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Bad Guy Stephen Carnicom (scarnicom) stole my milk money! (and killed my milk snake)

I can see how they might look different, but I could also see that being the same snake, the band count seems to line up and if the vanishing bands are thicker on the sides than on the top, it would match up. just my little $0.02.
Sorry to hear about this hassle, I hope he refunds you quickly.
 
AbsoluteApril said:
I can see how they might look different, but I could also see that being the same snake, the band count seems to line up and if the vanishing bands are thicker on the sides than on the top, it would match up. just my little $0.02.
Sorry to hear about this hassle, I hope he refunds you quickly.
Click to expand...

The pic the OP took isn't that great. Hopefully he can take some more pics. That would settle it for sure.


Also to the OP, you can leave the seller a negative trader rating since you are a contributing member.
 
For me, it's too hard to tell if the deceased snake is actually the snake in the ad. It could be just horrible post-mortem color changes. I'd need to see a larger photo of the deceased snake to be sure.

Sorry for your terrible experience with this person, I term I hesitate to use.
 
AbsoluteApril said:
I can see how they might look different, but I could also see that being the same snake, the band count seems to line up and if the vanishing bands are thicker on the sides than on the top, it would match up. just my little $0.02.
Sorry to hear about this hassle, I hope he refunds you quickly.
Click to expand...

:iagree: with April the bands add up but can see why someone might think it could possibly be a different snake due to its position and quality of photo. I counted 14 bands of red from the deceased snake and when it was alive. Also the slightly larger 6th band I used as another marker.

That doesn't make this situation any better and almost makes it worse because you know that the snake suffered tremendously prior to its death. It seems that Stephen's primary concern was getting rid of this snake and just wanted it out of here(his words from text) and at the expense of the snakes life, make a couple extra bucks by severely skimping on proper shipping. This whole situation is disgusting and sad! Even if Stephen makes this right by refunding the full amount which is owed, no question about that. It still doesn't change the fact that a life was taken out of greed, negligence, and pure stupidity.

I hope he quickly resolves the situation by refunding Brad. But aside from that I don't think I care to hear the BS that would spew out of his mouth to try and justify his actions that were cruel and grotesque.
 
I hope this is a lesson learned for everybody reading this post- DO NOT BUY FROM FLIPPERS! Support real breeders/dealers, not someone who has ZERO vested interest or knowledge of the animals in their charge and just want a quick turnover ($). These characters are usually shady and the animals are usually sickly. This board is a great resource. Aside from the BOI check out a sellers other postings. Chances are if they are selling everything from Retics to Dart Frogs and also Box turtles in the same week and all the pictures show the animals on some filthy living room rug, you gots yourself a flipper! And when they only offer 2nd day shipping so they can skim the cost of regular overnight shipping, you got yourself a lowlife.:thumbsup:
 
UPDATE - 8/17/10

Stephen contacted me by PM a few hours after my BOI post. In keeping with the tone of our original correspondence it was personal, humble and apologetic. I've summarized it here rather than copy/paste out of respect for some of the personal details he included. He claims he's been on the hunt for a local replacement animal since he knows someone who just produced some albino nelsoni, but hasn't yet been able to work out a trade. He then went into some details about personal and financial struggles and told me that he can, alternatively, reimburse my money, but that it may take some time for him to get it all together.

I just responded (8/18/10):

Stephen,

Please don't bother hunting for a replacement animal. I'm extraordinarily picky about my snakes and I'd prefer to just peruse the upcoming show myself in a few weeks.

I can certainly relate to the financial crisis. As you know, I waited over a month before I was able to fork over a benjamin to get your snake. But there's a big difference between saying "I'm struggling financially and it may be awhile before I can send money to commit to a purchase" and saying "I'm struggling financially so it may be awhile before I can give your money back." You have my money, Stephen - money my family needs.

Please salvage what's left of this transaction and make my reimbursement the top priority it should have been two weeks ago.

Thank you,

Brad Waffa
[address listed]
​


Will update here with the details of how he chooses to resolve this.
 
