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Bad Guy Bruce McElyea SCAM

Hes sent me some more emails. progressively harder to understand. One seemed angry maybe that he was never delivered the 10k. So if I piece it together I think that was accidentally sent to me maybe and he thought he was getting a big check from an earlier email, it never came and he has regrets about spending over 800 bucks now. Not sure but thats my take home maybe. In one he insulted me and called me poor because I wouldnt refund his money and just make an insurance claim to get the money back (I think. its hard to understand)

I contacted paypal. They told me some very helpful info that I will choose to keep to myself in case he does make a claim against me, but I will likely be in great shape. I just hate the fact that I may someday need to defend myself to paypal, government etc, but with scummy people in the hobby, and a nicer end collection that I have I figure its bound to happen every once in a while and its always better to get ahead of problems and be ready.

I understand that he may have a sympathizer out there somewhere and seeing as this thread is permanent I will always offer many many more references for myself about people that were very happy with our herps.
 
bcr229 said:
Is there anything in your TOS about how quickly after the package is delivered you need to be contacted if there is a problem? I've seen anywhere from two to four hours in the ones I've read, if it was there.

Also have you asked the seller if there is an unboxing video?
Click to expand...

I didnt have a terms of service until this incident. Weve always just been chatty with buyers as we are not really a business and dont do a ton of sales. We have one drawn up now.

I never asked about an unboxing video because after I asked about why he never responded on the day I contacted him he tried to respond to the email in line and pretend that he was emailing me on that day and not 5 days later. I am concerned that he may try a fake unboxing video.

I still feel like the biggest red flag is that he responded 5 days later. If i had an empty box for 800 bucks you bet that a normal person would be on that instantly.

Here are his final two emails from yesterday. I have no further intention of replying to him.
 

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Complete scam. If I receive dead, inferior, or missing animals in a shipment, I call within at least an hour of signing for it to ensure I have time to thoroughly check everything over. That includes reptiles, crickets, etc. I don't care if a $15 animal in a $2k order is gone. Money is money. Anyone that waits 5 days and claims the box arrived empty is either scamming or literally delusional.
 
AndyUltimateReptiles said:
Complete scam. If I receive dead, inferior, or missing animals in a shipment, I call within at least an hour of signing for it to ensure I have time to thoroughly check everything over. That includes reptiles, crickets, etc. I don't care if a $15 animal in a $2k order is gone. Money is money. Anyone that waits 5 days and claims the box arrived empty is either scamming or literally delusional.
Click to expand...

:exactly::iagree:
Lynn Peterson
Big Time Reptiles
 
Unfortunately a signature was not required so it is conceivable that the box just sat there for days on end until finally being opened and then contained dead critters.
Very sad if that is the case but from his incoherent ramblings it is entirely possible he was on some mind warping bender.

If not then pure scam as NOBODY would wait 5 days to report an empty box.
 
But is it an empty box or box of dead animals? Those are 2 different things. So clearly this guy is scamming or the drugs have really messed with him (incoherent msgs to OP are either mental illness or illicit drugs).
 
SiXandSeven8ths said:
But is it an empty box or box of dead animals? Those are 2 different things. So clearly this guy is scamming or the drugs have really messed with him (incoherent msgs to OP are either mental illness or illicit drugs).
Click to expand...


Sorry I was a little more clear.....what I meant wa that if he left it for days and then discovered he did indeed have a box of dead critters he is not likely to state that, even his possibly drug infused state could tell that would not fly.
So easiest call is to say it was an empty box.

But given all the evidence so far, he is just trying to scam the op out of $800 whether through his own negligence (leaving box outside possibly allowing said animals to perish) or just trying it on which also seems to fit his past MO.

Either way the op is doing the right thing by calling bs on him AND having had the foresight to already talk to PayPal.

It really is a shame that todays modern lifestyle means this type of situation is becoming increasingly common in all walks of online sales that involve shipping of ANYTHING not just live animals.

