• In the past two days I have gotten emails asking about being requested to provide credit card info in order to register and also to make a post in the classifieds forums. PLEASE NOTE: In no instance will this site ask you for this sort of information. The only time any request for payment is made is if you choose to opt-in for a higher membership level, and that is done SOLELY through PayPal. Anything else is coming from a source other than this site. My guess is that this is coming through Google Adsense, but when I can get someone to send me a screen shot of this sort of request, I will know more.
  • 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.

Heads up! Nigerreptilefarm ofering 6 feet WC albino ball pythons!

Ask them to send you a photo of the snakes you're buying in a particular situation - eg, stretched out next to, say, a standard sized book or magazine.

Obviously they won't be able to take any such photos because their snakes are all imaginary. But it might be amusing to make them hop around on the Web desperately looking for the photos you are specifying. Fun with scammers.
 
LMAO

The second picture is the one he sent me too.

This message is not flagged. [ Flag Message - Mark as Unread ]

Date: Tue, 4 May 2004 13:20:59 +0100 (BST)
From: "Bruce Micheal" <[email protected]> Add to Address Book
Subject: Re: albino balls.
To: "Steph Scranton" <[email protected]>




Hi,this is a pic of one of the females available for sale.Her weight is 780 grams.
Payment is through western union money transfer or direct payment into the farm account.Shipment will take 3 to 4 days after payment has been recieved.We ship with Nigerian airways pet cargo flight - 2 to 3 days live delivery.All relevant paperwork to clear the snakes will be sent to you through fax mail a day or two before shipment.Thanks,Michael.


I was getting ready to post that I needed somebody to put the picture up but I see I don't have to. Just go back a couple of posts and you will see the pic that he sent me.
 
how long does this go on?

I've been watching this post for amusement purposes only. The concern that has recently come to me is by playing along with this guy so much he is going to get bolder and start placing more ads. ie the albino burm ad recently placed. In one respect you are giving him new confidences to continue making it that much more likely that someone who doesn't come to this site is going to get burned. Probably multiple victims. I only bring this up with concerns for the people who are going to fall for this. Maybe if ten or twenty people bombed him with the information you have on his scam he will go hide at the bottom of a swamp for a while. Not addressing anyone in particular here just a different view.
 
more fun with scammers

I took a few minutes earlier today and wrote to this guy. Asked him if Bob and Mike knew he was using pictures of their animals and what he'd do to keep me quiet. Figured that since he was getting his jollies by running a scam...let's see how he likes being scammed right back. Told him I was more than willing to contact Bob and let him in which would be interesting considering the amount of international business that Bob does these days.

I even suggested that a couple of those albino balls he's supposed to have might keep me quiet. Of course, I did that knowing that if he's got to use those stolen pics to try his scam that he certainly wouldn't have any to give away in the first place.

Thought I'd give him about 48 hours to respond and/or dismantle his website and then alert Bob and Mike, if nothing else with a phone call to Bob or Rance, whoever answers.

So, fun with scammers can be fun.

David


"mommas, don't let your babies grow up to be Scammers...."
 
The thing is, if he really is operating this scam from another country he may not care who knows as I am not sure if international law would do anything to help someone suckered in, and I am sure he figures the attorney costs to get him closed down may scare most people off.
 
Category: Pets
Brand:
Model No:
Part No:
Other Ref:
Unit:
Min Order Qty: 1.00
Features: 8ft albino ball
Specifications:
Niger reptile farm has for sale an 8ft albino ball python

Description:
you can visit our farm and make your bookings or arrange for us to ship the ones you need.



This has to be one of the more humorous scams I've seen so far.
 
no worries on his part

while he may indeed be in Africa running this scam, but it wouldn't suprise me to find that everything is actually based in the US if it were investigated in depth. Even so, while the FBI may no be a concern to an international scammer, I suggested that with Bob's connections for importing special animals he may be fairly well connected in various countries and may even have the ability to bring in Interpol (figured that if we're dealing with an international scammer, might as well suggest getting an international investigative organization involved. We'll see what happens.