Brad, I'm so sorry this happened like all the others. I have to say it made me sick to see the snake packaged that way, and was reminiscent of one long ago delivery I received that didn't end up quite so badly. You've done the right thing to come forward with this and outlined it fully.
 
bwaffa said:
You have my money, Stephen - money my family needs.
Click to expand...

First of all, it is beyond question that you are owed a full refund of your purchase price and shipping. That being said, it is a bit sanctimonious of you to crow about him having money your "family needs" when insisting on the refund... if it was truly money your family needs, I would hope you wouldn't be spending it on snakes. I agree with your premise (it's your money, not his), but comments like that could give people the wrong idea... good luck with the refund!
 
Mister Internet said:
First of all, it is beyond question that you are owed a full refund of your purchase price and shipping. That being said, it is a bit sanctimonious of you to crow about him having money your "family needs" when insisting on the refund... if it was truly money your family needs, I would hope you wouldn't be spending it on snakes. I agree with your premise (it's your money, not his), but comments like that could give people the wrong idea... good luck with the refund!
Click to expand...

:iagree:

Randal Berry
 
I cannot and will not defend myself on with which I have brought amongst myself. First let me start by saying that brad "bwaffa" is a very kind, caring, trustworthy individual and has done nothing to deserve what I did to him. He's a real man, old fashion, like when a mans word meant something, when he says something he'll do it. Giving me the benifit of the doubt the whole time.
I need not more shameful and scorrowful comments as I am geniually sorry and will be 100% with my follow through on reembursing brad his money. I wish the best to all and am embarassed to say the least. Again brad from the bottom of my heart I apologize to you and you will see your investment reemburssed.
p.s. clever title
 
From the sounds of things I think its a long term payback? Hopefully this will teach anyone readin not to ship ANYTHING other than overnight to deliver before 10am!!
 
chongorojo said:
From the sounds of things I think its a long term payback? Hopefully this will teach anyone readin not to ship ANYTHING other than overnight to deliver before 10am!!
Click to expand...

As good as that sounds Brian... .you can ship overnight to me via UPS and it wont get to me before 2pm. No how.. .no way.

Everyone wants to talk about saving money and just shipping UPS.. .well cheaper aint always better. My FedEx express packages normally arrive to me before noon in an air conditioned van.

What boggles my mind more is the fact the same thing keeps coming up on the BOI about sellers.

What ever happend to the primary tenent of business. The money's not yours till your customer is satisfied! To the seller... you couldnt wait 24 hours to spend the money? Oh yeah.... you would have waited 48hours because you shipped 2day. **palm to forehead**
 
Stephen

Talk is cheap, stephen. As of now, your word means squat. And if you lie again, it will be less. Just stop your whining (typical scammer 'woe is me' tale) and let us know when you have refunded the money, in full. You swallowed your honour for this little?

your new friend,

GB
 
To Stephan, the antagonist party of this thread. You can buy 4' by about 15packs of 3/4" styrofoam at Lowes or Home Depot, packs of 6 for $6-7, and cut (with a box cutter) to fit your boxes. Its that "ounce of prevention, pound of cure" thing. It may not have saved this animal, but its real good procedure with every shipment.

As for delivery times, there are times when UPS will not guarantee a 10:30 AM delivery, at times only guaranteeing noon, or even "end of day", if one is too far off the beaten path. In such situations, and you can find this out when you set up the order, you can look to have the customer stop in at a local UPS store to see when they usually receive their packages (sometimes just a severa lmile difference between someone being in the boonies, or on a highway) makes a lot of difference, and if advantageous, ship to that UPS store for the customer to pick up. Or ship it as a "Hold for Pick UP" to the UPS Customer Center, and have the customer drive there. It'll be there before the sun is barely rising, and it will stay there until pick-up, not out all day on a hot truck.

Hope it all works out, and parties move-on the wiser.
 
I've heard from Stephen once since this thread:

web.jpg


I replied a few days later:

web.jpg


I've touched base once again since then, but have neither heard from Stephen nor have I received my money.
 
Uh-oh. What I got from post #37 is that it's been about 7 weeks with no word. That's almost 2 months after the money was 'almost collected'.
 
You need pics from the same angle as the add to tell. The post mortem pic is only showing the sides. I agree, it could be the same snake.
 
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