Have had the same "empty box" stunt pulled at least twice through eBay sales, and the "item was damaged on arrival, can I send you my old broken piece of junk back and hope I get this nice shiny bit you have sent me for free!"

Sad sad world
 
Black Adder said:
Either way the op is doing the right thing by calling bs on him AND having had the foresight to already talk to PayPal.
Click to expand...

You can talk to PayPal, before, during, or after, and you can talk to them until the cows come home, and I can GUARANTEE you beyond any shadow of doubt, if the credit card company takes the money from PayPal, GUARANTEED PayPal is going too take it from you.

I'm speaking from experience, back in 2011 PayPal took $2200 from my account, and the scammer got the lizards for free, including the shipping, this is after PayPal did a 2 week investigation, and found that my client was pulling a scam, and just 2 days later, his credit card company believed his BS, took the funds from PayPal, and in return PayPal took the funds from my me.

Needless to say, I haven't used PayPal since.

If I were you Justin, I'd empty my account until this scam orchestrated by Bruce blows over. (PM was sent to you)

Lynn Peterson
Big Time Reptiles
 
I would have to respectfully disagree on PayPal, they have changed a lot over last couple of years.
One of my prior mentioned eBay bad experiences was exactly same scenario. They did a chargeback on their credit card which meant they took from PayPal but PayPal still sided with me and I kept my $279. This was 2016.
Still it is a genuine concern and PayPal do not seem to be at all consistent in their actions.
But I think we digress a little from the topic although it does have relevance.
 
Black Adder said:
I would have to respectfully disagree on PayPal, they have changed a lot over last couple of years.
One of my prior mentioned eBay bad experiences was exactly same scenario. They did a chargeback on their credit card which meant they took from PayPal but PayPal still sided with me and I kept my $279. This was 2016.
Still it is a genuine concern and PayPal do not seem to be at all consistent in their actions.
But I think we digress a little from the topic although it does have relevance.
Click to expand...

For those that don't know, PayPal was set up exclusively for Ebay originally. Don't care how they've changed, when I'm done, I'm done for a life time.....

$279 PayPal, on Ebay (wasn't livestock), $2200 PayPal,(livestock) that's comparing grapes, to cinder blocks .

So you're correct, we don't agree.....

I'm done with this thread..........

Lynn Peterson
Big Time Reptiles
 
Totally false aqusation by Mr. Grady

I am a very busy person and I do not have time to post or reply as much as I'd like to.First of all I never asked Mr. Grady for a penny. Yes the box was tampered with and was near the front door. I think it arrived later than expected or I would have been there. I lost almost$1,000. On that deal , that's a lot for anyone. Again I never asked for a penny and would not do so until the facts are known. Its brazen and utter nonsense to deduce that I scammed anyone without the proof. Sorry you have no evidence to support your claim and you teeter on slander. I have cameras with day/night vision recording anything that happens. I never asked your father for a refund because I have the thief on camera, there was not a good face shot but I know who it is and other packages were lifted to. I have a mailbox and delivery service I use and ups or FedEx can deliver there with people to watch and handle shipments.
I have had dozens of people I've used on fauna, and kingsnake and 80% are good honest folks and I use them as much as I can.
There is only one dealer I have issue with and I will post on the issue soon. I got a box in and there were dead animals, it was only a 12 hour shipment to me but 1 dead animal was black and the smell was horrible. I called him immediately and asked for a refund and I intended to return ship. He refused to do anything. The pathogen killed all the herps in 7 days. That's worth warning people about. Anytime you get a dead animal on arrival the whole shipment is in jeopardy I would hope that your statement is retracted as I have not scammed you.
Bruce McElyea- The real one.
 
Interesting. Have you actually re-read what you texted to the Calhouns? Some of your texts were almost incomprehensible but you certainly seemed to be trying to get something from them. At least they saw it that way, and it seems that way to me too. With the very confusing and rambling texts it would be easy to misconstrue what you meant.

In any case, if you have the thief on camera why would you even contact them about the the animals being missing in the first place? They texted you repeatedly to let you know the box was there. You not being there is not their fault.
 
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