ripped off :-(

[hulloosenator]

yeah .... come on , let us know how you are going with it. Did you contact the bank ?.... Did they arrive ????

 

[A1SNAKETRADER]

Hey miss Trish. How did it all turn out. I pm,ed you about some names. can you reply. Pm is fine.

 

[kingofnobbys]

These matters take time .... the cops move slow and the bank will likely be giving her the right royal run around (in the hope she gives up and goes away).

 

[snakelady-viper]

Try contacting national parks if you have her reptile keepers number

 

[kingofnobbys]

Try contacting national parks if you have her reptile keepers number

I don't know if they will hand out such information to a member of the public , being private and privileged information. Worth a try but I wouldn't hold out any hope of their being forthcoming.

Likely the keeper's number is stolen or made up anyway as are any other details given by her.

 

[apprenticegnome]

I'm wondering if the snakes have turned up as there has been no response to peoples questions on here. Hopefully all is good.

 

[hulloosenator]

I'm wondering if the snakes have turned up as there has been no response to peoples questions on here. Hopefully all is good.

or....... is misstrish the one doing the sending and wants to know what is going to happen to her ??? mmmmmm......????

 

[Ramsayi]

I reckon they turned up and may be a bit embarrassed to update.

 

[mje772003]

Maybe I would suggest 1. payment by paypal as there are some safe guards using this method 2. if the animals were sent legitimately the sender should provide the reciever the AWB (airway bill) information to collect. Also do your research with buyers and get feedback from other customers of theirs before outlaying money.

 

[treeofgreen]

Maybe I would suggest 1. payment by paypal as there are some safe guards using this method 2. if the animals were sent legitimately the sender should provide the reciever the AWB (airway bill) information to collect. Also do your research with buyers and get feedback from other customers of theirs before outlaying money.

+1. I do PayPal or NOTHING. It is the safest way without using an escrow service.

Unless you know the seller personally, I would never direct deposit.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I've only ever paid cash and at the time of collection from the breeder (if not at their home, at a location that suits, not everyone feels secure having total strangers come to their home and going inside seeing what they have - can't blame them for that).

I get to see the lizards, how they behave, and get to choose the one/s I want , and then give them the money and they hand over the lizard/s in suitable containers for the trip back to my place, and we exchange keeper's permit numbers and details (name, phone number and address) and all is good. No chance of being ripped off.

I doubt I'd ever buy a lizard by "mailorder" even from a very well know breeder or shop. Too much can go wrong and you pay extra (to have them delivered).

I've not been in this hobby very long and am not in any clubs (not a joiner or interested in being in a herp club) so I don't know many other keepers personally.

 

[Ramsayi]

I've purchased reptiles in the past sight unseen and payed for them via direct deposit and never had an issue.I ask around if the seller is unknown to me and it very easy to get feedback good or bad.The hobby is still very small in regards to word of mouth.

 

[reptalica]

I put it to the moderators and site administration for us to have a separate section for buy and sell whereby any potential buyers who would like to verify the sellers' bona fides etc can mention there name on here and forum members can respond accordingly that way we have each others backs'. Sure it is not a fool proof system but it might go a long way to eradicating the scum that are happy to take people's money then take off.

I'm sure there are a lot of us out there that would like to have some sort of system in place whereby we can verify the seller's credentials or lack of before the transaction(s) take place.

Anyone with me on this??

Hopefully this will eliminate the Mark Raidal's of the society. :evil:

 

[Pirateherpss]

I have driven 2 hours to meet with someone for a pickup. Sat there for 2 hours, never showed up. Never heard from them since. UGH!

Obviously not as bad as your case, but still so bloody frustrating. Good thing about buying and selling reptiles is that its a cash in hand transaction, so you know what you are getting. There are still dodgy people out there to look out for though. Freighting can be a very sketchy/ risky move. Sorry to hear about your issue :/. Couldn't imagine how bad that must feel.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I put it to the moderators and site administration for us to have a separate section for buy and sell whereby any potential buyers who would like to verify the sellers' bona fides etc can mention there name on here and forum members can respond accordingly that way we have each others backs'. Sure it is not a fool proof system but it might go a long way to eradicating the scum that are happy to take people's money then take off.

