• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

A NEW TWIST TO AN OLD SCAM ! Must Read!

Bci Joe

BCIJOE
Joined
Mar 3, 2002
Messages
283
Reaction score
4
Points
0
Age
48
Location
High Point, NC
I was recently contact via a WANTED ad I had placedin classifieds.
The ad was BALL PYTHONS Wanted.

I was contacted by a "Bih Shella" from the email address [email protected]

I was offered a bunch of animals (presumably ball pythons) from his 'Amusement Park/Recreational Area/Museum' .

He said he was receiving a new shipment, needed space, and would ship a bunch of animals out to me COD. i would simply have to pay $200 when receiving them, and then he would contact me about the animals and special pricing on them.
He made it seems like i should be jumping at this opportunity, since his animals would be greatly discounted.
The emails were signed,
Best regards
Director of Adverts
Mankon Park

I exaplained how I wasn't prepared to pay for a bunch of animals, could afford the $200 COD, but would first need to know an inventory list of the animals and their exact health/condition.

His response was that I should be pretty much lucky to get them and to make me feel better about it (this part is funny) I could FIRST send him half the $200, $100, upfront, and then pay the balance $100 when receiving them.
Kind of backwards you might say... LOL



So after emailing back a few times, I finally realized that he was in Cameroon, Africa. Nuff Said.

****************************************************

Has anyone received one of these?
Does anyone know of this person?

****************************************************

Below are some detailed msgs that haven't yet been deleted from my hotmail account.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

***This first one is actually the third email I received***

From: [email protected]
> >To: [email protected]
> >Subject: Message about: Baby Ball Morphs Wanted - Adult Females Wanted
> >Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 15:23:54 -0500 (CDT)
> >
> >Okay.We got alot in our park that we want to dispose of and do other businesses.Please if you are willing to pay for the hipment of the goods,let us know immediately.We ship before any payment.Tell us your amount you want and we are sure to provide at give away prices,
> > Best regards
> > Director Advertisement
> > Mankon park



>joe rollo <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Hello , are you suggesting you would like to trade away lots of ball pythons for some of the boas listed in my trade list? If so, which are you interested in?
>
>I am willing to take as many as 20 normal females, and possibly 2 pastel males, 1 albino male, 1 pied male, maybe some het albino females...
>
>Perhaps you can call me directly at xxx-xxx-xxxx - I will be available here for the next 5 hours.
>
>Thanks much, Joe Rollo
>




>From: bih shella <[email protected]>
>To: joe rollo <[email protected]>
>Subject: RE: Message about: Baby Ball Morphs Wanted - Adult Females Wanted
>Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2004 09:19:25 +0200 (CEST)
>
>I am gving them out to receive a new stock okay.This is at a negotiable price if only you could afford for the shipping of the goods.We have alot of animals now in stock and no space.Tell us wether you could afford for the shipping $200.00.When you receive the goods and they are okay,then i will propose a price at that moment.
> Best regards
> Director of Adverts




From : joe rollo <[email protected]>
Sent : Thursday, September 2, 2004 9:03 AM
To : [email protected]
CC : [email protected]
Subject : RE: Message about: Baby Ball Morphs Wanted - Adult Females Wanted

| | | I N F O | Inbox


I could afford shipping of $200. I don't plan to have cash to pay for the animals afterwards. I was not prepared for this. What is it that you would want to send? How many?

I would require to know atleast the condition and health of these animals before even receiving them. Could you provide an inventory list?

What type of Park do you run - what type of animals do you have there and for what reasons?

I'd just like to know a little more of who and what i'm dealing with here.

Thanks much, Joe






From : bih shella <[email protected]>
Sent : Thursday, September 2, 2004 10:40 AM
To : joe rollo <[email protected]>
Subject : RE: Message about: Baby Ball Morphs Wanted - Adult Females Wanted

| | | I N F O | Inbox


Look,
We are running a park Called Mankon Park Its been one a half year now okay.We keep animals to sale out and also for recreational facilities.I know you were not prepared really.The strategy is this,when we opt to give out goods like that,its because we are awaiting stock of animals of which we donot see enough space okay.It is not that we are forcing the animals on you.To make the recent documents for the animals now,we neeed money and the client to take the animals supposed to pay for.We are having reptiles in their number,Some amphibians and birds.We also have a section of a museum.To make you rest assured,as concerns the $200.00 you could offer,send just $100.00 for the documents and paperworks to be arranged and you could offer the rest when you have even seen the goods.
This the director's Phone number 00(237)7586638
Thats all about what we could do as help now.Interested let us know for we have 5 shippings to the US tomorrow Friday which are general shipping days in cameroon.......
Best regards
Director of Adverts

****************************************************

Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks much, Joe Rollo - BciJoe
 
I wonder how many people will send this guy $100?
This is definately a new twist to the same scam.
 
One thing that always tips me off...

... is that these scammers always refer to the animals as "goods", as if animals are equivilant to any other merchandise. That alone should make anybody not want to do business with them.

Jennifer Webb
(Jungle Gems)
 
Back
Top