madshark
New member
My name is Mark A. Duncan (Houston, TX)
First let me say, I know I was stupid sending money to someone via Western Union. Sometimes I think I am too smart and it bites me. Like this time. Please don't tell me what an idiot I am.
Second, I cannot figure out how to link the emails directly to this post, so I have copied and pasted. If someone would be kind enough to explain how to place a link to the eactual email, I'll be happy to make those modifications.
I posted a wanted ad on Venomous Reptiles.com and Kingsnake looking for 1.1 Bitis Nasicornis. A few days later I got a text message from Brandon Raines saying he had a cb pair 1.1, 2011 Rhinos. We negotiated a price of $400.00 ($300.00 for the snakes and $100.00 for Delta Dash shipment) over the phone. I asked for a Paypal account and was told he got paid on a debit card and had no bank account. Therefore, no Paypal.
I agreed if he could provide some references and would agree to a contract I emailed him. The references checked out. One of the references he gave me has very good ratings and feedback on several sites. I reverse checked his phone # and address and they both came back to Brandon Raines. Thought I had done due diligance in checking this guy out. He was a for real person and had good references from reputable vendors. I also could find no negative comments about him on any sites.
He sent me following email with photographs of obviously healthy juvenile Rhinos.
"Sat, November 12, 2011 7:43:34 PMRhinos
From: brandon raines <[email protected]>Add to Contacts
To: [email protected]
2 Files View Slideshow Download All
IMG_20111016_170148-1.jpg (34KB); IMG_20111016_170613-1.jpg (14KB)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rhinos
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Images | View Slideshow | Download Selected | Download All
"
I emailed a short agreement and he agreed by email, as follows:
"On Nov 14, 2011 7:22 PM, "brandon raines" <[email protected]> wrote:
I agree my name is Brandon raines
My adress 311 bailey street, Greenville, sc 29609
On Nov 14, 2011 7:13 PM, "Mark Duncan" <[email protected]> wrote:
Brandon,
I got hold of Greg and Morgan, today. They both had good things to say about you. I am more comfortable with the purchase we discussed.
I wanted to send this in writing so we are both clear on exactly what the details are. Per our discussion, I will send $400.00 ($300.00 for the snakes and $100.00 for packaging and shipping) by Western Union, to you. In return you will ship to me two captive bred Bitis Nasicornis (pictured in the email below). The snakes are to be suitably packaged for shipment and shipped by Delta Cargo (Delta Dash) for my pick up at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
Shipment of the snakes is to be done within 24 hours of your receipt of the funds. Upon your drop off of the package containing the snakes at your shipping airport you will call, text or email me the airline and flight information. I will pick up the snakes within one hour of their arrival at Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Please let me know if any of these details are not as we discussed. Forward your information for me to send the funds Western Union and I will do it tomorrow (11/15/11) AM.
I appreciate you working with me on this. The Rhinos are beautiful and should make a great breeding pair in a couple of years.
Mark A. Duncan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: brandon raines <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sat, November 12, 2011 7:43:34 PM
Subject: Rhinos
Rhinos"
I made the transfer of the funds and the next day I received, by text a tracking number, not airline and flight info. I called Brandon Raines back and got a story about how South Carolina won't allow import or export of venomous reptiles, so he took it upon himself to take them to FedEx and ship for before 1030 Next Day delivery. I expressed my dissatisfaction and he assured me that he did this all the time and everything always went fine.
The next morning I received the package, opened it and found two juvenile Rhinoceros Vipers dead long enough to smell of rot and looking like they had been frozen. I called Brandon Raines immediately and was told that he would make it right. Find another pair from other breeders he knows or offer me a suitable substitute.
The next day I got a text message from his phone from someone claiming to be Brandon Raines' wife, saying he was in jail for getting in a fight. The next day I called and he answered saying he had been bailed out and would get some rest and take care of this deal. The following day I began getting emails from Brandon's email address from someone claiming to be Jeff McAllister and saying that he was going to do nothing to make this situation right.
"Re: Rhinos
From: brandon raines <[email protected]>Add to Contacts
To: [email protected]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brandons bail was revoked due to other pending current assault charges. I'm jeff and ill be handling his business for a while...at the lawyer meeting we brought up the dead Snake issue and discussed it with the lawyer and had him look ovee everything... since there was no live arrival guarantee were not responsible for the snakes and as far as them being d.o.a., fedex allows dead snakes to be sent ( contacted them and got confirmation of that earlier).. as long as properly packed which you stated they was. And they was dead before shipping confirmed by 3 people. I'm sorry about your loss of the snakes maybe when Brandon gets out he will do something different but that's how I'm handling it.
On Nov 17, 2011 11:29 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:
They just got dropped off. Both DOA. I'm attaching pics. I could smell them rotting through the bags when I opened the box. They've been dead a while. They were very cold and looked like they may have actually frozen. Let me know how you want to make this right.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile"
It is my opinion that Brandon Raines and Jeff McAllister are the same person. During the course of our emails, "Jeff" referred to details of phone conversations that Brandon and I had that he would not have known unless he was Brandon.
At this point I have had $400 stolen from me by Brandon Raines aka Jeff McAllister. I wanted to relate this to perhaps prevent some one else from getting ripped off. And maybe someone would have suggestions on the proper authorities to file charges with.