Either way, I've heard of this web host service before and think that it was US based, so perhaps that would provide a little leverage.

David
 
while he may indeed be in Africa running this scam, but it wouldn't suprise me to find that everything is actually based in the US if it were investigated in depth.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is possible. But on the other hand from his ads he shows he knows nothing about the animals he posts for sale. He is based in Nigeria and he is saying he has alligator snappers and common boa cosntrictors for export! He obviously doesn't even know the "market price" for those species, maybe not even their natural distribution. As Al said it is even funny to a certain extent (if it was not that he was trying to pull a scam).

Regards.
 
I fell for it.

To all who have replied on this thread, I wish I had found this thread sooner. I found the Niger Reptile Farm on Reptilespark.com. I am a tortoise breeder and when I saw his prices, embarassingly, I couldn't refuse. I ordered an Aldabra Tortoise from ol Michael Bruce. Price: $360 shipped. I did a search on the board and got only one response stating that he had used someone elses pics in the past and that that was the only red flag. So I took a chance. I western Unioned him the money. The entire time I was told that all the proper paperwork to bring the tortoise in would be supplied to me. Well a week later he emails me back to tell me that I will need an import permit. No problem I have one but I had to renew it. I told him it was going to take a little time. He told me he was going on leave for two weeks. I said fine, it will take me that long to get my permit renewed and mailed. That was 10 days ago. I am awaiting his reply as to when he would like me to fax the permit copy to him. I will continue to reply and let everybody know what happens next.
 
hahaha you should of seen the pics they sent. all of those people from africa trying to sell reptiles are so dumb. they sent me pics of a lavender albino ball and a albino ball . they said 360 im like get out of here! this is a def scam and sure enough i saw them on constrictors unlimited so dumb these people.
 
Rosendo,

Sorry to hear that. An Aldabra for $360 shipped? I suspect you are not going to hear from him again.

Does anyone recognize the picture of the guy with the burmese? I bet is also from the web.

Regards.
 
Heads up!

It seems they have changed their name and are now operating under Basin Reptile Farm. Albino ball pythons for $300, indian stars for $140, aldabras $350...what a steal (literally)!
Below is their complete "price list":

----- Original Message -----
From: eromosele fredericks
To: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 8:06 PM
Subject: Re: Respond to your reptilespark.com SmallAd


Hi,
Yes, we have a pricelist and pictures are available.
what items exactly are you interested in?.The pricelist are as follows:
7ft albino burmese python,$150
11ft albino burmese python(,$160 each
16ft albino burmese python(,$230
5ft albino burmese python.$120 each.
albino balls $300 for females,$250 for males.
redtail boas $150 each
normal ball pythons,$150 each.
Tortoises available:
leopard tortoise $170
redfoot tortoise $200
sulcatas,$120 each
indian stars $140 each,
Aldabra giant tortoise $350 each.
We would be expecting your reply.Pictures would be sent once you have made your selections.
cheers
Click to expand...
 
Me Too

This "Bruce Micheal" has taken my money too, as embarrasing as that is to write. This was a while ago, when I didnt understand the market value of these animals. But what can ya do? You learn from your mistakes. Hard lesson learned! I then notified the FBI and emailed the web host from his ad and reptifarm.com which he advertises on regularly too. I've yet to get any responses from anybody, even the FBI. He posted a pic of an albino ball from Ralph Davis. HA! And the funny thing was, is that I knew the pic from somewhere but just couldn't put my finger on it. I notified Ralph Davis regarding this when it happened. I really don't think anyone will get there money back after this has happened to them. Maybe Clark or Ralph Davis can help though??? But I doubt that too...after all, it was only a pic the guy took from them, not money.
I'm sure there are TONS of people that have been scammed from these guys. They are just embarrased to say anything about it, thinking they got a "good deal" like me.
 
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