Beware of Jeane Best & Wendy Childs

[Cat_72]

I do believe Jim is the only "voice" that disagrees with every ones take on Wendy and Jeane's transactions. That shouldn't be a deterrent to posting.

Anyone that has had a bad transaction with them should come forward. It should be treated like any other thread. Post as much evidence as you have.
If anything, You have an advantage. We already know they're scammers.

I agree completely, Dennis. It is a known fact that these people are scammers, I can only think of one person who may find cause to argue that, and it's pretty easy to simply ignore that one voice. The more proof we have here, the better to save others from falling victim to them.

 

[Dennis Hultman]

And please everyone, don’t fall for the "BLUE" Dragon Scam they are running.

 

[shrap]

It is real simple. If people are not coming her and posting their stories because they are worried about Jim then all they have to do is go to his profile and click the "add user to ignore list" link/button and they will never have to see any post Jim makes.

And if there is more that people are worried about than just Jim's words, if there have been any threats of repercussions for coming forward by Wendy, Jeanne or anyone else then that needs addressed as well. Not just here but with the authorities as well.

Because to be perfectly frank, I cant see someone who got ripped off being afraid to come here JUST because they are worried about what Jim has to say about the situation. That just doesnt make a damn bit of sense to me.

 

[Chameleon Company]

Dennis H.,
In the original post by the thread starter, there were about four of us who felt that both parties were at fault, all who are held in good standing here. Since then, quite a few more have disagreed with the posting practices of notables such as Timmy, which are not relevent to the actions of Wendy in our opinions. However, with regard to other complaints in this thread about SLL's business transactions, whether beardies or rankins or other transgressions, I have not taken issue with any of them, and I believe offered recourse advice on several occasions. As well stated by Alicia yesterday regarding this "fear of posting" ......

 

[Dennis Hultman]

Dennis H.,
In the original post by the thread starter, there were about four of us who felt that both parties were at fault, all who are held in good standing here. Since then, quite a few more have disagreed with the posting practices of notables such as Timmy, which are not relevent to the actions of Wendy in our opinions. However, with regard to other complaints in this thread about SLL's business transactions, whether beardies or rankins or other transgressions, I have not taken issue with any of them, and I believe offered recourse advice on several occasions. As well stated by Alicia yesterday regarding this "fear of posting" ......

What was the original post by the thread starter again? J/K

I understand and remember your post from yesterday. I'm typing to the perception that others believe that you will "attack" them.

 

[Dennis Hultman]

there were about four of us who felt that both parties were at fault, all who are held in good standing here.

If there was, I certainly don't remember.

 

[Chameleon Company]

Well Dennis!

Trying to keep a straight face here:

I understand and remember your post from yesterday. I'm typing to the perception that others believe that you will "attack" them.

My recollection would be that many past posters in the BOI have complained of the mob mentality here as reason for not posting, or for leaving. None of that here, of course. I suppose that I should be honored to have achieved the status of being a "mob of one" ..... Perhaps you can see the humor in it.

Watching y'all around the campfire here wondering what to do, I will offer a suggestion or two:

1) You can debate how to add another 100-200-500 posts here, as if there aren't enough already; or

2) As Wes has suggested, you might try some additional recourse.

I'll put the lion on a leash.

 

[CheriS]

OUCH

Barry, I had not seen the dragons you purchased from her, I had already read the other threads on Ms Childs/Best a long time ago and updated them yesterday, but just saw this "other" thread on here and the photos of your Rankins(Lawson's) on page 5 of that thread (this is not this thread) you got from her.

Those dragons you got from her look really bad, Lawson's are not suppose to look like anoles or iguana's with long narrow bodies, they are suppose to be plump with a rounded body. The man who originally identified and named them, was calling them Dumpy Dragons for awhile before they were formally named, as even in the wild where he got his first specimens from, they are short and chunky. I know they are new to you, so you might not be aware what they are suppose to look like. Here is a photo of two healthy ones I have close up and sleeping

Please compare these to yours photo on page 5 on this thread here that your got from her, those are very unhealthy looking dragons http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85500&page=8&pp=5 If they still look like, you can PM or email me and we will talk what can be done to maybe get them healthy again.

