Info Greg Phillips unable to ship or refund

[lolglitterbean]

Greg, if you are reading this, please know that I understand you probably have a lot going on your life and that others here have had successful business relationships with you, and it is not my intention to slander you in any way. But what has happened needs to be addressed, as this was a lot of money for me and this deal should have been handled with more grace on your end.

Hi everyone, first of all let me say I am not sure how this will work out yet or if this deserves a "bad guy" thread or not. I am new, and came here today to relay a situation that has been going on for more than a month now. I badly need advice from more experienced members. Here it goes. (Disclaimer: I seem very short with Greg because his lackadaisical responses about my money were irritating, not because I meant to be rude, I apologize in advance)

On 8/27/13 I contacted Greg about an add he had posted on this site for adult tegus. He responded promptly and I sent a deposit about 10 days later. He then returned the deposit and asked for me to send it to another paypal account, which I also did promptly and instead sent the entire payment. On Sept. 11, 2013 I sent 550$ to Greg Phillips under the paypal account
Lagarto Overos, email: culebraking@ yahoo.com, URL: sacredskinreptiles.com.


Now, at the time we were discussing the payment, I was always under the impression that the tegus would be sent soon after. Little did I know Greg was not planning on sending them anytime soon. He has missed at least 4 shipping dates that I can remember and has come up with a menagerie of excuses as to why, from bad weather to food poisoning. I even told him to send them whenever was most convenient for him, then received no response for a week. Most recently he confessed that he did not have enough money to ship them, which is more believable. Basically, he spent all the 550.

Since it's been almost 45 days since the purchase and paypal's warranty requires a dispute to be opened within that time, I informed Greg that the tegus must be shipped by today 10/17/13, or refund my money. I even offered to resend the money so we would fit under warranty again. He agreed to ship them today, this was on 10/14/13. Once again, he didn't ship the Tegus.
Now, it's too late to ship them for Friday and Greg is trying to give me 100$, saying he will pay me back 100$ a week until it equals 550$. I'm super scared at this point. I refused his offer saying in order for me to be protected I had to file a dispute regardless, now he's saying he'll ship them Monday.

I don't know what to do. His communication after I paid him the first few weeks was extremely poor so I had to go and dig up his number on another add. This is the easiest way for him to communicate it appears, so a lot of this is text messages minus conversations which are gmail and fauna message which I will upload. Can someone tell me how to upload the text messages? I use android and an app called GOSMS. Most of the important information I would like to relay to you all is in texts.



These gmails are in reverse for some reason, start at bottom. The first week I delayed them, but after that Greg nonchalantly delayed them 4 more weeks.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lyndsey Kempa <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 7:46 PM
Subject: Re: Tegus
To: Gregory Phillips <[email protected]>


Greg. I've been trying to contact you all day... I'm sending this in hopes you will see it and check fauna. I need to know if you shipped the trio of tegus today or not. Please call me when you can (mycellnumber)

On Sep 18, 2013 12:27 PM, "Lyndsey Kempa" <[email protected]> wrote:
Hey if you ship them this Monday so I can receive them Tuesday morning, that would be best for me

On Sep 18, 2013 12:23 PM, "Gregory Phillips" <[email protected]> wrote:

Sorry i just opened your mail didnt see that you wanted them shipped Tuesday for today. What other days would you like to have me ship.?
From: Lyndsey Kempa <[email protected]>
To: Gregory Phillips <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 1:31 PM
Subject: Re: Tegus

Hey Greg let me know what's happenin when u get a chance. I'm assuming they didnt get shipped yet?
On Sep 15, 2013 6:21 PM, "Lyndsey Kempa" <[email protected]> wrote:
Actually, if there's any way we could wait until next Tuesday that would be best but I completely understand if thats too much. Just had something unexpected rise up and would need an extra week to prepare for them, if its alright. I would have them sent on another day but work every morning till then. But just let me know either way is OK!
On Sep 15, 2013 5:57 PM, "Lyndsey Kempa" <[email protected]> wrote:
Hey Greg just wanted to confirm that the tegus will be sent tomorrow !
On Sep 10, 2013 1:05 PM, "Gregory Phillips" <[email protected]> wrote:
Thank you very much, il keep posted on the weather here aswell.

From: Lyndsey Kempa <[email protected]>
To: Gregory Phillips <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 8:14 AM
Subject: Re: Tegus

OK I got the refund I'll send the total back to [email protected]. Hopefully the weather will be alright monday and tuesday.. should be pretty hot here in FL. I imagine i'll be receiving some pretty big packages too haha. So just let me know how it goes, I'm excited! And yes would still love pics of the guy!


