Problem with Platinum Dragons

Originally Posted by Dennis Hultman

I doubted it but we will see.

doubt
:eatpointe

Thanks for the heads up.

Man, what is up with all these people who think that they can get away with doctoring photos, or stealing photos, or even worse stealing photos and then doctoring them. I know after all these years I (sadly) should be use to this, but it is just sickening. Where do these people get off? Who do they think they are fooling, when someone pays huge bucks for a Flourescent animal and then they receive a pet store quality animal. I just don't understand the mentality, one sale they make $500 profit, but then the BM hits the fan, and they've got to put so much effort into lying, weaseling, excuses, then going in to hiding, then fabricating a new identity so they can scam someone else and do it all over again. If they were just honest they might only make half that on one sale, but they could make more in the long run, and do it without worrying when they are going to get caught, or how they are going to get out of it, or wondering what will happen when they go to jail, or always watching their back, because one day they are going to sell to the wrong person.
-Never say never-, but I doubt I would ever get scammed in this type of situation, but I almost wish I would, just so I could solve the problem with this here guy. I would not let it go, one way or the other such a person would regret that they even knew what photoshop was.
To the punk@ss who did this and will no doubt be lurking, to find out how many people are on to your little scam. Don't even bother with the "textbook" scammer excuses ie. "it didn't look like that on my computer", "I have so many photos, I accidently used the wrong one", "I bought this animal and this is the photo that was sent with it, so i figured I'd just use it" or any of the others, believe me, you don't need to even bother replying if you don't want to, everybody here has heard ALL the excuses, justifications or whatever. Just realize that doctoring a photo up that bad and then selling a $50 animal for $500 is outright fraud, period. No excuses, no justifications, no "poetic license" advertising legality, nothing, but FRAUD.

I have just spent the last two hours going over everything that I could find on this situation. I know, I am pathetic.

What first caught my eye about Platinum Dragons was his response in a Q and A in an auction:

Question about this item from (buyer): Platinumdragons
Post on: Mon Apr 18, 05:49 PM
I can afford you, your dragons, and everything you own, I just dont like it when people try to rip off others on here, we are all here to make some money, not trying to give others a LARGER rectic hole like you are.
I spoke to Brandon, and even send him a pic in an email about this dragon, funny how you paid less than half ( not gonna say the amount to spare you the embarASSment )and then turn here and try to sell him at a ridiculous to people on here. no wonder it's the second time he's posted, and your price keeps getting lower... Dirt cheap is exactly what he is...

'NUFF SAID!

After I read the first line, I thought, "Who is this jerk? Who is Platinum Dragons?" They did not have any feedback.

I first signed up on Reptibid 2 years ago next month. I look over the bearded dragon auctions almost daily. I have a good idea who buys and sells on there. This Platinum Dragons just appeared about 8 days ago and was sounding way too pompous and was coming on way too strong, like a blowhard. From my experience, the person who acts like this usually turns out to be a bad guy in the end. Of course there is immediate controversy about his picture in auction #1113932264. It appears from his correspondance that he is not trying too hard to get to the bottom of who "stole" his photo and trying to put an end to this persons tactics, but instead attacks the person who made it aware to him that this was a stolen picture.

Apparently there were two pictures on Kingsnake.com, one named Apollo. I could not find that one, but I found one that is just like the ones in his ads. The dragons are laying on a weight bench. Kingsnake lists the owner of the photo as a Platinum_Dragons that just registered on 3/22/05 and gave a birthdate of 2/25/70. But, Platinum Dragons claims that they do not have an account on Kingsnake.

Platinum Dragons has given two different names for the dragon in question. One time he is called Flamez and another FireBlaze. Platinum Dragons claims that they have the best references available from all the top breeders, that they have been in business for something like 20 years, and that they have a 4,000 square foot breeding facility. So I thought that it was a little odd that in two of their photos, it is very apparent that their photos were taken in a garage with a lot of weight lifting equipment. You would think that with their huge facility, they could come up with a better background than that.

Platinum Dragons has never signed their name to any of their correspondence, and always reference himself or themselves as multiple partners, even though it appears it is the same person doing all of the talking. They spell their name two different ways, one ending in an S and the other ending in a Z.

In one response to David, Platinum Dragons explains that their photo must have been stolen from their "old" site. Does that mean that they have a new one? I couldn't find it.

Platinum Dragons is doing a lot of buying, I am anxious to see if they pay up or will just be another deadbeat. They have just gotten one positive from Mike at Furrylildevils.

I am anxious to find out who this person or persons from Platinum Dragons really is. All I know is that it is someone who is going by the name of Mitch from Miami Lakes, Fl. I would think that I would have heard of them seeing how they have been around so long and all. So I am just going to sit back, relax, and wait for all of these top sellers with all of their excellent references to out this person.

Or better yet, maybe I won't. The blowhards always turn out to be the scamming bad guys that have just made up new names to go with their new made-up reputations. Maybe someone mentally ill - like Frank Triana?

Especially good post! Great research!

Good follow up J., or Melissa? I also caught the info on another Board, but haven't seen any of the KS stuff, as I rarely go there. Seems his? their? comment on the photo is that it is untouched, and that is what the animal really looks like, and that the OP here has another untouched photo that shows him looking just as flourescent. I wondered which canned response it would be. The photos are obviously fraudulently altered, at least in my opinion. The weight bench is blueish (combination of the original grey and the altered color?) and the edge of the bench and thread has a different tint than the original, also. The floor obviously has a red tint to it. Maybe it's all of our monitors and the photos are identical.