I'm sure there are a lot of us out there that would like to have some sort of system in place whereby we can verify the seller's credentials or lack of before the transaction(s) take place.

Anyone with me on this??

Hopefully this will eliminate the Mark Raidal's of the society. :evil:

Very big money can be involved with some special / rare / difficult to breed animals so that's a very good idea and should apply to all transactions IMO (not just the expensive snakes and lizards, but the common cheap ones too , as well anything herp relates sold here)

Not all of us are in herp clubs or know anyone else who keeps reptiles, let alone breeds them, and with the price of some reptiles. The crooks and creeps take advantage of this situation to their benefit and I'd be very surprised if a lot of people are who ripped off are too embarrassed to go public about their bad experience.

It can be a very risky thing to deal with people who you don't know and have no way of really checking up on before deciding to part with your hard earnt $ for that critter or expensive gear you want to buy , it would be nice to be able to leave feedback similar to the accumulative feedback on Ebay say where you can read the feedback comments and if someone has a very good rating on their transactions (for all sorts of herp sales not just the lizards, snakes, etc.) Cuts both ways, sellers should be able give feedback on their customers too.

I imagine some of the sponsors and subscribers (who sell here) may not be terribly keen on the prospect if BAD FEEDBACK is made publicly visible to all here.

 

[Dragon_77]

I myself have been in the reptile hobby since 1982 and so far l have not once been ripped of by any scammer, most of the reptiles l have purchased from top reliable and trustworthy breeders Australia wide, have always delivered or freighted from interstate to me on time.

l do these days feel sorry for the newcomers to the hobby being ripped off, and having their time wasted when they want to sell their reptiles.

 

[arevenant]

I put it to the moderators and site administration for us to have a separate section for buy and sell whereby any potential buyers who would like to verify the sellers' bona fides etc can mention there name on here and forum members can respond accordingly that way we have each others backs'. Sure it is not a fool proof system but it might go a long way to eradicating the scum that are happy to take people's money then take off.

I'm sure there are a lot of us out there that would like to have some sort of system in place whereby we can verify the seller's credentials or lack of before the transaction(s) take place.

Anyone with me on this??

Hopefully this will eliminate the Mark Raidal's of the society. :evil:

The only problem with this is the fact that active members in this forum are a mere fraction of herp buyers/sellers in this country.
I would say about 90% of people I have traded with have never even heard of this site, let alone are a member of a herp society or other club/forum whatever.
Most of Australia's keepers aren't really in any way active within the keeping community.

It's not a bad idea at all and I do agree with it entirely, I just see this forum as a pebble in the river of Australian Herping, and don't see it being a widely useful tool for this site.

 

[reptalica]

Totally agree with the above. My idea I think I contemplated for not even 5 minutes so yes it does come with its limitations but having been a victim of being "ripped off" I'm trying to do everything within my power to limit such practices happening.

Yes I was too trusting and hopefully I have learn't my lesson but because I live in this great country called Australia I thought a simple practice of purchasing a reptile wouldn't result in me being done out of $600.

Whilst I was furious and angry at the time, I'm merely disappointed nowadays that my trust in society has waned and have to take more secure measures in the future.

 

[leighroyaus]

It not that people dont know about this site, its just the stigma that comes with this site.

Alot choose not to deal with it, and with the help of facebook these days you can advertise to a far wider audience, and you can actually visually check up on who you buy from and sell too

I do most of my sales now via facebook

 

[FAY]

Be careful wherever you find your sales from...be it these forums or FB. Don't ever be under the illusion just because they are an Admin of a FB group that they are decent. Experience has taught me otherwise