Michael Gentry (Scam artist)

Originally Posted by nickolasanastasiou

Mike, he would not have returned your animals to you had the thread been (improbably) deleted. He is having his way with you on more than one level now. This feels like it could well be Lance Owens and it feels like he enjoys doing this to people with zero remorse.

If you think that acquiescing in the face of a scammer's demands will get you what you wanted, you need to think again.

I'm pretty sure Lance knows that threads and posts can't be deleted here. Thus making the OPs story a bit mushy.

Originally Posted by Chris Kennard

I'm pretty sure Lance knows that threads and posts can't be deleted here. Thus making the OPs story a bit mushy.

That could be part of the strategy. In return for a promise, request the improbable. Receive only the probable. Maintain that one is not fulfilling the promise because the improbable was not received.

Originally Posted by nickolasanastasiou

Mike, he would not have returned your animals to you had the thread been (improbably) deleted. He is having his way with you on more than one level now. This feels like it could well be Lance Owens and it feels like he enjoys doing this to people with zero remorse.

If you think that acquiescing in the face of a scammer's demands will get you what you wanted, you need to think again.

Also Nickolas, if it was Lance, why would he hold the snakes hostage with regard to a thread that was not in his name?

Originally Posted by Chris Kennard

Also Nickolas, if it was Lance, why would he hold the snakes hostage with regard to a thread that was not in his name?

Just a game - I don't believe the snakes were coming back, regardless... but if he can make the OP report that there was no scam; the Michael Gentry name might get him some more snakes before a new one had to be created.

Originally Posted by Chris Kennard

Also Nickolas, if it was Lance, why would he hold the snakes hostage with regard to a thread that was not in his name?

If it is and his scamming by that or another identity runs the risk of being compromised, he might not want to have to reinvent a new scamming conduit (the alternate/false identity being the conduit) that has demonstrably delivered on his goal.

Originally Posted by nickolasanastasiou

If it is and his scamming by that or another identity runs the risk of being compromised, he might not want to have to reinvent a new scamming conduit (the alternate/false identity being the conduit) that has demonstrably delivered on his goal.

Looks like reinventing is his only alternative here. Whoever he is.

Lmao! So now he's holding your snakes hostage? So everything you've said here is a lie. Including this. If he was holding your snakes hostage (lol) in lieu of this thread coming to an end, you would have stopped posting long ago. You picked wrong forum to insult anyone's intelligence with your fictional regurgitations. Hope you have an extinguisher handy. Pants on fire!

Originally Posted by Chris Kennard

Lmao! So now he's holding your snakes hostage? So everything you've said here is a lie. Including this. If he was holding your snakes hostage (lol) in lieu of this thread coming to an end, you would have stopped posting long ago. You picked wrong forum to insult anyone's intelligence with your fictional regurgitations. Hope you have an extinguisher handy. Pants on fire!

No almost all of it is true, but anyway I've asked you to please stop.stop bashing me. Thanks.

Originally Posted by mfsidore

No almost all of it is true, but anyway I've asked you to please stop.stop bashing me. Thanks.

Almost all of it? Sheriff, cops, shipping money refunded, snakes returned? That's most of it. All lies.

Perhaps the OP is really, really young, naïve and has little experience in the hobby.

Perhaps Lance and his brother have LOTS of experience scamming, lying, stealing from unsuspecting customers and even offering phony "dead" snake photos, complete with fake "blood".
I briefly bought into that crap back then even!

Perhaps Lance and his family members are adapt at creating fake names, phone #'s, accounts and ID's, and as soon as a connection was made here relative to the Bristol location, the OP got the first threatening texts/emails to delete the thread or offer "proof" it was NOT Lance Owens involved, lest his snakes be slaughtered or not returned. Makes perfect sense.

Perhaps the OP, in his youth and naiveté and as a newb really didn't think clearly about his credibility or posts here, knowing he'd really screwed up and gotten screwed in the process. Perhaps he bowed to pressure and threats by those who are accustomed to regularly using those tactics to intimidate victims they've scammed. Perhaps in his youth he knew his parents would be really p'd off!

I'll betcha I got shoes older than the OP. Age may not be an excuse, but naiveté and trust up against practiced lies, deceit and theft? Sometimes it makes kids desperate to make it right without thinking about the long-term consequences.

My bet is now with the OP and I would rather teach than skewer a young hobbyist/enthusiast.