its a common scam.
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1.0 Pastel ball python
0.5 ball pythons
1.0 CA King
0.1 My girlfriend

I received an e-mail similar to yours. Curiously enough, I live in Canada. This e-mail was from a "lady" who was supposedly on a business trip in Holland. She said she was interested in my animal, no questions asked. She went on to mention that she would send me an International MO for $2000 more than the animal. I was then to deposit the MO in my accoutn, and before it cleared, was to send the additional $2000 to her "Associate" in the States. Then she would contact me. She mentioned that she would then have the animal forwarded on to her in NIGERIA (tip off right there). I have read about this scam, though I've never had it happen to me. As a sidenote CJ, could you please post the e-mail address your scam request was from, because I have a speaking suspicion that she has pirated e-mails, and that you received your e-mail from my pirated address. If this is the case, my e-mail came from an anne_karln@yahoo.com if that looks familiar to anyone...

I'm hesitant to post the e-mail address, as there is always the chance of the party being totally legit. They haven't offered to pay more than asked (they did inquire as to my lowest possible price and mention that they broker snakes overseas to the UK), and until they do, I must treat this person with the same level of confidentiality that I use with everyone.

I'll keep you posted, though.

Chris
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0.1 Normal
0.2 Het Piebald
1.0 Reduced Pattern
0.1 Banded
0.1 Screaming Child

Here in the UK this is a very common scam, except ours are nearly
all nigerian based.
Ignore the email, and do not get involved with any of these guys/gals.

Dont feel bad there are tons of those emails going around. I just got these 2 tonight:

pauletacrane@yahoo.com to 5starrmorphs
More options 8:30pm (3 minutes ago)

Hello ,
Greetings to you,My name is paul,i saw your {BREEDERS} placed on dvert,and it suits what i have been looking for since a very long ime,based on the description i have decided to buy it from you,i'll also like to know your last asking price i'm ok with the pics also.I am presently not in the country ,i am in Holland on a business trip,So i will like to ask you if you accept to be payed with via us certifier cashier's check?If that is accepted by you,kindly mail me back with details NAME....ADDRESS......PHONE NUMBER#.....
Best regards .
MR PAUL CRANE.
Sent 10:30 PM, Oct 20th, 2004 from I.P. Address 81.199.243.202

siege_smith01@yahoo.com to 5starrmorphs
More options 6:54pm (1½ hours ago)

Hello Seller,
As Regarding you advert for a (item)for esale.I would like to know the actual price you are offering to sell it and also it's present condition.Also the mode of payment which he would be using would be by a Certified Check and also shipping arrangment would be made with a reliable and capable shipping company who can handle the shippment.
Best Of Regards...

Sent 08:54 PM, Oct 20th, 2004 from I.P. Address 213.181.81.190

I have no idea where they are coming from, I will forward the Ip addys to my ISP and see what they say. They almost always are from Yahoo as well. Seller beware. Jeff

I have recieved many emails from "MR. Paul", offer to buy my keyboard on craigslist. lol, and Its worded almost exactly the same way.
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1.0 Pastel ball python
0.5 ball pythons
1.0 CA King
0.1 My girlfriend

I think I received one of those scam emails with that email address you listed. I just got 4 of them from a different email address a couple minutes ago. I probably average at least 1 for every ad I place. It's annoying, but if people use common sense, they won't fall for a scam from these crooks.

Garrick

I remember a while back there was a guy scamming people like that. I dont remember what the whole story was since it didnt happen to me. But it sounds about the same. I am sure some of the old timers here will fill you in

ok looks like a bunch beat me to the reply

http://profiles.yahoo.com/anne_karln

the profile is a new one... created 9/23/04....

yahoo is pretty good about yanking e mail addys in cases like this... maybe someoen should report her to yahoo?
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1.0.1 Green Iguana Andy and Vernie
0.2.0 Cats April and Sugar
1.0.0 German Shepard Dog Router
0.0.50 Fish

You Dont Own Iguanas. They Own You.
E-Mail Me

As regards shipping i have made arrangements with a shipping company
that
will be on ground to do the pick up
at any location of your choice and take it to my address in 'some state' that is

'some street'

'some city'
But they will have to inform you on when and where the pick up will be made.

