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Help for anyone ripped off in the herp business

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Dan W

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After reading so many posts about people being cheated in the herp business, Ive decided to create a website where you can post your details and I, being in the legal field, will assist you in tracking the people down, for FREE! Ive mainly decided to do this because we were also cheated by James Bear of Serpents Lair.
It will take me some time to get the site up and running but I will do it as quickly as possible. I will post back here on fauna as soon as I have the url and then you can check back at my site as I get up and running. It seems that we are becoming easy targets for thieves and this needs to be stopped now before it does any more damage to this business. Katy Wilson
 
Dan,

How it will be different than what this site does already?

Regards.
 
Dan W said:
After reading so many posts about people being cheated in the herp business, Ive decided to create a website where you can post your details and I, being in the legal field, will assist you in tracking the people down, for FREE! QUOTE]

Alvaro,

Because he is offering free legal services to assist in the collection process.
Click to expand...
 
Sombody named "Katy Wilson" is offering legal services~ check the bottom of the post.

And why does she want to set up a competing site? If she really wants to help why can't she just come here and help?
 
about Pat Kane

After calling and leaving a message on his parents phone, Pat finally called me back. He said if I call his home again, he will file a harassment complaint. He also told me he had someone to buy the collection I sent him for $1000.00 and would have them pay me directly. He then told me he had not received ANY messages from me or e-mails because his computer was stolen in the burglary. I asked him why he offered to buy the animals if he didn't have the money he said, I shouldn't had. I asked what happened to the $2000.00 you were going to send me Thursday (5/6/04)? He said he used it to buy a computer. (You know because he hasn't gotten my e-mails cause the PC was stolen. He should have them now with his new PC). I then asked him, Pat do you realize you told me Saturday that my animals had been stolen and now you say you have someone to buy them? He told me he NEVER said they were stolen. That he said NO animals were taken. He then proceeded to tell me that "you are like a cell phone bill I haven't paid...just a bill I'm late on. That's all." Lots more blah, blah, blah. Ending with a quote from Pat to me, "have you ever heard the saying, you get more bees with honey than vinegar? Calling my house and all isn't going to make me pay you any faster, it does the opposite"

Pat Kane is an arrogant young man who will turn into a worse adult if we don't do something about his practices NOW!
 
Not competing

I'm not competing with fauna, I love this site. My site is going to simply help people collect their money. Thats it. I have alot of legal resources in tracking people down and just thought I would offer my assistance. I will not post the url if I am infringing on fauna's business. Katy Wilson
 
Pat's age

He told me Saturday the 8th 2004, he would be 18 in August. But I saw lots of people say he was younger. Ray said he spoke to Pat's mom and she said he was only 16. The Police said he is a minor so that's really all I know.
 
Valerie

What state does he live in? Have you spoken directly to his parents? If so, what was their response? In many states they can be held liable for his actions. Katy
 
Katy.

What you are proposing in print looks very helpful to the herpetological community.

I do have a few questions however. First what is your Legal Background or affiliation as I wish to be certain as I am sure others do that this is legitimate.

Second I see potential problems with Harassment and Debt Collection laws.
Will you be acting as a debt collection agent for the parties involved in the claim?
Will you be allowing the information to be made public on the Parties personal information?
How will you verify the debt owed for legitimacy of the claim?
Are there any legal ramifications to you or the claimant that can occur from making private information public?
If the claimant then contacts the other party and makes threats or continual harassment can you or the BOI or any site you are affiliated with be held liable as a third party in harassment or other legal ramification?
Will you be required to obey the “Fair debt collection act”?

Just a few questions I can think of off the top of my head. Again if this is done legally and correctly I think it can be a valuable tool for people.
 