On Mon, Sep 9, 2013 at 11:54 PM, Gregory Phillips <[email protected]> wrote:
The californiaconstrictors paypal account should have sent your funds back, im still in process of just keeping a personal account because of the confusion.
Have you received any paypal emails of thet $100 decline..just use the [email protected] Tuesday sounds cool. Il take those pics of him tmrw morning.
From: Lyndsey Kempa <[email protected]>
To: Gregory Phillips <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, September 9, 2013 2:29 PM
Subject: Tegus

Hey Greg! Did you get my deposit? Looks like i'll be getting the Gu's sooner than I thought. Just send me a pic of the male by himself and I can send you the 450 to which ever paypal you like. Let me know! Also if I could receive them on next Tuesday that would be awesome. Thanks!








And these are recent.

[QOK if TE=GregPhillips]

Hey Greg can you tell me when the trio is on their way? You shipped them today correct? Sorry I'm just so anxious...

Il ship them this week just got busy at work.

Ok if for some reason you cant, can we agree next monday you will ship them? So I can get them Tuesday morn for sure. Send them when you can but definitely by next Monday. Thanks I'm excited

K

Hey Greg, just wanted to ask you if you could ship the tegus this week or next for sure. Reason being that if for some reason theres a paypal dispute, it needs to be opened within 45 days and its already been almost 30 since the transaction. If you need more time then perhaps you can send the 550 and hold them until the shipping date then I can pay you, just so there isnt any complications.

Sure thing I can do this week or next week..which one works best for you? Actually RAINED TODAY WOOW.

Can you ship them this monday? Im off tuesday.

Ok

Hey Greg please let me know as soon as you ship them tomorrow.

Im a bit sick I have food poisoning. Ate bad pork. I just came home from ER. I have box ready but im short on shipping cost. Is thurs for Friday this week ok?

I feel like there's absolutely no reason you should not have shipping costs covered I gave you 550$. The way you have conducted this transaction is completely unprofessional. I have tried to be cool and lenient but now you're just jerking my chain. If the tegus are not shipped this Thursday I will request a refund. If that money isnt back by saturday then I have no choice but to open a PayPal despuit and relay my experiences on the BOI. I'm sorry as I am trying to be respectful but its not OK to take someone's money under the premise the animals would be shipped, then after the fact tell them the weather isn't cool enough (which you should've known prior to payment), miss every single planned shipping date and have horrible commincation throughout. Now you ate bad pork? This whole thing is messed up Greg.

Im in the ER i will email you my medical papers im sick

After all I sent you, that's all you have to say? The point was not that you are sick, but that you spent the all the money I sent you and can not afford to ship them. Its growing dangerously close to 45 days past shipment. Give either my money back or the tegus before I open the dispute.

The shipment shall arrive this THIS FRIDAY.[/QUOTE]


There's two other fauna messages that I sent that say,

"Ok sounds good I know what you mean its been cold over here so im anxious (and by cold I mean not boiling ha.) ASAP for the shipping, any time any day just let me know. Thnx"

And

"Hey Greg, hoping the Gu's will be shipped tomorrow, as Tuesday is the only morning ill be home. Please let me know, thanks!"

Which he ignored.


Now, between all this there's a bunch of texts in which me and Greg talk from 9/23/13 to today, 10/17/13. I may help to clear things up as to why this was so frustrating for me. He goes on a lot about how the weather is too hot to ship.

I have done transactions on here before and never had a problem. I researched Greg on here prior but found no negative reviews. Sacred Skin Reptiles, however, came back fishy. This is confusing, and I need to know what I can do to make this better, and yes I have opened the dispute. Please, any advice is appreciated.

 

[Lucille]

Please, any advice is appreciated.

Consider escalating the dispute to a claim immediately. Also, no matter what the seller might say, do not close the dispute until you get your ENTIRE refund or the critters.

 

[smigon]

I totally agree with Lucille, this guy has NO intention of sending the tegus, get your claim in with PayPal NOW!!! Also, if needed, use the emails as proof of the lack of character on his part. PayPal is very much on the side of buyers when it comes to disputes like this.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[lolglitterbean]

Oh man... I will escalate it to claims immediately. Can't believe it's come to this, it really bites. I spent so much time and money preparing for the tegus, building them a huge outdoor enclosure by hand. I probably wont get another trio shipped at that price but if his intentions were never to ship then it makes sense why it was such a good deal. I've been waiting and saving years to do this so kinda feeling a little down But I know that's nothing compared to what some other members have lost. But I digress, I will escalate to claims thank you for your advice much appreciated!

 

[markpulawski]

Most people want to ship animals as soon as possible, especially if they are paid in full. I would guess he does not even have them and obviously does not have the $$ either, so a claim should be filed today (which thank goodness you are doing). I hope you get all of your money back, sounds like they are going to be squeezing blood from a turnip here though, good luck.

 

[TeguBuzz]

I would file a dispute and work on getting your money back. Honestly, it's kind of surprising seeing this from Greg. I've seen many happy customers of his over the years who have received his stock of hatchling tegus and last year I saw some pictures of an adult someone purchased from him (a breeder he no longer needed I'm assuming).

I really hope he comes through and gets your tegus out to you, but you've waited long enough. Best of luck Lyndsey.