You or others do not need to take my word for it alone, here are photos from some of the original & best breeders of these dragons in the US (these are their photos and I do have permission to use them for research and educational reason with acknowledgement to them)

Healthy Male- Atomic Lizard Ranch

Healthy Female- Sundial Reptile

This is what these should look like, anything else and they are not healthy, something is wrong or they are not pure species. As you can also see these have very rounded heads, no beard either, unlike the two you were sold, which certainly are hybrids, not pure as she advertised on reptileauction

 

[Chameleon Company]

Jim F: ..... there were about four of us who felt that both parties were at fault, all who are held in good standing here.

Dennis H: .....If there was, I certainly don't remember.

Considering your enormous talents at digital recall, often on display here, I believe you can do better than that. I will not resurrect their names however, as I think most became rightfully sick of this thread many many hundreds of posts ago. Now, if you'd like to make a reasonable wager if you doubt me, and it would have to at least be dinner for two at Outback, I'll PM you the links.

As for all the TOS issues raised here regarding purchases from SLL, I do not believe I spoke negatively about a single claim. Outside of the usual chargebacks, which I and others have recommended within this thread, I again say that IMO only Wes has offered a reasonable additional course of action, although there may be others that I have forgotten.


The Intimidator

 

[ambrosemurphy]

To clarify a bit...

OUCH

Barry, I had not seen the dragons you purchased from her, I had already read the other threads on Ms Childs/Best a long time ago and updated them yesterday, but just saw this "other" thread on here and the photos of your Rankins(Lawson's) on page 5 of that thread (this is not this thread) you got from her.

Those dragons you got from her look really bad, Lawson's are not suppose to look like anoles or iguana's with long narrow bodies, they are suppose to be plump with a rounded body. The man who originally identified and named them, was calling them Dumpy Dragons for awhile before they were formally named, as even in the wild where he got his first specimens from, they are short and chunky. I know they are new to you, so you might not be aware what they are suppose to look like. Here is a photo of two healthy ones I have close up and sleeping

Please compare these to yours photo on page 5 on this thread here that your got from her, those are very unhealthy looking dragons http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85500&page=8&pp=5 If they still look like, you can PM or email me and we will talk what can be done to maybe get them healthy again.

You or others do not need to take my word for it alone, here are photos from some of the original & best breeders of these dragons in the US (these are their photos and I do have permission to use them for research and educational reason with acknowledgement to them)

Healthy Male- Atomic Lizard Ranch

Healthy Female- Sundial Reptile

This is what these should look like, anything else and they are not healthy, something is wrong or they are not pure species. As you can also see these have very rounded heads, no beard either, unlike the two you were sold, which certainly are hybrids, not pure as she advertised on reptileauction

Hi Cheri~
Thanks for the info...always looking for reliable information, and there's not a lot out there on the Rankins...

A point of clarification about the photo I posted...it was taken and furnished to me by Jeanne Best herself--the smaller animal is a baby "Drankin" (her term--still a generation away from having the Bearded bred back out--again her explanation) and the larger is a baby Bearded for comparison. It is OBVIOUSLY and POORLY retouched...as I understand their "goal" with this hybridization, it is to add color to what they feel are "drab" pure Rankins. After seeing the results up close and personal, you have to ask WHY BOTHER..they sure don't have any more color than a pure Rankin. Given the work involved, one would think they would abandon the project on that point alone

There were 3 stages to my dealings with them on this:
1. misrepresentation of hybridization (initial contacts and sale with me)
2. admission of hybridization (second sale with me)--her photo came in here--
3. back to denial and misrepresentation (they were still selling them at large)

My main complaint with them was, and still is, purposefully misrepresenting animals for sale. Second would be my being against this particular hybridization. However, this is America and they aren't breaking any laws as far as the hybridization goes, but they need to stand behind their project and sell them for what they are. Naturally the flack would be pretty heavy for doing so, so I suppose they choose to deceive. Third would be their "preying" on unsuspecting and under-educated buyers (such as myself at the time). Call it stupid, but there happen to be a lot of folks out there who believe the burden of proper breeding, husbandry and education lies heavily on the side of the breeder. These ladies seem to feel that is the burden of the purchaser to catch them at their game before it is too late.

As far as the 2 hybrids I did receive from them go, they were underweight upon arrival to be sure. I have had some success fattening them up since I have had them. I was successful in getting a PURE pair of unrelated bloodlines from a reputable breeder since getting the hybrids, and the comparison is pretty amazing. Looks and behavior are totally different. The hybrids seem a bit "retarded"...don't eat, bathe, enjoy natural sunshine, or even stay awake when they should like the pures do. It is actually pretty sad, and I must say the whole distasteful mess has really soured my interest in the species...irrational many would say, and my mental hurdle, but there it is

Barry

 

[ambrosemurphy]

BLUE Bearded Dragon...

