reptile sale scammers?

[Zephyr]

Thats it PayPal Its the GO !

 

[wokka]

Very good advice Wokka, where does it leave the honest and good breeders living outside the big smoke?

I suppose it leaves them competing with the scammers. I am someone who doesn't live in the "big smoke" so I travel or my buyers travel. When i first bought Green Tree Pythons out of Cairns i flew up to meet the seller and see the animals.

 

[Waterrat]

Smart move, many of my buyers have done the same in the past but there are some, probably many, who can't afford it.

 

[Octane]

I treat the travelling for herps as a bit of an adventure. I have found that usually you can get animals from a local source or from a reputable interstate source. Do some research and networking as to who breeds the animal you are wanting to acquire then make enquiries. Often sought after animals are sold by word of mouth without being advertised.

Cheers
Octane

 

[Ramsayi]

Wow people expecting drivers license numbers,addresses etc.Police indentity checks

Who is to say the person wanting all this info from a seller isn't a scammer themselves yet people don't seem to see a problem handing out all this info to some random who contacts you via an add on the net.

 

[phantomreptiles]

If it's for a purchase over $1000, I either only buy from reputable breeders I have brought from before. Or I will forward pics from animals I am potentially going to purchase to someone who is a little more aware of what is truly out there, including breeder reps.
By doing this I have been saved from wasting $3500.

 

[FAY]

Buy locally. Meet the buyer. Everyone is better off including the reptile with minimal transport. Most reptiles are readily available locally with less stress to all concerned.

Yep, buy locally or where you can travel that is not a big deal. I eventually want a certain locale of GTP, I am lucky as I have two sources down here that I can buy from.

 

[darth72au]

Use a different email address and say that you are from somewhere in the vicinity of Katherine and would like to know how much to transport it to you. If they are a scammer they will suddenly say they are from either the west coast or the east coast. I had something similar happen with a pair of eclectus but thankfully using this tip I was saved from a scammer!

 

[GeckoJosh]

Use a different email address and say that you are from somewhere in the vicinity of Katherine and would like to know how much to transport it to you. If they are a scammer they will suddenly say they are from either the west coast or the east coast. I had something similar happen with a pair of eclectus but thankfully using this tip I was saved from a scammer!

What if the seller cant be bothered shipping to the Katherine? I know I sure as hell aren't shipping there.
If I choose to ship its only to the east coast as I cant use AAE and couriers can only guarantee overnight freight to CBD's along the east coast (in most cases)

 

[darth72au]

What I am saying Goldmember is that after my initial contact with a person that had alarm bells ringing (breeding pair of eclectus free to good home based in Darwin), I sent another email from another address and used a different name but said I was from Darwin In their reply this time they said they were from Perth. Bingo, they confirmed themself to me as a scammer.

 

[DazTopEndPythons]

I got the EXACT same email (including pet names and location) over a kitten my wife wanted for mothers day....kept them going on the sale for about 6 weeks with them contacting me every day, sometimes calling as well. Anyone that asks for an adoption fee is normally a scammer and the next thing is they ask for a Western Union money transfer that ends up going overseas...

Don't get sucked in by this scammer.

What area is the rep you are interested in located? Perhaps someone on here can give you some feedback or has dealt with them.

I just wanted to copy this email that was sent to me this week after a potential seller of a Boyds Forest Dragon answering my wanted ad on another website. To me there are many reasons why it screams overseas scammer. Here is what the scammer emailed me:


Hello

I am very happy to have found such a loving and caring person to take care of my dragons.
I have a male and female dragons,They are call Bella and Lucky.Bella is the female and Lucky is the male.I can only sale you the female,as for the male a friend of will like to have him.

I am given her for fee adoption and all you will have to pay is for the transportation fee since i am presently in Katherine with the dragons and preparation for the transfer of ownership documents.
I will like you to let me know if you are interested.



And my reply:


There are so many reasons in your last reply that give it away that you are a overseas scammer! Get a life,and learn proper english. I work for every dollar I earn - why don't you try that you low life!

 

[statonb]

sucks there is scammers like thisi myself as for phone number(landline) and address before i would consider the purchase as well as i phonecall to the person to have a chat about it,i mean $300 to $400 for a python may not be alot to some people but is alot for me and i have learnt from past mistakes to take these steps before i purchase.

 

[longqi]

The vast majority of regular breeders are on APS
Look at their sales here and pm the buyers
Simple and effective

 

[statonb]

top advise

 

[Bredli_Girl80]

I just got scammed today it was just lucky I actually rang Paypal and asked them if they sent me an email requesting me to pay $355 AUD at the post office before they will release the rest of the money this guy has sent to me what got me is that he sent me an itemised email of everything that needed to be done and his mobile number started with +44 instead of +61 our country code.
They are getting much more clever now a days and it worries me that my boys will not be able to tell the difference in a few years time

 

[zeke]

I refuse to pay until I see the animal infront of me and will pay fully when I collect the animal. That way I can't be scammed
ive had some people I've tried to buy off that have seemed to be sus so I dont bother buying off them

I've had some people tel me they get the reps off a mate and sell them off which just rings warnig bells off to me and ven more so when I state the law of that and then I don't hear back from the person

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

i have always just bought from people on here. and i have done interstates, but only with people that i have seen others recommend!

 

[43nickw]

if the snake is not in my state i get a friend or relative to pick it up and pay on site then get is shipped. But always have proof before sending money,