Rhode Island Reptile Enclosures: Warning

Yup, and he keeps throwing the blame at Square, claiming they took his money out, which looks like a load of bull. If my payment processor took money from me for a refund and the customer didn't get it, I sure as hell wouldn't be sitting around, rolling me eyes and going "ugh."

Definitely go to the bank and take these screenshots to show them the seller has "claimed" to be sending a refund, but you never got it. They can see pending refunds just like any other transaction, so it should help your case when they see the seller himself agreeing to a refund and then not following through.

Also, maybe it might be a good idea to contact Square and let them know he might be using their service to commit fraud. If they cut him off, it'll reduce his ability to scam someone else and then just blame Square when it doesn't work out.

Originally Posted by Snake-Queen

Have you spoken with your credit card company?

I have, they're looking into the matter, and meanwhile I'm just twiddling my thumbs. I feel better with the confirmation I got from Square, but the fact that it took so long to even get that far was really disconcerting.

I'm curious though, has anyone ever actually gotten cages from him?

Originally Posted by senusenu

Yup, and he keeps throwing the blame at Square, claiming they took his money out, which looks like a load of bull. If my payment processor took money from me for a refund and the customer didn't get it, I sure as hell wouldn't be sitting around, rolling me eyes and going "ugh."

Definitely go to the bank and take these screenshots to show them the seller has "claimed" to be sending a refund, but you never got it. They can see pending refunds just like any other transaction, so it should help your case when they see the seller himself agreeing to a refund and then not following through.

Also, maybe it might be a good idea to contact Square and let them know he might be using their service to commit fraud. If they cut him off, it'll reduce his ability to scam someone else and then just blame Square when it doesn't work out.

Yeah, I sent my bank the same stuff I posted up here, and they've been looking into it. As for square, it's incredibly difficult to contact them if you're a buyer.

Originally Posted by Tkaupp

I have, they're looking into the matter, and meanwhile I'm just twiddling my thumbs. I feel better with the confirmation I got from Square, but the fact that it took so long to even get that far was really disconcerting.



I'm curious though, has anyone ever actually gotten cages from him?

Thanks for sharing your experience with James. I've been following this thread for a while to see if I was the only one. About a year ago I ordered a cage from James and after 3 months of delays, excuses, and no-shows for delivery several times, I requested a refund. For weeks I got same the run-around that a refund had been issued, but I never saw anything on my end. Eventually I filed a dispute with PayPal and they processed my refund. So, you can add me to the list of disgruntled customers who never got their cage. I'm fairly certain it was never even built - I asked for pictures of the cage for proof that it was at least built and while James promised to send them half a dozen times I never actually got any.

Sounds like he has great system in place right for interest free loans!
I would never be doing business with him and hopefully this thread will alert others to not allow him to have a free loan of your hard earned money for months at a time!

Originally Posted by Black Adder

Sounds like he has great system in place right for interest free loans!
I would never be doing business with him and hopefully this thread will alert others to not allow him to have a free loan of your hard earned money for months at a time!

Agreed.

So far, we have several customers complain about delays, failed delivery and slow/non-existent refunds. Not one customer has actually commented on receiving a product and their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with it. Shady, IMO.

All the same excuses, nothing gets delivered, I don't think anything actually gets made. My credit card company has refunded me for the last 3 charges but not the first which is 1/2 or so of total, because James was able to jerk me around long enough that it's past the 90 day garentee. The bank is reviewing the first charge tho because there's some rule with banks or charging, I forget, that you aren't supposed to charge somebody until you send the product out. I copied every single communication I've ever had with James, texts, emails, screenshots of the excuses and screenshots of all the people complaining about the exact same thing on here. It was a damn novel. Seriously took an entire pack of paper to print out. Took it to the bank to be faxed into disputes and started another claim with the fraud dept. After leaving the bank went to the post office and sent the copies to the bank via express overnight.
Here's one thing I didn't find out or see until yesterday, the day after I made the final payment on the enclosure James saved / linked my credit card to his account with Square.
WTF?! That IS Straight up Fraud! Hence now also working with the Fraud department in addition to the disputes Dept.
We cancled my credit card and blocked all info having to do with it. It used to be linked to my bank accounts and that's linked to my mortgage.
I am furious !!! Saving / linking my credit card to his square accountAFTER he's been completely paid off for the enclosure that probably never existed. I can really start blowing up here but I will contain my anger.

All the time until he started playing games with the refund I thought he was such a nice guy, I'm 100% sucker, a mark and just another notch on belt for people he's scammed.

TO chime into this Thread once again. There are instances out of the many builds that we do in a year that are not completed, For any number of reasons, In the most recent case, I worked with the client for a weeks working on more and more changes that were requested, Furthering my own shipments and deadline, Even when against my better judgement I allowed considering She was expecting new reptiles into her collection...and did not have proper caging in place prior to receiving them.

To Address a prior comment, We specifically state that delivery location is limited to Obstructions, Hills, Inclines, Steps etc. The client had a steep incline driveway in a construction zone, regardless if a firetruck could fit or not, even a ladder truck is no comparison, because of that, it does not apply to this delivery in any regard, upon first attempt of delivery with a 53' trailer. for whatever reason the driver did not Deliver, I literally begged the company to send a driver all the way back out with a van to delivery the enclosure which never met its final destination. for that reason, and only that reason I issued the refund so she could order from someone else.

when there is a refund issued, I do not control the processor, The banks or the time frames. Screen shots and emails were sent showing when the refunds where processed, which all but one has been returned back to client.

Furthermore, Client paid over a period of time, in multiple transactions, I had nothing to do with the length of time it took from the first payment to the request for refund. I did request an exception from the processor to accommodate the refund. that is all I can do to move it along other than calling them on a daily basis. which I have also done.

When there is a Problem with Freight delivery which is not directly delivered by me personally, Which is a small percentage, IN EVERY SITUATION A FULL REFUND IS GIVEN AS QUICKLY AS I am able to do so, IF for any reason there is an issue, My phone is always available to any of my customers, I'm not here to prove anything other than Stating some of the missing facts that play a very important part in these situations. these Builds are generally very large, In this case almost 8 feet long, 7 feet high and in 3 separate pieces.. shipping from the east coast to the west coast.

I stand behind my product and services, I am by no means perfect,I clearly outline all of this information on my website under FAQ's. just to avoid situation like these. If there is something I can do better I'm open to opinions, If there is a better way to ship fully assembled freight that does not cost a fortune and is affordable to the average customer, PLEASE let me know.

FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, we will only offer local pickup and delivery until I can work out the kinks and exclude the third party entirely. I like everyone else cannot stand when something is delayed or Cancelled so anything I can do better I certainly well.
A notation will be made on my website as well.

Originally Posted by TBadSeed

The bank is reviewing the first charge tho because there's some rule with banks or charging, I forget, that you aren't supposed to charge somebody until you send the product out.

It's part of the contract that a merchant signs with Visa/MC/Disc/AmEx that a produced must be shipped/delivered within 30 days of the card being charged. Unfortunately this policy doesn't take into account the realities of selling herps, such as accepting payment plans for high-$ animals and products, or shipping delays due to dangerous weather.

there are so many variables in this industry that I think the rest of the country are going to struggle to catch up. Just getting approved for a merchant account for anything that we do took months of approval, the insurance alone is astronomical because of the construction side of things even though they are just cages and boxes. the other processors outside of authorized.net and merchantUSA are easier to use but cost more and the customer service with the exception of paypal are horrible.
I hope that it will catch up sooner rather than later.