And please everyone, don’t fall for the "BLUE" Dragon Scam they are running.

Yep, I caught that ad too...there was a bidder on the first listing I saw...for $500...not sure if it fell through or they had more, as a second listing appeared later...guess nothing amazes me anymore...

 

[CheriS]

Barry

Should you or anyone else need the screen shots of her ads for the "colored Rankins" where she claims they are "pure" I have them both before and after she was questioned about them being hybrids and she removed the question to the breeder and changed her wording of the "pure" comment. Now, that would not be an issue as you could think since someone questioned her and she was found out, she changed it to be honest ..... BUT, she went back to using it and selling them as rankins again, there are that way on ads she has running today!. This is the line she removed

She is PURE RANKIN! She is the 2nd biggest and brightest of the clutch.

Note: the date on the claim of "PURE" is after the date of her admitting to you she crossed and called them Drankins. It is rather funny that they suddenly just become pure again

Wes, I am sending these to you, in case you can use them for what you are trying to do. I would think these alone shows that she misrepresents what she is selling on there and combined with the email of her admitting it and calling them Drankins, shows they are not pure. I would post them, but editing them right now is beyond me. But you have my permission to post them if you want, the buyers questions are at the bottom of the one were she deleted the line after she was caught. She later and archive will show she removed the questions and her answer, as she was caught in another lie

 

[Iguanalady]

Wes, I don't know what you can do. All of us, including Barry have sent all of this evidence to reptile auctions already and they did absolutely nothing about it. Something really needs to be done to stop these lies. It wouldn't be so bad if she at least admitted that the Rankins were not pure. But this is flat out false advertising. I sure hope you get more accomplished then the small group of 4 or 5 of us did.

 

[Wilomn]

Wes, I don't know what you can do. All of us, including Barry have sent all of this evidence to reptile auctions already and they did absolutely nothing about it. Something really needs to be done to stop these lies. It wouldn't be so bad if she at least admitted that the Rankins were not pure. But this is flat out false advertising. I sure hope you get more accomplished then the small group of 4 or 5 of us did.

There have been some very serious changes over there. I too never bothered with the site because it was a haven for scammers until recently.

Let's see if it plays out as I was told it would. You know I am a hard guy to say one thing to and then do another.

So far, mostly, I am confident that their days of scamming over there numbered.

 

[CheriS]

Wes, I have to say that if you actually think anything will be done by the owners of that auction site there, can I interest you in some nice waterfront property in South Florida?

You do know who owns those auction sites, right?

It brings to mind the expression the pot calling the kettle black (not you, them)

 

[Wilomn]

Cheri, the owner has finally got someone who cares about the industry and not just the almighty dollar.

IF it works, you gonna just quitclaim that property me? I could always use some gator growing land.

 

[jeff6898]

I see wendy/Jeane has a new ad running on Kingsnake.com.
While all the negative talk here I would like to say something positive. I would publicly like to give a big thanks to Cheri S. She has taken the time to look at my bearded I bought from Jeane/Wendy and has given me what I need to do to get it eating again and hopfully get healthy. She is even willing to let me emal her updated pictures and give her the progress ect. so she can coach me along further on raising her. Hope you don't mind me bringing this up on this public forum but I thought you deserve to be thanked for you doing this.

 

[foxfire]

I am posting this here as one more avenue to word out on this issue:
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 08:23:56 -0700
To: "Jeane BEST" <[email protected]>
From: Foxfire <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Pictures

Consider this as your formal notice to CEASE and DESIST using pictures from my web site or pictures I have taken and were provided to you for reference. You NO longer have permission to post, or use those pictures or trade or electronically transfer or display them to anyone without being in violation of my rights as the sole owner.
Cindy Harken

 

[foxfire]

If someone would give me a quick tutorial on adding a picture attachment, as I have to get some other work done, I will be glad to post a note signed by Wendy for those interested in seeing her "autograph" due to past fame, and of course the basis for my monetary claim. Cindy

 

[Chameleon Company]

Cindy,
I am not sure if it is restricted by level of membership, but you would need to "Go Advanced" in selecting your reply option (vs. "quick reply), and then under "additional options" below it, click the "manage attachments" file, and then upload your image(s).