Pat Kane

He lives in Mass. I have tried to get a hold of the parents but they have an answering machine and I think they screen the calls. Pat heard the message I left last night and called me back threatening to file a harassment charge with the police if I call again. I beleive his parents will be held resposible. They know of a scam he pulled on Regal Reptiles and Ray Hunter, Sperpenco. They need to be held accountable if they are going to support the way he does business, then I want their assets in a kitty fund to devide amoung the screwed. If someone would have stepped up the first time he did this we all wouldn't be having this conversation.

Ban together and stop this young offender!!!!!
 
questions

I am a para-legal. I am fully licensed. The questions you asked are good ones. Thats the reason why I thought about starting a site dedicated to this issue because there are alot of things involved in this process. Laws vary state to state and so many of these will fall under interstate laws. What I thought might help was to first locate the person, which is my specialty, and then detail the applying laws to the individual who needs the help. Basically, provide them with all contact info, local laws, forms and directions and help with the forms if needed. As far as validating the debt is concerned, that is an important issue and I am figuring out exactly how I will handle that. Concerning personal contact on my part, that would not be a reasonable request. First because I work full time, have 3 children and am still a student. But I would be willing to consider it if the situation is monumental. Im not sure fauna would want so much of their space taken up with so many requests. Also, the initial information I collect will not be available for public viewing. Katy
 
Valerie

What I would do is this, go to the FBI's website and click on "what we investigate". Click on the link "cyber". Then on the right side of the page you will see a link stating "file a complaint through the internet fraud complaint center".
He or his parents apparently arent going to pay you so why wait?
Katy
 
Thank You Katy for responding so fast to my questions. I think what your doing will be a great asset to the community and maybe put some much needed teeth to scammers behinds!

When you get your site up and running please let us know.
 
You are welcome

I emailed fauna and asked them if they think Im infringing on their business and if so I will not be publishing the url here. I did, however, offer them my help, for free, to any of their site users who need help. Have a nice day all. Katy Wilson
 
Katy,

Your expertise and willing to help is very much needed. Why not doing it on this site instead of in another one? The BOI works because dozens of people donate their time and effort for a cause (in spite of some telling us we have no life, we are to nosey, we are a joke, etc.).

Thanks.
 
I believe that the reason that the BOI works is because there is ONE place to go for this sort of information. If there were two, three, or a dozen places, then it would reduce the effectiveness proportionally, because anyone looking for information on a person or business would have to know of them ALL in order to cover the bases effectively.

If important information were found on the one site they overlooked, who was best served by this division of information?

I am willing to discuss this to try to figure out what would be most effective.
 
WELL I FOR ONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN

I WAS RIPPED OFF NOT TO LONG AGO. I HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS WITH USPS, THE FBI, AND THE THIEF'S LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NOTHING AT ALL HAS BEEN DONE. I AM ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT MORE THIEVES OUT THERE AREN'T RIPPING PEOPLE OFF DUE TO THE FACT THAT NO ONE SEEMS WILLING TO ENFORCE THE LAW WHEN IT'S HERP RELATED. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE WAY LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL THINKS IS, THAT IF THERE IS SOMEONE DUMB ENOUGH TO SEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS (OR ANY AMOUNT FOR THAT MATTER) TO SOMEONE THEY DON'T KNOW, FOR A SNAKE OR ANY OTHER REPTILE THEN THEY DESERVE TO BE RIPPED OFF. I THINK THAT JUST LIKE WE HAVE BANNED TOGETHER TO FORCE SHIPPING COMPANIES TO TAKE US SERIOUSLY WE SHOULD ALSO DO THE SAME TO FORCE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TAKE US SERIOUSLY BECAUSE IF THEY CONTINUE TO TAKE THE KIND OF ATTITUDE THAT THEY ARE TAKING TOWARDS THESE CRIMES ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE
JOHN PERAZA
 
If important information were found on the one site they overlooked, who was best served by this division of information?
Click to expand...

There is no doubt that several people would love for this to happen, particularly those that have been singled out for the questionable practices. Just like the latin saying goes "divide et impera" (divide and conquer).

Regards.
 
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