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INQUIRY: Jeff Morin or Blaine, MN

UPDATE: Good News/Bad News (LONG!)

Well, I finally got the box from UPS this morning. I drove to Redmond and picked it up at 7:30 AM. The first thing that struck me as wrong was that they handed me the box and it couldn't have weighed more than 3 LBS. But I still stuck the box next to the heater in my car and raced home to open it up. But no snakes. This whole time I've been worried about the welfare of these poor snakes that never existed. So that's the good news, the guy was just scamming and never put any helpless snakes to be shipped in the cold.
The bad news is he's a con artist. I called the # he had given, and finally got an answer. Only to find out that is his (now ex) girlfriends home #. When she started getting the calls from me about fraud and such, she started asking questions, and he wasn't happy about it. She ended up having him removed by the police and filing a restraining order. However, he did tell her enough for her to relay that he's done this type of thing before. He's never had any snakes to sell. He does this to make easy cash, because, as I learned when I got through to the FBI, the dollar amount is so low, that they don't really care too much. Lukily for me, I made contact with a great officer at the local Seattle Police Department, that believe just as I do, that a crime is a crime whether it's $1 or $1,000,000 and it should be punished. So they are coming to my house in the morning to take all the evidence and file the applicable fraud charges.
So, there are no dead or injured snakes, and I'm out alot of money ($600 is not alot in the grand scheme of life, but for me, it's alot!), but this guy should be stopped from doing this to anyone else now.
I'm the most sad, as this was my first venture to buying snakes wholesale. I before have only bought from reputable dealers for retail, or taken in my rescues, but I decided to start buying and selling snakes to help cover the costs of the rescues, and I put a good amount of $ in, that's now wasted. That $ could have covered 5 or 6 vet visits!
Anyhow, that's they end of the tale for now. I'll keep everyone posted as to the charges and penalty he faces when that time comes around.
Thank you for all of you who prayed for the safety of the snakes and sent me the best wishes in emails, it helped to deal with the long wait for the snakes that never came.
If anyone knows of any other BOA type things where I can post a warning about this guy, please let me know. I want to make sure that if he somehow remains free, or if he's currently doing to to someone else right now, that they are warned and he is stopped.
 
Did you call the other number yet? I think his mom really needs to know what he's been up to. I would speak with her.
 
According to his ex-gf who I talked to. She said he's living there with his Mom. I called but only got the machine, so I left a message, but who knows if she got to it before he did or not. Either way she'll find out when the cops knock on the door and arrest him.
 
Allison,

Sounds like young Jeff needs to be taken tot he wood shed for some good, old fashioned attitude adjustment! I would like to apply for the job if his father is unable or unwilling to accomplish the task!

I'm really sorry for your loss and for you having to suffer the thought of these non-existant snakes freezing to death in a warehouse somewhere! This kind of stuff makes me absolutely furious!

On a side note, just so you know, you have to have your full name on every post here on the BOI, if you are posting stuff of a good guy/bad guy nature. The easiest way to accomplish this is to adjust your signature to include your name, and whatever other information you want, in every post. That way you never have to remember to add it on later. Just trying to be helpful! ;)
 
Thanks for the tip. I put it on my first few, but then I got lazy. So just for the record, all previous posts on this topic by dragonfire were posted by me Allison Brunner.
Hopefully that'll help fix any issue.

Yes he does need an adjustment. I'm going to put a little faith in the authorities first, but if they don't do it, I think it's a free for all after that :)


Allison Brunner
 
Allison,

I'm sorry to hear that you have been scammed. On the other hand is sort of a relief to know that it was someone with no affiliation with the herp community. Just a plain scammer. It would have been horrible to open the box just to find a bunch of frozen-to-death burmese pythons. Let's hope that by acting the way he did you have a stronger case against him than if he would have sent sick or dead snakes.

Best of lucks!
 
Any update yet?

Allison,

Has any legal action been taken yet? For once, I'd like to see one of the scammers get what's coming to them.

If I was caught stealing a loaf of bread, the police would prosecute. I hope that just because this is 1) reptiles and 2) over the internet, the police aren't blowing it off.
 
Yup, scammer scammer. He posts in the local Craigslist saying he wants to take in unwanted reptiles of any kind.

a friend bought a lizard from him, and not only was it covered in feces when they got it, but had a fungus on it, and fears it may not live.

was told it was female, DEF. a male.
 
This is just a shot in the dark, but this sounds an awful lot like Michael Libby from Minnesota, a known con artist.

I realize this thread is old, but FWIW.
 
Yes, I have that same gut feeling it is Michael Libby. Although the thing that is still giving it hope it is not is the fact that he actually DID send a lizard to someone. Although it was in horrible shape, he sent something. But hey, thats the tricks of a scammer. With me and others, just sent phony photots and took our money (I got mine back), but a lot of aggravation. Do you have an IP address of this guy?? That would help because Michael Libby is a known HORRIBLE TO THE MAX scammer!! Once I saw the headline, MN and a scammer, I right away thought of Michael Libby. I am NOT SAYING everyone is MN is weary, but this is definitely a good chance him! Michael Libby also posted scam ads on Craig's List. He has also put his name down as REAL and innocent people in MN before.

Anthony Allis
[email protected]
 
ExoticsExpress said:
Yes, I have that same gut feeling it is Michael Libby. Although the thing that is still giving it hope it is not is the fact that he actually DID send a lizard to someone. Although it was in horrible shape, he sent something. But hey, thats the tricks of a scammer. With me and others, just sent phony photots and took our money (I got mine back), but a lot of aggravation. Do you have an IP address of this guy?? That would help because Michael Libby is a known HORRIBLE TO THE MAX scammer!! Once I saw the headline, MN and a scammer, I right away thought of Michael Libby. I am NOT SAYING everyone is MN is weary, but this is definitely a good chance him! Michael Libby also posted scam ads on Craig's List. He has also put his name down as REAL and innocent people in MN before.

Anthony Allis
[email protected]

Right. Also, seems I remember something about running a fake "animal rescue."
 
Just wanted to put my $.02 in here. These are not the same people as I met jeff morin face to face and from others descriptions it is not the same.

I got baby beardie from him, she was coated in poo and i was told she was shedding, but once i got all the poo off i found sores covering her body from her ribcage down. She was covered in yellow fungus and then coccida flaired up. I got her last week, and she died early this morning...

I have been wanting a beardie for a long time, and i guess this was just my luck of the draw this time....
 
*Add since i can't edit.. The sores were on her tummy from her ribcage down to about a inch down her tail.... I have pictures but they are not the best...
 
I'm very sorry to hear of your financial issues with this scammer, but I have to ask.....what in the world would you want with 26 Burmese Pythons?
 
You're probably right.....which is a whole 'nother can of worms entirely. Not to go off on a tangent, but why not ADOPT 26 Burms and find them good homes? Just turning the wheels of thought here.
 
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