 

[allreptiles1966]

spending before shipping

Wtf,another person who spends the money before shipping and getting the ok from the buyer. It seems there are lots of these bad business people on here .
And now they want to pay on a payment plan. I would escalate it as soon as he said he will pay $100 at a time. Theres names for people like this. Pick one. Lol

I wish you luck.

Maybe we should make the sellers give a contract to keep their words,and it seems there are lots of these types. What a shame.

 

[hhmoore]

I just did a little digging - the GregPhillips account has been here since 2010. Most of his IP addresses have been unique to him; but a couple have other hits on this site. Depending on the particular provider, that isn't all that uncommon...but, in this case, I believe it implies there is a connection. All of those other accounts (with the possible exception of one) were related to sacredskin. Even more damning was the fact that the email GregPhillips used for registration is the same (including the same misspelling) as that of sacredskin...just with a different host. I'm not necessarily implying that GregPhillips is Victor Soto (more investigation would be needed to confirm or negate that idea); but there is most definitely an association.

For the record, [email protected] has been used by Victor Soto (and his associates, or alternate accounts, depending on what one believes) for years...and the name attached to the PayPal account - Lagarto Overos - is a golden tegu (google it).

 

[hhmoore]

Also, if one googles Greg Phillips + reptiles, there are other accounts of delayed/failed shipping with tegus. I can't take that any further, because the nature of other forums would make those complaints anonymous third party quotes.

 

[lolglitterbean]

Thanks much everyone, I really needed the advice. And thank you hhmoore for looking into this, I googled Greg Phillips + Reptiles just now and found the same info, seems to be a similar situation to mine.

As I'm escalating the claim should I select "already tried to reach a resolution" or "evidence seller may be fraudulent"? And then in the comments box I have 2000 characters to write something, should I post the emails or anything there? I apologize I'm totally new to this and I don't want to mess it up.

 

[Lucille]

It seems to me that 'evidence seller may be fraudulent' is much stronger. Maybe in the 2000 characters you could post a synopsis of what has occurred and include a link to this thread.

 

[lolglitterbean]

Ok will do, thank you for such a quick reply!

 

[hhmoore]

As I'm escalating the claim should I select "already tried to reach a resolution" or "evidence seller may be fraudulent"? And then in the comments box I have 2000 characters to write something, should I post the emails or anything there? I apologize I'm totally new to this and I don't want to mess it up.

I would say "Evidence that the seller may be fraudulent".
The paypal account you posted is the email address used by Hughe Coria (aka Hugo Coria) when he registered his account - boastonila. Since the name tied to the PayPal account isn't likely to be a real name (translates to specked lizard, in Spanish; and googling it just gets a bunch of hits for golden tegus), I would guess that it is still Hughe's account...and, since Hughe and Victor are/were business partners; it doesn't really matter which one we think Greg is. Sure sounds like FRAUD to me.

What about the [email protected] account to which you initially sent the money? What name was on that account? Did you just send it to that account because it was used in communications with "Greg"; or were you instructed to use it? If the former - ALWAYS confirm PayPal addresses before sending money. If the latter, it makes the suspicious me think that he might use that one for legitimate business - you know, the transactions he actually completes to give himself a good name - and the culebraking email for deals like this when he wants/needs some extra cash.

 

[hhmoore]

For the record, I responded to one of "Greg's" ads, notifying him of this thread.

 

[lolglitterbean]

Alright, claim submitted. Thanks guys.

Hhmoore, I think you're absolutely right... this is seeming more and more like fraud. The name on the californiaconstrictors account is Greg Phillips. I sent the original deposit there because that's the paypal he INSTRUCTED me to use at first... suspicious. I sent the deposit, to which he responded...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gregory Phillips <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, Sep 7, 2013 at 8:06 PM
Subject: Re: Tegu Trio Pics
To: Lyndsey Kempa <[email protected]>


I have two paypal accounts one personal one business, the one I gave you im closing so as to avoid confusion. If you still interested in these 3 tegus you can deposit to my account [email protected] on paypal ok. Thanks


So I did. I still find it strange he requested the deposit be sent to caliconstrictors, then refunded it and used culebraking.

 

[lolglitterbean]

I also respectfully notified him that I would be posting this beforehand, only seemed right... Now I'm just furious though. Thanks again for all the support.

 

[hhmoore]

Make sure you point that out to PayPal...

 

[lolglitterbean]

Darn, claim is already submitted, although I said his identity was in question and linked to this post, I did not say directly anything about the two different accounts. Perhaps I can call them.

 

[LauraB]

Not sure who is exactly who, but all evidence points to someone to be avoided.

He's using the same phone number as Hugo (Hughe) Coria (909-233-3209) , has various aliases at different tegu forums, ie; lizardking75, Kushfiend, Mrkushfiend, and the same email address as Victor Soto (culebraking@ yahoo.com)

Some screen shots:

 

[LauraB]

And a couple more, just for the sake of preservation