We Were Scammed--Please Read

DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH JOHN AND PATTY NIPPER OF TAMPA BAY!!! These people originally contacted us several weeks ago in regards to a Pink Pine. After going back and forth for several weeks, they finally settled on a 2002 Pink Pine. After a three-day wait, we finally received payment by Paypal. I contacted them by email to let them know that I would like to ship the following day and to please email confirmation that it would be OK. Our policy is that we do not ship until we have received confirmation from the customer. The following day, we received an irate email asking why they had not received their animal. I responded that since I had had no response to the email I sent, I didn't ship. They gave me the song and dance that they don't check their emails daily, work long hours, have small children, blah, blah, blah. Excuse me, but it is NOT my problem if someone doesn't check their emails. By this time, it was too late in the week to ship, so we both agreed on a ship date of December 9, a Monday. I shipped the snake as agreed. On Tuesday night, we received an irate phone call complaining that the animal was defective--that it had a kink in its neck and didn't crawl right. I had looked the snake over before shipping and knew it was fine, but offered the customer a complete refund, including all shipping costs, as I didn't have another snake to send as a replacement. They agreed to send the snake back on Wednesday. Apparently they didn't believe me that I didn't have another snake, because my husband received a call from a different number a few hours later from a John in Tampa Bay, looking for a Pink Pine. When my husband, Mike, told him that we had no Pink Pines, he got all flustered and said he was really calling about Blood Pythons, which we don't even work with. The phone call was bogus. The day after agreeing to return the snake for the refund, we were emailed a Paypal bill from the person whose Paypal account the Nippers use, with a message that "he had heard that the snake was being returned". Like we're really going to send a refund for an animal not yet received. This morning I received the snake, but upon inspection by both myself and my husband, we came to the conclusion that the snake sent to us was not the snake we had sent to them--this animal had an obviously kinked neck, was smaller and of different coloring than the snake we had sent them. Tonight we received an irate phone call from Patty Nipper wanting to know where her refund was. She threatened my husband on the phone, at which point he hung up. At this point, we are not sure what to do.

Forgot to sign my post!

Isis Madec
Isis Reptiles

Oh great! Another fiasco in Tampa....

Isis, I don't know the Nipper's.... well, I MIGHT recognize them if I saw them, but the name doesn't ring any
bells....

At this point.... I would suggest you post a picture of the snake you sent them, and then take a pic of the snake they sent you, and post them both.... we will be able to tell if it's different.... then, we can go from there???

....Neil

The first thing I'd do is contact the Tampa PD at (813) 276-3200, and inquire about filing a report in a case of theft by deception. Given the fact that coming in to file the report is not a viable option for you, they may be able to simply take it over the phone.

Having a police report in hand should also benefit you should these theives dispute the charges through PayPal.

The first thing I'd do is contact the Tampa PD at (813) 276-3200, and inquire about filing a report in a case of theft by deception.

Why is it that everyone on the BOI has the Tampa PD phone number at the top of the rolodex?

::grins::

Isis, that's not very nice of you. You have a guarantee on your animals. I have been dealing with John and Patty for over a year now, I have never had a problem with them or any false claim to animals I have sold them. They have also bought from Multi-Het.com, Andy Barr, Paul and Tammy in Dade City, FL, and albino boas from Ralph Davis. There would be a rip off in the making, as these were much more money than your defective pine for $130.00. I see no bad guy posts on here in reference to them from these sellers. I sent the money to you for them because they didn't have a Paypal account activated yet. It take a few days. We have the Paypal receipt when the money was sent, and when the request for a refund was sent. I also have the emails we have sent you in regards to the snake having a kink in the neck, that was an old injury. The only reason you can't make it good is because you sold the other snakes like it at the show. This one didn't sell at the show because of the kink.

As for a bubble gum pink pine, there were none for sale in the state of Florida. We have been looking. Why would they go through the trouble to hunt one, to switch it?

According to the price list that was included in the shipment with the snake, bright pink paper ring a bell? You have blood pyhtons, and many other snakes. And now you write that you don't deal in them? Is this a scam? Or is it like your guarantee? John makes excellent money, keep the $130.00, you'll need it.

They may be novice snake collectors but they have friends that have been doing this for some time. When they are questionable of an investment, they ask their more experienced friends for advice. Their friends advised them to not keep this one!

Neil, EXCELLENT IDEA! But one flaw in that ointment. They did have others in good condition, they could post a picture of that one and then what will they have proved.

Ray and Jenny Marteliz

AAHH the old switcharoo routine.
Give them the link here.
Let them know you posted about them.
Let them know you are going to call the Tampa Police on them for obvious fraud.
Let them know their name is now good as mud.

Keep the money.
And tell them it is because you KNOW that they switched snakes on you.
Tell them the whole reptile world knows about them now. Just rub it in real good.

and did I say keep the money?
They have your snake....you have their money. It is a fair trade.

Tell them they are nothing but common crooks.
And also keep the money.

Tell them to go _ _ _ _ themselves and keep the money.

By the way...

Post their address and e-mail addy and phone.
That way none of us will ever accidentally sell them anything.

Ritchie,
Let's do this:
ISIS: SEND ME MY MONEY! I have filed a greivence, as I warned you I would do. Ritchie just made it clear that he ahs no idea what is going on, so send the money, and admit that that is the snake you sent to Nippers.

I find it odd that this snake was bought by the Nippers, but paid for using the Marteliz's account. Do the Nippers not have a computer, checkking account, or credit card? Are they financially unable of paying for their own animals?

My next question is one of credibility. Why, Ray or Jenny, should we not take your words with a grain of salt? After all, you have precviously been caught in a boldfaced lie or two here on the BOI.

Remember this one?...

HAS ANYONE HEARD FROM DAVE LATELY? LAST I HEARD WAS HE WAS ARRESTED FOR STEALING SOMEONE'S RARE, AND EXPENSIVE SNAKE, AND SELLING IT. I HAVE TRIED TO VERIFY THIS, BUT HAVEN'T FOUND THE RIGHT LINK(S). ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I NEED TO COLLECT MY MONEY FROM HIM BEFORE HE CAN DO ANY TIME.

The entire thread can be viewed here, if your memory needs refreshing.