First let me say, I know I was stupid sending money to someone via Western Union. Sometimes I think I am too smart and it bites me. Like this time. Please don't tell me what an idiot I am.
Second, I cannot figure out how to link the emails directly to this post, so I have copied and pasted. If someone would be kind enough to explain how to place a link to the eactual email, I'll be happy to make those modifications.
I posted a wanted ad on Venomous Reptiles.com and Kingsnake looking for 1.1 Bitis Nasicornis. A few days later I got a text message from Brandon Raines saying he had a cb pair 1.1, 2011 Rhinos. We negotiated a price of $400.00 ($300.00 for the snakes and $100.00 for Delta Dash shipment) over the phone. I asked for a Paypal account and was told he got paid on a debit card and had no bank account. Therefore, no Paypal.
I agreed if he could provide some references and would agree to a contract I emailed him. The references checked out. One of the references he gave me has very good ratings and feedback on several sites. I reverse checked his phone # and address and they both came back to Brandon Raines. Thought I had done due diligance in checking this guy out. He was a for real person and had good references from reputable vendors. I also could find no negative comments about him on any sites.
He sent me following email with photographs of obviously healthy juvenile Rhinos.
"Sat, November 12, 2011 7:43:34 PMRhinos
From: brandon raines <[email protected]>Add to Contacts
To: [email protected]
2 Files View Slideshow Download All
IMG_20111016_170148-1.jpg (34KB); IMG_20111016_170613-1.jpg (14KB)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rhinos
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Images | View Slideshow | Download Selected | Download All
"
I emailed a short agreement and he agreed by email, as follows:
"On Nov 14, 2011 7:22 PM, "brandon raines" <[email protected]> wrote:
I agree my name is Brandon raines
My adress 311 bailey street, Greenville, sc 29609
On Nov 14, 2011 7:13 PM, "Mark Duncan" <[email protected]> wrote:
Brandon,
I got hold of Greg and Morgan, today. They both had good things to say about you. I am more comfortable with the purchase we discussed.
I wanted to send this in writing so we are both clear on exactly what the details are. Per our discussion, I will send $400.00 ($300.00 for the snakes and $100.00 for packaging and shipping) by Western Union, to you. In return you will ship to me two captive bred Bitis Nasicornis (pictured in the email below). The snakes are to be suitably packaged for shipment and shipped by Delta Cargo (Delta Dash) for my pick up at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
Shipment of the snakes is to be done within 24 hours of your receipt of the funds. Upon your drop off of the package containing the snakes at your shipping airport you will call, text or email me the airline and flight information. I will pick up the snakes within one hour of their arrival at Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Please let me know if any of these details are not as we discussed. Forward your information for me to send the funds Western Union and I will do it tomorrow (11/15/11) AM.
I appreciate you working with me on this. The Rhinos are beautiful and should make a great breeding pair in a couple of years.
Mark A. Duncan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: brandon raines <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sat, November 12, 2011 7:43:34 PM
Subject: Rhinos
Rhinos"
I made the transfer of the funds and the next day I received, by text a tracking number, not airline and flight info. I called Brandon Raines back and got a story about how South Carolina won't allow import or export of venomous reptiles, so he took it upon himself to take them to FedEx and ship for before 1030 Next Day delivery. I expressed my dissatisfaction and he assured me that he did this all the time and everything always went fine.
The next morning I received the package, opened it and found two juvenile Rhinoceros Vipers dead long enough to smell of rot and looking like they had been frozen. I called Brandon Raines immediately and was told that he would make it right. Find another pair from other breeders he knows or offer me a suitable substitute.
The next day I got a text message from his phone from someone claiming to be Brandon Raines' wife, saying he was in jail for getting in a fight. The next day I called and he answered saying he had been bailed out and would get some rest and take care of this deal. The following day I began getting emails from Brandon's email address from someone claiming to be Jeff McAllister and saying that he was going to do nothing to make this situation right.
"Re: Rhinos
From: brandon raines <[email protected]>Add to Contacts
To: [email protected]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brandons bail was revoked due to other pending current assault charges. I'm jeff and ill be handling his business for a while...at the lawyer meeting we brought up the dead Snake issue and discussed it with the lawyer and had him look ovee everything... since there was no live arrival guarantee were not responsible for the snakes and as far as them being d.o.a., fedex allows dead snakes to be sent ( contacted them and got confirmation of that earlier).. as long as properly packed which you stated they was. And they was dead before shipping confirmed by 3 people. I'm sorry about your loss of the snakes maybe when Brandon gets out he will do something different but that's how I'm handling it.
On Nov 17, 2011 11:29 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:
They just got dropped off. Both DOA. I'm attaching pics. I could smell them rotting through the bags when I opened the box. They've been dead a while. They were very cold and looked like they may have actually frozen. Let me know how you want to make this right.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile"
It is my opinion that Brandon Raines and Jeff McAllister are the same person. During the course of our emails, "Jeff" referred to details of phone conversations that Brandon and I had that he would not have known unless he was Brandon.
At this point I have had $400 stolen from me by Brandon Raines aka Jeff McAllister. I wanted to relate this to perhaps prevent some one else from getting ripped off. And maybe someone would have suggestions on the proper authorities to file charges with.
. I'm sure everybody appreciates you jeopardizing our standing with FedEx.