As regards payment,this is what i am going to do,i have a client
in the us who is owing me $3,800 i would instruct him to make
out a check to you in that amount and as soon as you clears your
bank,you can let me have my balance via western union money
transfer.

The reason why i am doing this is because if i decide to send
payment from over here it might take a long time before it goes
through,but a check sent from over there withing us would clear
between 2 and 3 days.

Although the value of the check is more than the price of the
2004 female ball phytons.

But i think i can trust you with my balance
considering the fact that i still have to trust you with the Reptile. Pls
if
you are interesetd in selling to me,i would appreciate it if you could
get back to me so that we can proceed. Pls i would need for you to
provide me with your name as you would want it to appear on the check
and
your address and phone number so that i can have my client contact you
asap.

I usually just metion that Im a police officer and they dont want to do business with me anymore?????? I feel the love.
I liked this ones name!

From: r_hood20042002@yahoo.ca
GREETINGS,MY NAME IS ROBBIN HOOD, I HAIL FROM CANADA.AM A BUSINESS MAN AND I AM IN CONJUCTION IN SELLING SNAKES TO CUSTOMERS IN UK, BUT RIGHT NOW I HAVE A CUSTOMER WHO IS READY TO PURCHASE YOUR{PASTEL FEMALE}.BEFORE I PROCEED I WILL LIKE TO ASK IF IT'S NOT A STOLEING PROPERTIES.I WANT YOU TO SCAN THE PICTURE FOR ME AND I WILL LIKE TO ASK IF YOU ACCEPT CERTIFIEDS CASHIER CHEQUE .SO GETS BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY WITH YOUR LAST NEGOTIATABLE ASKING PRICE FOR THE SNAKE? FORWARD ME THE EARLY CONDITION IT IS OK.HOPE THIS IS UNDERSTAND BY YOU .I WAIT FOR YOUR REPLY ASAP.
MR ROBBIN HOOD
SNAKESWORLD CO.LTD

From: kenzie_smith@fastermail.com
Hello ,Greetings to you,My name is Kenzie,i saw your {Super nice female pastel} placed on advert,and it suits what i have been looking for since a very long time,based on the description i have decided to buy it from you,i'll also like to know your last asking price i'm ok with the pics also.I am presently not in the country ,i am in Holland on a business trip,So i will like to ask you if you accept to be payed with via us certifier cashier's check?If that is accepted by you,kindly mail me back with details NAME....ADDRESS......PHONE NUMBER#.....
Best regards

From: smith_azeez@yahoo.com
Hello seller i am intrested in(Super nice female pastel ) i will like you to no that i am serious with and i will like you to tell me the last price and all what is going on it so that i can call my client to send you a cashier check i want to hear from you.
thanks..................

I use to get these on a different reptile classified site, but this is happening daily here also now.

Shawn

Ah! Robin Hood...steals from the rich...somewhat fitting, don't you think? Perhaps that's why my request for payment thru PayPal was met with silence. =)

Confidentiality be damned! Snakes out of the bag! =)

Chris =)
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0.1 Normal
0.2 Het Piebald
1.0 Reduced Pattern
0.1 Banded
0.1 Screaming Child

I read about this some scam some time ago, and I have recieved many e-mails like this myself. (Pretty much anyone who advertises goods on the internet is a target to this type of scam.)

Many people think that money orders are as good as cash. They are not. This is the key to this scam.

The person sends you a stolen, already cashed, or forged money order/check, etc. You deposit it, and think everything is fine. But many days later, after you have fullfilled your end of the bargain, your bank removes the funds from your account. Since the payment to you was fraudulent, you are now out both the money you refunded to them, and the animal. The problem is, it can take a few weeks for the banks to figure out that the money order you cashed was fraudulent--especially international money orders/checks.

Rodney

Wow! It looks like this kind of scam is fairly common. When I first got the email it seemed very normal. The reply from this guy really was weird. I had to read it twice because I didn't believe what I was reading. As you can tell this is my first experience with this kind of thing. I called a herp buddy of mine and it turns out he got a similar email too. I guess, wherever money can be made the scammers are not far behind..lol

FH