Originally Posted by JMelissaMc

Platinum Dragons has never signed their name to any of their correspondence, and always reference himself or themselves as multiple partners, even though it appears it is the same person doing all of the talking. They spell their name two different ways, one ending in an S and the other ending in a Z.

I am anxious to find out who this person or persons from Platinum Dragons really is. All I know is that it is someone who is going by the name of Mitch from Miami Lakes, Fl. I would think that I would have heard of them seeing how they have been around so long and all. So I am just going to sit back, relax, and wait for all of these top sellers with all of their excellent references to out this person.

Florida? Maybe it is our good friend Ray. LOL

Originally Posted by Platinum Dragons on another site

I told you we were gonna leave it alone, and we did, but here you are again running your mouth about how I was disrespectful?
Ofcourse, you're calling my Company a Fraudelant without a cause, pointing the finger without the evidence, an accusation without proof.. I
It seems like you are the only person still keeping this alive, drop it man. eveyone has left it alone but YOU.
And what help do you need? and from who? The help you need is from you, Stop getting into peoples business without the right information first, and you wouldn't find yourself in the wrong predicament...
We are horrible to you David? Again USING OUR NAME.. I sent you a personal email, "I DO NOT WANT THE NAME "PLATINUM DRAGONS" USED BY YOU OR ANY PERSON RELATED TO YOU BUSINESS AGAIN."
Or this situation WILL Escalate.....
Your a smart kid, drop it.

Sounds like Ray!
Spells like Ray!

To many nice people in Florida, you can’t have this many bad guys popping up each year.
All of them must be Ray! LOL

David-

You have handled this with maturity and in a respectful manner. It shows you have integrity. I doubt this person will come on here because of the full name issue. I still think it is possible that it is Frank. We will see when the auctions end. I understand why you feel you need to defend yourself, but don't worry. Your actions speak volumes for you and from where I stand you are a caring, reputable breeder trying to do things right. Good luck.

Wendy Thomas
Neverland Dragons

Everyone, thanks so much for your other information and support. I really did struggle in posting this, wondering what he could do with my reputation. Mike and Wendy definetly helped me out via email to realize that it would be best to prevent further fraud and help someone out in the process, even possibly getting rid of another fraudulent person. Wendy pointed out that his posts seemed awful close to Frank Trianas. Hopefully "Mitch" will come here and explain his "side" of the story.

Thanks again, very much

David Love

I am anxious to find out who this person or persons from Platinum Dragons really is. All I know is that it is someone who is going by the name of Mitch from Miami Lakes, Fl. I would think that I would have heard of them seeing how they have been around so long and all. So I am just going to sit back, relax, and wait for all of these top sellers with all of their excellent references to out this person.

Or better yet, maybe I won't. The blowhards always turn out to be the scamming bad guys that have just made up new names to go with their new made-up reputations. Maybe someone mentally ill - like Frank Triana?

A Mitch in Miami? MSHerps possibly?
Andy Sury

And here's why...

I did own two male dragons that were brothers, both sold to me as "pure sunburst". The first one I purchased was female, and I was accidentally shipped a male...his name was Sunshine (poor guy!). The older brother was named Apollo. He may not be much to you guys, but to me, he was my "Sun God". I loved him with all my heart and thought he was the most beautiful dragon I had ever seen.

Anyway, about 3 months ago, I discovered that I had way too many males and posted both Sunshine and Apollo on Reptibid, hoping to sell just one of them. The auction ended with no bids on either dragon. Soon after, I decided that I wanted to keep Apollo because I just loved him too much to let him go. I went back to Reptibid to repost Sunshine, still having too many males. Well, I accidentally posted Apollo (their title descriptions were very similar and I hadn't had enough coffee!!). I finished reposting what I thought was Sunshine, checked my email and saw that I had mistakenly posted Apollo instead. I immediately went back to Reptibid to delete the auction for Apollo but he already had a bid on him from Repti_king. Needless to say, the auction ended, Frank Triana was the winner, and he said he would be sending a postal money order. I waited a week for the money order to arrive, hoping all along that it really wouldn't, and tried to come up with reasons why I could return the money order and tell Frank that I couldn't sell him Apollo even though he had won the auction. Being the almost TOO honest person that I am, there was absolutely no reason that I could come up with that I should return the money order and keep Apollo. The guy had paid for him, after all...

By the way, all this happened before all the stuff with Jeepgirl, etc.

Anyway, the money order arrived and I shipped Apollo to Frank Triana...crying the entire way to Fed Ex. The next day when Apollo arrived, Frank not only called me to say that he loved Apollo and thought he was beautiful, he also sent me an email of Apollo "straight out of the box". I told Frank all of the stuff about the mistaken auction, and asked him to please give Apollo a good home. I also told him that if he ever thought about selling Apollo, to please contact me first and give me a chance to buy him back, which he said he would do. He also said that Apollo had already mounted 3 of his females and that he was getting ready to put Apollo in with the fourth...and that I would have first pick on Apollo's offspring.

From what I have read since, I see that I'm about the only person Frank actually paid. I will not say that he was honest with me...I don't know that someone like this can be honest.

All that aside, I came here today and saw this post on Apollo. I was sent the same pic on the weight bench as the pic of Apollo "straight out of the box".

I am going to try to post some pics of Apollo that my husband took before we sold him. He is NOT orange or red...he is a mustardy yellow.

Tere Salazar